Customer Reviews

Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 Firewire-Charging Portable Audio System for iPod (Black)

5 star:		(255)
4 star:		(129)
3 star:		(31)
2 star:		(30)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

Three Way Comparison, Bose SoundDock vs. Griffin Amplifi vs. Altec Lansing IM600:
Design and Features:
Bose Sound Dock: Cabinet made of plastic. Appears to have two 2.5" acoustic suspension (enclosed) drivers under a metallic grill, with a whole bunch of added physical structures that look to be waveguides and / or signal processors. Bose keeps details on this pretty much obscured, but wattage estimates I've seen on the net put power output at roughly 50-60 watts and based on my own comparative experience, I would agree. Some commentators think the unit has four drivers rather than two, but I see only two beneath the grill and I am not going to disassemble the unit. Some Bose haters on the net claim frequency response on the SD is capped at a mere 10,000 kHz, which I personally doubt, as treble rich music I've played on this sounds fine, and no reliable net source makes this claim. Ipod docks in a front-mounted bay. My 5.5 G 30 GB feels rather loosely supported, but no major issues.
No line-in or out. Indeed, no console controls at all except a volume up and volume down button. Simple remote, though very reliable and with good range. The power wart is bizarrely large and bulky, plus is also in two sections, making it seem like you're going to be powering up a railgun or supercollider rather than a relatively low powered music player. The design is sturdy and attractive overall, but the lack of any special features whatsoever is dismaying, perhaps symptomatic of Bose's condescending "electronics for idiots" philosophy. Charges Ipod as long as it is docked, when playing or when off.
Griffin Amplifi: Cabinet made of wood, looks like small shoebox. Has two 2.75" drivers front mounted and a bottom mounted 5" woofer with a bass port. Griffin in the worst Bose tradition refuses to disclose many tech statistics on their unit, but my power estimate puts this at about 30-40 watts, not really much different from the Bose. (To sound twice as loud needs a 10 times (1000%) increase in wattage, so the Bose advantage of maybe 33% more power should not really give much real world benefit.) Frequency response per mfgr is 50-16,000 kHz which seems a bit unbelievable on the low end, but feasible enough on the higher end. Ipod docks on top and sticks awkwardly out of the unit like a control tower, but fit is snugger than on Sound Dock which makes me feel more reassured.
There is a line-in and not much more. Big blue-lit knob controls on-off and volume. Remote is a copy of the Bose's with the same simple functions. Range and aiming tolerance is inferior to both the Bose and the Altec, but certainly adequate. Annoyingly, the Amplifi only charges an Ipod docked in it when the Amplifi is on; if the Ipod is docked and the Griffin is turned off, no charging. Either Griffin's engineers are idiots, or they decided to save a few pennies in the design.
Altec Lansing IM600: Smallest unit, with plastic cabinet and cool fold up dock that also has on / off switch. Has two 2" acoustic suspension drivers, and a separate subwoofer out line that I did not use. Also has video out and line-in ports, plus a decent FM tuner and telescoping antenna. Tons and tons of features in comparison to our other competitors. Plus unit has an internal rechargeable battery which lasts for roughly 7 hours, and an "SFX" stereo expander DSP switch. Altec is honest enough to give the power stats on the unit of 14 watts. Though this is less than either other dock, as stated above the actual volume difference is not reflected in the numbers. Frequency range is not specified, but it seems to go as high as either of the other competitors, with perhaps less bass extension. Front mounted dock that gently leans the Ipod against a reinforced acoustically neutralized spot on the unit so vibrations will not affect the Ipod during playback.
IM600 also has a beautiful backlit display which stays lit while the unit is plugged in to AC power. The Altec charges Ipods as long as there is an AC connection, whether or not the Altec is turned on. The IM600 does not charge Ipods when the dock is running on its own rechargeable battery. The remote is also IR like the others in the test, and is somewhere between the Bose and Griffin in terms of range and responsiveness. Remote lets you control SFX mode and access four radio presets. (Though if you lose the remote, you will have no preset control at all, so try not to do that.)
Sound:
Bose: Excellent deep bass, controlled and accurate, never boomy. Mid-range is emphasized, so guitars and vocals sound especially fine. Treble appears a bit less impressive, but trebly stuff like Vivaldi and Tallis sounds just fine. The Bose sounds better with rock and jazz than with classical, but not dramatically so. The Bose sounds equally good at both low and high end, and the unit can be played at max volume with no distortion, probably due to Bose's manipulation of the source signal. Nevertheless, the Bose sounds very good at all volumes and with virtually any type of music. The Bose can also fill up any small or medium room with sound, and can even be a decent sound system for a reasonably quiet large room. Stereo separation was the best of all three speakers, unimpressive when compared to a formal stereo with speakers a couple of yards apart, but certainly very much a feat from speakers separated from each other by less than a foot. Detail is excellent with many-layered music like works by Nine Inch Nails and Dead Can Dance being expertly and precisely performed.
I am no fan of Bose, finding the sound from their home theater systems to be artificial, inaccurate, compromised, pricey, and over-hyped. However, in the case of the SoundDock, with the goal of creating generally acceptable sound from lossy sources, Bose has executed the concept impeccably well. The music as played may not be dead-on accurate, but it is not noticeably deficient and sounds loud, detailed, and clear at any volume. Kind of like McDonald's fries, the SoundDock is by far the jewel in the rather uneven portfolio of Bose equipment. Even if you hate the idea of Bose, or have disliked their other audio products, the SoundDock may well amaze you.
Griffin: Bass is about as good as the SoundDock, maybe lower extension, but roughly the same precision and balance. Griffin is to be commended for not going crazy and letting the big 5" woofer run roughshod over the sound of the Amplifi. The big woofer does not make the Amplifi sound better than the Bose at the low end, but on the other hand it doesn't sound worse, and it is also much cheaper. Griffin was not aiming to beat the Bose here, but rather to equal it with a lower price and simpler design. Mid-range is another strong point here, and treble is also a bit lacking, like in the Bose, but not too much so. Classical pieces still sound very good on the Griffin.
Where the Amplifi does lose ground to Bose is in the fancy stuff. Stereo separation is non-existent, and detail is nowhere near as precise as on the Bose. This sounds like a big loud mono speaker. Low volumes especially lose a lot of fine subtlety, and distortion is heard at the very highest volumes (though to be fair, no one would really play this unit that loud, as it is probably 100 dB or more.) The acoustically tuned all wood cabinet adds little to the sound signature of the Amplif vis a vis the plastic cabinet of the Bose. The lack of stereo separation, detail, and full clarity throughout all volume ranges is where the added cost of the Bose is most evident and justifiable. Most users will like the Griffin though; it mimics the sound signature of the Bose convincingly, has a retro wood cabinet design, and has at least one important feature that the Bose lacks, a line-in, all of this at a street value of 1/3rd of what the Bose goes for. This will make the Amplif a great solution for most users, especially those on a budget. However, the added price of the Bose does create a noticeably superior sound in at least some aspects.
Altec Lansing: The IM600 takes a different path than its rivals, aiming for a more treble oriented sound, with adequate bass and very good mids. The IM600 sounds crisp and detailed, but lacks the low end punch of the Bose or Griffin. The 600 has a separate subwoofer out line and a 3" sub is available separately from Altec Lansing for $50. No idea how it sounds. This is the best of these three units for classical music reproduction, but most music sounds fine on it. Even bass heavy music is more than acceptable for most listeners; you just don't feel the low end as prominently as you do with the other two docks, but depending on your expectations, this may be just fine.
Stereo separation is not especially strong on the Altec, to be expected when the drivers are all of 7" apart. The SFX mode is helpful in this regard, and does give some stereo sound effect, and really does not hurt sound reproduction in any way, so I normally leave the effect on. Stereo is far more noticeable than the Griffin, but less pronounced than the Bose. (However, even the Bose offers far less stereo than one might get from properly placed PC satellite speakers, let alone a true home stereo system...) Clarity and detail on the IM600 is excellent, rivaling the Bose in many cases. Brass and drums sound a bit more real and crisp on the Bose, and this plus the better low end will give the nod to the SoundDock over the IM600 for most listeners, unless you listen to nothing but classical. The IM600 distorts a bit at maximum volume, but not terribly so. It sounds as good at low volumes as it does at normal (medium level) settings.
Value:
Bose: Normally listed at $300 and almost never discounted. The new "portable" SoundDock just came out as of this writing and sells for $400. If Bose can maintain this exceptionally high price for the newer model, SoundDock prices may stay at $300, but if the newer unit needs some price adjustment, the original SoundDock may fall in price (or even be discontinued.). I purchased my Bose as a reconditioned by the factory model for $250 and then caught a sale at the Bose store for an added 10% off, $225 total. I think Bose stores are the only place where you can get the "factory renewed" models for the lower price.

[...]

Summary:
Bose: Probably not worth $300, the price I paid of $225 feels like about what the SoundDock is worth. The sound is audibly better quality here, though probably not two to three times better than the Griffin or the Altec, which is what the pricing would indicate. The lack of a decent feature set makes the Bose seem like even less of a value. Again though, if style, quality, simplicity, and excellent sound is your goal, and price does not matter that much, the Bose is a fine choice. Special note to all the Bose haters: take a listen to this before lumping it in with such atrocities as the Acoustimass and StereoEverywhere technology. The SoundDock sounds unusually good, does not mangle realism of the sound unpleasantly, and is really the cutting edge of what can be done with reproducing Ipod sound from a small one-piece unit.
Griffin: Aims for the SoundDock's sound signature, and generally succeeds. Lacks a bit of polish in both physical and sonic characteristics, but overall is an excellent value. If you want Bose, but can't afford it, the Amplifi will not leave you with many regrets. The wooden cabinet and big bass driver are not utilized very distinctively, but there are no glaring missteps here either. However, if you can afford the SoundDock, the Griffin has no real advantages as its clone philosophy and minimal feature set offer no advantage over Bose except cost. The bigger and better sound of the SoundDock justifies the added cost as long as price is not the main consideration.
Altec Lansing: The excellent design, wonderful feature set, and portability of this unit distinguishes and separates it from the other two. Sound is generally well done, crisp and appealing, and the treble emphasis gives the Altec its own sonic niche. The power difference in watts is not really noticeable except if you are trying to fill up a big room with sound, and why would you be doing that with a wee tiny Ipod dock anyway? Most users will be very happy with the IM600's sound and the quality FM tuner is just the icing on the cake. If you are on a budget, I would say get the Altec as it sells for roughly the same price as the Amplifi, and has many more features including portability. The IM600 has somewhat less bass than the Griffin, but better stereo sound and detail clarity.

Like others, I looked at many models. I bought this unit along with IPod for traveling to my weekend cabin, hoping to replace the bulkiness of my SONY CD player and three cases of disks. It is exceptionally portable, plugs into wall or goes outside on battery, has FM receiver so my wife can listen to college football on weekends, and we attach it to her computer/DVD to watch movies in the evening. The sound quality is excellent, filling the living/dining area for movies or music. Definitely competes with the old bulky system with no compromise. Plus Amazon price was incredible. For our needs, this could not be better. I am planning to take it on vacation with us this winter.

I tested about 8 different brands and models of these type of systems in a store at high volume. For its size and price, this one got the loudest before distorting, with excellent sound balance. The FM receiver is handy. It is very lightweight and folds up into a convenient carrying shape. Highly recommended.

I'm amazed at some of the technically sophisticated reviews on this product. I truly congratulate those with the knowledge, skills (and ears) to review on such a level. My review is geared to those looking for a quick and dirty review.

This device is awesome. It is quite portable. It plays loud without losing quality. It has an FM radio (I guess that's in case I run through all 6800 songs on my ipod). It has a video out jack, which I have used with great success. It's very easy to figure out how to use. It seems to hold a charge for a long time...although I've never tested it to see how long it takes to run out, I have used it for many hours without needing to charge. It also charges your ipod when plugged in, which is nice. It's pretty cool looking too. Not quite so bulky as some of the ipod speakers I've seen.

Have I mentioned that it's loud? For me, my first test with a product like this is to see if I can crank it pretty loud and not have it sound tinny or static-ey. I'm hugely impressed. That's where the money is, I think. Yes, you can buy a cheaper system...but try "turning it to 11."

Downsides: tiny little remote that would be really easy to lose. You'd still be able to use all the features...but you'd be bummed to lose the remote anyway. (Although I've managed to hang on to it so far!). Also, to use the charger, you have to unfold the system and stand it up. It takes up a little less space when the base is folded up, and it would be nice to be able to charge it in that position. But these are pretty minor quibbles indeed.

If you enjoy your ipod, and need to crank it up...this is a very nice system. I've really gotten my monies worth.

This iPod system is very powerful. Turn it up to max volume & you'll hear no hint of distortion. And at the size of a small book, it's very convenient for traveling (especially when battery powered) or for tabletops. It also includes an FM tuner which most other systems lack.

This system is much better than the comparable Logitech system at the same price - better sound, LED layout, FM radio. And I think iM600 sounds better than the $250 Bose system. Great value

The following is the result of more research than a sane person would do for a trivial purchase.
IPod dock speaker products range in price from $40 to $300 with the Bose at the top end of scale. Starting from the top, I would not pay $300 for a small single purpose device just to play the music from my IPOD. If price is no object the Wave Radio with using the aux input jack makes more sense. It is almost as portable, superb sound, great radio, etc.. you get the point. What the Bose does have going for it is great sound, AC/DC capability, the Bose remote which is RF rather than IR so it has a long range. It is a premium product at a premium price.

Deciding that price was a consideration I then made a list of almost every product that is on the market, comparing features, form factor, sound and reliability reviews. I then went and visited a variety of retailers to look at the products, hands on.

On the lower end of the price scale is IHOME, Coby, Memorex and the list of usual suspects. All played the tunes off the IPOD, the IHOMES attractive many models double as a clock radio perfect for your night stand so a multi purpose device. The compromise on these is music punch. Think of these as the ear buds that come with your Ipod, they do the job but just not at the same quality as the slightly more expensive models out there.

The middle of the pack is quite large and all do a very good to excellent job of pumping out your tunes. JBL,Kiplich, Altec Lancing, Griffin ICurve, Phillips, Apple Sound Box, InMotion and Sony. IMO all are very good products at prices that do not scream, I paid how much for this to do what? There are several different models offered by each of these manufactures, distinguished in some cases by color and other bells and whistles

The real difference in these products in the middle of the pack are some minor features, form factor and price. The reviews will talk about the difference in base and the range of sound but folks, these are all small systems and expecting the same quality of sound that you will get from systems 3 times the size or price is unrealistic. Putting things in perspective you are paying somewhere between $80 and $150, so you should have realistic expectations.

In some cases it was difficult to distinguish a difference, I took my own Ipod with me so I removed that as a variable. At that listening to some of these in a large retail store was a factor and at that I was surprised at how good all of them sounded. The Griffin was a big surprise on the build quality and sound, and if you don't mind giving up some of the portability aspects a product worthy of strong consideration.

The flying saucer design of the JBL worked great, sounded great but just did not grab me. When it comes to style that is a personal choice, sort of like blondes, burnets or red heads.

I narrowed down my choice to the Kiplch and the Altec Lancing and chose the IM600 based on sound quality, portability features and form factor. I was ready to pull the trigger on the Kplich but at the last minute there was a large price drop of the Altec Lancing, hey what can I say.

The Altec Lansing does have a quirk that should be noted. It will not charge the 4G Nano while docked a design change that will incorporated in their latest product release. The clock on the IM600 works great but if you are looking to use this as an alarm clock you need to use the setting for that directly on your Ipod. The FM turner works surprising well but not a bid deal. If you want music you have your Ipod (duh) and if you get your news from the radio, you have my sympathy.

The Altec is small and hard to believe you get more than an acceptable level of sound out of this, but you do. The ability to pick this unit up and have in run on its own battery is a real plus, more so than I thought. Usually I would just plug in the ear buds to the IPod and be happy, now when working in the garage or elsewhere, it's like having a portable boom box, albeit smaller with a tad less boom but nevertheless great sound.

The remote control tucks away in the back of the unit but I only used it once it works is all I can say.

All this research and words for something that cost me $80 (on sale down from $140) is excessive but I hate having buyers regret for anything that I could have avoided by doing the research.

Hope this helps someone.

I was looking for a portable speaker system that was light weight, had good sound quality, didn't distort at high volumes, and had its own power system. After lots of looking around, I chose the IM600, and I'm really happy with it.

Here's what I really like about it...

· The sound quality is great. I'm not an audiophile so I admit I am not so critical of sound quality, but I do know that it has nice deep bass and crisp treble. Also, I can fill a room with sound at high volume and there is no distortion. You won't get that tinny sound of cheaper systems.
· The size of this product is perfect. You can easily throw this in a bag or suitcase and you have a great travelling sound system. You don't have to compromise sound quality for portability.
· The battery gives me the option of not having to lug around an extension cord or find an outlet every time I want to use the product. That is a great option. I can get at least 3 hours on battery power (haven't yet tested just how long it will last on a charge), and that is enough for my needs.
· The docking port and stand fold up and out of the way so it makes it much easier to put in a bag or suitcase.
· I can sync my iPod through the system and also keep my iPod charged. That is convenient.
· There is a convenient, recessed area to store the remote control, so you don't lose it. And you don't want to lose it or you'll not be able to select preset stations.
· Although I haven't used it yet, the IM600 allows me to connect to a TV (by using a special cable) and play video podcasts on the TV. Nice.

Here's what disappointed...

· I own an iPod 3G Nano. These smaller iPods have been on the market for months, yet the IM600 does not come with the docking insert for the 3G Nano. Although this is not a major problem since you can still use the 3G without the insert and it seems pretty stable, I think that the insert should be included.
· I'm a bit concerned that the plastic fold out parts (the stand and the docking insert) may break unless I'm really careful. The plastic stand must support the weight of the product but the plastic doesn't look all that sturdy to me. And my experience with fold out parts made of plastic is that they break rather quickly. Looks like I'll have to be pretty careful with this product to make sure I don't stress the plastic parts.
· The first remote control I got didn't work. I had to take it back to the store for replacement (which they did immediately). The remote is important because if you use the FM radio, you can't select preset radio stations without it.
· FM reception seems OK, but this isn't important to me anyway since I listen almost exclusively to podcasts or music.
* There is no integral alarm, so you'll have to use your iPod's alarm.


I listened to several other systems in the store and just didn't hear such a great difference in sound quality between the IM600 and the much more expensive Bose Sound Dock or the Klipsch speakers. So with the IM600 I get a less expensive system with great sound quality that is very portable. Despite the minor disappointments, this product is almost perfect for my needs.

Note: Video output may not work with iPod classic 6th Generation.
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The Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 is a handy speaker system with an FM Radio and Aux. Input, so you can have it play whatever you want: either your iPod (it plays my iPod classic 80GB), your favorite radio stations (4 presets) or sound coming from your PC or any other player, via a miniplug cable connected to the Aux. Input (cable not included).

Add to that the rechargeable battery (that lasts up to seven hours) and you have yourself a replacement for your old cd-boombox to take to poolside or just outside.
The design is quite moveable too, measuring aprox. 11.5 x 5 inches and sporting a foldable base. I have transported it in the laptop carrying case, together with the laptop.
The included remote control comes in handy too.

The iM600 also charges your iPod in two ways:
a) when the iM600 is connected to an electrical outlet (it does NOT charge your iPod when it's running in batteries) and
b) when you have the USB connected to your computer (even when the iM600 is running on batteries. Of course, the power comes through the USB connection from your computer).

The USB (type B) connection (cable not included) allows you to synchronize the iPod with a computer loaded with iTunes (works on iPod classic 80GB).

Finally, you have a subwoofer miniplug output and a video output.


It is a great concept, with some limitations:
1. Underpowered. I mainly use it in my office as the speaker system for my laptop. I just used it for our Christmas celebration at the office and even at top volume, it couldn't be heard 6 or 7 meters away. But it's better than the laptop speakers or the stereo speakers that came with my home PC.
2. Flimsy foldable base. The base folds to cover all the input/output connectors in the back (which also cleveryly holds the remote) AND the power switch and volume buttons on the front, which protects them.
When open, the base holds the unit in place, but only through a spring mechanism that doesn't lock open, and some pressure could cause the base to fold in. It also looks rather delicate.
3. Closing the base covers the connectors and also turns the unit off. So when the base is closed you can't charge the batteries or listen to the radio. Thus, the iM600 is more "moveable" than portable: it works only when open and you really want to place it on a flat stable surface and not to carry it around while listening to your iPod. It feels very delicate when you move it while holding the iPod.
4. The shiny plastic it's made of tends to scratch rather easily. This adds to the "don't move much or transport" aura.
5. Of course, if you want to carry it constantly with you, you need to carry the power adapter (no, it's not just a power cord) and you may need to carry a couple of cables. While carrying it, you will want to keep the power adapter separate from the unit, so as not to scrath the plastic. A travel case would certainly help... but then you'd be accessorizing your accessory (by the way, Bose sells a travel case for Bose's Soundock system).
5. If you want better bass, you need an optional subwoofer. (When connecting the subwoofer or anything to the sub-out, the iM600 will redirect bass to that device and stop producing it via it's speakers)
6. Finally: It plays music from my iPod 80GB (6th Generation), the unit's controls do work with this iPod, the remote control works fine and the data connection works. BUT the video out feature does not work with my iPod. I am dissapointed. I don't have another iPod model to try, but then I think this system was designed prior to the 6G iPod.

I'm satisfied with the iM600, but ease of transportation, durability and the video not working are issues for me, especially for an above $100 product.

I got this for my wife at Christmas and, like many of you, I did a considerable amount of research and reading of reviews. I was convinced this was the best product for the price and after several months of use I'm very impressed with this product.

I was looking to replace our kitchen CD/Tape/Radio player and my wife listens to NPR quite a bit so I needed to at least have a FM radio in the unit. Right away the very expensive Bose unit was not an option. The IM600 has a great footprint for the kitchen, sound is fantastic, FM radio reception is great, and the iPod fits perfectly - I'm very very happy with this purchase. Bonus - I didn't buy it for the cordless power option, but that has turned out to be very handy for moving the unit to any spot in the house when the kitchen gets too noisy.

I rarely write reviews, but I'm that impressed with the sound, function, and value of this product, I felt compelled to share my story.

This iPod speaker system is exactly what I wanted. It's compact, lightweight, and can go just about anywhere in the house you want. I didn't need sub-woofers, surround sound, or anything like that. I just wanted an easy way to play music while cleaning, reading, or cooking. This console is small enough to carry easily between kitchen, bedroom and living room. Also, I think the volume level goes high enough for it to add atmosphere to a small gathering. I don't have a huge home- most of the rooms are very small. So for me, this purchase really fit the bill. It is also very nice-looking and stream-lined; I like the blue lighting.

I also like that it comes with a remote and that you can play the radio on it. Additionally, if you have a video or photo iPod, you can connect the system to your TV, and it will show the video or the pictures that you have on your iPod on the TV screen, which is a nice feature.

Overall, I'm very happy with the product and will certainly use it on a regular basis!