Creative ZiiSound D5 Wireless Multimedia Speaker System for iPod touch 4G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, Droid, and other Bluetooth-Enabled Devices

by Creative Labs

Product Features

• Docks, Charge your iPhone/iPod freedom with high performance wireless audio
• Bluetooth wireless technology.
• Superior wireless mobile device freedom - apt-X audio codec for superior Bluetooth stereo audio
• Audiophile sound beyond home stereo - Get more from your iPhone/iPod.
• Touch sensitive volume panel with AUX-IN for intuitive control and connecting to any other audio devices.

› See more product details

Product Description

Amazon.com

The ZiiSound D5 wireless multimedia speaker system, winner of a 2010 Red Dot Design Award, features award-winning Bluetooth technology and delivers phenomenal audio playback. Apt-X audio codec technology and high-performance drivers and amplifiers combine to produce rich stereo audio. Additionally, you can easily pair the ZiiSound D5 with your smartphone or Bluetooth device.

ZiiSound D5 Bluetooth Wireless Multimedia Speaker System At a Glance: High-quality acoustic tuning and modeling Apt-X audio codec technology for optimum wireless sound Integrated bass port and 2.75-inch full-range drivers Seamless pairing with smartphones and other Bluetooth-enabled devices Sleek, compact, contemporary design Backed by a one-year limited warranty

ZiiSound D5 Bluetooth Wireless Multimedia Speaker System

The sleek, wireless speaker system won a 2010 red dot design award.
View larger.

Wirelessly transmits the music of your iPod touch 4G, iPhone 4, or iPad.

Exceptional Stereo Sound, Delivered Wirelessly

Equipped with acoustic tuning and modeling, this one-piece wireless speaker system delivers high-fidelity sound with accuracy and detail.

The ZiiSound D5 includes apt-X audio codec technology for quality wireless Bluetooth stereo sound. An integrated bass port at the system's rear allows you to enjoy heart-thumping low frequencies without the need for a separate subwoofer. Also, the ZiiSound D5 is outfitted with high-performance 2.75-inch full-range drivers and efficient digital amplifiers for sound that fills your room.

Pairs Seamlessly with Your Smartphone or Notebook

You can pair the ZiiSound D5 easily with any Bluetooth-enabled device, such as your smartphone or notebook, and wirelessly stream music from up to 33 feet away.

The speaker system comes with a Creative BT-D5 Bluetooth transmitter that you can plug into your iPhone, iPod, or iPad and use to control the ZiiSound D5 wirelessly. When your music player is docked and you want to adjust the volume, simply glide your fingers along the ZiiSound D5's touch-sensitive volume control. The ZiiSound D5 also offers a convenient docking station for your iPhone or iPod.

While the ZiiSound D5 works seamlessly with wireless Bluetooth devices, it also sports an AUX-in port for use with other portable devices, such as MP3 players.

Sleek Design, Sturdy Construction

Encased in a silky-smooth black mesh cloth, the ZiiSound D5 sports a sleek, compact, contemporary design and a sturdy monocoque construction--offering a balance of performance and looks. The ZiiSound D5 measures 3.5 x 16.7 x 4.3 inches (H x W x D) and weighs 8.4 pounds.

The ZiiSound D5 Bluetooth Wireless Multimedia Speaker System is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box

ZiiSound D5 Bluetooth Wireless Multimedia Speaker System, Bluetooth wireless transmitter, backrest adapters for iPhone and iPod, support stand for iPhone or iPod, universal power adapter, and stereo-to-stereo cable.

What the Critics are Saying about the Creative ZiiSound D5 Speaker

"Speakers -- particularly wireless ones -- are extremely easy to screw up. So the fact that Creative has gotten so much right with its ZiiSound D5 Wireless Speaker ($300) might not seem to the average user like a major achievement, but it is: due as much to design as to technical implementation, this is one of the most impressive iPod and iPhone audio systems we've seen in the past three years, and the best product we've seen from Creative since it entered the Apple accessory market."
--Jeremy Horwitz, Editor-in-Chief, iLounge

Product Description

Pair up the Creative 51MF8080AA001 ZiiSound D5 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers effortlessly with any Bluetooth device, such as your notebook or mobile phone, and immerse in the music that fills up the whole room.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great sound June 25, 2010

By Visen

Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this speaker because I wanted to play music from my iPhone wirelessly while retaining high quality sound. In that respect, I am not disappointed as the sound is very rich with plenty of bass and clear mids/highs. I was concerned that the bluetooth transmission would introduce artifacts/digital distortion, but I can't hear any.

My only complaint is the iPhone pairing which can be a bit finicky, especially when you switch between different iPhones. It will either take a few seconds for the music to start or you will need to press the connect/reset buttons.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great with iPod, bad with computer January 2, 2011

By wch

Amazon Verified Purchase

I'll put this out there first: the sound quality is excellent using the wireless transmitters. It's close to the ideal setup for an iPod/iPhone, but due to human interface issues, it's just not good for use with a computer, at least not with the BT-D1 wireless transmitter that Creative makes.

With an iPod, it's great: you can play music wirelessly, control the volume, and you can charge your iPod by sticking it in the special dock. It's very liberating. The cons are:
- Controlling the volume control from the iPod works most of the time, but often has lag, and about 25% of the time doesn't do anything to the speaker volume.
- Volume control increments are too large, especially at the quieter end.

It would also be nice to have the option of having a separate charging dock for the iPod, but which allows you to continue using the special transmitter. Then you could have the dock in a close-at-hand place, and the speakers out of the way somewhere, like on a high shelf.

I dislike the touch interface for controlling volume on the speakers. There's no tactile feedback, and it doesn't detect the finger motion all that well, so adjusting it is more finicky than a dial.

Now, as for use with a computer.... With the BT-D1 wireless transmitter, it's not possible to control the volume of these speakers from the computer, or to control the system volume. That means that you have to control the volume from each application or adjust it on the speakers themselves, but that sort of defeats the purpose of having wireless speakers that can be placed anywhere. The volume of some things can't be controlled at the application level, like system alerts (on a Mac, at least), or some Flash web pages that don't have volume control.
Why did Creative do this? It doesn't make any sense -- the BT-D1 allows volume control with other speakers in Creative's lineup, and the D5 speakers can be controlled with the iPod transmitter (BT-D5). For more information, you can see my review of the BT-D1. Creative BT-D1 USB transmitter

In short, when using these speakers with a computer (and the BT-D1 transmitter), it's very inconvenient, and this defeats the major purpose of getting wireless speakers in the first place.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Volume control from iPad (iOS 4) works just fine December 16, 2010

By Connie L Gutzmann

Amazon Verified Purchase

Creative Labs ZiiSound D5 Wireless Multimedia Speaker System for iPod Touch 4G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, Droid and other Bluetooth Enabled Devices
Although someone kindly commented/corrected the review that said you could not control the volume of the ZiiSound D5 from an iPad, I thought it was important to set the record straight at the "Review" level instead of leaving the correction buried down at the "Comments" level. So...for the record, volume control works great from my iPad running iOS 4. All you do is manually set the volume on the ZiiSound D5 at whatever level you think might be required to fill the hole in your soul ("10" for heavy rockers, "11" for Spinal Tap rockers), then step away and enjoy using the volume slider in the iPod app on your iPad to control the volume from a whisper to a blast.

This speaker system works and sounds great. Bass response is nice relative to the form factor. Most iPad apps allow iPod to continue streaming music in the background, but some, most notably Word Monkey, do not. Obviously that has nothing to do with the ZiSound D5. I would not hesitate to recommend this system for Bluetooth music streaming.