The kit consists of the main unit housing the different audio aspects, two satellite speakers along with leads and a small remote control unit.  The main unit, measuring 180 x 120 x 309mm and weighing 3.6kg, features a coloured faceplate with then extends in two strips along its top.  The two speakers are designed to lay flat a surface, rather than the usual upright stance, with measurements of 122 x 118 x 287mm and a weight of 1.4kg.  Again there is a colour faceplate but this time there is a circular cut out area for the speaker grill.

The front of the main unit has a 125 x 20mm display panel mounted just above the CD tray that has its own dedicated eject button.  Taking up a central position beneath the CD tray is a large volume knob.  To the left of this knob are the power button, USB port and sockets for attaching headphones and an external device such as an MP3 player.  Buttons for selecting the input source, stop and play/pause are arranged to the right of the volume control.  The iPod dock, supplying charging and playing functionality, is situated on top of the box.  Mains power, flexible indoor FM/DAB antenna and quick release speaker lead connections are all located at the rear of the unit.

njoy All Your Favorite Music
The MCR-040 puts your favorite music sources within easy reach. It’s got a CD player, an FM radio, USB and mini jack inputs for portable audio devices, and a dock on top for an iPod, which you can control with the handy card-sized remote control. The iPod and USB device charge both while in use and in standby mode. What’s more, it has both a clock timer and a sleep timer.

Perfectly Matched Amp and Speakers
Both the amp and speakers are designed for high efficiency and performance, so the sound is bigger and better than you expect from components of this size. They were also planned and carefully tested for best audio integration.

Advanced YST Technology Delivers Big Bass Sound
Advanced Yamaha Active Servo Technology (YST) is a major reason for the high performance of Yamaha speakers, and is especially suited for small speakers. The CD receiver and speakers work together, using negative impedance drive to produce small low-frequency signals, which are enhanced to large outputs by precisely designed speaker cabinet and port. The result is powerful, accurate bass that seems to be coming from a much larger speaker.

Features

• CD Player
• FM Radio
• Made for iPod
• USB port
• Mini jack input
• Advanced YST (Yamaha Active Servo Technology)
• CD Text Display
• Remote control
• Clock timer, sleep timer
• 2 4 in detachable 15 W speakers

Color Options

• MCR-040OR (Orange)
• MCR-040LBU (Light Blue)
• MCR-040WH (White)
• MCR-040RE (Red)
• MCR-040LG (Light Gray)
• MCR-040PI (Pink)
• MCR-040GN (Dark Green)
• MCR-040DBU (Dark Blue)
• MCR-040BR (Brown)
• MCR-040DG (Dark Gray)

Listening to music is probably our favourite activity on the go, and it’s fair to say that many people reading this site own an MP3 player. But no matter what you use to listen to your tunes, be it an MP3 player, phone or even portable CD-player, if it has an on-board speaker in the first place it’s not likely to be very good.

Even most notebook speakers, with the notable exception of Toshiba’s Qosmio range, hardly do justice to anything but the audio basics. And while in many situations headphones are the ideal solution, sometimes you want to share the sound. Enter Altec Lansing’s latest revision of its Orbit portable speaker range, the iMT237. According to the box, this is a “mighty little speaker”, so let’s find out if this claim holds up.

Despite keeping the circular design and 3xAAA power source the new Orbit – the Altec Lansing iMT237 has had a significant make over from the iM207 that reviewed this time last year. For a start it’s bigger. The diameter of the unit is about the same however an additional 15mm has been added to the height and the tapered cone like appearance is replaced with a squat cylinder.

My main criticism of the original orbit was the lack of feedback to know that the unit was powered up – there was none. The result being that on very many occasions the Orbit was left powered up when not in use resulting on flat battery when required. I’m very pleased to see this rectified in the new Orbit, with a very obvious and bright LED.

Product Features

Technical Details

Product type: Portable speaker: Dimensions: (W x D x H) 14 x 8.7 x 15.3 centimeters:Weight 100 grams: Enclosure colour: silver & black:Sound range: 360 degrees: Warranty: 1 year, required: MP3, Laptop, Music compatible mobile phone, iPod, iPhone.

The Altec Lansing M602 is a one-piece Apple iPod speaker and dock, in the same vein as the Bose SoundDock and the Klipsch iGroove HG. Like the others, it is easy to move from room to room, but it requires AC power and can’t run on batteries. The physical design is definitely different from the others; people seem to either love it or hate it, depending on personal taste, but at $199.95 direct, it’s about $50 cheaper than the Bose and Klipsch products.

Most of the M602 is fairly flat, at 8.2 by 14 by 2.5 inches (HWD), but the base (including the iPod dock) is actually 5.4 inches deep. Housed in white plastic with silver plastic trim and a metal silver grille, the M602′s speaker array consists of three full-range drivers and a pair of silk dome tweeters. The total power output is 60 watts. The unit is easy to take from room to room because it weighs only 5.2 pounds, but it requires AC power via the included wall plug. Along the top there are buttons for power, volume increase and decrease, bass, and treble. A blue LED behind the power button indicates power status, and you can adjust the volume using the increase and decrease buttons. If you press the bass or treble button, one of the two corresponding LEDs will light up, enabling you to adjust bass and treble with the increase and decrease buttons.

The one-piece speaker unit sits a couple of inches above its stand, which also incorporates the dock. The stand comes with plenty of rubber feet but we found it a little unstable when sitting on a desk or bookshelf, particularly using the controls – situated on top of the unit – or plugging and unplugging an iPod. If you plan on wall-mounting the M602, the fact that the controls are on its top surface means that you’ll either have to place it no higher than eye-level or memorise the buttons. That said, each of the controls is replicated in the wireless remote – just make sure you don’t lose it.

As you would expect, your iPod will charge when it’s in the dock and the M602 is plugged into the mains. A pass-through port on the back allows you to sync it with your Mac while in situ. To place your iPod in the dock, you first need to fit the appropriate docking adaptor. If you don’t, the iPod will lean back against the speaker grille and rattle noisily with every bass beat. However, the adaptors aren’t included, so if you didn’t get one with your iPod, you’ll need to buy it separately. That’s quite a flaw and means if you have a fourth generation iPod, for example, you’ll either have to put up with the rattling or order an adaptor, pronto.

The universal dock on the base allows your dock connector-equipped Apple iPod to stand up in front of the speaker, using the grille as a backrest. Alternatively, you can place the included white plastic adapter over the dock and sit your non-Apple player on it, resting the player against a rubber pad on the adapter’s backrest. An included line-in cable plugs into the Aux input on the back of the unit, and you can plug the other end into any audio source’s headphone output. There are also headphone and power jacks, a composite-video output, and a mini USB 2.0 port on the back.

The Altec Lansing iMT620 inMotion Classic is a “Works with iPhone” and “Made for iPod” certified portable stereo system that includes a digital FM radio. Altec Lansing created the first portable iPod speaker and continues to push the standard with the iMT620, with special attention given to its portability, audio performance, and iPhone compatibility.

The versatile iMT620 is designed for extreme portability, letting you take your music anywhere. Compact and lightweight, the iMT620 folds to the size of a small, flat book to pack away.

The innovative handle is more than just a handle and serves three important roles: to swing up for grab-and-go transport, to swing back as a stand to securely kickback the speaker system, and to swing under in a “stowed” position. This stowed position electronically prohibits the system from turning ON and draining the on-board rechargeable Lithium-ion battery.

Since the iMT620 is sold as an iPhone stereo, one of the first things we tested was the phone-interference shielding, and we weren’t disappointed. The well-shielded entirety of the device meant we could enjoy respectable audio quality without any interruption from spontaneous bleeps and bloops. For us the speaker was great with mid-range and treble, bringing the sweet guitar-plucking action in Hotel California  right in front of us. The bass was just right for pop music in your bedroom — pretty good for a speaker of this form factor, but R&B and heavy metal fans may want to consider something more heavy duty like the Mix iMT800. Crank the volume up from the usual 16 to a maximum of 40 and you’ll have music for a small house party, but the lack of strong bass becomes more apparent with slight bass distortion above 35.

Later on we noticed an annoying bug: regardless of the previous volume setting, sometimes upon bootup the iMT620 automatically bumped the volume up to level 19 for no reason. Another problem (albeit a less severe one) was that there were times when song information didn’t get updated on the LCD screen, which you will see in the video to come. Hopefully these problems are just limited to our setup, but hey, it’s worth a mention.

The Gear4 Sports Armband and Adjustable Sports Case is a great way to listen to your favourite music whilst you run. With a built–in screen protector and reflective front, the case offers safety for both you and your iPod. The comfortable lightweight armband is easy to attach and can be easily adjusted.

If you like listening to your iPod while running or in the gym you’ll need a SportsArmband to protect it. The SportsArmband from GEAR4 has an adjustable neoprene and Velcro strap for comfort and a reflective strip to ensure high visibility at night. It’s the perfect accessory for your iPod when you’re playing sport.
If you love to use your iPod Nano 5th Gen on outdoor activities then you’ll love the Gear4 Sports Armband and Adjustable Sports Case for iPod Nano 5th Gen. Easy to put on, the armband securely attaches to your arm and is made from a lightweight material to offer great comfort whilst you run.

The case offers full access to all the ports so your iPod won’t lose any of its functionality. And a built–in screen protector prevents screen damage while the reflective front provides extra visibility on those night time jogs. Your iPod Nano will never leave your side again while you’ exercising.