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Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,096
916
In my imagination
Mine is still going strong. Use it everyday. The sound on it is amazing in my opinion. Wish Apple kept producing them with later generations. If only they lowered the price on them back in the day, I think they would for sold so much more seeing that would of been a fierce competitor to the BOSE iPod dock of the time. None the Less it was $350 well spent.

Agreed, and right now I wish they'd still produce it so I can plug new iPods with the mini dock connectors into it. I know there's an adaptor, but they would make it look so hideous.
 

MurphyM

macrumors 6502
Dec 29, 2007
263
0
I can't believe Apple hasn't taken another stab at this given that the hifi was pre-ios. And pre-AirPlay.

I blogged about it a few months ago, when I was looking at Sonos. One of the things that's so attractive about it is that people would buy more than one. Sonos customers have an almost Apple-like loyalty to the product.
 

Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,096
916
In my imagination
I can't believe Apple hasn't taken another stab at this given that the hifi was pre-ios. And pre-AirPlay.

I blogged about it a few months ago, when I was looking at Sonos. One of the things that's so attractive about it is that people would buy more than one. Sonos customers have an almost Apple-like loyalty to the product.

I agree, but I think this is where Apple decided to take a seat, and leave it to the 3rd party accessory makers. Much like the dock they just killed.
 

henry72

macrumors 68000
Jun 18, 2009
1,521
911
New Zealand
I actually had no idea Apple made an iPod docking speaker in 2006 lol. Cheers guys!

NOW... I really really want one :( As others mentioned, I'm hoping they will come up with a lighting with AirPlay functionality speaker. I love the iPod Hifi design by the way :D
 

Tsuchiya

macrumors 68020
Jun 7, 2008
2,310
372
It got a lot of **** on release since Apple tried to mark it as "audiophile" grade which invited a lot of criticism.
 

bandrews

macrumors 6502a
Jul 18, 2008
887
2,204
Love mine. Still using it daily - hooked up as a speaker under my TV - better than the crap audio from it. Still the best looking speaker ever made.
 

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,834
3,509
Sound quality? Don't really understand, just like loud music and bass.

Basically all that the 'Hi-Fi' was capable of. Music sounded pretty grim through it, but it had its market, even at that inflated price.
 

Paul72

macrumors newbie
May 17, 2014
1
0
Hi guys! I have one, I'm not using it since long time but it works perfectly and seems like new! I was thinking about selling it, do you think it's a good idea or would it be better to keep it? and what should be the price in your opinion?
I'm from Italy... Many thanks for your suggestions!
Paul
 

gocoop

macrumors newbie
Aug 24, 2009
4
0
Hi guys! I have one, I'm not using it since long time but it works perfectly and seems like new! I was thinking about selling it, do you think it's a good idea or would it be better to keep it? and what should be the price in your opinion?
I'm from Italy... Many thanks for your suggestions!
Paul

I'm not sure on that. You can sell it for a really good price (there are used ones on eBay selling for $600, and it was $350 when it was new!) but I seriously doubt that you will find a better all in one system.

Most people forget that even Apple themselves said that the Hi-Fi works best with Losless files, as opposed to badly transcoded MP3s most of us have. Find a perfect place for it (the placement is crucial for such a compact system) and enjoy the music.

Btw; http://www.stereophile.com/images/newsletter/406Astph.html
 

Mitch2209

macrumors newbie
Oct 12, 2015
1
4
I bought my iPod Hi-Fi in 2007 because I was amazed at the sound quality, especially from the sub-woofer. It suddenly stopped working in 2013 and I did a lot of research about repairing it (Apple obviously doesn't anymore) and I discovered that the four capacitors inside on the circuit board had died. I found a YouTube video about how to access the internals and sure enough the capacitors were swollen and the foam covering the cables had deteriorated (apparently the capacitors give off a gas and it dissolves the foam). I took the circuit board to an electronics company that I was teaching English at and they replaced the four capacitors and the fuse, I connected it all up and it works like a dream again.
My iPod Hi-Fi was bought in Thailand, I took it to Oman, then Bahrain, then back to Thailand and now it is with me in Australia. Everyone I've shown it to has been impressed with the sound (which depends on the quality of the mp3 on the iPod) and it's probably my most prized possession.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,832
46,278
In a coffee shop.
Anyone remember how long apple sold it for? I only vaguely remember seeing it in the store.

Not quite two years, from early 2006 to late 2007.

I never bought the Hi-Fi mainly because I couldn't afford it at that time, I remember I had the iPod Video at that time. It was a beautiful apple product, it sounded great. I think the contemporary equivalent of that device is the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air or the Beolit 12, AirPlay Speakrs definitely are the replacement of dock connector speakers.




I agree, those iPod remote controls and leather cases were amazing. Apple stuff has great quality and it's awesome when they showed their talents on accessories.

B&O is wayyyy more expensive than the iPod Hi-Fi. Most of their current consumer products similar to what the Hi-Fi was are way over 1000$ The best equivalent to the Hi-Fi is probably the Beolit 12, which has the same practicality.

You are partially correct, Bang & Olufsen order their parts from other manufacturers, but they do the design. As you might know, design is a huge factor in sound quality.

Yes, I remember actually seeing them, although I never bought one.

For travel, I have the small Bose bluetooth speaker, and, at home, I have the B&W Zeppelin.

Re updating and continual development, my sense is that Apple do not see a future for the consumption of music in that way - iPod classic and good speakers and so have no need to invest in it. Their model of music now is rather different, and involves the Cloud, and - in essence - renting the music.
 

Cartaphilus

macrumors 6502a
Dec 24, 2007
581
65
I have mine driven by a Bluetooth receiver plugged into the aux-in port (and to power). I use my devices to stream music through it, and it delivers excellent sound quality.

I was sure I was the last Mohican--nice to see so many others enjoying it as well!
 
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Starfia

macrumors 6502a
Apr 11, 2011
944
657
powerbook911,

Aww, that was comforting to read. iPod Hi-Fi was released at a time in my life when I never considered speakers in that price range part of my universe when "speakers that produced sound" were an option. But it's nice to hear someone who could have justifiably paid for them has enjoyed them for so long.
 
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eRondeau

macrumors 65816
Mar 3, 2004
1,159
382
Canada's South Coast
I bought one when it first appeared in stores. The overall loudness blew me away, and still does to this day. Nobody had ever heard anything like it back in 2006. It filled a large room with sound. I loved the secret EQ that iPods automatically adapted whenever you plugged them in. Also love the fact that it's powered by D-cell batteries, it's tailgated at many Jimmy Buffett concerts with me over the years. I've since bought a Kanto SYD-5 as my main iPod sound system and I love it, but there's something about the Apple original that nothing else can replicate, or replace.
 

powerbook911

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 15, 2005
3,999
379
Wow, someone pulled up this very old thread of mine. The thread is about as old as the speaker was at the time I posted it.

I absolutely still have my iPod Hi-Fi as well. I wouldn't mind having a second one. It has very good sound for the price. It is certainly a product Apple did a good job on but just didn't have a market for something that expensive that was a speaker.
 

Dimetrio74

macrumors newbie
Nov 30, 2015
4
0
Russia
Wow, someone pulled up this very old thread of mine. The thread is about as old as the speaker was at the time I posted it.

I absolutely still have my iPod Hi-Fi as well. I wouldn't mind having a second one. It has very good sound for the price. It is certainly a product Apple did a good job on but just didn't have a market for something that expensive that was a speaker.
everything is new - well forgotten old))))
 

Dimetrio74

macrumors newbie
Nov 30, 2015
4
0
Russia
Wow, someone pulled up this very old thread of mine. The thread is about as old as the speaker was at the time I posted it.

I absolutely still have my iPod Hi-Fi as well. I wouldn't mind having a second one. It has very good sound for the price. It is certainly a product Apple did a good job on but just didn't have a market for something that expensive that was a speaker.
everything is new - well forgotten old))))
 

ddkkpp

macrumors 6502
May 28, 2011
299
111
Gonna resurrect this old thread because I just bought an apple hifi on Craigslist for $80 (CAD). Listening to it right now with an 80gb iPod video that I dug up out of a closet about a month ago.

Sounds great - better than my iPod hooked up to my bose speakers via headphone jack.

Wondering if anyone's figured out a way to localize the remote to just the hifi, so that when you're controlling it, it doesn't activate your Apple TV...?

Thanks!
 

powerbook911

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 15, 2005
3,999
379
Gonna resurrect this old thread because I just bought an apple hifi on Craigslist for $80 (CAD). Listening to it right now with an 80gb iPod video that I dug up out of a closet about a month ago.

Sounds great - better than my iPod hooked up to my bose speakers via headphone jack.

Wondering if anyone's figured out a way to localize the remote to just the hifi, so that when you're controlling it, it doesn't activate your Apple TV...?

Thanks!

Yep, there's a way to lock your remote to the iPod Hi-Fi. Aren't these great units? The sound is really good.

I use one not only for music, but for the sound on my bedroom TV that would otherwise have awful sound. It takes optical input too, which is pretty wild.

I will try to pull it up later for you as this just popped up and I wanted to reply, but if you do some key word terms in google there should be some support documents at Apple.com that tell you how to lock the remote to your Hi Fi only. Good luck. I just had to unpair my remote a while back so I know it can be done!

I can only imagine how cool one of these Hi-Fi speakers could be today if Apple didn't quit it. All the wireless capabilities, and things we can't even think up.

You can't buy a $400 unit that sounds like this from what I've seen.
 
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