iPod Hi-Fi Introduced

[Svennig]

This is a very blunt statement. Have you heard this thing? Have you heard it next to the Bose system? Only then, you would be able to make this comparison. I haven't heard either one next to eachother. But I have heard the Bose. And while a lot of people like the sound of Bose, it's a well known fact that Bose produces a very 'colored' and unnatural sound pattern. That plus marketing creates Bose. (As for marketing strategies, we can't blame Bose for that, Apple would never do such a thing. right? )
But don't state Apple didn't improve the Bose one till you have heard them side by side.

So they made a Hi-Fi to be better than the competition. Thats, at best, an incremental improvement (and, at worst, no improvement at all). Where's the revolution? Where's the true innovation?

I don't get it.

This doesnt appeal to gadgeteers because.. well.. it doesnt have any gadgets. It's a speaker with a built in dock. Its not SONOS, its not squeezebox, its not wifi. Hell, it isn't even a radio for gods sake.

The missed out on the audiophile segment because.. well.. its one speaker. Sound seperation? Whats that? Sound quality? Possible, but unlikely.

They missed out on the budget range because.. well.. its very expensive! You could get a simple hi-fi rig and line-in cable to connect your ipod for much less.

Who's left? The people who will buy for the badge.

I stand by what I said. I don't need to hear it to know that they missed out on an opportunity to innovate, and chose instead to make a speaker that is overpriced, underspecced, and has no market apart from those that know no better.

 

[odedia]

Apple must be crazy

- their speakers cost more than the Bose sound dock (349$ vs 299$)! With all respect to Apple, they have 0 experience in the world of hi fi and speakers. Bose rule the field. How can they charge so much for speakers?

Oded S.

 

[ramuman]

People need to stop making frequency response comparisons. Two speaks with identical frequency responses may sound very different. There are a lot of important frequencies in between those endpoints. This is the same as the THD arguement.

The ironic thing is that Steve Jobs, a known audiophile who owns Wilson Audio speakers, would pimp this thing. Then again, I suppose this is what will pay for his next upgrade of his actual audiophile system .

 

[ramuman]

So they made a Hi-Fi to be better than the competition. Thats, at best, an incremental improvement (and, at worst, no improvement at all). Where's the revolution? Where's the true innovation?

I don't get it.

This doesnt appeal to gadgeteers because.. well.. it doesnt have any gadgets. It's a speaker with a built in dock. Its not SONOS, its not squeezebox, its not wifi. Hell, it isn't even a radio for gods sake.

The missed out on the audiophile segment because.. well.. its one speaker. Sound seperation? Whats that? Sound quality? Possible, but unlikely.

They missed out on the budget range because.. well.. its very expensive! You could get a simple hi-fi rig and line-in cable to connect your ipod for much less.

Who's left? The people who will buy for the badge.

I stand by what I said. I don't need to hear it to know that they missed out on an opportunity to innovate, and chose instead to make a speaker that is overpriced, underspecced, and has no market apart from those that know no better.

Exactly. Their margins on the Hi-Fi and the leather case will be huge, but hopefully the consumers will respond by not buying this.

Also, I'm not sure what sort of battery life this will have, but spending 6 or 7 bucks every some odd hours to listen to this on the go isn't my idea of smart. If you want this in the backyard, people will plug it in. That leaves two cheaper alternatives already on the market (the Bose and the Klipsch iGroove). I thought the whole carrying boom boxes around fad left our beaches about 15 years ago...but I could be wrong.

Is this the company that gave us the gorgeous G5 towers, iMacs, Mac Minis, laptops and iPods? To think Ive was in the audience.

 

[demallien]

Your math doesn't quite work. How much did the 23 inch screen cost? Add that to the $700.

my maths is just fine... I deliberately excluded the screen for the first purchase to show that a Mini offers a lower entry point into the market. I then excluded it from the second calculation to ram home the point that with a mini, you don't need to pay for a screen every time. You buy it once, and it should be good for the next 7-10 years, wheras your computer will be sadly out-of-date if you try to hold onto it for so long. Honestly, a little critical analysis before posting please...

 

[jacobj]

- their speakers cost more than the Bose sound dock (349$ vs 299$)! With all respect to Apple, they have 0 experience in the world of hi fi and speakers. Bose rule the field. How can they charge so much for speakers?

Oded S.

Bose are for those people that know very little about hi-fi.

For decent audio you need to go for the likes of Naim, Arcam, Monitor Audio, Kef , Meridian (not to my liking), Ruark etc.

Hi-Fi is not about squeezing a lot of sound out of a small space. Sound is a the physical movement of molecules in the air and therefore cannot be squeezed into a small box as Bose so often claim it can be.

The more realistic you want the sound, the more units required and the larger the speakers will be.

Then there is the fact that regardless of how you digitally encode your music, the sound that you hear is still analogue since nature isn't digital. Therefore the qaulity of the sound depends on the DAC (Digital Analogue Converter) and Bose don't develop those. Bose also have a tendency to put too much clever circuitry in their stereos, all of which is draining the purity of the sound...

 

[iJaz]

my maths is just fine... I deliberately excluded the screen for the first purchase to show that a Mini offers a lower entry point into the market. I then excluded it from the second calculation to ram home the point that with a mini, you don't need to pay for a screen every time. You buy it once, and it should be good for the next 7-10 years, wheras your computer will be sadly out-of-date if you try to hold onto it for so long. Honestly, a little critical analysis before posting please...

Come on, how good is a 7-10 years old screen today?
Honestly, a little critical analysis before posting please...

 

[sunfast]

It's ugly! And a ripoff!

I honestly believe it's the ONLY apple product that I don't like the look of. Did Ive really have a hand in it?

 

[space1nvaders]

Apple is officially not a computer company.

Looks like Apple wants to be a consumer electronics company.

Why make a speaker. There are so many speakers already available. Why screw the accessory makers?

Apple is not a speaker company. BOSE, Altec Lansing, and more are making speakers. Who cares about speakers anyway.

Solve the headphone dilemma please!!! You can't even buy Apple headphones by themselves anymore. Trial an error and lots of money until you find headphones that work good.

The speaker is probably the most expensive of all the options available. Maybe that sets it apart.

I love my Altec Lansing boom box and it was $100 less.

 

[macidiot]

Bose are for those people that know very little about hi-fi.

For decent audio you need to go for the likes of Naim, Arcam, Monitor Audio, Kef , Meridian (not to my liking), Ruark etc.

Hi-Fi is not about squeezing a lot of sound out of a small space. Sound is a the physical movement of molecules in the air and therefore cannot be squeezed into a small box as Bose so often claim it can be.

The more realistic you want the sound, the more units required and the larger the speakers will be.

Then there is the fact that regardless of how you digitally encode your music, the sound that you hear is still analogue since nature isn't digital. Therefore the qaulity of the sound depends on the DAC (Digital Analogue Converter) and Bose don't develop those. Bose also have a tendency to put too much clever circuitry in their stereos, all of which is draining the purity of the sound...

You don't even need to go that high end. Boston Acoustics, Sapphire, PSB, Energy, Mirage, B&W, the list goes on and on... all make good quality inexpensive speakers that sound better than Bose. And even a cheap Denon or NAD receiver will have better electronics than Bose.

Hate to say it (and I apologize in advance) but Bose is designed for women. It is simple and unobtrusive in a living room. Basically its for people that want audio but care more about looks/packaging than sound quality. Which is sort of funny because high quality speakers often have beautiful finishes (like Monitor Audio). One listen to a quality system and you'll probably never be a fan of Bose.

 

[hansen]

BORING, BORING

iPod Hi-fi: Ugly, boring, to late, bvadr. I've tried the Bose-thing - what a great sound in such a compact form factor - and it looks great too. What are they up to?

I guess the Mac mini update is really ok. It's what's expected but not really something you would go dancing in the streets for (danish flags are so much better for that apparently...)

New fun products!? WHERE??????

 

[iAlan]

99 junior bacon cheeseburgers for a leather ipod case?!?!?!?!

Yeah, the case is made from the cow you get the 99 burgers from!

 

[gauriemma]

And it's made by Bose, the leader in sound....

LOL! I think you meant to say "the leader in marketing."

 

[zebs1972]

Apple what happened to innovation?

This could have been so much more.

Firstly I would have preferred it to be all white (including the speakers and grill, now that would have looked smart) and also a black version to match the black iPods. Also you can use your remote control to control a tiny tiny iPod screen from a distance! Now plugging your iPod into the Hif Fi which then activiated a larger touch screen which also can be viewed from a distance would have been well wicked.

Also I don't like the way the iPod sits on the top, you can just imagine if you have this outside and someone walks past and swipes your iPod out of the dock (plus it looks crap). Perhaps if they could bring out a WI FI version if they are not going to include a screen and then we can use the iPod as the remote instead. Do you reckon they brought this out because so many people are complaining that the iPod and the use of headphones is making them go deaf?

Oh Apple this really could have been so much more, its just plain boring and a major disapointment. I am also not going anywhere near a Mac mini until TV/DVR is on board. Steve just because you don't watch TV (well let's be honest would you if you lived in the US?) it doesn't mean everyone else doesn't watch it either! us British folk do!
i
I was also expecting possibly a Mac phone at this event too, fun stuff? where????

Let's see what Microsoft can pull out the bag with their new up and coming portable device, it might be Mr Jobs wake up call.

 

[zanevlc]

Fair Play

Well, the problem is that they claim that the boombox is a hi-end piece of equipment, when everyone who knows something about audio can immediately tell that it's not. ANd I can't help but feel that it's designed to solve a problem that simply does not exist. Or it can be solved with equipment that doesn't cost as much.

Hi-end for the iPod!!! I also KNOW ALOT about audio, but I think people are missing the point on this one, FUN PRODUCTS!!! not pro products or blow your mind products.. those I guess will come on 1 April.

Anyone who knows about audio, ALSO knows that for 359 Euros ($428) you CANNOT expect MIND BLOWING SOUND, but they are made for people (me included) that want a simple answer and solution to a problem. that is iPod in different rooms or portable, i.e. Beach, terrace etc. etc.

The price is perfect, even though here in Europe they are more expensive. but even so, great solution to a problem of many I am sure.

Let us all wait and see how they sound!, most of the hate them replies posted here, are knee jerk responses for one reason!!! Apple did not bring out the video iPod, Mac tablet etc. etc. I am also a little disappointed with what came out, but then again did not expect that much, as there is still April 1st

I think as Mac users we should also be grateful that, 1 they did not bring out something like origami (6 Kilo iPod with xmas lights) or 2. Mac OSX in 6 flavors. (JOKE)

I read an article on line yesterday that said, Apple may have lost its place in the home entertainment area yesterday, for not stating the Mac mini is a home entertainment system, and going too slow on things! but then again Apple is the master of marketing and only bring things out when people are ready. I know most of us are READY NOW!!! but as always most Mac users adopt new tech sooner.

"Quote" (Steve) video on portable devices, NOT viable as people do not have the content to place on them.

"Solution" Make Tv series and music videos available on iTunes THEN bring out a video iPod.


Apple with NEW DATA CENTER, lets all wait and see what this will bring. we all want Media centers, but for most of us (not living in US) this does not make that much sense as there is very little to choose from.

We all know that Steve is a perfectionist, (with one exception iPod Photo 60Gb then bring out a new model, which seemed like days later!!!! :-( cannot forgive you on that one Steve haha) anyway he will not let things out in the wild until they really work, more so now with all the media lights on him, and the whole world just waiting for him to fall, lets all wait and see what comes out on April 1st

P.s. for those with 4G Ipod Photo, get the Linux installer for iPod Photo, HUGE video file sizes but at-least you can watch videos on the iPod (with use of the old Nintendo Screen magnifier haha)

 

[janstett]

I'm not so sure about this move; I could see it if all we had were the no-names of the audio world like Altec Lansing and Logitech. However, Bose already has a sound dock that sounds pretty nice. I'm curious to see how Apple's product stacks up against the Bose, especially considering it is $50 more expensive.

It does seem to have a nice woofer in the middle

And yes, don't get me started about audiophile quality, et al. I think Bose is better than most of the stuff sold at typical retail places, but for my home theater I go elsewhere (Definitive). I don't think Bose is the end-all; however, I don't think it's the dog-poo some haters do. I have to confess, I have the Bose Companion 3 computer speakers, they sound pretty good

Also regarding headphones, I have to put in a word for the Bose Quiet Comfort noise cancelling headphones. They are pricey, I was not a believer and thought they were junk. I had Sony noise cancelling headphones that I was completely happy with. However, after borrowing the Bose for a trip to Japan, I was hooked. The sound was so much better than the Sonys, and I had the Bose on my head for most of the 18 hours I was on the plane and the worst discomfort I had was ear sweat. With the Sonys, the side of my head would hurt after a few hours. Don't bash 'em, try them on a plane first.

 

[zanevlc]

Steve just because you don't watch TV (well let's be honest would you if you lived in the US?) it doesn't mean everyone else doesn't watch it either! us British folk do!

I am British, (well in-fact WELSH as British I have NEVER related to REASON GIVEN HERE) and I find your coment to be VERY affensive! if you mean TV series, films, cable TV, hundreds of channels and SOOOO MUCH more advanced than the rest of the world!!! IN SO MANY THINGS! I cannot see your point? I have lived in the US (New York and Miami) AND LOVED it there, people, EVERYTHING!!! but then again, maybe the same thing could be said for some British folk who seem to go through life thinking that the UK is the center of the universe. and can only insult to try and get a point across.

Last time I was in London, (6 years ago, as I know live in Spain) there where 5 Tv channels WHOOOO maybe I think you should take note from this saying

THOSE IN GLASS HOUSES, SHOULD NOT THROW STONES!!!

 

[janstett]

Come on, how good is a 7-10 years old screen today?
Honestly, a little critical analysis before posting please...

My current monitor is a 20" LCD I plan on keeping for years. My last monitor was a 21" CRT I paid a LOT of money for that lasted me about 10 years.

 

[sishaw]

Anyone who knows about audio, ALSO knows that for 359 Euros ($428) you CANNOT expect MIND BLOWING SOUND, but they are made for people (me included) that want a simple answer and solution to a problem. that is iPod in different rooms or portable, i.e. Beach, terrace etc. etc.

If that's all you're looking for, there are products that cost half the price. For $350 for a retro 1970's boombox, the only justification can be that it sounds extraordinary. One thing I would do is encode both a lossy (128 AAC) and lossless file of the same song onto an iPod, take it to an Apple store, and listen to both. Can you tell the difference? If the sound isn't good enough to distinguish lossless audio files, I say--stick with the Apple headphones!

 

[mkjj]

It's ugly! And a ripoff!

I honestly believe it's the ONLY apple product that I don't like the look of. Did Ive really have a hand in it?

Mr Ive must have been on holiday and this slipped one through!

I have the Bose Soundock, that's big enough for me and the sound is great (looks much better also!)

 

[ctango]

open market base

Well. I'm in college right now. Even at my school, where many of the kids have money to play with, 350 for one speaker, no matter how fantastic that speaker is, is going to be a tough sell. Really. Really. Tough. So I don't think this is geared for the college market.

So you're saying that if you saw someone with one on your campus, you wouldn't be interested to see how it worked? Either the interest is there or it isn't. I think the college mark is key to it, plus the home owner market. It would look good on our bookshelf, just as nice as it would in the grass.

Just My Opinion.

 

[sishaw]

It would look good on our bookshelf, just as nice as it would in the grass.

Just My Opinion.

I just have to say it: the number of people on this forum who focus on how this thing looks, as opposed to the really important issue, how it sounds, is amazing.

Having said that, has anyone heard it yet?

 

[ctango]

Natural Apple Business Progression

Looks like Apple wants to be a consumer electronics company.

If apple was a computer company, the stock would still be at $14 a share and you would still have a walkman.

 

[ctango]

Wait till it hits the shelves.

I just have to say it: the number of people on this forum who focus on how this thing looks, as opposed to the really important issue, how it sounds, is amazing.

Having said that, has anyone heard it yet?

Not yet, hopefully it will be in the Orlando Apple store this weekend.

 

[stephenli]

ok ok it shall be great for its sound

but i want something looks cool
at least give me a small piece of shinny apple logo in the front cover....(just like the cinema display)....