Reviewed: The Best iPod Speakers For Your Money

The Aktimate Mini is a simple speaker system that can blow anyone away. It has a lot to offer despite its not so affordable price tag, making it one of the best iPod speakers we have seen and heard to date.

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Simple is probably the word to describe the Aktimate Mini. Out of the box you get two speakers, three metres of connecting cable, a power cord, a small box with seven different iPod adapters, four banana plugs, and an IR remote that can control your iPod wirelessly. All one has to do is to connect the two speakers, plug the unit in, dock your iPod, and turn the unit on.

The rear panel of the left speaker hosts a 3.5mm jack plug, an RCA stereo input and output, a video output, as well as a USB connector that only charges units.

The Aktimate Mini is an active 2-way system, which in layman’s terms means that this unit does not need a separate amplifier as it has its own built-in 40-Watt per channel amp. The IR remote control will act as the main controller of the device, so make sure you don’t misplace it. Once an iPod is docked, a user can navigate through the main menu and change music on the fly without having to go near the system. A depressable knob is also present at the bottom right of the left speaker, which can turn the unit on/off (by pressing) or adjust the audio levels (by turning).

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According to Aktimate, you can position the speakers wherever you like. So that is exactly what we did: we placed it on top of our office desk, plugged it in, and let her rip. Whether it was our Drum and Bass, House, Jazz, or Pop album, the Minis gave us crystal-clear sound, bold mid-range, and rich bass. The speakers were able to nail the highs, mids, and lows with ease, leaving us to enjoy the music.

The unit can get loud without breaking at high volumes, making it a great product to use during small gatherings and parties. Just don’t make it too loud though: it may disturb your neighbours and you may get arrested.

If the pumping bass is not enough for your ears, one can opt to hook up an external subwoofer to get the job done. Hooking up another Aktimate speaker system is also an option, giving you freedom to listen to your music in another room. Users can also use the speaker system to stream videos from the iPod to your telly via the video output jack, which means you don’t have to go near the speakers just to watch your movie.

The Aktimate is one speaker system that can do it all: it can pump out tunes from your iPod, can act as your PC or TV speakers, or can just be your source of audio goodness in your room. These speakers certainly have it, so don’t be afraid to flaunt it.

The only problem we encountered with the Mini is the remote’s range. We had a hard time controlling our iPod from far away and we had to get in range to change our play list. This can probably be solved by purchasing a good universal remote that has a longer range, so you can really kick back and enjoy your sounds.

See page over for product specifications and pricing.

Aktimate Product Specifications:

• Configuration: 2-way Active Bookshelf Speakers (One active master speaker and one passive slave speaker)
• Power Output: 40W into its own 4 Ohm speaker load
• Woofer: 130mm mid/bass with moulded polypropylene cone. Shielded magnet.
• Tweeter: 25mm metal dome with neodymium magnet
• Frequency Response: 50Hz- 22kHz +/- 1.5dB
  
• Power Amplifier Type:
  – Class A/B (built-in) 40 Watts per channel RMS
  – Nat-Semi LM4766 Overture
  – Burr-Brown PGA2311 digitally controlled analogue volume control
• Transformer: 120W Toroidal power transformer
  
• Inputs:
  – 1 Pair RCA Stereo Sockets
  – 1 x 3.5mm Jack plug
  – Apple iPod dock
  
• Outputs:
  – 1 pair RCA Stereo Sockets (unfiltered) for connection of subwoofer or to daisy-chain to second pair
  – Video output
  Connections: USB (for charging)
• THD: <0.05%
• Crosstalk: <50dB
• Input Impedance: 10k Ohms unbalanced
• Passive Speaker Impedance: 4 Ohms
• Protection: Output current limiting, thermal over-temperature, power on/off transient protection, replaceable external mains fuse
• Mains voltage: 240/120v 50/60Hz
  
• Inclusions:
  – IEC power cord
  – 3-metres of connecting speaker cable
  – iPod connector accessory pack
  – IR remote control handset
  – 4mm Banana plugs

Size: 300 x 185 x 210mm
Weight: 12kg

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Aktimate Mini | $650 |  | www.aktimate.com

For: iPod connectivity; 3.5mm jack for input; Video output; USB port; Great sound; Can control iPod from afar using the remote
Against: Problems with the remote range
Conclusion: The best iPod speaker we have seen this year.