OTHER TECH

Aperion Intimus 422 Harmony Speaker System $799 aperionaudio.com With this 5.1-channel Intimus system, the S8 subwoofer alone is nearly worth the price of admission. Thanks to its 8-inch driver and 100-watt amp, the compact box (which looks especially fetching if you get the system in the cherry finish) not only reached surprisingly low, but it did so quite cleanly. No wallowing in the mud down there.

The other five speakers (four 422-LR satellites and a 422-C center channel) also did an admirable job of outwitting their size, delivering clean, crisp sound. To challenge them, I threw on Blue Man Group's "Sing Along," and - while I didn't find myself paint-splattered afterward - I did find myself convincingly enveloped in a cacophony of instruments you won't find down at the local music store.

But keep in mind that this diminutive set (the satellites are only 7½ inches high) is best saved for an intimate listening space like a dorm room, a bedroom - or the executive corner office that just happens to have a plasma TV.

Note that the Intimus 422 system is also available in 6.1- and 7.1-channel configurations (at $899 and $999, respectively) and can only be bought at aperionaudio.com or by calling 888-880-8992. And if you give the Intimus as a gift, make sure the recipient knows about the company's 30-day, risk-free home-audition policy. - Rob Medich

Sennheiser CX 500 Noise-Isolating Ear-Canal Phones $130 www.sennheiserusa.com One of the boons and banes of the iPod-driven world has been the absurd proliferation of earbuds. Most are only on a par with - or worse than - the ones that come with an iPod. But occasionally, you'll find a pair that leave those crappy-sounding poseurs pathetically dangling. Sennheiser's CX 500s not only produce decent sound but give you the noise-canceling advantages of in-ear models without having to plunge a ridged piece of plastic deep into your ear canal.

The CX 500s boost the bass a bit, but that can be a good thing. Out in the real world, more sonically neutral earbuds can sound thin, thanks to ambient noise. While a slightly fuller sound might make audio snobs shudder, it's lots better than having no bass at all.

And, in this case at least, bigger bass doesn't equal muddy sound. The CX 500s were surprisingly clean, bringing out the subtle detail in recordings without becoming sterile or shrill.

The noise-isolating pads rest gently in the ear but create an effective seal. And the cord's got a little plastic volume slider that, at first glance, seems like a gimmick. But when you're out and about, it's actually a lot easier to adjust the level this way than fumbling for the iPod's click wheel.

No, the CX 500s aren't cheap - but we all know from bitter experience what you get for cheap. If you want a pair of tethered transducers that stand out from the teeming mob of earbuds, these will do the job very nicely indeed. - Michael Gaughn

Etymotic Research Ety8 in-the-ear Bluetooth Earphones $299 etymotic.com Etymotic has a well-earned reputation for making great-sounding earbuds, and the Ety8s will do nothing to tarnish that luster. Wireless transmission inevitably has some impact on sound quality. But with the Ety8s, those oh-so-subtle defects will be lost on all but the most discriminating listeners - and only the most retentive purists will quibble. Besides, we're talking exquisite sound here without having to play cat's cradle with a dangling cord. What's not to like?

You start by charging the right-ear Ety8 via the supplied USB cable, which will get you through about 6 to 10 hours of listening, depending on what model iPod or other portable device you're using. That right earphone also has volume, play/pause, and track-selection controls that you can use to operate first- and second-generation nanos, fourth- and fifth-gen iPods, and (for all you Borat fans out there) first-gen minis.

The Ety8s come in two flavors: as shown here with an 8Mate adapter that allows iPod users to go wireless, and a $199 configuration for Bluetooth users who don't need no stinkin' adapter.

Under real-world conditions, the Etymotics were true to their advertised wireless range of around 30 feet. However, as the manual warns, your body will block transmission, so it's best to use your portable on the same side of your body as the right earphone.

Noise isolation is a big selling point these days, and the Ety8s did successfully seal out the outside world - all the better to appreciate their superb sound.

Other reviewers have noted that the Ety8s are kind of ugly. (They look like something they tried out on Lt. Uhura before deciding to stick that Art Deco spark plug in her ear.) But audiophiles are in constant danger of being arrested by the fashion police anyway - so if you've got golden ears, why not flaunt them?- Michael Gaughn

Griffin Technology Evolve Wireless Sound System $300 griffintechnology.com Yes, the Evolve is yet another iPod accessory, designed primarily for recent-generation models. But I wouldn't be recommending it if it weren't a cut above the others. (Sadly, iPod accessories are increasingly excluding anybody with a 1st-through-3rd-gen 'Pod. You can always use the Evolve's audio input, though, to jack in one of those antiques.)

The biggest deal is the wireless speakers, whose lithium-ion batteries charge whenever the speakers are resting on the docking platform. (The charge is good for about 10 hours.) They have a claimed range of 150 feet, and I was able to move them throughout a floor of my house without losing the signal. You can't expect miracles from what are essentially 4-inch midrange drivers, but the Evolve sounded as good as any other desktop system I've heard. And the speakers are magnetically shielded, too.

Here's something fun: The speakers aren't dedicated to the left and right positions. Every time you set them on the platform, they're assigned the appropriate channel, depending on which side of the iPod you place them. Each speaker's LED tells you whether it's now considered to be left or right.

The platform has the aforementioned audio input plus an audio output and composite- and S-video outputs - not bad for what, at first appearance, seems an unassuming gadget.

There's a slick nano-size remote with an iPod-like interface. Like the speakers, the remote has a claimed range of 150 feet and, like the speakers, worked well throughout a 450-square-foot area.

Another example of smart design: A switch on the platform lets you toggle between stereo and mono. That way, if you take the speakers out on the patio and decide to play Rubber Soul, half of your guests aren't stuck with the drums and the other half with the vocals.

I'm running out of space, but here's another wrinkle: If you know somebody else who has an Evolve, you can pair your speakers to their system and have four going at the same time. If another friend has an Evolve, you can have six speakers. And so on and so on and so on . . .

Setup and operation are idiot-proof (although I'm not sure why you'd want to give something this cool to an idiot). A warning, though: Be really careful unpacking the Evolve. The platform's rubbery little antennas are just asking to be snapped off. - Michael Gaughn