Ultimate Gift Guide (part 3) Page 7

ugg5_ideck_mini400

iDeck iPod minisystem Do we have a Bose killer here? For many, that company's SoundDock represents the best sound you can coax from an iPod minisystem, but Monitor Audio's iDeck ($349) gives it a pretty good run for about the same amount of money. Anyone who finds the Bose sound a little too warm might prefer the iDeck's British reserve. (Monitor is an English company, after all.) And if you feel confined by the SoundDock's single speaker panel, the iDeck's two speakers, tethered on 4-foot cables, will provide welcome flexibility. For the best possible sound, you're still better off using something like the Belkin TuneStage to feed your iPod through a full-fledged system. But the Monitor rig will produce plenty of volume for a bedroom, dorm room, office, or other small space. Setup is idiot proof (the iDeck accepts third- and fourth-gen iPods, the photo, and the mini), and it includes a flat little remote with basic playback controls. - Michael Gaughn www.ideckusa.com

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