Sierra intros ‘monitor-quality’ speaker set for iPods

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Sierra intros ‘monitor-quality’ speaker set for iPods

Sierra Sound has announced the iN Studio 5.0, a new set of iPod-ready speakers that are said to be “studio monitoring quality.” The speakers sport an integrated top-loading iPod dock, 50-watt amplifier, 1” silk tweeters and 5” drivers. The pair also feature two auxiliary inputs, an S-Video output, USB port, and wireless remote. The iN Studio 5.0 speakers will be available later this month in three colors—black, white, and red—for $399.

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Comments

1

$399 Studio monitors? Get real.

Posted by stadidas on April 12, 2007 at 8:04 AM (PST)

2

What is the point of hooking up “studio monitor” speakers to a device that can’t produce anything like “studio monitor” quality sound? Perhaps a remedial course in the meaning of “compression” is in order.

Posted by Penner on April 12, 2007 at 8:20 AM (PST)

3

Yeah, anyone into high-end gear knows that you can’t get high-end gear for $399 - speakers, amp, dock, remote. Cripes, you can buy a few pair of high-end interconnects (RCA-style cables) for $399.

But in response to Penner’s comment, couldn’t you play uncompressed AAC? Is there a digital out on any of those pins in an iPod docking plug? But then you’d have to run it through a proper DAC, >$399 at least. haha.

Posted by Peter on April 12, 2007 at 9:11 AM (PST)

4

@ Penner

ever heard of Apple Lossless?

Posted by fxspec06 on April 12, 2007 at 9:11 AM (PST)

5

Perhaps a remedal course in the meaning of lossless is in order.

Sheesh.

I don’t much see the point in the product either, but with a line out to a quality amp there is nothing whatsoever wrong with using iPods for high end audio.

Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on April 12, 2007 at 9:16 AM (PST)

6

Although China has driven prices down for even high end speakers, $399 retail is still pretty low for the studio quality unless your studio is your garage.

I think for speakers itself, high-end studio speakers cost between $25-30 each, so multiple that by at least 4 and you’re up to $100 just for the speakers before housing, amplifier, etc.

Nah, this can perhaps be considered only “pretty good” speakers at best, but studio quality???? We may be gullible, but we’re not stupid.

Posted by Michael on April 12, 2007 at 10:45 PM (PST)

7

Of course AAC sounds better than MP3, but “Lossless” is just a name—the format is not truly lossless, if only because it’s digital. Digitizing music samples it—meaning part of the music is thrown away. This is completely satisfactory for music listeners, but should studio professionals really be using it? I’m sure they have some superior digital codec—but then the iPod itself becomes irrelevant.

Posted by Penner on April 13, 2007 at 11:05 AM (PST)

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