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1
I question the wisdom of marking the ratings down so severely for lacking a volume control. When I have a device plugged into a stereo, I'd much rather adjust volume with the stereo controls than leave the stereo volume fixed and adjust the iPod volume. If nothing else, turning down the iPod and leaving the stereo up will lead to a larger line noise to signal ratio.
Posted by Matthew Hemsath on December 7, 2005 at 7:20 PM (PDT)
2
I agree with Matthew. I would never control my system that way. It would mean cranking the master volume, leaving open the possibility of damage to speakers if you change your input and forget that the volume is way up. Besides, if I owned any of the docks mentioned in the review, I would just teach their remote codes to my learning universal remote, then toss the dock remote in a drawer, probably never to be used again.
Posted by Railrider on December 7, 2005 at 8:20 PM (PDT)
3
No offence, but it doesn't sound like the reviewers understand hi-fi audio. If they did they'd have realized why this dock is designed the way it is.
And about the supposedly lacking aesthetics - the design style fits the iPod gear perfectly. Even the cables included are white. Why the unit was marked down on that I don't understand. Nor why the remote is considered 'too big' (I'm so sick of tiny cheap-### plastic remotes) or why the volume control is an issue: as somebody mentioned above, any audio enthusiast with a half decent stereo would control volume through their amp, not the component delivering a signal to the amp.
It's that kind of comment that makes me wonder if the reviewers just didn't do their homework, or maybe know more about computer equipment than about hi-fi reproduction, whatever. This thing is simple, easy and high quality. Those three things rarely go together these days, especially with aftermarket accessories to Apple gear.
One thing that surprised me - the TruBass feels like it noticably 'warmed up' my Bose Acoustimass system. It wasn't a factor in why I bought the unit, liking my music clean and pristine I thought I'd be leaving it in bypass mode - but after trying it out it's staying on. It makes tracks off the iPod actually sound better than when I drop in the same CD. That I really didn't expect.
Posted by threechordwonder on December 8, 2005 at 9:29 PM (PDT)
4
I have an Apple Universal Dock and am not 100% satisfied with the sound output from its phono jack. Just wondered if anyone had compared the sound quality of the Xitel Hi Fi Link compared to Apples Universal Dock.
If so is the sound much better from Xitels dock?
Posted by mawilliams on February 5, 2006 at 2:00 PM (PDT)
5
There are some issue using this product with my 3g 40g. Specfically, I found that the remote Up/Down buttons do not scroll through the playlists as they are supposed to. Also, while attempting to navigate through the playlists, the iPod became somewhat upstable with garbled sound output. This cleared by resetting the iPod.
The sound was OK for the short time I used it, but its being returned.
Perhaps newer iPods will be better suited to this device.
Posted by BGLeduc on March 10, 2006 at 4:19 PM (PDT)