One of the greater consumer rip offs in electronics / information technology is in the accessory business from the iPod /iPhone market.
One example of this is the $5 (retail) ipod dock connectors that are currently sold at JB HiFi for $29
But, the products in question in this review are that of the ipod / iphone speaker docks.
The majority of the speaker docks available to the consumers are well and truly overpriced, especially in Australia, as has been reported by the mass media.
The marketing behind these products is second to none, but once the product is analysed or dissected, in a more palatable format, it becomes quite clear that not only the consumer is not getting value for money, but rather being gouged.
The product illustrated is just one example that being a portable iPod dock by Altec Lansing. Elsewhere in this blog, another Altec Lansing product has been reviewed as a sub standard product fro the price tag.
Most portable speaker docks, have common and cheap electronics (controls and amplifiers), that drive one of the most important items in high fidelity, that being the speakers.
The speakers offered in these portable or small audio docking stations are of very average quality.
Most manufacturers are coy about providing technical specifications on their drivers in the enclosure, but choose to use marketing terms that the user cannot place any real comparisons to, like:
- dynamic audio sound,
- vivid music response, or
- bass enhancement technology,
rather than the actual frequency response.
Typical speakers in these docks are of 2"(51 mm) to 3.5"(89 mm) diameter or dimensions, and have a retail price of approximately $6 each at an electronic hobby shop.
These speakers usually carry a 5 watt rating and would typically have a frequency response of 200 hz to 10 khz.
The price of $200 in the above illustration is not indicative of the quality of audio one would expect from an audio item irrespective of ipod connectivity.
Current information from Altec Lansing's own website, does not give any specifics to frequency response of their audio product.
A vital piece of information that is deliberately left out, in this apparently technologically aware society.
corpau.
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