Boston Acoustics iDS3 Plus Powered Speakers with iPod/iPhone Dock & Subwoofer

I've been selling, studying and writing about home electronics for many years and I never cease to be amazed when I come across a really cool sound system such as the Boston Acoustics iDS3 Plus. The iDS3 Plus is a two-piece system with an iPod/iPhone dock with dual midranges and tweeters and a powered, wireless subwoofer with a 6-inch woofer. It's designed for a den, a bedroom, a dorm room or an office - just about anywhere you want to enjoy iPod music and videos.

The speaker system and subwoofer come in a stylish high-gloss black or a white finish. To match almost any room décor, Boston offers a choice of nine grille colors for the speaker system. The optional grilles are available as a $14.99 aftermarket item on the company's website.

The speaker system/docking station is simply designed with four buttons on the top: power, volume up, down and 'wide stereo', a sound mode that broadens the stereo image for a more dynamic live sound. With its wireless capability, the compact subwoofer can be placed almost anywhere, even across the room.

Set up is easy – just plug in the two components, select a docking adapter for your iPod or iPhone (seven dock adapters included), set the wireless ID number on the docking station and subwoofer and press play on your player. That's it.

Optionally, you can connect a TV to the composite or S-video output to view photos and videos stored on an iPod or iPhone. A stereo analog audio input allows MP3 or other audio players to be connected to the system.

iPods and iPhones are charged while docked to the system.

The system comes with a wireless card type remote for controlling basic system functions, including power on/off, volume, mute, track controls, video on/off, track shuffle and repeat and 'wide stereo' sound mode.

The iDS3 Plus is a little powerhouse that brings iPod and iPhone tunes alive with a full, dynamic sound quality. I would compare its sound to a stereo receiver with a pair of modest bookshelf speakers – it's that good. I particularly enjoyed the 'wide stereo' sound mode, which not only enlarges the stereo image and enhances separation, but also sweetens the sound a bit. Its lively, high fidelity sound quality can easily fill an average sized room and the subwoofer nicely fills in the bass. The BassTrac feature keeps bass sounding clean, even at higher listening levels.

You could make a complete audio system by connecting a CD player, tape player or other analog audio component to line inputs on the Boston iDS3.

I found the video output of the iDS3 a little tricky. The video button on the remote control is an on/off toggle with no indicator light on the speaker system, which makes it difficult to know when the video output is turned on. I learned that this design was an Apple requirement and that the video output functions of an iPod vary depending on the model (I use an iPod nano 3G). Regardless, after a bit of perseverance I was able to view my stored photos and videos on a television.

Given the tremendous popularity of iPod and iPhone, it's certainly no surprise that store shelves are overloaded with speaker systems and docking stations available in all price ranges, types and colors. The array of systems can be dizzying. With its sound quality, ease of use and clean styling, the Boston Acoustics iDS3 Plus will make your buying decision a lot easier. Priced at $499 for the system, the iDS3 Plus should be on your short list.

Specifications

• iPod/iPhone Compatibility:
• iPod nano (2/4/GB)
• 5G and U2 iPod (30 GB with video), iPod classic (80GB)
• 5G iPod with video (60GB/80GB), iPod classic (160GB)
• iPod nano – 2nd generation (2/4/8GB)
• iPhone
• iPod nano – 3rd generation (4/8 GB)
• iPod touch 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB)

• 100 watts total system power
• Dual tweeters
• Dual 3-1/2-inch woofers
• Wireless 6-inch subwoofer
• BassTrac audio processing
• Composite/S-video outputs for video-capable iPhone/iPod models
• Auxiliary inputs for additional media players
• Remote control included
• Dimensions (H x W x D): Main speaker: 5-1/2 x 15-5/8 x 6” Subwoofer: 9-7/16 x 11-5/8 x 11-5/8”
• MSRP: $499
• Contact: bostonacoustics.com