David Wiener Ventures Introduces the Art.Suono Wireless, Music Enhancing System with iPod Dock

Luxurious Music Transmitter/Receiver Boasts First Consumer Use of APHEX Technology
PARK CITY, Utah —(Business Wire)— Sep. 19, 2008 David Wiener Ventures (DWV), an internationally acclaimed design house developing exclusive products under the DWV and Ferrari brands, introduces the Art.Suono Wireless Music Transmission System and iPod Dock. The second offering of the David Wiener Collection (DWC), Art.Suono is a limited edition, luxury product that is iPod-compatible, and both an innovative audio instrument and elegant sculpture.

Art.Suono's proprietary wireless transmission technology allows users to transmit ANY audio source — including iPods, computers, CD players, MP3 players and satellite radio — to ANY audio system. It provides the ultimate performance and user experience, offering extreme quality, exceptional construction and a level of detailing rarely found in consumer products.

The Art.Suono also incorporates an astounding acoustic technology developed for the recording industry and used by top recording artists and engineers like Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and Paul McCartney in mastering their albums. Art.Suono's proprietary DWC-APHEX circuitry, developed by APHEX Systems for DWV, and used for the first time in a consumer product, makes recorded music more "alive."

It restores the harmonics lost in compressed music files and provides an incredible sense of spaciousness and clarity so each instrument and voice is clear and distinct. At the same time, it optimizes bass frequency response, providing deeper, more resonant bass with the fullness, richness and depth that makes any audio system sound more powerful.

A luxury lifestyle product, the Art.Suono is also engagingly practical. Additional features include docking and charging for any model iPod, an "Engine Start" button, a "Shift" input signal switch, a concealed input signal jack, LED indicators, and a convenient volume control. Its five pounds of machined aluminum, carbon fiber accents, and fine detailing make Art.Suono the most sonically exciting compact music transmission system yet created. The included Art.Suono receiver, also in machined aluminum, may be displayed or hidden. Each Art.Suono powers up to two receivers so that multiple music systems may be used in a home or office.

The Art.Suono will be available October 2008, exclusively from David Wiener Collection authorized resellers worldwide at a suggested price of $1,499.

The XDR-S10HDiP a tabletop HD Radio with an iTunes tagging service. If you enjoy a song you hear on the airwaves, tag it for future download onto your iPod. Yours for $180.

The SRS-GU10iP is for fancy people. You can tell by the piano black wood finish and the lack of other more technical details. It retails for $150.

SONY DEBUTS IPOD AND iPHONE COMPATIBLE BOOMBOX, HD RADIO WITH iTUNES
TAGGING, CD CLOCK RADIO AND DOCKING SPEAKER

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 19, 2008 - Sony today is taking the wraps off four
audio products that work with current dockable iPod(r) and iPhone(tm)
devices.
The new CD clock radio (model ICF-CD3iP), boombox (model ZS-S4iP), table
top HD Radio(tm) with iTunes Tagging (model XDR-S10HDiP), and docking
speaker (model SRS-GU10iP) let you enjoy music from either iPod or
iPhone. All four products are part of the Made for iPod and Works with
iPhone programs.
Rise and Shine
The ICF-CD3iP device is Sony's first CD clock radio with a
hidden dock for iPod and iPhone devices. It gives users multi-function
flexibility that enables them to listen, wake and fall asleep to their
iPhone or iPod, CDs or radio in the form of a small footprint.
Featuring a large, highly visible liquid crystal display, this clock
radio charges both iPod and iPhone devices. It also includes a remote
control that provides full access to the menu of music functions. It
has a compact, vertical "floating" design that hides the docking
station, offers CD R/RW playback, and has an AM/FM digital tuner.
Tunes On The Go
For iPod and iPhone users who want to experience their music out loud,
Sony is introducing its first boombox that works with both devices. The
ZS-S4iP boombox adds iPhone compatibility and enhanced sound quality
through its Mega Bass(r) Sound system.
The dock on this new boombox secures and charges your iPod or iPhone
while on the go, and features a removable cover so you can directly
control iPod touch and iPhone. A wireless remote allows full menu
control for your CD, radio and the music function of iPod or iPhone.
The unit also offers 20 AM and 10 FM radio presets.
HD Radio for Your Ears
The XDR-S10HDiP is Sony's first HD Radio with iTunes Tagging that is
compatible with the newest generation of 3G iPhone devices, as well as
iPod players. It solves a need for those who want to experience their
music out loud, with rich bass and simulated surround sound.
This new product also charges your device while providing the benefits
of HD Radio, including multi-casting (which offers new FM channels, more
music, news and sports) and clear, crisp sound - all subscription free.
The radio also includes iTunes Tagging, which lets you tag the songs you
like on the radio, for future download to your iPod player. It also
features auxiliary input, as well as 20 AM and FM radio presets.
Dock Me Up
Sony's elegantly designed SRS-GU10iP docking speaker offers high quality
audio and a piano black wood finish. Unlike most docking speakers for
iPod players, this new speaker system is compatible with the newest
generation of 3G iPhone devices as well.
The system also features bass sound and a remote commander for
convenient access. It charges both the iPod and iPhone units, includes
an auxiliary input, and supports AC/DC operation (batteries not
included).
Pricing and Availability
The ZS-S4iP boombox will be available in October for about $100 in black
and white. The ICF-CD3iP CD clock radio will be available later this
month for about $100.
The XDR-S10HDiP HD table radio will also be available this month for
about $180, as will the SRS-GU10iP Sony iPhone/iPod docking speaker for
about $150.
Pre-orders for all four products are now being accepted at
www.sonystyle.com . The ZS-S4iP boombox,
ICF-CD3iP CD clock radio and SRS-GU10iP docking speaker will be
available at Sony Style stores across the county. All four products will
be available online at www.sonystyle.com ,
at military base exchanges and at authorized dealers nationwide.

SI mentions the fact that it has an iPod/iPhone remote, and that its alarm can co-exist with iPhone/iPod alarms; I don't believe that's a first, but it's a good thing to hear. By the looks of it, that iPod dock slides out, too, a nice thing for those who might not care for iStuff. If the round face hasn't tipped you off already, it's also a CD player with MP3-CD playback, and it has a line in, in case you still want to patch in your 120GB Zune. What? Sony still makes MP3 players? Huh. [Sony Insider via iPodNN]

The Price: $159 with $20 promo code (DS220)

The Verdict: Not too bad. The speakers themselves are adequate, though not as good as their previous wireless iPod dock effort. The 220 functions decently well as an iPod dock, but what you really want this for is its wireless speaker functions.

Imagine plugging in the USB dongle to your laptop—which doesn't have very good speakers—and beaming all audio to the wireless unit across the room. It's a fairly elegant solution to get around the fact that your laptop has less than optimal speakers and aren't easy to substitute by plugging into better ones when you're lounging on the couch.

The only note we have is that the 2.4GHz frequency the dongle uses to communicate is prone to interference, and if you use it on your laptop, you're going to get some intermittent audio. Everything was fine when we worked off an Ethernet connection, but when we fired up our wireless on the laptop, you could definitely tell some interference was going on when music keeps dropping out. Also (on at least the Mac version) you can't control volume via your computer; you have to use the wireless remote.

In the end, $159 isn't too steep a price to pay for wireless speakers that you can easily sync up to your laptop. If they'd fix the wireless interference and add volume control on your computer, we'd be able to recommend this fully. [Mint]

The Price: $250 for the base unit and one satellite, $130 for each additional satellite.

The Verdict: Dreamy. The ability to put music in five separate rooms simultaneously (base + 4 sats) is a dream we've had since we were in elementary school planning on buying our first house. (That's right, other kids wanted to be astronauts, we wanted to be Bruce Wayne, homeowner and bad ass crimefighter.) The base unit has excellent sound, great bass response and SRS WOW! sound enhancement. The satellites are a bit lower quality, but definitely listenable. As a bonus, it also supports all the way back to the 3rd generation iPods—in our opinion, one of the best iPods ever made. Rocktastic.

Shooting iPod music everywhere was cool, but we discovered something way cooler. Step one was plugging our iTunes output from our Mac/PC into the base unit and switching it to AUX input. Step two was using our iPhone and the new Remote app so we could control our iTunes from anywhere inside the house. It's as close to an ultimate audio setup as we could get with equipment this easy and plug-and-play.

Is it worth $250 + $130 for satellites? Think of it as an investment. As long as you're alright with the sound quality and your home isn't any taller than three stories (just about the limit we found for the sound to not cut in and out all the time) you'll be able to use this as a home-wide music solution for years. [EOS Wireless]

Based on the renderings, you can display a rear view camera on the screen (technically impossible) or use the iPod like a Nike+ device to track your bike workout (might also be impossible). Still, very cool if you're using this on rides that aren't through traffic. [Cannondale Community via Cannondale via Trend Hunter]

•Supported USB flash disk and SD/MMC card to playback MP3 files •Enjoy your iPod without earphones •iPod control and charging •Watch video on your TV if using iPod Video •Good reception Tuner function (AM/FM/RBDS) •FM 20 preset stations and AM 20 preset stations •Show RBDS (Radio Broadcast Data System) text on LCD display •Alarm to wake up and sleep function •Accurately real time clock display •Separate bass and treble controls •Powerful speaker sound system (12W x 2) •EQ adjustment •Volume level indicator •AUX IN for extension function •Headphone jack output •Microphone input and volume/echo adjustment •Full function remote control •Using AC power or batteries for operation •Dimensions (W/H/D): 650 x 166 x 365 mm

The price: $150

The details: It's easy to swap between your two iDevices, complete with programmable color coordination. And this JVC dual dock features all the amenities you'd expect from an iPod dock: an alarm, video out, audio in, but most impressively, the neatest little remote we've seen in a dock yet. The thing has a real scroll wheel. Seriously, you don't see this in iPod docks, so I wonder if JVC is paying an arm and a leg for the convenience (though I'd bet that they are just a little more generous with their patent interpretations).

5W x 2 channel speakers
15W subwoofer
210 x 81 x 169mm speakers
160 x 335 x 245mm subwoofer
255 x 115 x 169mm, main unit
Alarm function
Remote control

Tell you the truth, I'm not convinced about iPod dock-CD player combos. [Impress]

Retailing at $39.99, there have been cheaper white plastic eggs in the past, but none of them could keep your iPod dry and boom out the radio. If you care for your iPod so, grab it a shower cocoon, it will love you for it...back to purchasing love, eh? Hey, it's your life, lead it as you choose. We're saying nothing. [Ubergizmo]

Other features that Jacuzzi lovers might find appealing include: illuminated jets, dual "WaterColour" waterfalls, a therapy lounge, footmound jets, and a CD player or AM/FM radio for anyone who is sophisticated enough to buy an iPod compatible tub, but not sophisticated enough to actually own an iPod.[Jacuzzi via Sci Fi via Born Rich]

The Cy.Fi speaker is about the size of a deck of cards and mounts on your handlebars. It spreads its stereo sound to let to the left and right, and makes it so you don't have to wear earphones that might obscure important noises of impending danger. Get more speakers, and one iPod can broadcast its signal to everyone in your riding group.

The company says the Cy.Fi's transmission is 100% lossless, sent from your iPod tucked safely away in your pocket. You can also control volume and skip tracks right from the speaker. Available sometime in 2008, it'll cost you $149. [Cy.Fi]

Update: Apparently this is a Toyota UK thing. Sorry for the confusion!

Thanks tipster!

It's been what feels like three years in the making, but the final fight in our iPod Dock Battlemodo begins now. The $150 Griffin Amplifi is our budget contender, going face to face against the posh $350 Altec Lansing IMV712. And with that long of a model number, you know it's gotta be good.

But only one will leave this ring coffee table alive.

Feature Test

The Amplifi has nothing extra. There are two ports on the back: one for power, one for a line-in. That's it. The lack of features will be argued as a good thing to some, who want the simplest experience whatsoever. And while it's true that not dealing with inputs is convenient, we would love to see a simple video out tuner, or a more advanced system with the volume

The Altec Lansing IMV712 is the exact opposite of the Amplifi, having the largest feature set of any dock we tested. It starts with a massive 8.5" screen. As we've complained before, it's put to poor use while listening to music, unless you enjoy watching the Altec Lansing hypnotic logo for hours on end.

But video playback is pretty decent. There is an aspect ratio issue that is tough to ignore, but other than that, it's a solid viewing experience.

You also get left and right audio inputs, RCA video in and S-Video out. Surprisingly, there's no radio, and alarm integration would have given the IMV712 and unbeatable feature set.

FEATURE WINNER: IMV712

The Bass Test
We busted out the Dr. Dre, a scene that closely resembled the opening scene in Office Space, we're sure.

And the Griffin comes to fight. Its low range swings for the fence, and the effect is low, loud and a bit sloppy. But the thing can thump. We're talking tubas. We're talking synth.

The IMV712 has clean bass, and you can certainly hear it, but it won't shake your guts. And sometimes we all could use our guts shaken. The IMV712 has a built-in subwoofer, otherwise it would have no bass, or faux bass. But we wish it had a bit more...balls.

The Griffin's underside "bass port" may look like a gimmick, but it's an excellent design...and it leads this category upset.

BASS WINNER: AMPLIFI

Sound Test
To many, even most, the Amplifi will pass as great audio. And for a selling price of about $130, it's gonna make a lot of people happy. But while the highs and lows are both very strong, there's a distinct lack of midrange balance. It's like eating great turkey and cranberry sauce, and then realizing, "Shit! We forgot the stuffing."

The result is that certain voices or instruments can either become harsh without solid grounding, or just be lost in the spectrum. But the Amplifi plays its game well, fooling my ear with its strong extreme ranges. And in that respect, it's very much doing its job. Enigma Variations sounds surprisingly brilliant, still respectable even when played side-by-side with the IMV712. That's a feat.

The IMV712, on the other hand, just has well-crafted audio—an iPod dock poster boy if you will. Despite a lack of EQ adjustments, the system is quite satisfying. Multiple genres of music, from folk to rap, have an excellent balance. I probably say it a bit better in my last review of the unit, but the entire gamut of instrumentation shows up, no matter what the song. It's tough to find any real weaknesses with the sound—other than maybe what we already talked about in the bass portion: an adjustable bass knob with a bit more kick would be the cherry on top here.

One complaint: When switching inputs or tracks, there's a semi-loud static in the speaker. We don't know what Altec Lansing can do to fix the problem—we're no engineers—but it must be fixable, and it's the only real thorn in the entire listening experience.

SOUND WINNER: IMV712

So the Altec Lansing should win, right? It took two of our three categories. Case closed.

Not quite.

To us, there is still the outstanding question of value and overall function. It's a decision we've known was coming from day one when I balanced the bracket to have a budget and premium winner, so we're not going to cry about it or anything. But it's not an issue that we ever necessarily resolved.

As reviewers, the choice could be very easy. We can tell you all that $350 is the price you should pay to have a good iPod dock.

But let's be honest. Most people will never watch video on the IMV712's screen.

And in most listening situations, the average consumer will not hear a massive difference between the docks. But that's the battle of buying audio: It's a game of diminishing returns. It's a question you need to be honest with yourself when answering: Do you need the Passat, or will the Jetta treat you just as well? Do you need the $20 brick of cheese, or will your crackers taste as good spending half that?

OVERALL WINNER: GRIFFIN AMPLIFI

For a shelf price of about $130, the Griffin Amplifi is a steal in the world of iPod Docks. Its worthy competition, the IMV712, is an excellent choice for those who plan on a close listening to their system. But for the many who are just looking for a decent-sounding box to pump out their tunes in an extra room, the Amplifi is the dock for you.

And they all lived happily ever after.

The end.

Read all the chapters of the battle here.

Who will win?

DESIGN
In terms of design, the two docks have a similar, simplistic HAL-knob design. The Express is tiny, like a sporty scooter that can hook to your TV through video out. The Amplifi is much bigger, heavier and...dare we say...meaner, but there are no extras other than standard audio input. So while the Amplifi is well-built (the knob clicks like a receiver, wooden construction is a bonus), this round easily goes to the Express since it's smaller and slightly more feature-driven.

AUDIO
For the budget audio showdown, I went through multiple genres, and multiple songs within each genre.

Griffin Amplifi
I still appreciate the low range of this system. It's not necessarily real bass, but it almost fools you into thinking it's there. Take your average bass line. It's strongly present, even if not necessarily completely honest in its represented range.

Highs are well-represented with a tendency to blend a bit, missing some of the higher instrument textures.

Logitech
If I could describe the experience in one word, it would be "tasteful." But the Logitech is easily a tier, or even two, below the Griffin. The Express has no mid to low range fullness, making the entire sound field narrower than the Amplifi's. Surprisingly, regular rock performs poorly compared with other genres of music, such as solo acoustic, if only because of the disappointing low response that frequently grows muddy. High frequencies are actually pretty decent, with budget considerations taken into account.

Every genre, from rock to classical, goes to the Amplifi. With the Grffin's product, even though I am still compromising on perfect audio, it's just so much more fulfilling to listen to than the Logitech AudioStation Express.

SO...

Who wins? This is a tough call—probably the toughest of the competition. Sure, the Griffin sounds better. But it's almost three times the size of the inconspicuous Express. And the Amplifi's price runs $50 more than the $80 Express, which is quite a bit on the budget system scale. It took some honest soul-searching, a dramatic walk on the beach and 3/4 of a Michael Bolton album accompanied by 4/4 of a bottle of wine. But I came to a difficult one-man consensus.

WINNER: GRIFFIN AMPLIFI
It's no frills, and it's big. But at $130, you won't find a better sounding dock. For those who are looking to save money and space, we still heartily recommend the AudioStation Express. But the extra $50 is well worth the improved sound.

Today is a sound match only, as we listen to Sufijan Stevens' Decatur, and I realize that, yes, I need to put more songs on the iPod for the finals.

Bose Sound Dock
The Bose didn't fail to surprise me with the size of its sound. It's a master of midrange, with excellent clarity. It's incredibly easy to distinguish the Stevens' two separate vocal tracks, layered for harmony. Many speaker systems nearly lose this subtlety, and its presence adds a dimension to the sound otherwise not appreciated.

Altec Lansing IM7
The IM7's range is pretty decent, with a strong mid to lower midrange. But everything is metallic. As if ever tone is finished in brass, frequency response loses out to a general harshness. It's easily in third place of the three docks.

Altec Lansing IMV712
I guess the two extra numbers and one extra number in "IMV712" count for something, because the IMV712 sounds way beyond its IM7 sibling. And if the big brother shows anything, it's that while Bose makes a great product, the product is not an infallible provider of "perfect sound"— $100 extra bucks can be a lot in audio.

The IMV712 just has...bigger balls. It's like when you've been eating low-fat sour cream for a long time. It tastes pretty good, and you think, not much missing here. Why would I ever eat the real thing? And then you do, appreciating the more opulent texture and more richer flavor.

The IMV712 has a richer sound beyond its ability to limbo down to lower frequencies than the Sound Dock. It's present and filling, from the plucking banjos to the soft hint of breath at the end of vocal phrases.

WINNER: IMV712
On sound alone, the IMV712 takes this round of face-offs. Its closest competition, the Bose Sound Dock, is admittedly cheaper than the IMV712. But since we can easily hear the difference and the Sound Dock is lacking any practical extras, we're going with the IMV712. This result brings a close to the second round of competition. Only three matches are left from here to decide a winner.

For testing we listened to Emiliana Torrini's Sunny Road, light acoustic rock that builds into deeper instrumentation.

iHome iH52
All the ranges are well represented, with plenty of bass available. The guitar sounds pleasant, and the voice is OK, but not stellar. Nothing here will completely blow you away as no particular range really shines, but there's nothing blatantly broken, either.

XtremeMac Tango
In the quiet opening, there is a noticeable buzz. It's a high and faint, an almost digital-sounding overtone. And once you hear that, it sours the whole package. The lows seem to keep up with the iHome's, though sounds sometimes become murky from lower ranges to the mids—it's lacking control in its resonance. But the vocal track is actually surprisingly quite strong.

Eton Sound 100 iPod
The Sound 100 surprised me, nearly keeping up with its competitors in its overall frequency range. But overall, the experience is a little thinner than offerings from either the iHome or Tango. Still...

WINNER: Eton Sound 100 iPod
Admittedly, the Eton comes in third place regarding sound. The iHome takes that category. But this is the second round, and I refuse to put through a computer speaker system with a dock attachment and a big iHome slapped on the front.

iPod docks are superfluous tech, meant to have a level of sexiness that's superior to our existing computer or surround sound system (and besides, could you imagine if Logitech and Altec Lansing entered their computer systems in the competition). Meanwhile, the Tango just doesn't sound as good as its footprint would suggest. The bottom line: if we were choosing one dock of the three for our home, it would be the Eton. And even if we bitched a little about the sound, at least we wouldn't have to look at another ugly pile of cords.

Design/Features

Bose
The SoundDock is as minimal as it gets. Volume up. Volume Down. The end. Considering that the SoundDock was around before iPod video, we're thinking that it's time to update the components with richer features that don't need to detract from the unit's simplicity.

Logitech
You can tell that the AudioStation is a newer product just by looking at it. A sleek display features touch-sensitive controls (I personally consider them a novelty here and on the PS3, but a nice-looking novelty at that.) While a bit heftier than the SoundDock, Logitech's AudioStation gives you two choices of video out and an AM/FM radio with RDS (telling you track names). An alarm would have been nice considering the large clock, but the removable speaker grills are a sweet touch.

Sound
I returned to the Blast! Soundtrack for the famous brass fiesta, Malaguena.

Bose
For the first time in my iPod tests, my wife walked into the room. "That sounds really good," she said. And she was right. The Soundock played brass with rich vibrance, but managed respectable bass at the same time. When cranking the small unit to higher volumes, it performed with equal fidelity. The Soundock isn't just a bunch of yuppie bullshit—this system is the real deal.

Logitech
When the low brass comes in for the first time in a chorale-like moment, you feel the colors of the notes. Then you hear the air pulsating through the tubas. And for the first time in any of the docks yet tested, I notice the actual strike of the bass drum with precision.

But the Logitech's high ranges grow less tangible where the Bose delivers with absolute precision. Then again, the Logitech undoubtedly dominates on the low end, making the Bose look like a teenager still waiting for puberty to arrive.

Winner: Bose SoundDock
In interest of full disclosure, having been disappointed with some of my past Bose experiences, I didn't expect this result. But the Bose just sounds better, especially when you head into another room. One caveat, however, is that Bose owes it to their loyal customers (who will buy the brand no matter what I say here) to update their SoundDock with video functionality and figure out how to cram some more bass into the package. Because the AudioStation shows all the consumer concern that's important in a product—and honestly—many top 40 listeners will prefer the AudioStation for its low end umph alone. That said, this match goes to Bose.