Another month, another two Things That Make Sound from Altec Lansing: one for iPods; one for PCs. Meet the iMT800, a fairly literal, iPod-infused take on a 1980s-style boombox, and the MX6021, a speaker set apparently made from motorcycle parts.
Both products are attractive in their own way, but stumble over the same minor detail. The MX6021, picture above, is another one of those pretty "Expressionist" speakers Altec keeps making, and this time they've opted for some kind of auto part/heavy machinery/1990s space movie aesthetic. As far as sound goes, it's a fairly standard 2.1 system, though Altec stresses its gen-u-ine 200W rating.
The iMT800 is pitched as a modern-day boombox, with five inbuilt speakers, digital FM radio, an iPod dock with a device stabilizer (so you don't shear off the connector), a remote and a pair of auxiliary inputs for other devices. I sort of hope the eight D-cell battery requirement is a sly nod to the device's battery-hungry ancestors, but I'm not so sure. To Altec's credit, though, those eight batteries last 30 hours and get their own battery capacity readout, so you shouldn't be too worried about unplugging this thing.
Now, about that "minor detail": Price! In both cases—the iMT800 at $300 and the MX6021 at $150—it's a little high. Both are available now. [AltecLansing]