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comparable to a $1000 system, but who really cares about details like that

(sarcasm)

PALM stock has all bubbled up. It should drop sharply soon.

ANSW ( Answers.com ) CEO will be talking about their company on March9, possibly it will be positive news.

Apple stock is unlikely to go any higher, it is likely it is headed to under $64 again.

I stopped by our local Applestore in St Louis last night and they did not have new Mini systems or the iPod HiFi. I probably would have bought both as they appear to be problem solvers for a couple of situations I'm facing but I wanted to hear the speaker before buying.

When I asked "when will you have them" the lady behind the counter told me "it's like Christmas every day, we never know what's coming in. UPS comes and we just ooo and ahh at the new stuff, then customers come and buy all of it, what a great job this is".

There were customers everywhere trying out everything Apple. The Dell island kiosk in the mall (200 feet away) had no customers, the two blue shirt Dell guys were standing around talking on cell phones.

That's a great story Macs King! Just the sort of thing a buyer of a company's stocks needs to know...

You want to talk about a true marketing force, then look no further than BOSE. They use some of the cheapest of the shelf components, combined with a monster marketing engine to garner thier success. If you actually get a hold of a BOSE test graph (hard to find) and look at it, it is about the most unaccurate speaker system on the martket. Huge gaping holes in the lower mid-bass sections, poor low end extention (6db rolloff starting at 80hz), and highs start dieing in the 16khz area. It's pretty pathetic. Just about every one of thier systems uses the same quality paper cone speakers that came in 1950's Chevys. They use poor accuracy designs such as seventh order bandpass boxes to achieve their "low end".

BOSE speakers are designed to meet the minimum requirements for fooling the average listener into thinking that they are listening to full range sound using psychoacoustic theory. How many times do you get to listen to competing speakers side by side? Not at any BOSE store (not that I would do any thing different in my own store). If you can find something like a Henry Kloss clock radio and listen side by side with a BOSE clock radio the difference would be obvious.

Sorry for the rant, it just bugs me that so may people have bought into BOSE's "better sound through research" crap. Started my audio listening with BOSE many years ago. I have owned thier 901s, an acoustimass 5 bookshelf system, and another bookshelf set that I can't remember what model number. My eyes were opened, and the world sounds much better for it. Kind of like when I sold my PC for my Mac.

If your in the market for a iPod HiFi, take a look at a Bose Wave Radio first.

You get cd player, radio and clock, it sounds and looks better.

All you need is a stereo mini to RCA (left/right channel) breakout cable available at any electronics store.

Far as portability, the HiFi is not, batteries are a pain in the arse and cost too much over time. They fall out, they leak, they can even explode, they can ruin the iPod HiFi if you keep using them.

You'll lose/break the battery cover eventually.

The fabric on the HiFi will get torn and dirty.

Apple doesn't have the experience in designing these types of devices as shown by the ugly white plastic look and lack of input options.

Title is redundant.

har·bin·ger - One that indicates or foreshadows what is to come; a forerunner.

Should have used the word sign. Trying to look smart by using fancy word. Backfire.

The Anti-BOSE:

Wow. Well put. I have been trying very hard to hold back a similar rant against Bose.

People seem to think that because Bose are so expensive they must be good. My ears get fatigued after about 10 minutes around a Bose speaker system.

They belch out low midrange to cover up their poor bass extension. Their entire sound is hyped and unrealistic.

Bose seems to appeal to consumers who always turn up their stereo's bass and treble knobs fully clockwise; people who automatically set a graphic EQ to that scooped-out smile shape no matter what the speakers or listening environment sound like.

For under $200 I could direct anyone who likes the sound of Bose to a pair of active bi-amped reference monitors. After listening to the monitors for just 15 minutes, they'll believe that Bose should consider going into the meat packing business.

I am CURIOUS about Apple's new HiFi. Gosh I think will have to VIST AN APPLE STORE in order to listen to it. Wow, they have lots of kewl products here. I am handing them my credit card for an iPod...

The Apple Hi-Fi has both digital and analog audio inputs. Still smokin' the weed?
Troll.
Kate

two more alternatives Creative Soundworks 740 and the Pure Digital DTM-300. The they both have a plethora of ins and outs, the Pure device picks up digital radio and they both sound pretty good for their size. I see no problem with the ipod boombox, anyway the term 'hifi' was seriously devalued when the Japanese electronics companies started the hard sell of all their products under the banner of 'hifi'.

informed,

Couldn't agree more. The fully clockwise comment is especially dead on.

I have a nice set of reference monitors (Tannoy Reveals) I got for $200 that I use as my computer speakers. Head and shoulders above every set of BOSE I've ever owned. Don't even get me started on how much better my old Martin Logans or new Mirages are. There are just way way way way way too many choices of great speakers/audio electronics out there to ever give your money to BOSE.

You know the saying I've heard is "BOSE all mids...No highs, No lows". I love that saying.

I forgot to mention that I have a clock radio as well that was given to me as a gift. It sounds nice until you hear the same stuff from a well designed system. Dollar to performance, the BOSE clock radio is probably one of the worst buys in the market. Again, if you are interested you owe it to yourself to audition the Henry Kloss Model One or Model Two. Same size factor, whole different league of performance.

For the record I have no affiliation with any product.

In reply to MacsKing's comment - I also went into the Apple Store up here in Syracuse, NY and it was incredibly crowded and completely bubbled with excitement. People were buying stuff, store clerks were running around...it was mild chaos. Let's hope this continues!

PALM has gone down to much, it may bounce back up.

I forgot...what about companies like JBL, Creative, or any other company that targets computer audio? I am fully aware that Bose are not high quality...but sitting next to them on the shelf at the store were a pair of JBL's that I bought. So far, no complaints. Anybody?

Idustry sayings

No highs or lows, it must be Bose.
JBL = Junk, but loud.

I think the ipod Hi-Fi will sell because it will go louder and have deeper bass than the other all in one solutions and it has "wife appeal". No messy bits of wire and lots of buttons so marital harmony should be assured. I was just expecting something more from Apple and Jonathan Ive, like a silver grill for starters.

With Bonjour I can see an autonomous Wi-Fi-Hi-Fi that will play from your itunes library on the cards. Apple will be releasing more consumer products as it not only helps iPod and iTMS sales but also gives them more products to sell in its stores.

HiFi a Harbinger of things to come? What? Maybe a small fridge and a blender to go with that butt-ugly breadbox!!! I'm going to my Apple store right now with a loaf of Wonder bread, I'm going up to the HiFi, and I'm going to scream "how do I open this damn thing!" at the top of my lungs. "I've got some bread to deposit!!!" Ok, I feel better now.

To Anti-Bose...Thank you!

I have listened to the Bose peripheral and I was expecting to be impressed, but I was not! I just felt that the sound, while somewhat loud, was missing something. The richness and complexity was not really there. Now I know why.

things are not looking good for Bose, the mall of america store in Minnesota just shut it's doors after a few year run there. I bought those $100 computer speakers there, went thru 2 pairs in as many weeks, eventually got my money back and went with the $100 Klipsch they sell at Apple stores, I love them!

Wow. anti-Bose and MacDude saying the opposite things on Bose a minute apart: Crossing in the internet!

anti-Bose: I agree. Spent $1,400 on a system that is DULL compared to a pair of Aperion Audio speakers ($700). Also got Comfort 3 headphones that started "buzzing" within a year. I understand how marketing gets people sucked in- after all, look at Microsoft...

MW: foot. The foot is up Bose' ...

great, apple can sell a boombox while they lose the education market...priorities!!

in case you didn't know...apple IS losing in education. school districts which were formerly apple strongholds are switching to PC's. want to know the reason? many use a web-based application to keep track of grades and attendance and it doesn't work anything but internet explorer.

i just don't understand why apple isn't investing more in education versus creating an ipod boombox.

daveo,

You said "any use a web-based application to keep track of grades and attendance and it doesn't work anything but internet explorer"

First off, any web-based applications that only work with IE have thier days numbered. Every quarter IE's strangle hold on the browser market drops 1% or more. Firefox, Opera, Safari all suport standards based browsing set out by the W3C. If your solution isn't heading towards standards based support, it is fallling behind the times.

Those school districts should check out a more standards compliant version of the same idea. Something like....
http://www.apple.com/education/powerschool/

Went to the Apple store today. Heard the hi-fi.
OUTSTANDING sound...This is a kick ass device.
Now..a short bit of background. I have worked as an audio engineer, producing music in some extremely well equipped studios for a number of years (among other jobs. I've been involved with and worked with some of the best gear on the planet. The Hi-Fi is really meant to be a bookshelf speaker system not an audiophile tool. It won't replace a high end sterero obviously. It was not meant to. What it WILL do is be that "product that fills the need" in many situations. It's best suited to dorm rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, decks, patios, and other casual environments where you would prefer to listen to your music collection conveniently without wiring your house, buying a system that has weaker sound, use CD's, or deal with radio static. Again..this thing SOUNDS great.
It's VERY important to remember that outside of a studio environment or one that is acoustically tuned EVERY other place you listen to music is compromised. Your car, your living room, your basement, your yard, your garage...I don't care...In THOSE places there is just no way you can tell me you can tell the difference between an MP3 and an AIFF file. Other audio professionals understand this and agree with me.
Is it overpriced? Yes...by about $50...But beyond that it's a very good way to listen to music in a well made package.

pr...


If what you say is true (I have no possible way to verify it), then the $50 overpricing on the speakers pays for possible better integration with the iPod itself.

I guess I'll have to listen to one myself to see if it's something I'd be interested in, but the idea of having a high quality iPod integrated boom box is appealing to me. Not sure if I'd want to spend $350 on one, but I might consider it.