Hands-On with the Altec Lansing iMT800 Mix Speaker Dock for iPod/iPhone
Altec Lansing has been making iPod docks for a while, but the new iMT800 Mix should grab your attention for two keys reasons:
It docks, charges, and controls the iPhone--even the latest iPhone 3G S--without the need for Airplane mode. It's loud.
The first point alone makes the Mix stand out. iPhone users have been left out in the cold for a while when it comes to iPod docks; with hundreds of choices available on the market for regular iPods, only a few have been able to work with the iPhone and then usually only in Airplane mode. The Mix, however, welcomed my 32 GB iPhone 3G S with open arms. It controlled perfectly, with none of the chirping or buzzing that may sound familiar to you if you've left a cell phone near a pair of speakers for any length of time. Finally I can stream Pandora or imeem Mobile while charging my iPhone in an iPod dock, and let me tell you, it's sweet.
Second, this thing is built for volume. Barring notable exceptions like the B&W Zeppelin, many iPod docks tend towards the small side, geared toward a desktop or cubicle. The Mix is a full-fledged boombox, with two 5.25" woofers, two 3" mid-range drivers, and two 1" horn tweeters. During my first dry run, with both the Mix and the docked iPhone at 50% volume, it more than filled the medium-sized room we were testing in. The mids and tweeters are forward-firing while the side-firing woofers angle slightly to the rear, so sound dispersion is huge.
The Mix features three ways to listen to music: an FM radio, the iPod dock (of course), and there are two auxillary slots on top of the unit through which you can attach anything with a 3.5mm jack. Two male-to-male 3.5mm cables are even included in the box. Also included are a large number of interchangeable trays to fit whichever version of iPod or iPhone you're docking. So if you bring the Mix to a party, say, you can switch back and forth between the radio and three of your friends' MP3 players for a huge selection of music.
Switch between FM radio and multiple attached MP3 players with ease
There are several options for controlling a docked iPod/iPhone. You can, of course, simply use the controls on the docked iPod itself, or you can use the control buttons on the top front of the unit, or you can use the included IR remote. The slim remote sits in its own slot in the top rear of the Mix when not in use, and features a caribiner-style clip to keep on a belt loop or bag. The remote will control the radio and a docked iPod/iPhone, but can't control an auxillary-attached MP3 player (although it can switch to and from it as a source). There's an LCD screen on the front above the dock for album and artist information, system status, and for the 7-band graphical equalizer. You can even customize the power-on message with custom text--not a crucial feature, but a nice touch nonetheless.
The IR remote slides into its own housing when not in use
Another nice touch is the bracer around the iPod dock. The Mix is clearly intended to be moved around, thanks to the grab handles on each side of the unit, and the recessed position of the dock plus the bar means you can be reasonably assured that it'll stay secure while moving around a party or heading to the beach. Speaking of moving around, it's worth mentioning here that for a boombox with a class D amplifier in it, the Mix is pretty light for its size--I had no problem carting it around with one hand, though to be fair I didn't have the 8 D batteries in it required to run it without AC power either.
The bracer bar along with included matching dock trays keeps attached iPods/iPhones secure
The one thing I'll say about the grab handles: don't be too casual with them. Even though grabbing one of the side handles means carrying the Mix vertically, it's not designed to stand on its side. The woofer grilles protrude a little from the sides, and there are a lot of sharp angles, so either use the handle on top or be sure to take care when setting the Mix down. The Mix is not fragile, but it's not ruggedized either. (Maybe they should rubberize the Mix's corners on the next iteration?)
So how does it actually sound? Pretty darn good. In particular, the horn-loaded tweeters and mid-range drivers deliver incredibly crisp highs and mids that don't get harsh or sibilant at loud volumes. Bass is huge, especially if you have a wall or similar to reflect sound from the side-firing speakers off of, and will be more than enough to please an entire roomful of partygoers. I did notice that bass does start to muddy a bit at volumes above 65% or so; room acoustics will matter a lot here. At volumes 50% or below (which is more than loud enough for a room with a few people in it) the sound is rich and full. Even streaming Pandora on my iPhone, which uses compressed audio when streaming on AT&T's 3G network, sounded warm and clear and was very forgiving of compression artifacts.
In addition to the obvious party applications, the Mix makes perfect sense for a dorm room, kitchen, small office, poolside, garage, or anywhere else people might be congregating with their own MP3 players in hand.
The Altec Lansing iMT800 Mix has an MSRP of $299 and is available for pre-order now.
--Aric A.
cable on September 04, 2009 at 02:25 AM
Hey Aric
I don't mean to be pro propitiatory but wouldn't be nice if they could put some form rechargeable battery inside that rig? 8 D-cell battery's? come on in this day and age that's ridiculous! There expensive and then there useless after 30 hours of use.I would like to see rechargeable option in it.
I want to know how many RMS watts has this IMT 800?
Pierre-Henri on October 11, 2009 at 04:26 AM
Dear,
Ignoring design, only paying attention to sound quality, which one would you advise ?
- Altec Lansing iMT800 Mix Digital Boombox for iPhone and iPod
- Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin
Thanks a lot for the advise.
Kind regards
Pierre-Henri
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