Macenstein

Banshee is about to release their JISS 330 and JISS 550 speakers for the iPod, and we managed to get a sneak peak.

The JISS 550 and its little brother the JISS 330 look remarkably similar to Banshee’s 5.0 surround sound speakers we reviewed back in July of 2006. We’ve found the Banshee’s “unique” styling is either a big hit or a big miss with most people, but after having seen so many similar-looking iPod speakers, we still appreciate its futuristic, hair dryer aesthetics.

While on the outside it might appear that not much has changed, inside it’s a different story. Banshee has contracted with Jensen to retool the Banshee from the inside out, and the difference in audio quality is noticeable.

Inside

Jensen made a number of improvements to the circuit board of the Banshee to allow for less variation in sound output and filtering than its predecessor. The Banshee now does not distort when the iPod is at maximum volume, something we noticed began to happen on the original over time. Additionally, The Banshee is now one of the few iPod speakers out there (and the only under $250 we’re aware of) to use porting to improve air flow and bass quality.

The sound is perceptibly cleaner, and the unit feels “tighter” – more solid than the original. Also to Jensen’s credit, the Banshee’s now sport the official “Made for IPod” badge meaning you needn’t worry about frying your iPod.

Above: The JISS 550 uses an external docking cradle to connect your iPod.

Outside

At first look the outside of the Banshee seems more or less unchanged from the original, but there have been a number of small improvements, and all of them for the better. First, the JISS-550’s (the big guy) external docking cradle now charges your iPod (or iPhone), something the original cradle inexplicably did not do. The JISS-330 (the little guy) has a built-in charging dock on the top of the speaker. Second, both units now include a remote which lets you turn on the devices, skip songs, and pause the music.

Perhaps the most surprising addition (given the Banshees’ price points) is the added video out ports (both composite and S-Video) to both speakers (both sets of cables included). I’m not sure how many adults find video out useful on their iPod speakers, but I know of quite a few 10-20 year-olds who do, and I think that age bracket is a target audience for the Banshee.

Another small but welcome change is the addition of a blue power light that lets you know when the Banshee is on (it also makes it look a bit cooler in the dark).

Both speakers ship with the requisite dock adapters to make sure your iPod fits (both nano and regular). Shuffle owners will be happy to know you can also connect other non-dock MP3 players or computers to the new Banshees via the mini-stereo line in plug.

JISS 330 vs the JISS 550

Looking at the two units, you can probably guess that the main difference between them is size, both physically, and acoustically. The 25-Watt 550 (with its 5 speakers) has the ability to give a pseudo surround-sound effect, and delivers much better bass response than the 330. While not sounding nearly as good as the 550, the 10-Watt 330, with its smaller form factor, more or less identical feature set, and lower price ($99), does not embarrass itself audio-wise, and is still a good choice for a tween/teen’s bedroom. I found on both speakers some fiddling is required with the iPod’s EQ to get the best sound. My new favorite iPod speaker preset for small speakers is “Latin” which lowers the mid range a bit, and I found it to work well with both models of Banshee for most types of music.

In a toss up between the two, (assuming the $30 price difference is not a deal breaker), I would definitely go with the 550. The audio is noticeably better, and the bass is worlds above the 330. The 550’s 5 speakers combine to produce a pseudo surround sound effect that the 330 does not. Plus the 550 is not exactly a space hog (measuring just under 13-inches wide) so there are few situations where the extra 4.5 niches of width over the 330 would rule out the 550.

I also like the 550’s external docking cup design. Most iPod speakers with docks go the “dock on top” route (like the 330). I like that the 550 can be hooked to a computer, TV, or home stereo and stand on its own with no empty iPod dock marring the design. I also like that I can place the 550 on the shelf above my monitor, yet still have the docking cup on the desk next to me for easy access.

The JISS 550’s docking cradle connects via this unique plug that allows for other MP3 players to be used as well as the iPod.

Issues

Perhaps since I have the original Banshee, the fact that the basic physical design remains unchanged is more of an issue for me that others. When I first saw the Banshee, I thought, “Wow, that’s kind of a cool design!” – I had not seen anything quite like it. Now nearly 2 years later, I would like to have seen some sort of sprucing up of the design. I’m a bit surprised that with this refresh that the Banshee does not come in multiple colors, for instance. I could absolutely see a hot pink, electric blue, or brushed metal/gray Banshee looking quite cool and going over well with the Circuit City/Best Buy/Target crowd where the Banshee will be sold this holiday season (Target in particular seems to produce pink versions of many iPod accessories).

As far as actual technical issues, I only have a couple minor gripes as both systems provide a great value for their price. First, the remote, while very comfortable in the hand, is a bit big (especially so for the 330). There are only 6 buttons on the remote, and I would have tolerated a smaller, less comfortable remote (after all, how long is the remote actually in your hand on a speaker system?).

The back of the JISS 330. Notice the small “iPod” switch on the far right.

Second, on the 330, there is a small switch in the rear which you need to switch when moving from a line-in audio source to the iPod dock. The 550 seems to sense this automatically, and does not require this switch. This may or may not be annoying to you depending on how often you have the Banshee hooked up to a DVD player or other audio source and need to switch back over to the iPod.

That’s one big honking plug.

Another small annoyance of both speakers is the power adapter. Given a choice between a giant AC plug and an in-cord power brick, I will take the brick anytime. Both Banshees sport the giant outlet-blocking AC plug that the Turbo Squid was built for. This isn’t really a design flaw or anything – just a personal preference of mine.

The last complaint I have may seem a little odd, as I am complaining about a feature the systems HAVE that I want taken AWAY. Both systems sport a low frequency output for a subwoofer (as did the original Banshee). Honestly, this seems a little useless to me. To my mind, folks wanting to buy a $99 to $129 iPod speaker are not going to shell out an additional $80-$150 on a stand alone subwoofer. Additionally, Jensen does not make a subwoofer that compliments the Banshee’s unique design, so odds are if you do want some extra bass, you’ll have to go with a blocky 3rd party subwoofer such as the horrible Sonic Impact Maxx, which will nearly double the size and cost of the Banshee. If you already own a compatible mini sub then perhaps the built-in LF out support is a bonus selling feature, but if removing it would lower the Banshee’s cost a couple bucks, I’m all for it.

Conclusion

Jensen’s Banshee JISS 330 ($99) and JISS 550 ($129) docking speakers for iPod both deliver above average sound and a wealth of extra features. To my mind, the 550 is the clear winner between the two, and would receive my buying recommendation.

Both systems sport the “Made for iPod” certification tag, include a remote, video out, docking station, and LF sub-woofer out support, leaving very few features wanting. Priced between $99 and $129, these are not $300-sounding speakers, but the 550’s sound comes close to many $175-$200 speakers, and offers more extras.

JISS 550

Price: $129

Pros: Great sound given its price (delivers “surround sound” effect), compact, external docking cradle, video out, remote, cables included

Cons: Design could use a little updating, remote a bit large, audio a bit mid-rangey

JISS 330

Price: $99

Pros: Good sound given its price, small form factor, docking cradle, video out, remote, cables included

Cons: Lacks the bass of the 550, remote a bit large, audio a bit mid-rangey