Macenstein

In looking over my recent speaker reviews, I’ve noticed that I have given out quite a few 8 and 9 out of 10 ratings… well, prepare yourself for yet another. It seems as though speaker technology has gotten so good in recent years that it’s almost impossible to make a bad-sounding iPod speaker for $200. Yet as good as the competition has gotten, the $199 Micropod SE’s by Scandyna have upped the ante, and actually sound as good as some $400 speakers we’ve tested (mainly because they are $400 speakers, in disguise).

Above: Scandyna’s micropod SE speakers and the dock (sold separately).

Design

The organically-shaped MicroPod SE’s come in 6 colors, and will run you $199, but audio-wise, it’s a bargain. In our tests the SE’s handled even the toughest music, including our pipe organ torture test, with ease. Given the MicroPod’s small size, their sound was impressively large, and scaled well with no discernible distortion. Unfortuantley, as with many higher-end speakers, Scandyna skimps on the extras here. It’s a “bring-your-own-speaker-cable” affair, and there’s not much more than the speakers and the power brick in the box, although a wealth of accessories are available. The speakers are compatible with amplifiers rated from 10w – 100w output, but ideally Scandyna would like you to buy their $219 Dock accessory.

Above: While the speakers Micropod speakers come in 6 colors, the dock comes in only black and white.

The dock

Scandyna makes a saucer-shaped, amplified dock/charging cradle called “the dock” meant to make hooking your iPod to the MicroPod’s easier. The dock ships with 8 differently-sized iPod inserts, and has an Included remote which provides basic playback controls, such as skip, pause, and volume adjustment (but there is no menu navigation, unfortunately). Aside from the left and right speaker outputs, the dock also sports a subwoofer line out for bass aficionados. Given how good the SE’s sound without the extra bass, I would have loved to hear what a subwoofer could add, but alas, we couldn’t weasel one of Scandyna for testing (Scandyna’s subs start at $599). But even without the sub the Micropds provided exceptional bass given their size, and both the speakers and the dock feel exceptionally sturdy and well made.

Accessories

The Micropod series is well supported with accessories (which is good because it doesn’t ship with many). You can order additional wall brackets ($59/pair), adjustable stands ($69/pair), and speaker grilles (in black or silver). None of these are cheap, but they are well designed to compliment the look of the Micropods.

Cons

Well, as good as the Micropod SE’s sound, there is of course always something to complain about, and that thing here is price. While $200 is not too much money to pay for the SE’s given their audio quality, the speakers are more or less useless without the additional purchase of an amplifier of some sort. If you do not have an amp, Scandyna’s dock works well, but it will run you an extra $219. Scandyna also makes a version of the Micropod speakers called the Micropod SE Active which include a built-in amplifier for $299. If money is no object you can add a subwoofer to the equation, and Scandyna makes subs that run from their $599 “Ball” to the $799 Bass station.

Above: The dock ships with 8 iPod inserts to fit pretty much every iPod ever made.

Even if you can afford the Micropods, there are still a couple small issues to be aware of. First, I was sent a pair of white Micropod SE’s and a white dock. However, I found that the whites did not match, with the dock being noticeably more “white” than the Micropods. Also, given the size of the remote, I would have liked it to have the ability to navigate iPod menus. I am also not sure why when powered off the 2 blue LED power indicator lights on the dock go from “ON” to “slowly pulsing”. I would have preferred “off entirely”, as they are quite bright, and thus not ideal for a bedroom setting.

Finally, one caveat to those considering the dock. While it works great with iPods and the iPhone, there is no line-in jack, meaning you will not be able to hook up just any old audio source to the dock and have it play through the Micropods. The only input is the iPod Dock connector.

Conclusion

If money is not object, the Micropod SE line of speakers by Scandyna is a great system which can be expanded to fill any size room (or budget). Be warned however, the SE’s require the purchase of an additional amp, so their $200 price tag is a bit deceiving, but audio-wise you will get what you pay for in these speakers. Scandyna’s $219 dock accessory is a bit limited for the price, given that it will only work with the iPod/iPhone. However, if you are looking for a uniquely stylish audio system that will work with your iPod (and ONLY with your iPod), the Micropod SE and dock is a great combo.

Price: Micropod SE Speakers ($199); the dock ($219)

Pros: Excellent audio quality, eye catching design and color choices, option to add a subwoofer to really annoy the neighbors

Cons: Micropods require separate amp (upping their price), the dock is a little on the expensive side, skimpy on extras