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Klipsch iGroove SXTThe latest iPod speaker from Klipsch delivers big sound at a budget-friendly price. Price:
$169
By Mike Kobrin 
Klipsch's iGroove SXT is a compact followup to the company's iGroove HG iPod speaker, designed for smaller rooms and offices. The black-and-silver plastic unit has black-cloth speaker grilles and houses a pair of 2.5-inch woofers, each with its own ported enclosure, as well as two 3/4-inch horn-loaded tweeters. It runs only on AC power, so it's not particularly portable, but you get a lot of boom for your buck.
Operation couldn't be simpler, with just three buttons on top for volume and power, as well as an integrated universal iPod dock that charges your iPod as it plays. The dock can handle any iPod with a 30-pin connector; this excludes the nano and the Shuffle, but the company has created a nano insert, which should be included in the box by the time you read this. The included seven-button IR remote helps maintain the minimalist image, though its line-of-sight range topped out at around 25 feet on our tests. A power jack, 3.5mm line input, and S-Video output are on the back, and you can buy optional brackets for mounting the speaker on a wall. The iGroove SXT is loud for a such slim speaker (12 x 4.8 x 4.6 inches). In our tests it offered strong upper bass, but as with most small speakers, the drivers didn't do particularly well with very deep bass in organ pieces and some electronic music. Mids and highs were very clear, and the MicroTractix horn-loaded tweeters delivered on our tests, reproducing vocals and horns extremely well. The iGroove SXT doesn't have any tone controls or a wide stereo feature, but you can use equalizer on your iPod to adjust sound. At maximum volume, the sound distorted slightly, but we noticed this only up close and didn't hear any enclosure rattling-a sign of good craftsmanship. If the $299 Bose SoundDock appeals to you but would bust your budget, the Klipsch iGroove SXT is a worthy-and similarly styled-competitor at about half the price and with only a slight compromise in sound. The small footprint is also a big plus, making the iGroove perfect for a nightstand, desktop, or small bookshelf. Suggested Stories: iPod Speaker Docks Under $100 Rock out at home or on the go without dropping a bundle. Essential iPhone Guide Everything you need to know about Apple’s supertoy. Denon AH-D1000 Review Denon's latest headphones are for consumers, but they're no amateurs. Compare Prices | Klipsch iGroove SXT Specifications
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