Elecom Universal MP3 Speakers review

The design of these smart glossy speakers makes a lot of sense when stood beside a docked iPod, reclining at almost exactly the same angle as your device.

The design is classy and unfussy, with only a single light on the front of the right unit to indicate a healthy power supply. A single lead connects this to the left speaker, a 3.5mm jack connects to your Mac, and the power supply comes with both UK and European plugs. It's well thought-out and quick to set up.

They garnered some cooing attention from the more artistic members of the MacUser team, so they clearly have design credentials, and the 'piano black' finish went down well, although if you have a white iPod, there's an alternative set to match.

They have output rated at 6W, which is loud enough for most home and office use, and there's a volume controller on the back to supplement the one on your keyboard. This has raised and inset dimples so you can get your fingers in the right place without having to turn them around and take a look, and reacts quickly, so can actually be more convenient than controlling the volume through your Mac.

That's the good stuff. Unfortunately, things trail off at this point. For £35 we were expecting some impressive output, with well-balanced tones and a good all-round coverage. We were disappointed.

Elecom makes much of the 'improved bass with foot mounted Bass Reflex Duct System' on the back of the box, explaining that the hollow die-cast stand improves bass sound by conducting it through the surface on which the speaker rests. Getting a firm and even footing on your desk is therefore key to success, but we couldn't get a rich, even tone using our standard set of test tracks. The output was thin and reedy, and for the most part quite unsatisfying. Things could be improved by playing with the iTunes equaliser, but this is an ugly fix.

They are certainly better than the speakers built into an iBook or PowerBook, but the iMac G5 trumped them on almost all counts. In short, there are better alternatives available.