Stuff Geeks Want

In the audio world, Polk is a solid mid-range brand, putting the likes of Sony, JVC, and others to shame. When it comes to quality and value, Polk is always a solid choice. The only reason you don’t see as many Polk speakers around is because they leave the lower-end to those other brands, and that’s what most people end up picking up from their local Wal-Mart.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

A couple years ago, Polk introduced the RM6750 Home Theater Speaker system, with 4 satellite speakers, 1 center channel, and a subwoofer. At $500, it was a solid value.

But the RM705 replaced the RM6750 this year, which means remaining RM6750 systems are being cleared out at ridiculous prices.

How ridiculous? Try $199 including shipping from NewEgg. (Together the system weighs more than 40 pounds, so free shipping is clutch.)

At this price, I’m not even going to see how the RM6750 compares to other $200 systems—I already know it’s the best one out there. Bring your own receiver, though, this is strictly a speaker setup.

Our post yesterday about the GLA-55 speakers was more fun than useful… so to make up for that we present you with the Logitech Z-2300 speakers: the set of 2-channel speakers you should actually want.

When it comes to quality speakers in the sub-$150 price range, the Z-2300 cannot be beat. And with Amazon selling them for less than $85, the value proposition is huge.

The speakers feature 200 watts of power, an 8-inch long-throw subwoofer for plenty of bass, and a SoundTouch wired remote control, for easily adjusting bass and volume (or easy access for plugging headphones in when desired).

The speakers also feature “THX certification” but that’s more marketing fodder than anything else, so we’re not going to extoll that as a virtue.

Instead, we’ll reiterate that you won’t find a better sounding set of speakers for the money.

Sure, Harman Kardon’s SoundSticks II might match your Mac better and sound great, but they’ll cost you $20 more and still don’t quite match the Z-2300 in overall audio quality.

Buy the Z-2300 from Amazon for $83.94

Somebody should tell Amazon and Harman Kardon that the economy isn’t humming so well these days… because the H/K GLA-55 speakers that are being sold “exclusively” by Amazon will take $1000 of yours and leave you with only a penny and a couple very unusual objects on your desktop.

That’s right—this two channel speaker system has a price tag of $999.99. Dropping a grand on a pair of nice floor-standing B&W speakers is considered cheap, but it’s the exact opposite when it comes to computer speakers.

Not only is the price ridiculous, so’s the name: apparently GLA-55 was chosen because it spells “glass” in l33t g33k sp33k. In which case I say you may look like an A-55 when you show these off to your friends.

On the plus side, part of that premium pays for the enclosures, which are made from the same material as bulletproof glass… so if someone tries to steal your status symbols at gunpoint maybe you have a worthwhile defense.

The GLA-55 look like nothing else and are priced like nothing else. Which is probably why for a few months now these speakers are exactly that: nothing. Amazon is still only taking pre-orders, and who knows if these will ever actually be mass produced.

But if you want a reminder of what 2008 could have been, back when you drove your BMW with pride and had a job, I’m sure your life’s now-melancholy soundtrack will sing on these things.

$999.99 from Amazon

Let me save you some time: I already know Logitech’s Harmony 880 Universal Remote is one of the best out there because I spent copious amounts of time last year shopping around for a universal remote, and finally settled on this one as having the best features for the price.

Last year, this remote sold for $200 ($250 retail). This year, Circuit City is dishing them for just $99 for a limited time. Update 12/1 Amazon has it for just $79.99 at the moment!

At that price, I’m not even going to see what the competition looks like in the single-Benjamin category because I have better things to do, like finding other great deals out there for us to spend our money on.

Having said all that, if you’re looking for remote controls that don’t have fancy LCD screens and other features, check out The Register’s recent group test of some remotes. They range from cheap $25 models to $500 ones.

If you ever wanted to listen to your music wirelessly but didn’t want to hassle with a computer or other piece of high-tech gear, Audio Engine’s AW1 Wireless Audio Adapter is for you.

The AW1 is literally a plug and play solution: connect each USB dongle to a USB port (just to draw power), plug your audio source into one and your speakers into the other, and you’re done.

Audio Engine claims the AW1 is good for up to 100-feet without any dropouts or interference and that there’s no reduction in audio quality.

It’s also the perfect companion for the company’s excellent A5 speakers we wrote about yesterday, which conveniently feature a built-in USB port on top.

Alas, wireless freedom doesn’t come cheap at $149 direct with free shipping.

If you’re looking for some gimmicky plastic speakers with an iPod dock and an LCD, skip this one.

If you want some of the finest sound out of your music player for the money, check out the Audio Engine A5N bookshelf speakers.

Born of studio monitor heritage, the A5N’s represent the “premium” edition of the A5, an already outrageous speaker set. (The extra $100 goes towards the hot carbonized solid bamboo enclosure.)

The A5′s sport excellent tweeters and woofers that are perfectly balanced so your music sounds rich and full, not boomy or tinny. The kevlar woofer and silk dome tweeters don’t just look great on the grill-less A5′s, they’re premium parts.

The A5′s also feature a USB connector on top so you can plug your choice of iPod dock in. For those interested in beaming their tunes, the A5 also has a built-in power outlet that just happens to be perfect for accommodating an AirPort Express.

All in all, a great value at $349 in black or white, and $449 in the bamboo. Shipping’s free, too.

A couple months ago, we brought to your attention that TigerDirect was blowing out Logitech’s two-year-old iPod Audio Station for just $19.97 after $50 rebate (originally $299). If you missed out on that deal, it’s still available, albeit for $29.99 after $50 rebate.

Logitech replaced the excellent-sounding Audio Station with the similarly styled Pure-Fi Elite. Also originally retailing for $299, the Pure-Fi Elite features a much better remote than the AudioStation, and probably a couple other improvements, too (but we’re not sure what).

The important thing here is that onSale is now blowing out the Pure-Fi Elite for just $44.87 after $70 mail-in rebate. Free shipping is included, but that won’t do much to ease the anxiety some people feel leaving $70 up to the occasionally flakey rebate gods.

With most retailers selling the Pure-Fi for $125-$150, we’d call this a pretty solid deal.

What else do you need to know?

• It sounds great (with two 4″ woofers and two 1″ soft-dome tweeters)
• It features an AM/FM radio and a clock
• It sports Composite and S-Video outputs (for connecting your iPod to a TV to watch videos)
• It also has an auxiliary input, so you can use it with other devices
• It carries a respectable 2-year warranty

All in all, quite a solid package. The only question that remains is who actually is paying full retail price for Logitech’s stuff these days? Not you, clever reader, that’s for sure!

We’re vain. We like JBL’s Spyro Speaker System simply because it looks pretty cool.

We haven’t even listened to it, to be honest, but given JBL’s track record we’d be surprised if the tiny Spyro delivered anything much better than “acceptable” sound for a 2.1 speaker system in its price range.

But you’re not buying the Spyro because it’s the best value or the best sounding, you’re buying it because it looks cute next to your iMac, or because it matches the wall color in your bedroom.

Nonetheless, here are some tech specs for you:

• 40Hz-20kHz frequency response
• 400MV RMS for rated power
• 6W Odyssey transducer in each satellite
• 24W Atlas transducer in the subwoofer
• touch controls for volume/mute on one of the satellites

The Spyro is available in a few different colors priced from $110-$114 at Amazon, which offers the best price with its free shipping: black, white, fuchsia, teal, and orange (our favorite).

The more ubiquitous iPods and iPhones become, the more ubiquitous iPod docks should become, too, that way you’ll never be too far away from a full charge. And you won’t have to hassle with USB cables to connect your iPod to your computer.

iHome’s new iH70SRC computer speakers have two channels (meaning there’s no subwoofer), feature a built-in dock, and come with a remote control for adjusting the volume and your iPod from a distance.

While the speakers have a USB connection, it’s strictly for the dock: audio is still sent to the speakers the traditional analog way, with a regular audio cable.

One amusing “feature” of these speakers is noted in all-caps in the manual: “IF YOU PLAY YOUR iPOD AND A COMPUTER AUDIO SOURCE AT THE SAME TIME YOU WILL HEAR BOTH.” This opens up interesting DJ opportunities, although do your roommates a favor and test your mixing skills when you’re all alone.

The biggest sticking point for the iH70SRC speakers, apart from the bland name, is the price: $149.99 direct from iHome. For a two-channel speaker system that only puts out 15 watts per channel, this is getting into dangerously pricey territory, even with the built-in dock.

You can forgo the remote control and pick up the iH69B for $99.99 (currently available for pre-order), but those only pump out 5W per channel. At least iHome is offering a free set of earbuds ($19.99 normally) with any purchase over $99.

There’s something about buying cool gear from yester-year at less than half price that we like (or, in the case of the recent Logitech iPod Audio Station, 10% of its original price).

Especially when that gear is something like JBL’s On Tour portable speakers.

Let’s see what the On Tour has going for it:

• sleek and small package
• 24-hour battery life (4 AAA batteries)
• AC adapter included
• 2 Odyssey Neodymium drivers, 3 watts each
• compatible with virtually any device
• PSP bracket for attaching to and boosting your PSP’s audio

What it doesn’t have going for it is that it’s a portable speaker system, meaning you’re not going to want this to be your only way to rock out. Camping out? You’re fine. In a treehouse? Also solid. At the beach? You may be pushing it.

Reviews were positive for the On Tour (7/10 by CNET, 8.6/10 by CNET readers), but its $100 price tag put it beyond that impulse buy or just-in-case price range.

But forget all that now, because the On Tour is going on three years old, and Yugster is hawking them for just $39.95 including shipping. Quantity is limited (Yugster is a deal-a-day site but keeps selling items until they’re gone), so act now, you never know when you’ll need it!