On the surface, the ITC One is a pretty cool concept. But when you really break it down, it ends up resembling more one of those products that addresses a question no one has asked. But that may have something to do with its $25,000+ price tag…
SE2 Labs bills the ITC One as having “every high-end component you need.” Which is almost an oxymoron, since the ultra high-end AV world is notorious for selling things you absolutely do not need, like thousand-dollar audio cables.
So what does trading in your car for this thing get you?
- all sorts of premium processors and electronics (Vidikron Video, Bryston Digital Surround, ICEpower Height-End D-Class amplifier)
- Xbox 360
- iPod video dock
- HD DVR (Dish, DirecTV, or Comcast)
- RF remote control
- 4.3-inch touch screen
- anti-noise and vibration system
- a ton of I/O options
- a slick single cabinet for all these goodies
- optionally: Apple TV, Blu-Ray player, Nintendo Wii
In other words, not a whole lot, unless you abhor entertainment centers and would rather have a square R2D2 controlling your entertainment.
There’s also another obvious caveat: what happens when the Xbox 720 is released, or you want to upgrade a component? Simply put, you can’t (at least not easily). But then again, if you’re dropping $25K on one of these, you can probably afford to buy another in a few years when they upgrade it.
Having said all that, the idea is pretty solid, we just wish it cost a tenth as much (and packed more ordinary—but still very good—components).
