Transcript
Review
By Christopher Jones
Chestnut Hill Sound George iPod Music System
Doubling Your iPod Fun
F
irst-generation iPod music systems were pretty straightforward affairs: dock iPod, play iPod. But now we’re starting to see some more innovative designs, with better sound quality, stylish looks, and an assortment of new features and accessories. Enter George, an iPod music system featuring top-notch sound quality and a remote control that lets you wander around the house with complete DJ powers. A REMOTE ADVANTAGE Chestnut Hill Sound gave George a refined, if somewhat generic, appearance that should blend in (to put it kindly) with most environments. If you want to jazz it up, though, George can be outfitted in various wood-grained panels ($99 for red/natural walnut or cherry wood) and with red or black speaker grilles ($29). The remote control can be attached to the front panel of the unit (a matching grille cover is included if you decide to keep the remote on your coffee table). Most often, though, the handset will be docked in its charging stand, which can be located anywhere there’s a wall outlet. Since there are no buttons on the main unit, the remote is the only way to control the system. George’s radio features “bandless” tuning, which means both AM and FM stations appear as you spin the remote’s main control knob around in a circle (why don’t all radios do this?). These features are all well and good, but the real star here is the remote. When you first dock your iPod, George syncs up with it so you can scroll through your music on the remote’s LCD screen; it took less than a minute to sync with my 30GB iPod. The system also caches the contents of your iPod, so
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Review
Chestnut Hill Sound George iPod Music System
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if you remove and re-dock the player, George can re-sync in 5–10 seconds. The remote’s square looks and size (3.75" x 4.4" x 2.6") are nothing to get excited about—it’s too big to fit comfortably in your pocket—but you’ll forget about all that once you start using it. You can spin and click the rubberized knob in the center of the remote to search for and select songs, and by tapping a handy bar on the top edge of the remote, you can pause/ play the music. A series of “jump buttons” allow you to move quickly through alphabetical lists—press the button below the WXYZ tab, and it sends you directly to the W items in a list of albums, artists, and so on. The small, backlit screen shows artist/ album information in an iPod-like display, and you can set the brightness 86
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to your liking or let George adjust it automatically. Although the remote takes two hands to operate, it emulates the iPod experience remarkably well— in fact, I found it easier to navigate than the iPod itself.
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SYNC AND SPIN The remote communicates with the main unit using Zigbee wireless technology, operating in the well-trafficked 2.4GHz frequency range. I used it in my small one-story house, and was able to control George from all of the rooms, and even out into the front yard. Maximum range was 25–30 feet and the battery is good for about two hours with normal use. George uses two coaxial (two-way) speakers and a down-firing 4-inch woofer, with two amps delivering a total of 20 watts. If you want bigger sound from your iPod, there’s a preamp output so you can hook George into your stereo system and use its remote to control your iPod. George has enough power to fill rooms up to 400–600 square feet, and I was impressed with its ability to project music across the room at low volumes. Most iPod speakers have trouble handling deep bass (from
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Review
Chestnut Hill Sound George iPod Music System
Ratings Sound Quality � � � � � � Design and Build Quality � � � � � � Setup/Ease of Use � � � � � � Features � � � � � � � Poor
Good
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Excellent �
sizer that pops up throughout Tortoise’s The Brave and the Bold [Overcoat Recordings] became distorted and muddy when I pushed the volume much past its midpoint. But on vocal-oriented albums, such as Juana Molina’s Tres Cosas [Domino], George did an excellent job of distinguishing and highlighting the details in its moody mix of vocals, acoustic instruments, and electronic Great wireless remote with a sampling and dubbing. nice display
The Last Word Give George a more stylish look with wood panels and colored speaker grilles synthesizers and the like), and George is no exception. There’s a knob on the back for adjusting subwoofer volume, and you can use the remote to tweak bass and treble. When I cranked up the bass, George struggled with hip hop, funk, and other bass-heavy tunes. The deep, fuzzy synthesizer that pops up throughout Tortoise’s The Brave and the Bold [Overcoat Recordings] became distorted and muddy when I pushed the volume much past its midpoint. But on vocal-oriented albums, such as Juana Molina’s Tres Cosas [Domino], George 87
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• Excellent sound quality BOTTOM LINE George is certainly a • “Bandless” radio tuning
did an excellent job of distinguishing and highlighting the details in its moody mix of vocals, acoustic instruments, and electronic sampling and dubbing. BOTTOM LINE George is certainly a unique iPod music system, and second to none if you value its slick remote control. Chestnut Hill plans to upgrade George in 2008, possibly adding multi-room functionality, so stay tuned. TPV
• •
unique iPod music system, and second to none if you value its Bass is lacking slick remote control. Chestnut Hill Genericplans appearance to upgrade George in 2008, possibly adding multi-room functionality, so stay tuned. TPV
Specifications
The Last Word • Great wireless remote with a nice display • Excellent sound quality • “Bandless” radio tuning
• Power: 20W • Audio connections: Headphone jack, • Bass is lacking preamp output, auxiliary analog input • Generic appearance • Other connections: USB port (for firmware upgrades), AM and FM antenna jacks Specifications • Dimensions: 14.2" •xPower: 5" x 20W 9" • Weight: 12.5 lb • Audio connections: Headphone jack, preamp output, auxiliary analog input • Price: $500 • Other connections: USB port (for firmware upgrades), AM and FM antenna jacks • Dimensions: 14.2" x 5" x 9" • Weight: 12.5 lb • Price: $500
Manufacturer Info (617) 618-1800 chillsound.com Manufacturer Info (617) 618-1800 chillsound.com
Tel.: (514) 259-1062 • Fax: (514) 259-4968
[email protected] • www.totemacoustic.com
