Performance
Due to its cost, we didn't wholeheartedly expect to be blown away by
the Amplifi's sound quality, but we were wrong. As well as going to
ridiculously high volumes, the Amplifi pumps beautifully balanced bass
with warm, well-driven mids and highs.
Mike Portnoy's powerful kick drum in Dream Theater's Dark Eternal Night smacks you in the chest without overpowering the loud guitars and keyboards. Out Here, a drum 'n' bass track from Australia's Pendulum, thrusts an intense bass line, reproduced extremely well by the 20W sub.
While there's not a great deal of separation from the twin drivers, KT Tunstall's Little Flavours was capable of proving the Amplifi can deal moderately well with panned sounds.
What you don't hear from this system is anything close to the crystalline high-end clarity you would expect of a more expensive system. What you do get is a powerful, warm sound, with plenty of balanced bass and a great deal of volume.
One of our main performance complaints is that the Amplifi only charges a docked iPod when it's switched on -- with the system switched off, the docked 'Pod simply sits inactive. A distinct shame.
Conclusion
For under £100, this is a truly superb
little speaker setup. We can guarantee no-one will hold anything
against Griffin for charging so little for such a capable piece of kit
-- it's less than half the price of the iPod Hi-Fi.
You may want more features from an audio system, but for those who just
want attractive, affordable speakers for their iPod, we have every
reason to recommend you give the Amplifi a shot.
Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Nick Hide
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suzzy 4 February 2008
Good: Easy to use, LOUD...
Bad: Nothing....
Comment: I run a small charity linedance class in a club, had problems with c.d.s 'jumping in the middle of dances, also had to carry stereo and cd.s. with me......I wrote and asked Nate for advice -whether to change to the Griffin Amplifi and an Ipod?
When this small wooden 'shoebox' arrived I was very dubious, very easy to set up though - slip-on plug adaptors, easyfit reliable ipod fittings [I am useless at 'technology' didn't know how to fill an ipod!]
I set it up, pressed the big blue knob but forgot the warning to adjust the sound!! It was so LOUD..quickly turned it down, still sounded very good.
Off I went to my class with it in my backpack, Ipod and remote in my pocket [No large stereo unit or box of c.d.s]
My group thought I was mad when I set up the little box. but were absolutely astounded. The sound was amazing in the hall, the bass was ideal for dancing and flicking quickly through the tracks which all sounded good.
Have had teenagers and people of all ages coming up to ask me what on earth I was using - thankyou Nate for your advice I think this says it all. I am not a 'sound buff', if you want something to play your music on without having to fiddle with any gadgets - that sounds good - can easily move from room to room - go for it..
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