Logic3 JiveBox review

The Logic3 JiveBox is a curious system. It's square, for one thing and it manages to incorporate a 2.1 speaker setup. It's also aimed at iPod users, thanks to the integrated dock, but a line-in socket allows it to work with any audio device you see fit.  The Jivebox is currently available for £129.

Strengths
One of the most notable aspects of the JiveBox's design, aside from the fact that it's a perfect cube, is its excellent build quality. It's a solid, weighty piece of kit, supported by sturdy rubber feet. The simplistic design is attractive, with just power and volume controls set into the front. A glowing colour strip is etched around the entire mid-section of the system, emanating a distinct 80s vibe.

Beneath the detachable mesh sit five speakers: a pair of 75mm drivers, a pair of 25mm tweeters and an 130mm subwoofer, backed up by a passive radiator underneath the system. Some clever circuitry gives this sub a massive injection of bonus oomph that far exceeds what you'd expect to hear from a setup of this size.

This is a tuned radiator, and it works very well

Similarly, for such a small set of speakers, sound quality is very good, and maximum volume is impressively high. We pumped some classic Red Hot Chili Peppers into the JiveBox, notably 'Funky Monks' from 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Our first thought was how bright drummer Chad Smith's cymbals were and how generally crisp highs sounded. This was noted again during playback of Dream Theater's terrific track 'Stream Of Consciousness'.

Pendulum's bass-driven club track 'Tarantula' showed off bass capabilities of the JiveBox and again we were impressed. You wouldn't imagine a system similar in size to a human head could physically make the floor of a room rumble. Not only that, but bass was clean and free of distortion up to very high levels.