Logitech mm50 Portable Speakers for iPod review

Those who have been lustfully eyeballing Bose's SoundDock or Altec Lansing's iM7 boom box will no doubt be pleased with Logitech's latest iPod speaker offering. The mm50 Portable Speakers for iPod (£85) offer sleek style and decent sound at half the price of the SoundDock and for considerably less than the iM7.

At 325 by 102 by 38mm and 725g, the Logitech mm50 is on the hefty side for a travel speaker, but the flip-out metal legs, the built-in rechargeable battery and the included travel case redeem its portability. Like most made-for-iPod accessories, the mm50 hits the town in Ice White and Light Grey, with two speaker drivers on either side of the built-in iPod dock. As long as the speaker is plugged into a wall outlet, your dock-connector iPod (yes, even the nano) will be charged while in this slot. Logitech includes snap-on adaptors to ensure a snug fit for your iPod, with the exception of the Nano. There's even a pass-through adapter on the back of the mm50 so that you can sync with your computer without ever removing the iPod from its mini sound system. In addition, the speaker has an auxiliary line input for use with a Shuffle or other non-iPod MP3 player, but you'll have to provide your own 3.5mm cable. Along the top, you'll find the power, 3D stereo sound and volume buttons, however the mm50 comes with a wireless remote, so you're not limited to using these controls.

The Logitech mm50 remote allows you to control the functions of the speaker, such as power and 3D sound, as well as those of the iPod, which include volume, fast forward/rewind and play/pause. When you turn the speaker on or off, it automatically does the same for the iPod as long as it's docked, and the iPod continues to charge while the mm50 is switched off. The 3D-stereo-sound option is a nice extra -- the effect noticeably widens the sound of the music without making it sound overprocessed.

Overall, the Logitech mm50 provided impressive performance, with clear highs, a good mid-range and decent lows. If you're looking for really booming bass, however, you may want a different brand, such as Bose or Altec Lansing. The volume levels for the mm50 were most impressive -- despite its relatively small size (if you take it as a home speaker), it got really loud. You could definitely get a small party going. Just beware of the low-end distortion at the very highest level. Logitech's rated battery life of 10 hours is adequate, especially considering the fact that the battery is a built-in rechargeable. For £85, the mm50 is quite a bargain for iPod lovers.

Edited by James Kim
Additional editing by Kate Macefield