GH Institute

All Music

• 
  Review of Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 speakers

  Features

  Rechargeable battery, mains power. Carrying case. Fits all iPods with dock connector. Remote control. Unlike earlier version, does not require iPhone to be switched to airplane mode to avoid interference. Black or white finish available.

  Comments

  Good points: This portable unit has excellent audio with an impressive soundstage. Touch the XL button and it makes it sound wide and powerful. Highly portable and the rechargeable battery lasts 10 hours between charges. It recharges the iPod as you play. Punchy, strikingly clear sound in a light and easy-to-carry machine. Works with international electrical frequencies so can be used abroad and comes supplied with multiple international plugs.

  Drawbacks: None.

  Rating: 91/100

  Price Range: £100 - 140

  Stockist: 01753 870900 - http://www.logitech.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

  
  

• 
  Review of JBL On Time Micro MP3 speakers

  Features

  Alarm with LCD screen. Snooze function. Fits all iPods with dock connector. Remote control. Weighs 0.8kg (1.8lbs). Mains power.

  Comments

  Good points: JBL is known for its outstanding audio fidelity: this product lives up to the brand's reputation. It's the sound quality that really excels, with strong, bassy playback. The alarm is versatile - you can programme it with up to seven independent wake-up times.

  Drawbacks: When turned up to full volume, the sound can distort.

  Rating: 90/100

  Price Range: £140 - 180

  Stockist: 01707 278100 - http://www.jbl.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Orbitsound T4 MP3 speakers

  Features

  ‘Spatial stereo' dock with DAB, FM and internet radio. Alarm clock. Fits all iPods with dock connector. Mains power.

  Comments

  Good points: Although there's only one speaker on the front of the T4, because the side speakers fire sound outwards it manages to sound wide and powerful even in a big room. The system means the audio sounds good wherever you're standing. Then there's the radio which not only includes FM and DAB radio, but internet radio, too. If you have a broadband network it can connect to it wirelessly, delivering literally thousands of radio stations from around the world.

  Drawbacks: It's easy to press the wrong button - they're all lined up round the top of the unit. Wi-fi internet is also fiddly to set up, though you only have to do this once.

  Rating: 85/100

  Price Range: £140 - 150

  Stockist: 08456 521 219 - http://www.orbitsound.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of JBL On Stage IIIP MP3 speakers

  Features

  Fits all iPods with dock connector. Remote control. Mains power.

  Comments

  Good points: It looks like a doughnut but sounds even sweeter. The directional speakers mean it delivers strong sound in multiple directions. It's also easily portable as it's so small and light. It has a rich and full sound, excellent on high notes and okay on bass, and sounds clear and bright. Small enough to make it an essential travel gadget.

  Drawbacks: Bass could be stronger.

  Rating: 84/100

  Price Range: £90 - 100

  Stockist: 01707 278100 - http://www.jbl.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Sony ICFC1IPMK2 MP3 speakers

  Features

  Charges while it plays. Remote control. Alarm clock and FM/AM radio. LCD screen with adjustable brightness. Fits all iPods with dock connector. Weighs 0.5kg (1lb)

  Comments

  Good points: Decent sound and handy features make this Sony dock a good choice. The clock radio offers the choice of waking to a buzzer, radio or music from the iPod. Straightforward to use.

  Drawbacks: Lacks the bass effects and crisp clarity of bigger units.

  Rating: 75/100

  Price Range: £55 - 70

  Stockist: 08705 111999 - http://www.sony.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Sony XDR S10DAB digital radio

  Features

  DAB and FM tuners; output: 8 Watts per channel; mains powered; headphone socket; 10 DAB and 10 FM presets; 140 x 270 x 112mm (HxWxD); available in light or dark brown

  Comments

  Good points: With a good-looking facade and a chunky case, this radio will look smart on a bookshelf - particularly as the power cord's kinked jack means you can push it right back. Better than average FM reception in our test area.

  Drawbacks: The output lacks bass and sounds a little thin, and with no equaliser there's no opportunity to improve it. It had some trouble tuning to national DAB stations in our test area where others did not, including Smooth, Absolute 80s and Traffic.

  Rating: 63/100

  Price Range: £67 - 79

  Stockist: 08705 111999 - http://www.sony.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Griffin Travel speaker system

  Features

  Travel speakers, powered by iPod. Fits all iPods with dock connector. Exclusive to Tesco.

  Comments

  Good points: Superbly light and small, the Travel speakers are a great way of having louder playback in a neat, small product. There's no battery or mains connection - it uses the iPod's built-in battery to power it. If you want to recharge the iPod you can connect it to a PC using the USB cable. Sound quality is more than acceptable, and the speakers are undeniably convenient.

  Drawbacks: Unexceptional sound. No visual indicator to say you've reached maximum volume.

  Rating: 70/100

  Price: £30

  Stockist: 0800 505555 - http://www.tesco.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Sennheiser CX300-II headphones

  Features

  Small in-ear headphones with interchangeable adapters. Carry pouch. Available in black, white and silver.

  Comments

  Good points: This is a tremendous upgrade over the headphones supplied with an iPod or iPhone. They are comfortable and fit snugly in the ear, isolating the sound from the outside world (making it sound better to the wearer and suffer less music bleeding into the outside world). They have a rich, full sound which does justice to bass and treble alike.

  Drawbacks: None.

  Rating: 95/100

  Price Range: £15 - 43

  Stockist: 0800 652 5002 - http://www.sennheiser.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

  
  

• 
  Review of Monster Beats by Dre Tour headphones

  Features

  In-ear headphones with six interchangeable adapters. Carry case.

  Comments

  Good points: These stylish in-ear headphones look great and sound just as good. The sound is crisp and shines for its clarity and. The earbuds reach deep into the ear to fit tightly (various-sized tips are included and improve the audio). Monster is a pre-eminent cable maker so no wonder the cables are so good here - contributing to the audio quality here. It also claims to be the world's first tangle-free cable: it's flat, thick and long-lasting.

  Drawbacks: Long earbuds can be hard to get used to.

  Rating: 93/100

  Price Range: £110 - 120

  Stockist: http://www.beatsbydre.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Bose On-Ear headphones

  Features

  On-ear headphones, carry case.

  Comments

  Good points: The really outstanding feature here is the on-ear headphones' extreme comfort - you can wear these leather-cupped cans for hours happily. The top end is sharp and clear, while the bass is thumping. On-ear headphones sometimes let a lot of sound in from outside but these make a good job of deadening the real world. The headphones fold neatly flat in their case so they take up less space.

  Drawbacks: Some mid-range sounds are a little muddy and undefined.

  Rating: 90/100

  Price Range: £115 - 120

  Stockist: 0800 085 9021 - http://www.bose.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Sony MD-570LP headphones

  Features

  Light on-ear headphones. Available in black, green or orange.

  Comments

  Good points: Although these headphones sit on, rather than over, the ears, the sound they produce is powerful enough, especially on heavy, bassy tones which are persuasive. Higher notes are good, but not outstanding. They feel light and extremely comfortable and have a cool, modern styling.

  Drawbacks: None.

  Rating: 87/100

  Price Range: £23 - 50

  Stockist: 08705 111999 - http://www.sony.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Denon AHC560R headphones

  Features

  In-ear headphones with remote control and microphone. Three sizes of silicon ear piece and one pair of soft foam ear pieces. Cable clip. Carry case.

  Comments

  Good points: The sound quality is sharp and precise. These headphones are great for iPhone users as they come with in-line controls to adjust volume, change track and to answer and end phone calls. The buds fit the ears well and are comfortable for extended use.

  Drawbacks: Controls can be tricky.

  Rating: 87/100

  Price Range: £95 - 110

  Stockist: 01234 741 200 - http://www.denon.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Sennheiser HD238 headphones

  Features

  On-ear open-backed headphones with carry case.

  Comments

  Good points: The Sennheisers are comfortable and sound rich and authentic with sharp detail and bass that doesn't distort. They are open-backed, so especially suit use at home or outside rather than confined public spaces like the train where the sound can be heard to bleed out.

  Drawbacks: Carry case is flimsy.

  Rating: 85/100

  Price Range: £43 - 70

  Stockist: 0800 652 5002 - http://www.sennheiser.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Apple iPod Nano MP3 player

  Features

  8GB of storage for 2,000 songs or 8 hours of video (16GB version available for £138). 2.2-inch LCD screen. FM radio with Live Pause. Video camera. Polished anodised aluminium casing. Free laser engraved message if you buy online from Apple. Battery lasts up to 24 hours between charges. Available in nine colours.

  Comments

  Good points: This is a great-looking player with a superb user interface and lots of extras. Sound quality is strong, though the supplied headphones aren't the best. Video camera is great for casual recording and has gimmicky extras like film grain or motion blur. The FM radio can pause what's playing and rewind up to 15 minutes. The Genius function lets you choose one track and the software finds other songs in your library that go well with it. Very cool, extraordinarily easy to use and great fun. Compatible with Apple's iTunes music store to download albums and video.

  Drawbacks: Distinctly average headphones. Video camera doesn't shoot stills, only video.

  Rating: 95/100

  Price Range: £106 - 118

  Stockist: 0800 048 0408 - http://www.apple.com/uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

  
  

• 
  Review of Sony NWZA845B MP3 player

  Features

  16GB of storage. 2.8-inch OLED screen. FM radio. Digital noise-cancelling. TV out connector to play back video on compatible TV. Battery lasts up to 30 hours between charges.

  Comments

  Good points: The Sony has outstanding sound - beating other MP3 players hands down. It has nifty digital noise-cancelling to reduce background noise and great headphones to improve the sound further. The screen uses OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology which is bright and pin-sharp. It also contributes to the players exceptional battery life (up to 30 hours of music, 6 hours video) between charges. It's pleasingly slim and well-designed.

  Drawbacks: Lacks the nano's microphone and video camera extras.

  Rating: 94/100

  Price Range: £139 - 150

  Stockist: 08705 111999 - http://www.sony.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Samsung TicToc MP3 player

  Features

  2GB of storage (4GB model available, price to follow). No display. Integrated clip. Accelerometer (motion sensor) built in. Variety of cases and sleeves available

  Comments

  Good points: This is an endearingly good fun player: tiny, preposterously light and designed to appeal to young women, Samsung says, though we think it's appealing to all. There's one button on the end but thanks to a motion sensor inside it reacts differently according to how it's held. Shake it and it'll find all the slow tracks, or fast ones. Shake again and a voice will name the track. Tip it up one way and pressing the button increases the volume, hold it the other way to lower the volume. Comes in funky colours and patterned cases. The sound quality doesn't match the Sony's but overall, the TicToc is highly delightful.

  Drawbacks: Controls can be fiddly.

  Rating: 93/100

  Price Range: £35 - 40

  Stockist: 0800 521652 - http://www.samsung.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Apple iPod Shuffle MP3 player

  Features

  2GB for 1,000 songs (4GB version available for £60). No display. Headphones with playback controls. Integrated clip. Battery lasts up to 10 hours between charges. Available in pink, green, blue, silver and black.

  Comments

  Good points: This is Apple's budget option but it's still pretty glam. Space is saved by omitting an LCD screen - the controls are on the headphone cable. Press a button and a computerised voice reminds you of the track's name. It'll also let you know when to recharge. The best-looking tiny MP3 player thanks to its anodised aluminium finish. It's called the shuffle because it plays the tracks in random order - though you can switch this feature off. Exceptionally small and light (under 11g, or 17g for the pricier stainless steel black version).

  Drawbacks: Lack of screen can be disappointing.

  Rating: 87/100

  Price Range: £43 - 46

  Stockist: 0800 048 0408 - http://www.apple.com/uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Creative Zen MX MP3 player

  Features

  16GB of storage, with expandable memory through card slot (8GB version available for £70). 2.5-inch LCD screen. FM radio. Microphone. Alarm function.

  Comments

  Good points: Because there's a memory card slot you can add extra storage, so the total capacity can be high, assuming you are happy to buy memory cards. Sound playback is sparkling and punchy, and watching the video on the small screen is manageable for short bursts.

  Drawbacks: Awkward direction pad control. Limited video playback capabilities. Poor headphones.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price Range: £70 - 80

  Stockist: 0800 376 7954 - http://www.uk.store.creative.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of SanDisk Sansa Clip MP3 player

  Features

  8GB expandable memory through card slot. 1-inch LCD screen. FM radio. Microphone. Compatible with PCs, not Macs.

  Comments

  Good points: Small size but big sound are the stand-out features here. The attached clip means its good for use at the gym or on the move.

  Drawbacks: Limited features and lack of full compatibility with Apple Mac computers. Clip could be more substantial. Tiny screen and no video playback.

  Rating: 70/100

  Price Range: £41 - 120

  Stockist: 020 7365 4193 - http://www.sandisk.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Revo Heritage digital radio

  Features

  DAB, DAB+, FM and Internet tuners; wireless streaming from home computers; iPod dock; output: 7 Watts; mains power; headphone, external speaker, video (for iPod), line in and digital line out sockets; wireless and wired Internet connectivity; 10 presets each for digital and FM; remote control; 175 x 260 x 98mm (HxWxD); constructed of walnut and aluminium

  Comments

  Good points: The Heritage sports a clear, high-resolution display that makes set-up a breeze. A built-in 11,000-station directory makes short work of tuning in to stations around the world over a wired or wireless Internet connection. DAB+ features offer a degree of future-proofing, so this is a radio with a long life. Sound quality is excellent, and it has looks to die for.

  Drawbacks: FM performance was slightly disappointing.

  Rating: 90/100

  Price Range: £220 - 230

  Stockist: 01555 66 6161 - http://www.revo.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Pure Evoke-1S Marshall digital radio

  Features

  DAB, DAB+ and FM radio; output: 7 Watts; mains power and optional ‘ChargePAK' battery; headphone, line out, line in and external speaker sockets; 30 presets shared between digital and FM; 175 x 210 x 110mm (HxWxD); black casing

  Comments

  Good points: Excellent FM and DAB tuners deliver a rock-solid signal, while the bright, lively speaker does justice to both music and speech in equal measure. Space for 30 presets and although the screen has only two lines, it is bright and, thanks to well-structured menus, easy to use. An eco-conscious choice, it draws just 0.9W in standby and 2.48W in use (industry averages are 2.64W and 5.49W respectively).

  Drawbacks: Very individual styling may not appeal to all.

  Rating: 87/100

  Price: £119

  Stockist: 0845 148 9001 - http://www.pure.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Vita Audio R1 MkII digital radio

  Features

  DAB, DAB+ and FM tuners; output: 9 Watts; mains power plus optional rear-mountable ‘BackPack' battery; headphone, line out and line in sockets; 5 station presets each for digital and FM; 170 x 130 x 135mm (HxWxD); available in rich walnut veneer, dream white and high gloss midnight black

  Comments

  Good points: The R1 MkII's speaker is more powerful than you'd expect from such a compact device. Its rich tones are reminiscent of a traditional valve radio set. A top-mounted rotary dial controls power and volume, surrounded by the station selection and preset buttons.

  Drawbacks: Unusually long aerial spoils its clean lines. FM performance could have been better.

  Rating: 76/100

  Price Range: £159 - 180

  Stockist: 01702 601410 - http://www.vitaaudio.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

  
  

• 
  Review of Dualit DAB Kitchen Radio

  Features

  DAB and FM tuners; output: 8 Watts; mains power and built-in rechargeable battery; headphone, external speaker, digital out and line in sockets; 5 presets each for digital and FM wavebands; 180 x 275 x 135mm (HxWxD); chrome and rubber finish

  Comments

  Good points: The retro 50s chrome case is a perfect match for Dualit's industrial-chic toasters. It has excellent sound quality to match. Reception is strong on both digital and FM wavebands.

  Drawbacks: The case is prone to attract fingerprints, and Dualit warns that the battery will run down when unplugged and on standby if you don't switch it off fully using a switch at the back.

  Rating: 74/100

  Price Range: £149 - 150

  Stockist: 01293 652 500 - http://www.dualit.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

• 
  Review of Roberts Sound 66 digital radio

  Features

  DAB and FM tuners; iPod dock; output: 2.5 Watts per speaker; mains powered; headphone, line in and line out sockets; 10 presets each for digital and FM tuners; remote control; 91 x 277 x 213mm (HxWxD); dark wood casing

  Comments

  Good points: Excellent sound quality. The iPod dock is more useful than a built-in CD player as it puts a library of up to 40,000 tracks on your desktop depending on your iPod model.

  Drawbacks: The dated, unattractive screen spoils this radio's otherwise good looks.

  Rating: 72/100

  Price Range: £135 - 149

  Stockist: 01709 571722 - http://www.robertsradio.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010