Logitech mm50 Portable Speaker System for iPod (White)
by Logitech
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Our Price: $229.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $67.50 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech mm50 Portable Speaker System for iPod (White)
Customer Review: it's all about expectations
Summary: 4 Stars
I have recently found myself living in a motel & missing my stereo. So after reading all the reviews yesterday, I went out & bought these speakers and am sitting here trying to decide if I'll keep them - I have to go back to the store anyway because the remote doesn't work. (not a question of distance, I'm sitting next to the speakers)
I usually don't stint when buying speakers or headphones - in sound equipment, you almost always get what you pay for. But given the added expense of the motel, these speakers appeared to be a good compromise between what I want, and what I could afford.
And that's what they are - a compromise. On the positive side, there is good clarity & separation of sound - the vocals especially sound true to the singer's voice. On that basis, the unit rates 5 stars. I've always found that if you can hear the reverb they added to the vocals in the studio, you are hearing what's been recorded cleanly.
But I'm a little disappointed with the fullness of the sound - so the 4 star rating. As people have written, there is sound distortion when the sound is cranked up, and it seems like the sound often needs to be cranked up a bit. Playing with the iPod's EQ has helped somewhat, but still there is a thinness to the sound that is due to what the speakers can realistically deliver.
So now we have to deal with realistic expectations. As these are my first iPod speakers, I can't compare them to other specifically iPod products. I've only listened to the iPod through headphones or my car stereo, and since these speakers are 15% of the price of the ones in the car, they are not going to sound as good. They can't.
But the system has a nice complement of features - will work with dock iPods and/or other systems throught the aux input. It will work plugged in or on batteries. And the sound clarity is better than speakers in this price range ususally have. This combination, if I can get a working remote, sounds like a keeper to me.
Customer Review: Good unit but battery not replaceable
Summary: 4 Stars
The mm50 has a small footprint, nice sound, and is perfect for my workstation area. I listen to a lot of classical and ambient music at work. The bass is what you'd expect from a small unit like this, but the overall sound is quite pleasant and full. The remote doesn't work if my base station phone ends up positioned between the remote and the mm50. Keep the space in front of the mm50 clear of other electronics and the remote is fine. The remote can work up to 15 feet away from the mm50 in my workroom.
I have had one of these mm50 units for over a year now and it recently stopped working after previously perfect service. The iPod would still charge in the unit so it was getting power from the AC cord, but the red light went on which according to web searches signaled a bad battery. Evidently when the battery goes, the unit will not even play with the AC cord plugged in! Since I almost always use the AC cord to plug the speakers in at my desk a dead battery seemed unlikely, but I thought maybe the battery just went bad over time. One of my web searches found a forum with a Logitech support person suggesting pushing the reset button, recessed in a tiny hole on the bottom of the unit (try the paper clip method). This worked for me and now the unit performs as it did before. I guess it just needed a reboot.
I found out during my search that the internal rechargeable battery is NOT replaceable despite some web posts. When the battery dies, the entire unit is dead. So if you are planning to purchase this to use frequently on battery power, you might look to see if a different brand/model has a replaceable battery. If you have one of these units, you should run it on the AC cord as much as possible to prolong the battery life. I dinged it one star for the battery. Planned obsolescence should be more subtle than this.
Customer Review: Simply great - the best portable speakers for ipods
Summary: 5 Stars
Been looking long and hard for good portable speakers for my video ipod and have tried out different speakers from bose to inmotion to ifusion to ibass and a host of other speakers for the ipod in the stores and I can say with confidence that with the Logitech mm50 speakers you'll be getting the best bang for your bucks. My criteria were mainly portability, good sound, a remote (for easily adjusting the volume since mp3s may have differing volume levels) and price and these babies fit the bill perfectly.
The sound is crisp, clear, reasonable bass and the 3d feature is a bonus - makes you think the sound isn't coming from such a small device. No problem with volume level also, its more than enough even for a large room.
I'd have to go against most of the reviews here with regard to the remote - for me its all good; a little bigger than a gum stick, it works at more than 45 degree angle from dead center and can work from across a fairly large room.
Using a MacTop silicone skin on my 30-gig video ipod poses no problem in the slot and its a snug fit with or without the back spacer provided by Logitech. My son also uses these speakers (he thinks they're very good considering its small frame and comparable to bose systems) using the mini adaptor for his mini ipod. There's also a nano adaptor but have not tried it.
Have tried the lithium ion batteries and they lasted around 6 hours in the initial charge. My son says you can't have an accurate reading on the first few charges because it takes some recharge cycles to reach its full power. Well 6 hours is good enough for me - it will provide good music even even on a long road trip.
With its deluxe carrying case, it sure is a handsome set which you can tote around almost anywhere and show off to friends. Nothing but 5 stars for me!
Customer Review: Great Portable Speaker System
Summary: 4 Stars
The sound quality of these speakers is excellent as many have also pointed out so I won't dwell on that too much. I will say that if you haven't heard these speakers you will not be disappointed and you will be impressed by the sound that comes out of these little speakers.
I was very happy that there was an insert for the nano included with the speakers. This allows the nano to fit snugly in the docking area of the speakers. Unfortunately it doesn't sit centered in the dock due to the location of the connection on the bottom of the nano. Thats just a minor cosmetic issue.
One issue is that the unit I received did not include the pass-through connector for data synchronization. This is a minor issue as I intend to use the speakers mainly as portable speakers. It would be nice to be able to sync the ipod when it is in the speakers though.
The speakers feel very solid and have a bit of weight to them. It feels like they would be pretty hard to break and with the included carrying case I don't worry about them breaking at all.
The battery is supposedly not user replaceable, so eventually it will not hold much of a charge and the speakers will become strictly plug in speakers. The user manual does detail exactly how to remove the battery for proper disposal. It would seem that you might actually be able to replace it yourself. Also the manual says that Logitech can replace battery, but no word on how much this would cost.
The mm50 system is pretty close to perfect for my needs. I would have given 5 stars if the case had a spot for the charger and if the unit I received included a pass through connector. All in all I highly recommend this speaker system for those of you looking for a high quality mobile system.
Customer Review: Joys and Problems
Summary: 4 Stars
I wanted people to be aware of the problems I faced with the set, so quickly and succinctly, here you go:
These speakers are amazing. They aren't enough to fill a large room with rockin' bass, but that same room was more-than-adequately serenaded to sleep on more than one night. What I also like about them is that the fidelity is good even on low volume, presupposing you have good quality mp3s.
They are small, light, and compact, easily fitting into a carry-on suitcase, and run off batteries, as it has been noted previously.
My problems begin there: the battery is internal and the user is unable to change them out. This wouldn't be a problem if the set performed as expected. But I've heard from other users that sets have had to be returned due to under-performing battery packs. Mine are temperamental. Sometimes I'll make it through a full 6-hour shift on the batteries and other times they'll conk out after 2 hours (after indicator light shows full charge). My co-worker has the same set and has zero problems with the battery pack.
The second problem is the remote, which stopped working after about 6 months, several months too late to return the system.
The last issue I have is the sensitivity of the volume buttons. It's a nitpicky issue, I realize, but as a massage therapist, it's nice to just be able to easily change the volume up or down without having to worry about accidentally blasting your client if you press too hard, or dropping it down too low for the same reason. The average user will not have to worry about this.
All in all, I do like this system quite a lot, but be aware of the possible malfunctions so that you can return it in time should you note them with yours.