Most iPod-specific speaker systems on the market are just that: speaker systems. While many are excellently suited for breaking your iPod free from its earphones, few do anything beyond that, curtailing their ability to be a true stereo system replacement. Logitech's new AudioStation changes all this, packing all the features one could possibly want in an iPod speaker system, including an AM/FM radio, digital clock, auxilliary input and video out support, and a robust remote control.

Not surprisingly, the AudioStation represents the pinnacle of Logitech's iPod speaker offerings and commands a price tag of $299, pitting it against Klipsch's iGroove HG ($249, 4 stars), Altec Lansing's iM7 ($249), Bose's SoundDock ($299, 2 stars), and Apple's iPod Hi-Fi ($349, 4 stars). None of those other systems come close to matching the AudioStation's features, however, and just one—the iPod H-Fi—can do something the AudioStation cannot: display artwork full-screen against a black background when a track is playing on a 5G iPod (why this feature remains unique to Apple is a mystery).

Logitech AudioStation with AM antenna, remote, and power supply

In addition to overflowing the features list, Logitech seems to have anticipated most customer desires, learning from its own experience and that of competitors. Like Apple's iPod Hi-Fi, for example, all controls on the front of the AudioStation are touch-sensitive—there's no flimsy feeling buttons to press or plastic to flex. The AudioStation also sports its own bass and treble controls, so you can forgo the iPod's EQ and adjust the sound to your preference directly, a capability one would expect on systems at this price point but that nonetheless is missing from both the iGroove and SoundDock, to name a couple.

The included external FM antenna does a commendable job of receiving broadcasts, and the AudioStation's display will tell you the signal strength and any RDS information, like the name of the station and currently playing track, if the station broadcasts such information. The built-in AM antenna faired less well in our tests, but connecting the external antenna significantly improved reception. Radio controls are also up to par with stereo system standards, supporting both presets and scanning.

Every aspect of the AudioStation can be controlled from the remote, except for setting radio station presets. This includes specifying input source, controlling basic playback, toggling repeat or shuffle, changing radio stations, and adjusting the bass and treble level. Also conveniently located on the remote control is a button for setting the AudioStation's sleep timer, which can be specified in increments of five minutes.

Despite sporting a large digital clock display and its own sleep functionality, the AudioStation is disappointingly lacking an alarm clock. You can replicate that functionality by setting the alarm clock on your iPod, as the AudioStation will automatically turn itself on when your iPod starts playing, but doing so is more cumbersome than a built-in alarm clock would be and requires you to remember to dock your iPod before bed each night.

Acoustics are handled courtesy of two 1-inch ventilated soft-dome, ultra-linear tweeters and two 4-inch reinforced long-throw, high-efficiency polypropylene woofers. Audio quality overall is very good, but not enough to call class-leading; both the iGroove and iPod Hi-Fi created a marginally richer listening experience for our ears, and stand-alone speaker systems, like Audioengine's A5 ($349, 5 stars) and Gini's iTube ($349, 4 stars) are noticeably superior.

Unique to the AudioStation, however, is a 3D stereo mode designed to widen the sound field. We tend to approach such audio enhancement modes with often-justified skepticism, but in the case of the AudioStation the 3D stereo mode created a discernible difference in widening the perceived direction of the audio without overdoing it or compromising quality. We found ourselves listening to the AudioStation with the 3D stereo feature usually turned on.

The AudioStation's LCD display serves several purposes

For all of its strong points, the AudioStation does have a few minor shortcomings: its overall design is uninspiring; the LCD display is slow to respond to changes, resulting in ghosting when things like the basic EQ levels monitor is turned on; and the touch-sensitive controls themselves exhibit a short, but noticeable, delay when pressed, making fine tuning the volume or other levels trickier than with the remote.

The Bottom Line

Logitech is trying to position the AudioStation as the be-all and end-all of iPod speaker systems and, for the most, has succeeded. From the universal dock to the AM/FM radio to the S-Video/RCA video-out options, the AudioStation can practically do it all, and makes your music sound very good along the way.

If extra bells and whistles in an iPod speaker system are worth it to you, the AudioStation is well worth its price tag.