Macally's IceTune speakers are the cheapest available for your iPod with a dedicated dock connector. Owing to that and their relatively small size, one would expect sub-par performance, but the speakers manage to hold their own against more expensive, similarly diminutive offerings.

IceTune consists of two external speakers that are rated at 1W per channel at 8 ohms and a puck-like controller that features the dock connector, power and volume controls, and a line-in port. Three dock adapters are included for snuggly accommodating iPod minis and full-size iPods from 20GB to 60GB.

The design of the IceTune is solid and allows the speakers and the dock to stack on top of each other as desired. When powered on, the dock emits a blue glow from beneath, a nice touch but an annoying one if you wish to position the speakers near your bed and take advantage of the iPod's sleep function or alarm clock (the blue glow is emitted whether an iPod is connected and on or not). When the IceTune is powered off it still charges your iPod.

Sound quality is what you would expect for speakers this small and at this price range and sounds quite similar to the lower-end offerings from Altec Lansing, meaning the sound is surprisingly clear but unsurprisingly lacks punch at low-end frequencies. It's not very loud, either (although it's totally distortion free even when volume is at the maximum), but does a good job at filling small or medium-sized rooms.

Lastly, IceTune is strictly meant for a fixed location, as it doesn't support battery power. It also doesn't feature a pass-through dock connector, so you can't hook it up to your computer directly as you can with Altec Lansing's offerings.

I haven't been particularly impressed with lower-end speaker solutions for the iPod, and overall the IceTune isn't much of an exception to that sentiment. If you lack a stereo or space is a concern and you're crammed in a dorm room or want to bring music into your bathroom, the IceTune is a nice pick, if only because the price is right.

Stack it
Partially stack it	Or don't stack it