Logitech's Pure-Fi Elite bills itself as a "high performance stereo system for iPod" and I'm pleased to report that it pretty much lives up to its own hyperbole and might even exceed it.

Of course the most important thing about iPod speaker systems is how they sound and Pure-Fi Elite sounds excellent. The technology responsible for that excellence includes: 1-inch high-definition, soft-dome tweeters and a 4-inch high-power long-throw woofer on both sides; bi-amplified transducer with digital electronic crossover; DSP-controlled, dynamic, digital EQ and filtering; and proprietary StereoXL technology to widen the stereo soundfield. And separate treble and bass controls make it easy to customize the sound to suit your ears. It all adds up to output that was clean and clear, with well-defined highs and lows even at relatively loud listening levels.

Here's what it looks like:

It's not the most attractive system I've tested but it's far from ugly.

The remote offers more functionality than some including six buttons to access its six presets. In addition to being available for AM and FM radio stations, you can also assign them to iPod playlists--a nice touch.

Speaking of radio, this system's radio reception was mediocre at best. Stations that come in clearly on other (cheaper) systems around the house generally sounded far crappier on the Pure-Fi Elite. Though it sounded great with my iPods, if you're looking for a system with great radio performance, look elsewhere.

I only have one other gripe and it's not a biggie: While the system does have a clock and sleep timer, it offers no alarms. While you can use the iPod's alarm system, it would be nice if alarms worked when the iPod wasn't connected.

Pure-Fi Elite is compatible with all iPods with Dock connectors and although my iPhone warns me that this accessory (the Pure-Fi Elite) was not designed to work with iPhone, everything (including presets) appeared to work in my testing.

One last thing: It pays to shop around. Although the SRP is $299.99, I found it for half that price ($147.99) at Amazon.com.

The Bottom Line

There aren't many (if any) better sounding full-featured iPod speaker systems at this price. If your budget is $150 or more, the Pure-Fi Elite is worthy of your consideration.