Currently there are more speaker systems for the iPod than you can shake a dead cat at (or would ever want to). Everybody's got some way for you to listen to the music on your iPod when you don't want to keep the music to yourself, and there are systems for every budget; from el-cheapo systems that your iPod might be too embarrassed to dock in, to pricey systems that sound every bit as good as they cost.

With so many systems available one might wonder why anyone would bother bringing another speaker system to the market, after all, the competition is tough, the field is crowded, and hi-fi speaker systems specifically for the iPod cater to a relatively small, albeit growing segment of the population. I know I wondered that when I learned that JBL is now offering a new top-of-the-line system, with the unfortunately long name of the JBL Radial High Performance Loud Speaker Dock for iPod, which is in direct competition with the likes of Bose, Inifinity, and Apple.

JBL Radial Speaker in white.

There has to be something differentiate the new JBL Radial from its competitors, but what might it be?

Is It The Shape?

Star Trek fans, upon seeing JBL's Radial Speakers for the first time, may be reminded of the toroidal time portal in the episode The City on the Edge of Tomorrow, others may see a piece of modern art, while others may poke at it with a stick and wonder just what, in the name of all that is chrome, is that thing sitting on the counter. Whatever you see, it is for certain that the shape of the Radial will either be something you like or dislike.

After poking it with a stick for a few minutes I decided that I like the shape; I think it looks good from any angle, and JBL has made certain that it sounds just as good whether you are in front or behind the speakers, something other high-end iPod speaker systems can't claim.

The Radial comes in either a chrome and black or chrome and white finish, which compliments the color scheme of your iPod nicely (unless you own one of those newfangled second generation 4 gig iPod nanos). In fact, when you put your iPod in the provided dock in the center of the Radial, the combination looks more as if they were designed for each other than any other iPod speaker system I've seen to date, including the one from Apple. That's because the iPod doesn't sit on top or in front of the speakers like some afterthought, it sits IN the system, becoming a part of the design.

It is seldom that a company can design something that is more like an Apple product than Apple's own product, but, in my opinion, JBL has done just that.

Is It The Sound?

Turn on the Radial Speaker and your ears will know you love them: The Radial produces a rich, full-bodied sound that's lighter on the bass than Apple's big, boxy iPod Hi-Fi, but beats out Bose's venerable SoundDock.

As I mentioned before, the Radial sounds great whether you are standing behind it or in front of it. I sat my demo unit on the countertop that separates my kitchen from my family room and fired up Eric Clapton's 'Unplugged' album; no matter where I stood what I heardwas clean and rich, even on the low end.

I cranked up the Radial with Dire Straits' Money for Nothing and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture to see if I could find a point where I could overdrive the speakers, something cheaper system will do readily. Even when the sound got uncomfortably loud I could detect no rattles, squawks, squeaks, or other evidence that the speaker was being pushed beyond its limit.�(After all, Money For Nothing must be played loudly or why bother.)

Is It The Features?

The JBL Radial has a nice, if small compliment of ports on its rear; USB and a RCA 'Audio in' let's you connect the Radial to your Mac (or PC) or other sound sources. There's also an S-Video port so that you can connect your docked iPod to your TV or monitor and watch movies or slide shows; a great option.

The DC power port rounds out the list of possible connections. You'll find a cables in the box to make use of every port except the S-Video, which must be purchased separately.

The Radial controls are simplistic enough; on the front are two small silver buttons, one marked with a "+", the other a "-", these are the volume controls, The power button is on the back next to the DC-In port. �All other contols are done using the remote.

While it is obvious that a lot of thinking went into the design of the Radial, I have to wonder what the engineers at JBL was thinking when they designed the Radial's puzzling remote.

The Radial's odd remote.

The small six-button remote lets you control both your iPod and the Radial from up to 20 feet away, and you can do so without being the line of sight: the remote is RF instead of Infrared, convenient when I'm in the kitchen and the speaker is facing away from me, or at the front door and the music source is heard but can't be seen. If it were an infrared remote, however, I could use my Harmony Remote to control the Radial, which would be handy if I had the speakers plugged into my TV, that way I'd have just one remote to rule them all.

The real problem with the remote, however, is that it is very confusing to know what's controlling what when.

The remote has a nearly invisible LED light which flashes blue when in the music control mode and white (actually reddish-orange) when in the iPod control mode. There's a LED on the speaker as well, to let you know which mode the speaker thinks its in, but the LED is nearly impossible to see if there's any significant light in the room. In a dimly lit room, however, the speaker's LED gives the docked iPod and nice blue or red glow.

From what I can tell, the chief difference between the 2 remote modes is that the forward and reverse buttons control track navigation in the music mode and menu navigation in the iPod mode; the other four buttons work the same regardless of mode. Why JBL thought it needed 2 different modes is beyond me. The remote would be a lot better and easier to use if they had just added 2 more buttons and dumped the LEDs, as it is you may be content to leave it in the music mode.

After playing with this odd remote for a while I got to a point where I could use it, but I never felt comfortable doing so. I was always wondering what mode I was in, and why buttons did not respond the way i expected them to. You may have better luck.

Bottom Line

The JBL Radial speaker system comes into a crowded field with stiff competition from established vendors, but I think it will carve out a niche because it is sufficiently different from the other contenders for your dollars; its sharp design and impressive sound should be enough to secure a dedicated following. The Radial's only fault is its odd remote, which isn't odd enough to overshadow the speaker's other fine qualities, but I suggest that you play with it first before signing the check.

If you got an iPod and a gift card this Holiday season and are looking to treat yourself, the JBL Radial High Performance Loud Speaker Dock for iPod may be just the ticket, just remember to take a deep inhale before asking for it by name.