Consumer Reports: iPod Hi-Fi is "mildly disappointing"

typical consumer reports nonsense.

I had the pleasure of listening to both the Bose and the Apple Hi-Fi in the same setting -- a Bose store. (No, the latter was not being sold.) I agree with the people who rank the Hi-Fi high, especially at a distance. However, a full scale Bose system sounds even better than the Hi-Fi. If I were Steve Jobs, among the top 200 richest people in the world, that is the route I would go.

To Christ:

ppl who DO care about sound quality will never have a crappy little iPod... MiniDiscs are already the bottom line and I chose to bring my slimline discman around.

MP3 = crap.. and iPod = fanccy little portable harddisc (with slow speed n short battery life)...

unfortunately, the mass market (aka poor people as you said) does not care about sound quality. so whats the point to blame "yet another apple product".

Afterall, only poor people that want to make'em self looked rich buy from Apple, others go for Alienware (for game), IBM (for business), B&O (for sound) and SONY/Sharp for the Screen.

Im not an Apple hater, but i only use my MBP when I went out and do some serious shootings... after all.. Mac OS X is rather a Windows Server 2003 + Google Desktop + Picassa + A fancy desktop theme.

SurferLeo, your argument that Apple is on the bandwagon with the Hi-Fi is either incredibly insightful or incredibly weak. I'm leaning towards the latter. A computer, portable or otherwise, with an Intel chip is nothing new - nothing you couldn't buy 2 years ago - so what do you think of the entire new line of Macs?

Regardless, SurferLeo, I'm pleased to meet you. Oops, now your comment about not having met someone who actually laid down the cash for a Hi-Fi is irrelevant.

In all seriousness I have to say that after having this thing out of the box for all of 10 minutes any arguments that it is overpriced are ridiculous. It costs 15% more than the Bose or Klipsch, and sounds 200% better. 200% may even be on the low side, since I can actually hear the bass with this thing.

My brother just got the hi-fi on Wednesday!
It is great, but one thing I would have loved is a radio option aswell!

Lets hope apple has planned that for 2ndG. That's my one want for this product.
Other then that and the fact that somtimes you have to touch the iPod buttons to do certain things. In an ideal world the remote shoud do everything.

That's why I give it 4 stars, not ?????
p.s. the sound kicks ass!
p.s. the sound kicks ass

Chris #9, with all due respect, I subscribe to and read Consumer Reports each month and make well over a six-figure income. Last I checked, we weren't all that poor. Comments like yours only disparage yourself. Please refrain from being so shallow-minded -- it give us Mac enthusiasts a bad rep.

On to my point. For me, the Hi-Fi has been nothing more than an embarrassing blemish on Apple's track record of late. For the last few years, Apple has led the industry in innovation and technological prowess. Everything they've released has been new, ground-breaking and standard-setting.

With the release of the Hi-Fi, Apple has simply joined the bandwagon. Nothing new. Nothing cool. Nothing you couldn't have already bought 1-2 years ago. And, it's overpriced.

Last, despite all the glowing reviews fellow Mac fans have given the Hi-Fi (from hearing it at the Apple Store, no less), I have yet to meet ONE PERSON who actually laid down the cash to buy it. Ouch.

The HiFi really is a "10 foot experience" piece of equipment. I played with it at the Apple store and didn't think much of it up close (on a low bench so the highs went below my ears). If you stand back a ways, that thing rocks and sounds way better than the Bose I tried there too. I can't afford one but would be very tempted to replace my home stereo if it had a couple more inputs and a way to switch 'em. iPod, tuner input and sound from the TV and my credit card would be burning.

Chris #9 that is the worst post I have ever read on any forum.

"If it weren't quality, Apple wouldn't have made it"

Maybe you should change that to

"If it weren't quality, Apple woudln't have over priced it so much"

Really these kinds of comments don't help the mac population's reputation as a bunch of rich whining bitches.

Blah, whatever. Only poor people read Consumer Reports. They should just go buy pc's. The HiFi is the best looking itegrated sound box on the market. Period. If it weren't quality, Apple wouldn't have made it.

oops, no link. Here it is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/15/technology/circuits/16POGUE-EMAIL.html