Altec Lansing iM510 Portable Sansa Speakers

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Bradford Day
Kurtis
Altec Lansing
Mar. 12, 2007

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Conclusion

So are these the best speakers I've ever heard? No. I'd be lying if I said that true audiophiles will be happy with the sound quality. However, there is no denying their ability considering the diminutive size. Do they have the best interface design? No. The player buttons are hard to get at and the volume control is a bit screwy. So why purchase the iM510?

Possibly an even better question to consider is, why would you spend ~$100 on the iM510 plus an additional $40-50 on the subwoofer when there are several more capable 2.1 systems to be had for equal cash? For the same price you can get a set of 200 Watt, THX-certified Logitech Z-2300s that just as easily plug into your Sansa or iPod. If you never plan on traveling with your speakers, I'd opt for the Logitechs or something similar.

And that's just it. The iM510 is ultra-portable. Sure the sound quality isn't as good as it could be, but you can't shove a 500 Watt subwoofer into your carry-on bag. These are travel speakers meant to be carried along to a hotel or dorm room and the included accessory case is perfect for packing it all off to such locations. They also work well as an additional sound unit in a bedroom or dining room where loud music is less likely to be required.

And in that respect they accomplish exactly what they appear to be designed for: a no frills set of external Sansa speakers meant for the traveler or efficiency apartment dweller. Altec Lansing is testing the waters for the up and coming Sansa players and for that I applaud them. But more importantly, the iM510 marks a beginning of an era for SanDisk!the anti-iPod aftermarket. And that sounds good to me.

Pros

Ultra portable
Battery power option
Works with both e200 and c200 Sansa players

Cons

Limited sound quality
Annoying volume button
Inconvenient to adjust player while docked

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Page 5 of 5

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Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: First Looks
Page 3: Testing: Sound
Page 4: Testing Sansa e260 & c240 Usage
Page 5: Conclusion

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