Review: MacAlly IP-N111 Speakers

As most iPod owners already know, you just can’t stop with the iPod itself. With the plethora of iPod accessories available taking your music listening to new horizons, it’s just too hard to say no. Sure you lack willpower, but maybe you can redeem yourself. Maybe you’re a generous iPod owner. Though you lack the money to supply the world with the greatest invention since the lava lamp, you want to at least share your superior sounds.

Yet again, MacAlly has the answer with IP-N111 Speakers, their latest, battery-powered, portable stereo speaker system for iPod nano. Just slap in three ‘AA’ batteries and your nano and you’re ready to groove for the next 20 hours.

IP-N111 + iPod nano

IP-N111 (Side View)

The IP-N111 with its sleek, futuristic design comes in both black and white and matches the same style envisioned in your new nano. The unit, weighing 3.3 oz and smaller than a compact disc, stands upright on its own at just over four inches wide and tall and will easily fit into any purse or baggy jeans pocket. The IP-N111 only has an On/Off button; complete with a convenient blue light to let you know when the unit is on, with your nano controlling the rest.

For such a small device putting you back only $40, the sound is amazingly clear and can get quite loud. Granted you won’t be vibrating the floor with your IP-N111, you’ll still easily be able to fill the room with Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” with your friends dancing uncontrollably to the beat.

However, the IP-N111 is not perfection in a small, frisbee-shaped speaker. The louder you pump your nano, the lower sound quality you’ll get. Even at it’s highest, the sound is still pretty good, sure only to annoy the anal-retentive and speaker connoisseurs amongst us. If you’ve got an apartment full of people on a Friday night wanting some music, these speakers would not be for you. The unit is also only battery-powered and cannot be plugged into the wall, so extensive listening will eventually end up costing you your firstborn child in ‘AA’ batteries.

Editor’s Note: The IP-N111 is also available in black, allowing iPod nano owners to color-coordinate.