MStation 2.1 Stereo Tower
Home : Hardware : Reviews : MStation 2.1 Stereo Tower
Appearance:
Unfortunately, appearance is the MStation’s weakest point. Bear in mind that this is a floor standing unit, and as such it becomes a piece of furniture, effectively. The problem is that its design aesthetic feels, to me at least, outdated, and really won’t fit with most home interiors. This is not to say that the unit is necessarily ugly. It is just not particularly attractive. The problem is the three vertical tubes that make up the main structure of the tower. The MStation is effectively two 3” diameter, 4’ high silver tubes that sit on opposite sides of a black, 7.5” diameter tube. All of this is supported by a 1’ diameter flat disk that acts as a stand. The overall look is a little cheap, which is unfortunate because the performance is anything but.
Performance:
In short, I was absolutely blown away by the sound quality of the MStation. The entire center tube is actually the box for a 5.5” downward firing subwoofer. Bass is absolutely solid, providing a loud (and I mean LOUD) rumble when appropriate, and a soft tight low note when required. The two left and right speaker tubes house 4 x 2” midrange and 2 x 1” tweeters, which output clear crisp highs, and full, clean mids. As far as sound quality goes, the MStation is the best iPod speaker system I have heard thus far, and I have heard quite a few.
When it comes to features, the MStation is as generous as can be. Directly in front of the iPod docking station that sits atop the center tube, are controls for system power, volume, track forward, track backward, and play/pause. These same controls are mirrored on the included IR remote, but in addition are bass and treble controls, allowing you to adjust sound levels to your musical taste. While I would have liked to have seen a bass/treble indicator on the unit, I was still very happy to have this type of control over how my music sounds.
On top of excellent control options, the MStation also provides a standard docking feature for your iPod. With the 6 cosmetic cradles as well as an included USB cable, I had absolutely no problem syncing my MP3 player to my computer. Assuming that you are planning on installing your speakers within reach of your PC, you should have no difficulty taking advantage of this very nice feature.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, I had very little to complain about when it came to the MStation 2.1 Tower, and plenty to compliment. Aside from the questionable form factor, the MStation exceeded every one of my expectations. Sound quality was absolutely stunning (the unit is now my iPod speaker of choice), the controls are comprehensive and easy to use, and the unit was no hassle at all to sync with my computer. If you can afford the $300.00 price tag, the MStation is the product to beat in the very crowded iPod speaker market.
Highs
Spectacular sound; Easy installation; Great features; IR remote; Independent bass and treble adjustment.
Lows
Moderately unattractive form factor.
Final verdict
The best sounding, mildly unattractive iPod speaker system to date.
90%
Dec 30, 2007
Review by Zack Stromberg.
Send this review to a friend.
Home : Hardware : Reviews : MStation 2.1 Stereo Tower
The best iPod speaker system I have laid ears on.
It seems these days that the market is saturated with accessories for the Apple iPod. Everywhere you look, you see some new gadget to plug your iPod into. Arguably, one of the most saturated product categories is speakers. There are spheres, cubes, obelisks, and all types of other shapes all created for the purpose of giving your iPod a voice. The problem with most of these systems is that sound quality is frequently sacrificed for space efficiency, and it is hard to find a speaker system that performs as well as a regular home theater system. Enter the MStation 2.1 Stereo Tower.
It's tall, it's dark, and it's...slightly unattractive.
Appearance:
Unfortunately, appearance is the MStation’s weakest point. Bear in mind that this is a floor standing unit, and as such it becomes a piece of furniture, effectively. The problem is that its design aesthetic feels, to me at least, outdated, and really won’t fit with most home interiors. This is not to say that the unit is necessarily ugly. It is just not particularly attractive. The problem is the three vertical tubes that make up the main structure of the tower. The MStation is effectively two 3” diameter, 4’ high silver tubes that sit on opposite sides of a black, 7.5” diameter tube. All of this is supported by a 1’ diameter flat disk that acts as a stand. The overall look is a little cheap, which is unfortunate because the performance is anything but.
There is a dock for every type of iPod.
Performance:
In short, I was absolutely blown away by the sound quality of the MStation. The entire center tube is actually the box for a 5.5” downward firing subwoofer. Bass is absolutely solid, providing a loud (and I mean LOUD) rumble when appropriate, and a soft tight low note when required. The two left and right speaker tubes house 4 x 2” midrange and 2 x 1” tweeters, which output clear crisp highs, and full, clean mids. As far as sound quality goes, the MStation is the best iPod speaker system I have heard thus far, and I have heard quite a few.
When it comes to features, the MStation is as generous as can be. Directly in front of the iPod docking station that sits atop the center tube, are controls for system power, volume, track forward, track backward, and play/pause. These same controls are mirrored on the included IR remote, but in addition are bass and treble controls, allowing you to adjust sound levels to your musical taste. While I would have liked to have seen a bass/treble indicator on the unit, I was still very happy to have this type of control over how my music sounds.
On top of excellent control options, the MStation also provides a standard docking feature for your iPod. With the 6 cosmetic cradles as well as an included USB cable, I had absolutely no problem syncing my MP3 player to my computer. Assuming that you are planning on installing your speakers within reach of your PC, you should have no difficulty taking advantage of this very nice feature.
The two tower speakers really put out a nice sound.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, I had very little to complain about when it came to the MStation 2.1 Tower, and plenty to compliment. Aside from the questionable form factor, the MStation exceeded every one of my expectations. Sound quality was absolutely stunning (the unit is now my iPod speaker of choice), the controls are comprehensive and easy to use, and the unit was no hassle at all to sync with my computer. If you can afford the $300.00 price tag, the MStation is the product to beat in the very crowded iPod speaker market.
Highs
Spectacular sound; Easy installation; Great features; IR remote; Independent bass and treble adjustment.
Lows
Moderately unattractive form factor.
Final verdict
The best sounding, mildly unattractive iPod speaker system to date.
90%
Dec 30, 2007
Review by Zack Stromberg.
Send this review to a friend.
Add a new comment below
Top Games:
World In Conflict | The Settlers - Rise Of An Empire | Crysis | Medal of Honor: Airborne | Supreme Commander | Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars
Top Cheats:
Test Drive Unlimited cheats | Just Cause cheats | NCAA Football 07 cheats | FlatOut 2 cheats | Dead Rising cheats
© Copyright Gameworld Industries Pty Ltd RSS Feeds | Corp Info | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact
Not a member? Register here for free! It's quick and easy.