LG FA163DAB 160W iDock micro hi-fi system

The effectiveness of the unit is going to really depend on whether it can deliver a genuine and significant improvement to iPod sound. Plugged in, we decided to leave things to chance and let the random feature work its magic. XTC's We're Only Making Plans for Nigel sprang to life and the unit coped well with the complex rhythms and styles that are the band's trademark.

Flip the door to reveal the ports

A few more tracks, including some Bob Dylan, more Duffy and finally a bit of Slayer, proved the unit really does bring something extra to the party. Some of the flatness and sluggish response that can be a feature of iPod playback is gone, and ultimately there is more bounce and a more natural feeling to the sound.

It's as good as we've heard an iPod sound on a product of this price - £180 - for a good while. The special connector works with all dockable iPods. You can charge the iPod whilst it is connected, but you can switch that option off to improve the sound.

Leaving the ‘XDSS’ bass extension option switched on ensures the best performance overall, we found. DAB/FM functionality is straightforward and the unit delivers solid reception and playback capabilities.

The back of the main unit is spartan

The system can copy music directly to a USB-compatible MP3 player from a CD, the radio (FM or DAB) or another MP3 device. Users can choose the bit-rate to record at - 96, 128, 192 or 256Kb/s. The problem here is that, although all of this works fine and is easy enough to do, it feels a little redundant. The unit is aimed at iPod users who are likely to have better rippling and music-moving options open to them, especially as music is recorded in real time and can only be ripped at 2x normal speed if you're recording from a CD at 96Kb/s or 128Kb/s.

Verdict

For £180, this is a decent little unit with above-average sound quality. It's a nice option for a bedroom or study, or for someone in need of an affordable all-rounder in a main room. The LG adds enough to the sound of an iPod to justify its ‘Tuned for iPod’ billing and exposes the dedicated earphone junkie to the possibility of another way of listening to an iPod - and a pleasant one at that.

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