DGA Livespeakr iPod travel sound system

With all the twisting, clipping and un-clipping we did have some initial doubts about how long the plastic Livespeakr would last in day-to-day use but, despite some deliberately brutal treatment, nothing wobbled, bent, snapped or came adrift. However, trial and error did teach us that it was easier to detach the cradle before trying to prise our iPod Classic from its vice like grip – our iPhone and iPod Touch proved much easier to slot in and out.

Do the twist

According to DGA the two 35mm speakers have a combined power output of 15 watts. Be that as it may, they can certainly pump out a far amount of volume for something so small, especially if you turn it and your iPod all the way up to '11'.

As with all small travel speakers you have to moderate your sound quality expectations but, overall, the Livespeakr proved a pretty decent listen. Bass, while hardly what you would call thumping is nevertheless agreeably tight, punchy and well focused. Higher frequencies also came across without drama or distortion, even at higher volume levels.

Listening to the Four Tops we were impressed both by the clarity of Levi Stubb's vocals and the overall sense of balance and coherence the speakers gave to the Holland–Dozier–Holland production. Moving on to a period instrument performance of Mozart's Requiem and Nickelback's Dark Horse simply confirmed our initial opinion that the Livespeakr really is a rather fine sounding little box of tricks.

Where the Livespeakr really came into its own though, was when we watched a video on an iPod Touch. In this instance, the director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven. The sound was beautifully balanced with the dialogue never being overwhelmed by either the soundtrack or the general background noises of medieval mayhem and butchery. Performance was equally strong when playing back a recording of the BBC's dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings, everything sounding very crisp and articulate.

Landscape positioning – a boon for movie viewing

Since the Livespeakr draws its audio signal from your iPod/iPhone's headphone jack, you can still hook it up to your computer for synchronizing or to the mains for charging. The cradle cut outs allow easy access to the docks of the iPhone and iPod Touch we tested. Connecting a docking cable to an iPod Classic proved more problematic, but not impossible.