Logitech Pure-Fi Elite

Reviewers agree that the Logitech Pure-Fi Elite is the best combination of quality and price among bookshelf iPod speakers. It weighs 8 pounds and doesn't run on batteries, so while it can fit into a suitcase, the Pure-Fi Elite weighs nearly five times more than the Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere (*est. $140). The Logitech Pure-Fi Elite will fill an average-size room with sound (80 watts) though, and the speaker covers are metal, not cloth, which reviewers appreciate. And while you can buy better sound for $500, it's possible to find the Pure-Fi Elite for less than $100, "a simply amazing deal for one of the best desktop iPod speaker systems," says Macworld's review. Some find the panel and remote balky, and owner reviews say AM/FM radio reception is disappointing. There's a clock but no alarm.

There is no shortage of coverage for the Logitech Pure-Fi Elite. The reviews at iLounge.com, Macworld magazine, CNet.com and PC Magazine are all thorough and professional, but fixate on different aspects. CNet.com is more disturbed than most that the video-out isn't compatible with newer iPods, a drawback that iLounge notes is "like virtually every other iPod speaker out there." But ultimately they all love the Pure-Fi Elite, as do most owner reviews at Amazon.com.