Edifier iF330
Portable iPod dock
Pros
- Small, video output, low cost, detailed sound
Cons
- Bass very weak, sound flat, distortion at medium volume, sound needs to be tighter, no remote
Bottom Line
A fairly average iPod dock, the Edifier iF330 certainly has a small price tag but it produces fairly poor quality audio with no bass presence and no remote control is included.
-
Price
$ 99.00 (AUD)
Sporting a small, slick design, the Edifier iF330 is one of the more portable iPod docks we've looked at recently. It doesn't weigh much, it's easy to carry and it sports a battery slot to power it when on the road; however, the lack of a remote control and some sound quality issues mean this device isn't all it could be.
The key issue with the audio is not something confined to this device. It is an issue we've encountered with a lot of smaller speakers on the market: poor bass performance. The bass on this unit is extremely weak and quite hollow. It was relatively detailed, but with no impact or power music felt flat and boring. It also means the treble and upper mid-range are strongly emphasised, leading to a slightly tinny sound.
We found the mid-range to be decent but not outstanding. Like the bass it was detailed and it had a somewhat gritty sound that will be suited to some musical styles. However, it was lacking in control and cohesion, so during complex passages that contained guitar riffs, drums, bass, vocals and other instruments like piano and violins everything sounded somewhat scattered. During simpler passages this wasn't an issue and that was definitely where the iF330 excelled.
There was excellent separation in the mid-range, with things like cymbals and violins strongly isolated from the main body of sound. However, there was some sibilance noticeable on snare drums which became distracting at times.
Treble notes were reasonably good. They extended nicely and weren't too bright or harsh. We'd have liked them to be a touch richer but they were satisfactory considering the cost of the unit.
Volume was fine for a small device; it won't fill a big room but it's adequate for small or medium spaces. However, we found there was some distortion at medium volume and above, which many users will find irritating.
Aside from having a regular dock for iPods and the obligatory set of adapters for all the various sizes, shapes and generations, the iF330 sports an auxiliary jack for connecting other music devices. A standard stereo cable comes in the box and simply plugs into your player's headphone jack.
There are no bass or treble controls, just a volume knob that doubles as a power button. The only other noteworthy feature is a composite video output that allows you to output video footage to a TV. The quality is unsurprisingly quite poor, but it might prove useful for people after an easy way to share video from their portable device.
The unit is fairly small and the dock slides in for easy transport. It has an AC adapter but can also run off six AA batteries.
Brand Post
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 Acer K242HYL review: An affordable monitor for any occasion
- 4 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 5 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
Latest News Articles
- iPod godfather shares extraordinary images of what the iPod nano might have been
- Hands-on with the original iPod: ‘Definitely’ worth $399
- Apple's Q1: Record $US18.4 billion profit, but iPhone sales are slowing
- Sony shows latest high-end Walkman
- Sydney Airport lost property auction: you'll be amazed at what some people left behind
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D
The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
- Every TV in Samsung's 2022 line-up: OLED, Neo QLED and more!
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?