Sure enough, when I opened the big box that was waiting on my doorstep several weeks later I found the latest in Speck's growing line of fun, kitchy iPod accessories: The SpeckTone Retro Speaker for iPod. Still wear bell-bottoms? Dig velvet paintings and satin sheets? Only live in apartments with the number "54" in the address? If you answered "Yes" to these questions, then the SpeckTone Retro may be the answer to your iPod speaker needs.

The SpeckTone Retro is similar to most other iPod Speaker Docks in that it combines stereo speakers and a universal-fit iPod dock in a single enclosure that can play and charge almost any model iPod at the same time. SpeckTone Retro is not a portable unit in that it requires AC power to work, but it's much more compact than Apple's iPod Hi-Fi. This speaker set continues the recent trend of one unit "stereo" iPod speaker systems, packing left and right channels - and a bottom-firing subwoofer - into one box that's barely a foot wide.

There's an inherent trade-off to a two-channel speaker system that houses both speakers in a single compact enclosure: good stereo imaging needs left and right speakers that are separated by more than a foot of physical space. Going by the "equilateral triangle" theory of speaker positioning (the two speakers and listener's ears should ideally be positioned to form an equilateral triangle), one would have to sit about a foot away (no more, no less) from a system like the SpeckTone in order to acheive proper stereo imaging. Obviously the compromise being made in current iPod speaker designs is style and space-saving over stereo imaging, but it's a point worth considering if you're shopping for "stereo" speakers for your iPod.

Included in the retail box is the SpeckTone Retro unit, an AC wall adapter, rubber dock adapters to fit different iPods, warranty card, and two color-coordinated iPod skins (one for 5G, one for nano). Speck sent me the SpeckTone in green, and it also is available in black and white. The green version has a brown fabric speaker grille, whereas the black has a matching black grille and the white has a grey/silver grille. All models also feature a chrome faceplate with a single control, a chrome volume knob featuring a nifty green backlight.

The green model Speck sent is attractive in a very retro sort of way. I'll be honest: The style ain't my thing. But Speck has done this style very, very well with the SpeckTone. The unit is made from wood finished with a "piano lacquer" that looks great and feels very solid. Between the wood frame and three enclosed speakers, the box has the sort of heft that makes one think there's some quality stuff inside there. From the pictures on Speck's website, the black and white models may have a bit more of a universal appeal beyond the decidedly retro green version.

SpeckTone Retro is a simple device: There's a switch on the back to power the unit on and off and a big knob on the front to control the volume of the speakers. That's it. A top-mounted dock fits the 5G, 4G, nano, and mini iPods and a rear-mounted 1/8" aux jack lets you hook up any other iPod or audio device with a headphone jack to the unit. The dock is sized to fit 5G iPods out of the box, and Speck has included adhesive-backed rubber adapters to fit the dock to the other models.

Looks Good, Sounds ... Pretty Good
I tested the SpeckTone Retro with a variety of music from both my 5G iPod and iBook (the latter via the aux in jack). Since the PR packet Speck sent me included a side-by-side feature/price comparison with some other popular iPod speaker sets, I decided to do a little comparison listening of my own. I set the unit up in my work room alongside of my computer, which is plugged into a $50 Logitech 2.1 speaker system. I also pulled out my Tivoli iPal and iHome IH5 iPod Dock/Clock Radio system for side-by-side comparisons. What I found is that the SpeckTone sounds pretty good, but not as good as my favorite systems in the same price range. The SpeckTone has an overall "thin" sound to it that isn't necessarily immediately noticeable on its own, but definitely shows up when the unit is compared to richer-sounding speakers.

According to Speck, the SpeckTone is rated at 28 watts output and combines a 4-inch subwoofer with a pair of 3-inch drivers. The speaker certainly had power to spare, filling my room with music at a "loud enough, thanks" volume level when turned to about 65% of maximum. Music started distorting around the same output level - so while this wasn't intended to be the main sound system for block-rocking parties, it's plenty loud for everyday listening even in an office or small room full of people.

Overall the SpeckTone Retro sounds pretty good. What I mean by that is that bass, mid-range, and treble are all clear and discernable whether you're listening to rock, bass-heavy hip-hop, jazz, classical, or spoken word podcasts. But never was I wowed by the system. I tried a variety of EQ settings on both my iPod and iTunes sources, and kept switching the iPod and aux cables around to compare the SpeckTone to the other systems using the same songs. I tend to like a fair amount of bass and treble coupled with a mid-range cut when listening to rock, funk, and electronic music - something like the R&B setting on iTunes with less mid-range. The SpeckTone speaker was pleasant - the high-end was particularly good - but sounded "thin" or "flat" to me, lacking the richness in all parts of the spectrum I've come to enjoy from my favorite speakers. The one exception was listening to bass-heavy rock and hip-hop at loud volumes, which made the SpeckTone sound a little muddy.

Side-by-side, the SpeckTone bested the $99 iHome IH5 in overall sound quality, making the iH5 sound tinny in comparison. The $59 Logitech Z-3 2.1 sub/sat speakers knocked the doors off of the SpeckTone (and the iHome, for that matter). On the one hand, this is an unfair comparison beacuse the Logitech is a 40-watt system with separate sattelites and a subwoofer that's about twice the size on its own of the Speck system. On the other hand, it's a useful comparison because it points out two important factors: 1) The difference that separate speakers can make when it comes to stereo imaging, and: 2) What you can get for the same (or less) money if you're willing to forgo the trendy iPod dock systems and use a boring old 1/8" aux cable to connect your iPod to your speakers. Also, the Logitech subwoofer's dedicated volume control made me realize that the SpeckTone Retro would likely benefit from a sub-level control of its own.

I feel a bit like a broken record always invoking Tivoli Audio when I review iPod speakers, but side-by-side my Tivoli iPal blew the SpeckTone out of the water. Granted, the iPal is a single-channel, no subwoofer system, but it just sounds so much richer than the SpeckTone. For the same price, iPal also features a great AM/FM tuner and built-in rechargable battery. Then again, the iPal lacks a true iPod dock and SpeckTone's wood construction and unique looks.

Conclusion
Speck has tried to master that elusive combination of style and substance with their new SpeckTone Retro iPod speaker. Style is a subjective thing, and if you like the retro look of the SpeckTone in pictures, you'll love it in person. This speaker is very well made, from it's wood construction to lacquered "piano finish" to chrome knob and fabric grille. If sound is your primary consideration, however, you might want to spend your $149.95 elsewhere. By no means does the SpeckTone Retro sound bad - it's just that it doesn't sound great. No single enclosure speaker system is going to provide the rich stereo listening experience of a quality two or three box setup, and to that end the SpeckTone is competitive with other wall-powered, one box iPod systems. But if you can get past the "stereo" thing, for the same price Tivoli's iPal pumps out far richer sound. Thing is, it can't match the SpeckTone for Retro good looks. Choices, choices ...