PLAYBACK 22: Marantz IS301 Wireless Dock for iPod

Playing to the iPod’s Strengths

For the past several years a number of A/V manufacturers, especially those who specializing in products for the custom installation market, have offered a variety of iPod docking systems designed to let users plug their iPods into home audio and/or home theater systems. The appeal, of course, is that such docks let you turn your normally hand-held personal digital playback device into a mini-media server that the whole family can enjoy.

But one thing that has surprised me about many of the dock offerings I’ve seen is that they so often fail to take advantage of two of the iPod’s greatest strengths: namely, its portability and terrific user interface. Happily, Marantz’s IS301 Wireless Dock for iPod addresses both problems in an ergonomically satisfying way.

OVERVIEW

Consider this iPod dock if: you’d like to listen to music (or watch video content) from your iPod, yet would like to preserve as much of the tradition iPod user experience as possible. The IS301 is particularly useful in settings where you might need or want to keep your iPod stationed near your listening chair and away from your main equipment rack. The IS301 also gives you the option—at least for music playback—carrying the iPod with you as you move about the room.

Look elsewhere if: you’re a purist audiophile looking to extract digital audio signals from the iPod that can be routed to an outboard DAC for maximum sound quality. The IS301 provides analog audio and video outputs only, though it is tough to beat in terms of pure convenience.

Ratings (relative to comparably priced iPod docks):

• Versatility: 9
  
• Ease of use: 7
  
• User interface: 10
  
• Sound Quality: 9
  
• Video Quality: 9
  
• Value: 9

FEATURES

The IS301 consists of three main units:

• an iPod handset (which serves as a carrier for whatever type of iPod you might have),
  
• a base unit (which serves as a stand and charging unit for the handset), and
  
• an extender unit (which connects to the base unit via wires or wireless Bluetooth connections and that provides A/V signal jacks for hooking the dock up to your audio or home theater system).

Interestingly, the IS301 is configured such that it can, when used with compatible Marantz A/V components, provide a limited range of remote control functions such as power on/off, volume up/down, and input switching. The IS301 handset also includes a USB port so that an installed iPod can be synced to the iTunes account on your PC or Mac (a USB cable is included for this purpose).

The system also includes a variety of handy accessories, including:

• a small credit card-sized remote controller,
  
• two AC power packs (one for the extender and the other for the base unit, which is used only when there are no wired connections between the extender  and the base unit),
  
• two sets of AC adaptors (one set for US/Japanese-type wall outlets, the other for European wall outlets),
  
• a pair of “S-Link” cables (CAT5/LAN straight-type cables) for connecting the base unit to the extender (one cable provides audio connections and the other video),
  
• an A/V cable (composite video and stereo analog audio),
  
• a remote cable,
  
• a USB cable (for connecting PCs/Macs to iPods installed in the IS301 handset), and
  
• wall-mounting screws for hanging the base unit on a wall.

 iPod compatibility; the IS301 is compatible with the following types of iPods: