<img title="Image: http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=i600b_187894870.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" src="http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=i600b_187894870.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" alt="Build your own iPod stereo system">
										
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								<span>It just takes smart shopping to assemble a do-it-yourself speaker system<br><br>iPod
 owners have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to choosing a 
speaker system for their music player. I should know—over the past few 
years, I’ve reviewed many of these accessories, which typically combine 
an iPod dock, an amplifier, speakers, and a remote control. And while 
many iPod speaker systems make considerable compromises between sound 
quality, size, and convenience, some are quite impressive. When I’ve 
reviewed the best of these products—take Klipsch’s $400 iFi or Jamo’s 
$400 i300 as examples—I've often noted that users would be hard-pressed 
to put together a system on their own that sounds better for the same 
amount of money.<br><br>But that got me thinking: how difficult would 
doing so be? With some smart shopping, could you create a system—an 
amplifier, an iPod dock with remote, and speakers—that competes on both 
price and performance with the best systems specifically made for the 
iPod?<br><br>I decided to find out. I searched for components to make my
 own iPod speaker system, with the ultimate goal being a noticeable 
upgrade in sound quality over good iPod speaker systems in the same 
price range (which means connecting an iPod dock to a $300 “bookshelf 
stereoâ€ with mediocre sound quality wouldn’t cut it).<br><br>Why go 
through the trouble? After all, if there are already good systems out 
there for $300 to $400, why not just plunk down your money and start 
listening instead of going to the trouble of rounding up the parts 
yourself? For starters, a system with separate speakers has the 
potential to sound better than an all-in-one box. Second, by buying the 
components separately, you’re future-proofing your system: you can later
 upgrade to a better amplifier, or a nice receiver, and even use the 
system for listening to CDs or radio. Apple could also make changes to 
future iPod models that render current iPod speaker systems obsolete; 
with a custom stereo, you can just buy a new dock instead of having to 
replace the whole thing. Finally, as an audio guy who also reviews iPod 
speakers, I simply wanted to see what was possible.<br><br>The ground rules<br><br>To truly replace a dedicated iPod speaker system, my build-it-yourself stereo had to meet several requirements:<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 * iPod dock: A cradle that connects to an iPod’s dock-connector port is
 necessary for high-quality sound and the ability to control playback 
using a wireless remote. (See the next item.)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; * Remote control: A
 wireless remote for controlling basic iPod playback 
(play/pause/back/forward) is a must. The capability to control volume 
level is a bonus.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; * Good sound quality: If my DIY system wasn’t 
going to sound as good as, or better than, what’s already out there, 
there was no point in pursuing this exercise. Thankfully, there are many
 inexpensive speakers on the market that sound great. And, as I noted 
above, separate left/right speakers have some clear advantages over 
one-box systems: separate speakers can provide much better stereo 
separation and imaging than speakers confined to a one-piece box; you 
often get better-quality components; and you can place components where 
you want them or where they sound the best—you don’t need a single, 
large “footprintâ€ on your desk or dresser.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It’s also worth 
noting that a quality pair of standalone speakers will likely be with 
you long after an iPod speaker system has found its way onto CraigsList 
or the electronics-recycling pile.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; * Relatively-compact size and 
decent appearance: With separate speakers, a DIY stereo is going to take
 up more room than a desktop system, but I wanted to keep it small 
enough to fit on a desk, dresser, or counter.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In terms of 
appearance, while there are some inexpensive amplifiers that perform 
surprisingly well, including ones you can solder together yourself, many
 are bulky and ugly. I didn’t expect to be able to put something 
together that looked like B&amp;W’s $600 Zeppelin, but I hoped to create
 a system that wouldn’t look like something I built using parts from 
Radio Shack.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; * Reasonable price: Although there are iPod speaker 
systems out there that cost $4,000 (or more), many of our favorites—ones
 that offer excellent sound quality and a good feature set—are in the 
$300 to $400 range. So “around $400â€ was my rough target price.</span>
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