ultimate media functionality iPod / iPhone

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In the hunt for ultimate media functionality iPod / iPhone docking stations are pretty neat things. Increasingly, manufacturers have been applying Bluetooth to such devices much like the Soundfreaq, and as such they are making them increasingly functional, allowing you to select tracks from your iPhone whilst not connected via ports. For review today however we have the Magicbox Ark, a traditional iPod docking station with a rather tempting price tag; but is the old school connectivity option becoming less relevent in the wireless / portless world? Read on.

Build, design

People who buy iPod / iPhone docking stations want them to look good. Fact. And in usual docking station fashion, the Magicbox Ark doesn’t so much as over do it, but rather sits melodically between Bose and Soundfreaq options. This isn’t a bad thing though, and the actual shape of the Ark is pretty nice with it being pretty dinky and sporting a piano black (or iPhone 4 glass black) glossy finish. For me, I like my gadgets to be almost always matte, and the same honestly applies to the Ark where matte would have been better.

On the shell itself the only buttons are the volume up and down clickers, which are unobtrusive enough. The Magicbox Ark also features a blue LED which signifies when the docking station is powered on, a nice touch which to be fair I almost always expect in electronics of this type so no surprises there.

Now as the name implies, this docking station does indeed follow the shape of an Arc (see image, above) which looks cool from the side, however it’s not noticeable from any other angle. Spoiler: You won’t notice the Ark shape in the majority of situations.

Sound quality

Whilst the Magicbox Ark looks okay with its unobtrusive, modern glossy fascia, I was really let down by the things sound quality. The output of this speaker stands at 8W and if you just so decide to take full advantage of all this wattage, you’ll wish you never did. Some of the songs I played on the Ark full blast included Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah, Lil Wayne – La La La and Eric Clapton – Layla. The Ark managed to not only numb all aspects of the songs, but also distort pitches within high notes and give off the odd crackle as if 8W was one watt too much.

Turning the volume down, though, and songs started to unsurprisingly sound crisper if not slightly muffled. The Magicbox Arc seems to love blending mid range with the lows of a song, seemingly drowning out bass lines and also slick guitar licks; this is the main reason as to why personally, for me, I wouldn’t rush to the store for this dock.

Connectivity

As noted in the intro of this review, devices are becoming wireless fast, however a lot of devices with Bluetooth are very expensive. In contrast, traditional docks which make use of the iPhone’s 16 pin port are not, and these devices also work well. The Macigbox also works well. Plug your iPod or iPhone in to the Ark, and you’ll instantly be greeted with sound once you hit the play button.

One thing I do REALLY like about this dock however is the inclusion of an auxillary output, which in the real world means you’ll be able to play your Zune or Zen through these speakers too.

Price

The Magicbox Ark retails at around £40 GBP however you can find it cheaper online. This price I feel is just right bearing in mind the sound quality it outputs, and to be fair just because I’m not sold on the glossy plastics doesn’t mean it won’t sit well on your desk.

Verdict

I have had a love and hate relationship with the Magicbox Ark. Sat next to my Samsung LED TV the thing looked cheap and unsubstantial, and I found myself pushing it towards the back of the TV stand at times. Functionality wise I don’t mind the dock, as it follows the traditional dock plug in and play, however for me personally i’d rather spend more money on a Bluetooth dock and keep my iPhone in my pocket. With this in mind, I think a key selling point of this dock is something which doesn’t interest me personally, and that is the auxillary output. If you have a Zune or Zen / MP3 player, you’ll find this dock great at the price it is at.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (5/10)

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