Review – Altec Lansing iMT320 inMotion Compact iPod/iPhone speaker

The Altec Lansing brand name has been around the world of iPod speaker docks since they produced the very first one back in 2003. In recent years, Altec Lansing kept churning out new and improved versions of their speaker docks – from premium versions to docks that brought us back to the boom box era.

Their latest creation is the inMotion Compact iMT320 – a more classically style dock. The iMT320 is a bit of a no-frills dock – it features a dock connector, protective cover/stand, power and volume controls and a line in jack. In the box of the iMT320 is an AC adapter, a pair of dock adapters and a short manual. Unlike its more expensive family members, this one does not come with a remote, line in cable or rechargeable batteries. This basic setup does mean the price can be kept to a minimum. Thankfully, Altec Lansing managed to keep the most important part of this speaker untouched – its sound quality.

Put simply – the audio quality from this speaker is amazing. Volume is great, with no distortion until you crank it up to “max”. Altec Lansing clearly used their experience from previous docks to ensure this dock would sound as good as possible. The end result is a speaker you can use on your desk for some peaceful tunes, or to fill a large room with party music. Under the main speakers are two bass ports – and with bass heavy music, you really hear these doing their job.

The protective (faux leather) cover unfolds from the front to form a stand on the back – slotting into a small opening and propping it up at a nice angle.

With a set of 4 AA batteries installed, the iMT320 weighs in at 5.5 ounces and measures 9.5″ (W) x 1.8″ (D) x 4.7″ (H). These dimensions put it around the largest a travel speaker could get, without having to resort to single speakers like the much smaller Altec Lansing Orbit series.

Controls are very basic – volume and power. To control your music, you’ll need to use the screen or buttons on your player. Thankfully, the iMT320 will charge your docked player when on battery power and on AC power. Of course, devices plugged into the AUX jack won’t be powered by the dock.

At $79.95, the inMotion iMT320 is priced well within range of similar docks – and since its audio is well above average, you do get very good value for money. Ideally, I’d have preferred to see the unit include a rechargeable battery, but when you need to keep prices low, you obviously have to sacrifice somewhere.

All in all a very well designed and good sounding speaker – with the perfect dimensions for making it a great travel companion. To learn more about the Altec Lansing inMotion Compact iMT320, head on over to its product page. Also, be sure to check back later this week for a change to win one of these speakers!

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