Lenco IPD-9000 Dock

Key Features: 2.1 channel output – 2x10W + 1x45W (RMS); CD, CD-R/RW and MP3 playback; FM radio with 20 presets; Auxility Input & Composite Video Output

In an age of ultra thin laptops and even skinner smartphones the notion of ‘more for less’ has become a motto of the modern gadget buyer. This is something embraced by Swiss audio specialist Lenco which has come up with a compact Apple dock which also claims to double up as a CD player, radio, video output and surround sound system for less than £230. Is this another case of more for less or false economy?

 

Design
Out the box our initial leanings move towards the former. Lenco is a brand looking to move away from its budget origins and the ‘IPD-9000′ is its biggest step to date with neat, minimalist styling that could have come via Denon’s design team. This look is centred on the attractive facia whose metallic finish is actually metal and the tasteful blue-lit LED display and lighting around the slot loading CD player and oversized volume knob.

Frustratingly this look is not continued throughout with the rest of the IPD-9000 constructed from matt black plastic. This two tone approach creates a slightly jarring appearance from any angle but straight ahead, though construction is solid and it certainly catches the eye.

Features
The IPD-9000′s design may be minimalistic but its functionality is not. The aforementioned CD playback is an increasingly rare and therefore increasingly welcome differentiator. Meanwhile connections along the back include the usual power, auxiliary in and another fast disappearing feature: an FM aerial, but they are backed up by the more unusual site of a composite video output. This allows video playback on an attached iPhone or iPod touch to be outputted to a TV with the audio coming from the IPD-9000. This is a sample, read the full review at TrustedReviews.

Copyright for all reviews, editorials and features on this site belong to their respective publishers. All samples published on this website are via prior agreement with those publishers and serve to act as a portfolio and centralised location for all my work. Contact me at gordon@gordonkelly.com should you wish to commission me or supply review samples, press releases or arrange meetings.