Yamaha Expands iPod Speaker Lineup
By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 9/21/2009
ATLANTA — An expanded line of iPod speaker systems and iPod-docking micro and mini systems greeted dealers at Yamaha’s CEDIA Expo.
At the show Yamaha also launched two Blu-ray players and a networked A/V receiver. (See TWICE, Sept. 10, p. 6.)
The company entered the iPod speaker and docking micro/mini markets earlier this year.
The two newest iPod-docking speaker systems, which expand the company’s selection to six, include the $299-suggested PDX-60, due in September. It features an embedded iPod dock, but it also comes with a handheld RF transmitter that clips onto an iPod to stream music from across the room to the speaker system. A $199 version, the PDX-30, lacks the RF transmitter and shipped recently. Both are certified as Works with iPhone.
Two other one-piece iPod speakers that shipped recently are the TSX-120 and TSX-130, both adding FM tuner. The 120 features aux input, and the 130 features CD player and USB port to play music from a USB drive. Pricing was unavailable. Neither is iPhone-certified.
The newest iPod-docking mini system, the MCR-1330, ships in October at around $1,199 or $1,299, a spokesman said. The four-piece unit features AM/FM receiver with dock on top, separate CD player and two two-way speakers. It will join the three-piece $499 MCR-730 mini system, which shipped about five months ago with two-way speakers, integrated 1080p-up-scaling DVD receiver with AM/FM tuning, and optional iPod dock. Neither mini system is iPhone-certified.
In iPod-docking micro systems, the company recently shipped the three-piece $399 MCR-330 with FM tuner, CD and embedded dock with piano-black speakers. A version with matte-black speakers is the $349 MCR-230.
Also at the show, Yamaha displayed two three-piece iPod-docking mini systems that would each be available in 10 different colors. The company is gauging dealer interest before committing to shipping the products. The three-piece MCR-040 and MCR-140 feature FM tuner, CD player and USB port to play USB-stored music. The 140 adds an RF module that plugs into an iPod to stream music to the system from across the room. The module with docked iPod also plugs into the top of the system.
In another introduction, the company demonstrated an iPhone/iPod Touch application that uses the mobile devices’ Wi-Fi to control basic functions of the networked RX-V2065 A/V receiver introduced here.
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