Blaupunkt Ships First iPod Speaker/Car Sub Combo

LAS VEGAS — Blaupunkt will show at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show a unique portable speaker system for iPods that can double as a car subwoofer.

In addition, the company is launching two new CD receivers that connect to USB drives.

Blaupunkt's Velocity 2Go portable speaker is a boombox that works with an iPod or MP3 player to produce room-filling sound, or it can be used as a car audio subwoofer, the company said.

With an optional adapter, when it connects to the car, it automatically activates a low pass filter to launch into subwoofer mode where it produces only low frequencies. When connected to an iPod, it plays in full range mode.

The Velocity 2Go is available in two sizes and each includes four biamp configured amplifiers and active crossovers. They can deliver 80 watts RMS when connected to an AC or 12-volt source and 30 watts RMS when powered by eight standard rechargeable AA batteries.

The Velocity 2Go 5 has dual 5.25-inch woofers, and a pair of 0.75-inch tweeters in an 8-liter enclosure, with a frequency response from 50Hz to 25,000kHz. The Velocity 2Go 6 has 6.5-inch woofers and 1-inch tweeters in a 15-liter enclosure with a frequency response down to 40Hz.

The systems may also be used with a home preamplifier or TV set or other audio device. Both are now shipping at retails of $399 and $449, respectively. The optional QuickOut car dock is available at a suggested retail of $99.95.

Blaupunkt's new CD receivers — the Kingston MP47 and Hamburg MP57 — have a rear-panel USB input with an included cable for use with a USB drive. The radios will control and search through songs on the USB drive.

The Hamburg is also Blaupunkt's first head unit with built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling, and it lets users download photos to the radio screen. The Kingston is Bluetooth ready with an optional module.

Both the Kingston and Hamburg include front-panel auxiliary inputs, four-channel pre-outs, subwoofer output and a second auxiliary input on the rear panel. The Hamburg has a black-on-white back-lit dot matrix display with three-line browsing of ID3 tag information and compatibility with JPEG files. It is shipping now at a suggested retail of $319. The Kingston is also now shipping at a suggested retail price of $209.