Logitech Pure-Fi Express Plus iPod Speaker Dock

Logitech has a wide variety of iPod/iPhone speaker docks in their lineup, and they have focused on ease-of-use and affordability with their Pure-Fi Express Plus. Coming in at around $80-$100 USD online, it features a remote control, built-in alarm clock and battery power option as key highlights. Let’s take a listen to the omnidirectional speaker system of the Pure-Fi Express Plus to see good how it sounds and whether it is worth the sub-$100 price tag.

Design

The Pure-Fi Express Plus is a portable iPod/iPhone speaker dock with a total of 4 speakers – two on each side of the unit. It uses omnidirectional acoustic technology to send out sound in all directions, and features a simple set of controls on the front of the unit. Adapters are included to allow you to use 1st through 3rd generation iPods and iPhones, and any other MP3 player can be used by plugging it into the 3.5mm auxiliary jack.

Pressing the volume knob powers up the unit, and once powered on the Start/Pause and Stop/Skip buttons will get your music playing in no time. A relatively large orange LED display is fitted right beneath the volume knob, and displays the current time. Unfortunately you have to manually program the time into the unit - no automatic clock setting feature is included.

The unit is fairly light, weighing in at just over 3 lbs. and measuring 13.5” W x 5 “H x 4” D deep. The light weight and block shape make it easy to carry, and the handle in the back of the unit makes it easy to hold on to. The built in handle can also house the remote control, so that it doesn’t get lost during transport. Six AA batteries can be used to power the unit when no AC power is available.

I was not able to find any specifications for the speaker drivers of the unit – but I cannot image that it puts out any more than about 10W RMS power (at the most).

Features

• Pod/iPhone speaker dock: Lets you dock, charge, and play your iPod or iPhone
• Omnidirectional acoustic technology: Provides great sound throughout the room
• Portable: Plugs in or run on batteries, and includes an integrated carrying handle, so you can take your music from room to room
• Clock with alarm: Helps ensure that you'll wake on time
• Wireless remote control: Gives you control from up to 30 feet (10 m) away, and stores neatly in an integrated compartment.

Out of the Box Setup

The test unit came in black (no other color choices are available) and included the following:

• Logitech® Pure-Fi Express Plus™ speaker dock
• Wireless (IR) remote control
• iPod/iPhone Universal Dock adapter trays
• Quick-start guide
• Warranty and safety guidelines
• 2-year limited hardware warranty

Using the Quick Start guide, getting the Pure-Fi Express Plus up and running was simple. Setup involved plugging in the AC adapter, finding the right iPod adapter and popping in my iPod, then finally powering the unit on. I was able to use the remote control to turn the volume up/down, skip tracks and start/pause the playback. The remote control does not allow you to access playlists on your iPod, and does not allow you to access the other iPod menus.

Setting the clock and then setting up the alarm time was also very easy. All it takes is a quick browse through the quick-start guide, and then a few button presses of the Clock Set button and the Alarm Set button. It only took a couple of minutes to set up the clock time and the alarm settings. The biggest drawback is that the alarm only plays the alarm tone – no iPod/MP3 playback option is available.