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BeatBox by Dr. Dre from Monster BY MAGNUS NYSTEDT It was only a couple of years ago that Dr. Dre partnered with Monster Cables to introduce the now-iconic Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, and the world of music has not been the same since. The glossy, black headphones with the red “b” can be seen wherever there are celebrities from sports, music and movies. Since the introduction, Dr. Dre has been joined by P. Diddy and Lady Gaga in the line of audio products from Monster, and now the doctor has put his name on iPod speakers called BeatBox. BeatBox matches the styling of the other Dr. Dre products, but it’s more delicate and not quite as glitzy. It’s all black, of course, and the red “b” features prominently on the front. I
think it’s a very clever style since the BeatBox would look at home in a corporate office as well as in a nightclub. On the top of the speaker, there’s only a dock connector for an iPhone or iPod, an on/off button and a volume knob. I wish there was some support behind the docked device as it’s vulnerable to be accidentally knocked over, potentially damaging the dock connector and the device. On the back, you’ll find a plug for the power cord, 3.5mm line-in, and a connector for something wireless that will come in the future. Supposedly you’ll be able to connect BeatBoxes together wirelessly. Overall, the BeatBox’s design is pretty muted compared to many other iPod docks but where it counts, in terms of sound, the BeatBox unquestionably delivers. When you turn up the music coming from the BeatBox you realize why it says “Dr. Dre” on it. The sound is rich and clear throughout the range, and with plenty of bass. The bass is particularly impressive- no surprise there- but it did take me aback how well the BeatBox separates stereo. My complaints are actually about details. The lack of support behind a docked device is one. Something else is the remote, which in functionality
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doesn’t match the impressive sound from the BeatBox. Finally, I would have liked some playback controls on the actual speakers to supplement the remote. Dr. Dre and Monster have done an excellent job in making sure the BeatBox produces some of the best sound I’ve ever heard coming out of speakers for iPod. There’s no distortion that I can hear and the supremely intense bass response sends thrills down my spine. It has a few drawbacks and it’s expensive but in terms of audio quality it’s the speaker to beat right now, and I can’t do anything else than give the BeatBox top marks.
BeatBox by Dr. Dre from Monster Pros: Amazing sound (clarity, spread, separation, bass); cool design Cons: Expensive; no controls on actual speakers; very basic remote control; no support for docked device Price: Dhs 1,815 Info: bit.ly/monster-beatbox