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(More customer reviews)The Pure Fi Elite is the Audiostation from last year with a few minor tweaks and a major quality control issue addressed, mainly the horrible button controls from the Audiostation that didn't work in the first few batches of that earlier product. The Audiostation units got a terrible rep (especially at Best Buy) and many retailers stopped carrying the product and / or steeply discounted it. The revised Elite is therefore hardly a great surprise, but be reassured that the button issue is now fixed.
The Elite's main strength is as an Ipod dock system, and it does a credible job here. The twin 4" woofers and 1" tweeters do a nice job of producing clear and well-differentiated sound, and the 80 watt power of the system means it will be able to get loud enough for most users. There is no distortion even at high volumes, but there is also virtually no stereo separation. The stereo expander DSP does very little, but doesn't hurt anything either. The stereo expander in Altec's IM600 is a lot more effective at increasing the soundfield.
Speaking of comparisons, the $130 Elite sounds roughly similar to the Griffin Amplifi ($100). The Griffin has better bass, while the Elite offers better treble detail. These tendencies are directly related to driver design, with the Amplifi's 2.75" drivers muddying treble a bit but with it's 5" woofer giving better bass extension that the Elite's 4 inch drivers. The Elite has a lot of extra features though and can get a bit louder. It also charges your Ipod even when turned off, a feature which the Griffin lacks. Both units have minimal stereo separation effect, and the Amplifi has no stereo DSP, while the Elite has one that barely works at all.
The Bose Sound Dock ($300 list) generally sounds a bit louder and stronger in mid-tones than the Elite. The bass sounds roughly comparable, and the Elite gets the edge in treble. The SoundDock has much better perceptible stereo separation and the remote also works more reliably and at longer distances, though the Elite has many more feature. The Elite also has a huge price difference, at least in "real world" prices.
The Elite has many unique features. The remote has access to both shuffle mode and up to 6 playlists. It does not offer full Ipod menu control, but unless you have the eyes of an eagle, you probably can't see the Ipod screen details from more than six feet away anyway. The Elite has a sleep timer, a video pass through for most Ipods, an auxiliary input jack, and adjustable bass and treble level. The remote is adequate with access to most features, and a pretty good range, though it needs to be aimed precisely.
What does the Elite lack? The radio sadly is a miserable effort, really an afterthought. The tuner is grade D quality and can barely tune in even strong FM stations and I could not get any AM at all. (This in NYC, admittedly a tough interference environment, but this hardly explains the incredibly bad tuning performance.) Even when you can tune in a station, the reception is usually not clear with annoying hiss and static bursts. A $20 clock radio can tune in more stations. My own Panasonic clock radio can indeed tune in far more stations more clearly, as can my stereo receiver, my Tivoli PAL, and my Sangean table radio. The Elite's tuner is truly incompetent in comparison. As far as dock radio combos, the Altec IM600s tuner is far far better, and the two units go for roughly the same price.
Because of the lame tuning capability, the RDS feature is rendered useless. To get RDS info, you need to have a strong clear FM signal, and the choppy tuning of the FM tuner on the Elite meant that I could get no RDS info at all from the stations in the area that broadcast that program info. Scratch one special feature!
Finally, the presence of a clock and the absence of an alarm indicates feature stripping by Logitech to make sure that you need to spend extra money to get their separate overpriced Ipod clock radio. Not sticking a basic alarm function in a >$100 system which already has a clock is just pure cynical "product differentiation" of the most annoying sort.
Anyway, if you want a decent performance Ipod dock, the good detailed and amply loud sound of the Elite recommends it. The terrible radio tuner will frustrate and disappoint those who want a multi-function unit, and the lack of stereo separation in the sound is an expected though unfortunate deficit. This is definitely a better bargain than the Bose SoundDock, but the Amplifi is a tough competitor, especially since the radio function on the Elite is so poorly implemented. The Griffin has a somewhat less loud sound though richer bass, and is also about 20% cheaper. The Amplifi sounds better with rock and electronic music. The Elite is more stylish and has a few more useful features on the remote like Shuffle and Playlist and also sounds better with classical and acoustic music.
One caution though: the list for the Elite is in theory $300, and paying anywhere near that level would quickly evaporate any of the Elite's advantages. Get the Elite for $150 and you'll be happy, but pay $200 or more and you will probably be paying more than the system is worth, especially with the Griffin consistently selling at or near the $120 price point.
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Logitech Pure-Fi Elite High-Performance Stereo System for iPod (Black)The Logitech Pure-Fi Elite stereo system creates a full-functioning stereo from your iPod, filling any room with high-performance digital sound. Charge your iPod while you enjoy favorite tunes from selected playlists or from the built-in AM/FM radio--and control it all from across the room with the included backlit remote. The remote also provides easy one-touch access to shuffle and repeat functions, and even allows instant access to preset iPod playlists without navigating menus on your iPod.
The Pure-Fi Elite immerses users in high-quality acoustics. The system features two 1-inch high-definition soft-dome tweeters to ensure precision and clarity from even the highest notes. The two 4-inch high-power long-throw woofers are capable of filling the room with deep, powerful bass. Meanwhile, DSP-controlled, dynamic, digital EQ, and advanced filtering features minimize distortion to create true-to-life sound. Also included is a bi-amplified transducer design with digital electronic crossover for studio-quality audio that plays louder and sounds better. The onboard StereoXL technology dramatically widens stereo image, creating an immersive audio experience.
Composite and S-Video output jacks are included for when you want to view iPod video files on a big screen while enjoying outstanding audio pumped through the Pure-Fi Elite.
The Pure-Fi Elite supports all iPod models with dock connectors--including iPod nanos and fifth-generation iPods. The Pure-Fi Elite supports 1G through 3G iPod models (and other portable music players) via a 3.5-mm auxiliary input. With an easy-to-read digital clock, the Pure-Fi Elite measures 17.6 by 10.6 by 5.7 inches and comes backed by a two-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box Speaker system, AC adapter, backlighted wireless remote and remote holder, universal dock adapters, quick-start guide, and user's manual.
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