Klipsch iGroove SXT review

Once again, Klipsch has produced a five-star iPod dock, with a refined sound and style Tested at £129.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Klipsch has got its iPod docks sorted – you just need to pick the one that suits

Pros

  • +

    Compact, small footprint, solidly built

  • +

    functional remote

  • +

    solid, clear, balanced sound

  • +

    iPhone-compatible

Cons

  • -

    The SXT’s larger sibling will do a better job of filling a room

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Our cup runneth over with Klipsch iPod docks. Not content with giving the iGroove HG the once over earlier in 2010, the firm now offers the new iGroove SXT. For the same price.

We were very much taken by the HG; a hefty dock capable of a room-filling sound. The SXT (which replaces the £80 dock of the same name which we tested in 2008) looks more refined.

Its silver ‘accent' makes for a smarter finish than the HG, and it's less fiddly and more compact, too.

The remote – a slight bone of contention with the HG – is more workmanlike but better for it. The design is plain but the unit does as it's told without issue.

Compatibility and balance
Round the back you'll find an auxiliary input for connecting any other portable media device and an S-Video output for sending video content from an iPod or, indeed, an iPhone.

It doesn't offer the weight and bass power of the significantly larger HG model but in return you get a better-balanced sound with crisp, clean drums and open, detailed vocals.

There's still bass extension when it's called for and while it may not boast the warmth of the HG, it's lighter on its feet and speedier.

So which should you buy? Well, either. For a more refined style and sound, we'd plump for the SXT; for a livelier, room-filling sound, the HG might be better.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


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