Sony Portable Speakers for iPod and MP3 Players Review

The A series Sony desktop speakers have always been cheaper than their Z series counterpart, and it is usually not hard to see why. This latest addition to Sony's extensive range of portable speakers is no different.

The design of the A212 is very similar to that of the A201, but thespeaker cabinets contain about twice the volume of air than the A201, which probably contributes to the more balanced sound. The A201 by comparison sounds like two cheap plastic boxes. This however is not to say that the A212 actually sounds great. The built-in equalizer provides a little kick to the bass along with a little hiss of treble, but the 66cm drivers are producing way too much midrange sound, which makes the speakers sound cheap and boomy considering how elegant they look.

Another annoying attribute of the A212 is that it has a really large foot print, in fact it is actually bigger (in size and foot print) than the legendary 2003 model, the SRS-Z510. Comparing the two speakers side-by-side, the Z510 (which costs about twice as much) actually sounds like a compact Hi-Fi.

The annoying background hiss / quantization noise is still very obvious here, which is something that has plagued every Sony active speaker ever since they introduced their infamous (cheap) digital amplifier into their portable speaker range.

The new auto power on/off is a welcomed feature to any portable speakers, since they normally stay on indefinitely after your music player has turned off.

So, if you're looking for an easy to use desktop speakers for your laptop / walkman to play pop / r&b / rock / heavy metal songs, this speaker is a steal considering how cheap they are (and they don't sound bad and can get quite loud). But if you are into classical music / jazz / blues or just want clean sound combined with warm and tight bass notes, the A212 may fall a little short of your expectations. Look for the big Z series instead like the Z510 or the Z750 or even the majestic SRS-Z1000.

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Product Description:
PRODUCT FEATURES:Total power output 4.8W66mm white cone type unitAuto power ON/OFF function (with mode switch)2 analog inputs for connecting to both DMP and PCFront side input for direct connecting to DMP (INPUT2)Magnetically ShieldedSuitable simple design both for portable audio and PCSupplied AC adapterVolume control

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