New 200 Watt Computer Speakers And A New Digital Boombox for iPods From Altec Lansing

Altec Lansing, the people who provided the loudspeakers for the Woodstock Festival in 1969, have launched two new products. The first is a 200 Watt three-piece home speaker system called the Expressionist Ultra (MX6021) and the second is the MIX (iMT800), a digital boombox for iPhones and iPods.

The MX6021, which is designed for home computers, is one of Altec Lansing's most powerful computer audio systems delivering 200 Watts (RMS). It has five digital amplifiers powering five separate drivers for what Altec Lansing are calling “an authentically tuned sonic explosion”.

Gone are the days (well almost) of the luxury Hi-Fi unit in the lounge with its wooden finish, now we are all storing our music on PCs and iPods. If you want your music to sound good on your PC you are going to need good PC speakers. The Expressionist Ultra could be the very thing you need to bring your music back from the doldrums!

Along side the launch of the Expressionist Ultra, Altec Lansing also launched the MIX (iMT800) which is a boombox for the iPod. Altec Lansing are known past masters of dock-stations for the iPods. They were the first to release an iPod docking station and the first with a “Works with iPhone” speaker system. The MIX is not like any boombox you have seen before, it is the Porsche of boomboxes. It looks the part and delivers sound accordingly.

Compatible with both iPhone and iPod, the MIX also includes two top-mounted auxiliary inputs plus onboard FM radio and a seven-band graphic equalizer. The MIX is either AC or battery-powered and can give up to 30 hours of play with 8 D batteries. Also the battery life is displayed on the LCD. For the iPhone users, the MIX is designed to be immune to mobile phone interference, eliminating the need to switch to airplane mode.

The Mix, which recharges your iPod/iPhone while it plays, is now available in the USA and should hit the UK soon. For the USA the price is US$299.95. Similarly the Expressionist Ultra model MX6021 retails for US$199.95 with UK availability expected soon.