Chestnut Hill Sound George

The George, Chestnut Hill Sound's new, curiously named audio system for fourth generation Apple iPods and later, costs $549 (direct), and that's if you choose not to accessories it. Sure, it's expensive, but this iPod dock is super capable and puts out unbelievably good sound. If you want to get the best possible sound from your iPod and are willing to pay for it, this high end iPod dock delivers.

The George doesn't come cheap, especially when you factor in its optional upgrades. If you go for wood paneling, say, instead of the stock drab white design, you'll spend $600.

A charging stand for the wireless remote sets you back another $50. The question that remains is whether $650 is a ridiculous price to pay for an iPod sound system when roughly the same amount could buy a very nice stereo receiver and a set of great speakers.

Perhaps, especially when you consider that a receiver can act as a hub for your TV, games, CD, DVD, and your iPod. Yet, for the audiophile, George is worth every penny. It sounds amazing and is incredibly easy to use.

The George's design is its only real drawback. Its speakers are neither upward-angled nor detachable, which is bad news for folks who wish to listen to the system at their desks. That's because the speakers will shoot sound at your chest rather than your ears, unless you like to slouch really low when you listen. Another problem with this setup is that you won't have much separation between speakers for stereo imaging.

The left and right speakers are roughly 6 inches apart, so unless you stand with your nose an inch from the display, you can forget about the concept of a sonic "sweet spot." (The sweet spot is the invisible third point of the equilateral triangle that two symmetrically placed speakers would make with your head.)

In an ideal world, the tweeters should sit at ear level the ideal spot for balanced sound between the speakers and for optimal stereo separation. So, realistically, this is a bookshelf unit and should really be set at ear level.

One last flaw, it is very easy to mute or un-mute your music when removing the remote from the dock. The mute/snooze button is right where your fingers naturally land to grab the control. As far as complaints go, though, that's all it can come up with.