Good Things—And Sounds—Come In Small Packages

When it comes to external speakers for an iPod—or other MP3 player—there seems to be a virtually limitless selection. Many are made specifically for an iPod, through its signature docking connector, while others, like the Sony SRS P11Q speakers, are compatible with any device that has a mini audio jack. But I doubt many of those speakers can match the P11Q for sound quality from a passive system (i.e., with no external power to amplify the sound).

Although Epinions lists these speakers as being for computers, they can, as noted, work with a wide range of equipment, from portable CD players to radios to MP3 players…which is where my experience comes in.

I had said it would be nice to have a way to listen to my iPod at work sometimes. Headphones would be impractical in my job, so speakers would be ideal....but not Bose Soundock ideal.

The last set of portable speakers I had dated back to 1987 (no joke), and the only other affordable portable speakers I'd heard were a large, battery- (or AC-)powered set my parents had bought years ago. My expectations of an affordable, quality set of speakers was, to put it mildly, low. But then my wife found these Sony speakers, and I have been absolutely thrilled with them.

If only heard the sound from these speakers, you might be surprised at how small they are. They're circular, and just a couple of inches in diameter, so they maintain a low profile on a desk (or bookshelf, etc.) and can fit in small spaces.

But when you hook up your audio device (and keep in mind that any speaker's sound will be in part a product of the quality of the device and the sound files), what you hear is good, strong bass and and clear audio—my songs sound like they do over my headphones, and not like they're coming over a 1975 AM transistor radio.

The cable leading to the 3.5mm plug is not overly long, so you'll need to keep the speakers relatively close to the audio source, though in most cases that shouldn’t be a problem.

I use the speakers virtually daily at my office. Because it’s a working environment, I don’t play my iPod at top volume, but the sound I get from these little gems fills my cozy workspace nicely and keeps me energized (or relaxed, depending on what type of music I need for the day!) by being able to truly enjoy my music the way I would want to hear it.

Certainly, passive speakers aren’t suited for all needs. In a large and/or loud environment or if you’re going to use your computer or iPod to be your primary music source for home entertainment, you would want higher-end speakers. But for an office, kitchen or other similar environment, the SRS P11Qs may be the best value on the market.