The MP3 player has made it feasible to carry the equivalent of scores of albums around in one pocket-sized gadget. You can whip out a pair of headphones and pick from your favourite tunes at a moment’s notice. But what you can’t do is share the sounds with friends or family, and that’s where a portable self-powered speaker system comes in useful, especially if you are heading off on holiday.

These systems act much like the classic tape or CD-based boom boxes of yesteryear. The difference today is that instead of needing a big bag of tapes or discs with you, you simply plug in an MP3 player and choose whether to, say, savour the classy poolside ambience of Keith Jarrett’s freeform jazz, or perhaps pick Bloc Party to spice up your picnic.

By far the most popular MP3 player is Apple’s iPod range, and three of the systems on test feature a dedicated iPod connector. All of them provide a standard 3.5mm socket, though, so they can be connected to the headphone output of any portable music player (including the iPod Shuffle) with a jack-to-jack cable that is usually supplied. The Yamaha also includes a USB socket, which makes it the ideal partner for your laptop computer.

The portable music maestros under review here can be powered by batteries as well as the mains, so they are ready to rock’n’roll whenever the mood takes you. These machines come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so inevitably there is a degree of compromise involved. The bigger systems tended to deliver greater volume, but obviously proved less portable.

Your choice should be determined by how you intend to use the device. The Harman Kardon packs a punch, but as it weighs 1.8kg you won’t want to walk too far with one under your arm. The tiny Kensington, on the other hand, won’t bother the neighbours and can slip easily into an overnight case. The innovative Yamaha is the exception to the size/power trade-off in that it punched way above its weight for sheer volume, yet is a real featherweight, if hefty in price.

When buying, wattage figures are often a poor indication of the actual volume these speakers can generate; the way to assess this is to listen to them. Most of the models on test (with the exception of the Logitech) operated comfortably at their top level of volume without the sound distorting.

Given how quickly these portables drained their batteries when used away from the mains, it was surprising that only the Altec Lansing came with a rechargeable battery. You can of course invest in a set of rechargeable batteries for any of the systems under review.

If you do intend to drag your system out and about, good old-fashioned build quality is a crucial factor. The two most expensive models on test were in a league apart in this respect, while, surprisingly, the mid-priced designs (the Altec Lansing and the Logitech) proved the least durable and the most easy to scratch or break.

MASTER BLASTER

Harman Kardon Go & Play – typically £250, or £189 fromwww.laskys.com

Suave and powerful boom box, albeit a battery-hungry beast

This smart 20-in-wide system has a daft name but it is a wise investment. It’s a well finished and cleverly weatherproofed product. A chunky stainless steel handle made it practical to hoik to the beach even though it weighs a shoulder-wrenching 1.8kg. There’s a recessed dock to house an assortment of iPods and the supplied adaptors ensured a snug fit (if you own a Shuffle, for example, or any other portable music device there’s a 3.5mm jack at the rear that fits most machines). It was a breeze to use, too: the three touch-sensitive controls are duplicated on a remote control that can navigate music stored on an iPod if one is plugged in. Sound quality flattened its rivals, including Apple’s iPod Hi-Fi (not reviewed). Four speakers delivered sledgehammer R&B bass or silky jazz with equal aplomb and no distortion, even at the top, garden-filling volume. The Go & Play did suck eight C-sized batteries dry in 12hr though, so go for rechargeables or it’ll play havoc with your wallet. All in all, a class-leading gadget.

COOL FOR CATS

Yamaha NX-U10 – typically £150, or £140 from www.digitechelectronics.com

Great design and classy sound quality but at a premium price

This well-engineered Yamaha music machine looks like a space-age walkie-talkie. At either end of the 10in-wide aluminium enclosure sit two tiny speakers that are driven by a lively built-in amplifier. The NX-U10 can be powered from the mains or, unusually, a computer’s USB lead. This is simple enough to do and once connected to a laptop the Yamaha plays tunes stored in the computer’s hard drive in convincing hi-fi. The device can also be run by four AAA batteries that gave roughly 10hr of playing time. The trim NX-U10 made a huge impression with its surprisingly revealing sound. It easily filled a moderate-sized hotel room yet didn’t distort even at maximum volume. It should be noted, however, that the USB socket is hidden away inside the battery compartment, and this required the fiddly removal of the cover in order to change music sources. Weighing in at 500g the Yamaha is not especially heavy, but the price is fairly hefty. Nevertheless, even considering the cost the NX-U10 is a genuine diva that’s worth every penny.

BEACH NOISE

Kensington FX 500 Speaker To Go – typically £35, or £26 fromwww.amazon.co.uk

Singing bag with good sound and design

Beach lovers will find this compact 500g Kensington case a smart companion. The interior can carry keys or loose change, but its nonscratch rubberised shell has two powered speakers built in and a frontal recess for an MP3 player. This is ostensibly for an iPod, which fitted snugly into the gap, and a transparent plastic window gave good access to Apple’s click wheel. That said, there is no iPod connector, merely a 3.5mm jack-to-jack lead to connect to a headphone socket. The interior of the Kensington is also big enough to house a portable CD player – plus discs. Sound quality was decent: it created clean, detailed music that did not distort. Volume was modest, albeit loud enough to provide ambience. The FX 500 can be powered by three AAA-sized cells and these lasted 10hr. A versatile and practical gadget that’s fine value.

JUICE MONSTER

Logitech AudioStation Express – typically £80, or £55 from www.morecomputers.co.uk

Decent-value boom box, but a battery guzzler

This 12in-wide Logitech is a boom-box-style system. It boasts a proper iPod dock on top and a 3.5mm socket at the rear. The Logitech blasted plenty of volume into a large wide-open room and went almost as loud as the far more expensive Yamaha. At 400g, it’s fairly portable and the remote control is a nice touch in this price bracket. However, the top-mounted iPod dock left the MP3 player exposed when connected and the plastic casing wasn’t impressive either. Worse, though, is that the sound quality was soft and dull. It never really got the party started, quality-wise, and there was some distortion at high volumes. The flexible design and spacious sound make this Logitech suited to life by the pool, but it guzzled six AA-size batteries in a mere 6hr, and indoors it proved a poor relation to the Yamaha.

RADIO DAYS

Altec Lansing IM600 – typically £106, or £88.50 from www.komplett.co.uk

Compact and flexible, but cheap plastic finish

Press a button on this unusual 2in-thick slab and a iPod dock neatly pops out. Sit the gloss-black IM600 upright, swipe a finger across its touch-sensitive controls and a small LCD shows which source is selected: iPod, auxiliary, or built-in FM radio. This 11in x 6in system could slip into a suitcase and, at 900g, weighs less than it looks. Its best feature, though, is the rechargeable battery that played for more than 8hr and a power supply with travel adaptors. The IM600 sounded decent: clearer than the Logitech, albeit without the same punch, and equal in volume. The FM radio also proved handy and the “SFX booster” feature widened the stereo sound without improving it. However, the soft plastic finish felt flimsy and it scratched easily. A convenient and economic choice, then, but ultimately an uninspiring one.

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