Chestnut Hill Sound George

If you think you've seen it all in the crowded iPod dock market, then Chestnut Hill Sound's oddly monikered George might be the only thing left with a wow factor.
 
The $549 price is certainly enough to cause shock, but equally impressive is the pricey product's well-conceived detachable remote and the big, big sound that emanates from the plain white case.
 
Your iPod (fourth generation and above, with dock connector) sits snugly into the top of this shoebox-sized device; like other manufacturers, Chestnut Hill Sound provides a handful of plastic adapters to accommodate various iPod sizes. The George's dimpled white top isn't much to look at, but you'll quickly be distracted by the sound.
 
The remote is the centerpiece of these speakers and fits snugly into the unit but releases quickly with the press of a button. The screen may not be in color, but it is large and clear; there's no mistaking the readout, even from a distance. Track information and the time and date are all displayed. A large wheel makes scrolling a breeze, and navigating through large libraries is easy with the eight numbered buttons above the wheel, which dynamically correspond to letters of the alphabet. This allows you to quickly leap from artists whose names begin with C, for example, to those that begin with Y. Such functions don't merely replicate Apple's famed interface; they arguably improve it.
 
The remote is crucial to the George's operation for reasons beyond simple convenience. While the standard location for an iPod speaker unit is close to the user-a desk or nightstand, for example-this unit is better placed at a distance from your listening position. The subwoofer and more powerful speakers sound best when you're at least five feet away. Consequently, the George now ships with a standalone charging dock for the remote (for $50 extra), which lasts about three hours on a charge.
 
In an average-sized bedroom or larger space, the George has room to shine. You can adjust the EQ settings and tweak the subwoofer via a rear-mounted dial to obtain optimal tone balance. We found the sound consistently large, present, and very detailed, much more so than any other iPod dock we've used.
 
The remote also grants access to other features, like the AM/FM tuner. Slight touches enhance the radio experience. For example, the radio bands wrap, meaning you can scroll right through the end of the FM bands to reach the AM bands. Four banks of station presets are available, and all presets clearly display the station associated with each. You can program up to five alarms to sound a tone, activate the radio, or locate and play specific songs in your iPod's library. Like all of the George's other functions, setting alarm details is done intuitively through the remote. An auxiliary input enables you to connect non-Apple players or older iPods, with great-sounding results.
 
Further functional enhancements will take place via firmware updates, which Chestnut Hill Sound plans to implement regularly. Updating the George requires only a USB cable to connect the system to your Mac or PC.
 
If the plain white cover and gray grills are too dour, Chestnut Hill offers swappable aesthetic upgrades such as new speaker covers and all-wood wraps to replace the default white plastic. Installing a new wrap is easy-just remove a couple of screws-but paying the extra $75 might not be.
 
Some may argue that twice the price of a new iPod is too much to pay for an accessory. But we've seen no other dock or iPod-compatible receiver that provides the combination of sound and function available with the George. If your music library is centered on the iPod, this is one piece of equipment no discerning listener should dismiss. 

 

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