With the plethora of iPod docks and speaker systems available, it's becoming increasingly difficult for companies to come up with original ideas for products supporting the iPod. The Mirage OmniVibe is pretty much a stereotypical iPod speaker system, with one main difference -- its 20 watt "Ominipolar" speakers disperses sound 360 degrees from the unit -- front, back and sides -- to create a wider sound stage.
Design
Only available in black, the oval-shaped OmniVibe has a glossy piano-black base with a fabric covered top. Typically, the glossy black finish is a fingerprint magnet, so you'll want to keep a cloth nearby if you plan on picking the unit up and carrying it around with you. The iPod dock is recessed into the centre of the front of the unit and a soft dial in back of the dock adjusts to accommodate eight varying thicknesses of iPod bodies. At the back you'll find a rear jack pack to accept line signals from any audio device via a 3.5mm socket as well as a socket for a standard AC plug that easily detaches from the player. There is no battery pack, so un-powered portability is not an option. A credit-card sized remote control is also included.
Performance
As noted before, the speakers in the OmniVibe fire upwards to disperse sound in all directions. With the speakers positioned at a near horizontal level, the spacious sound field from the unit can be heard well no matter where it is placed in the room. This sets it apart from most other units that have vertically mounted speakers, where you have to be positioned in front of them to get the best sound. The horizontal positioning does have one downside, however, in that you lose some volume from the system into the ceiling and surrounding furniture.
Music from the OmniVibe was quite pleasurable to listen to and the unit had a well rounded bass response which gave our test music a great rich sound. Despite this, higher frequencies lacked vibrancy and seemed a little consumed by the strong bass, which could be credited to not having separate speaker drivers for high and low frequencies.
This unit will appeal to people who enjoy listening to rock and pop music, as its warm bass helps make these genres really shine. But its true niche is for those who are after a 360-degree sound field. We're not sure who this group is -- aerobics instructors, perhaps -- but the Mirage OmniVibe is best suited to pumping out music in all directions in a large room.
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