SAMSUNG DA-E550 10 iPod Docking Station
Review: SAMSUNG DA-E550 10 iPod Docking Station Review
Pros:
Works With iPhone in Phone Mode.
Small and Portable.
LCD Display Screen.
I love that gag Patton Oswalt does about the world of the 1990’s. Basically (you can Youtube it if you’re interested), Patton wishes that he could travel back in time and meet himself in the early 90’s, (although he has no higher purpose in mind than to show off his iPod and big up President Obama). It’s a clever little bit of comedy writing though, and really serves to highlight just how far consumer technology has come in the last twenty years or so.
So, with that in mind, we Present the Samsung DA-E550, but is it the herald of a brave new world, or an ill-conceived dystopian nightmare? Our reviewer, armed with only a pocket watch and a handwritten note that says something about not trusting the aliens, aims to find out...
Introduction
This dock is shaped like something you’d expect to find Dino burying in the Flintstone’s back yard. With a long, awkward design akin to a curving cylinder, the Samsung DA-E550 is clearly not specifically travel friendly.
The dual speakers, situated at either end of the dock, are facing slightly off-centre, like a pair of lazy eyes that just don’t seem to be that focused. The speakers use 2 separate channels and employ ‘Power Bass’, which is a plus if, like me, you enjoy the lower frequencies at the forefront of your music (and yet find them sorely lacking on most iPod docks).
Despite making a big deal of having ‘The World’s First Dual Docking System’ (insert Sonic 2’s ‘Extra Life’ tune here), this boast amounts to little more than being compatible with both the Samsung Galaxy series and the various iPod/iPhone players, most people, of course, would have one rather than both. I feel that this makes that claim slightly redundant.
Micro USB and the DA-E550’s ability to play MP3, WAV and WMA files are all very welcome features, but are they enough to justify the price tag? Lets find out.
At £129, this is one of the more expensive docks on the market. To be perfectly honest, it feels like an inflated price tag. So what is it you’re paying for, exactly?
Hardware / Design
The Samsung DA-E550 is surprisingly lightweight (weighing just 100KG) and is exceptionally easy to set up. Just plug it in, slap on your device and start playing.
The remote control is a nice feature, with a modern looking design and clearly labeled buttons. The range is quite good as well, as the Samsung DA-E550 will still pick up the remote from the other end of a good-sized room.
The sound is generally good, but perhaps not as good as you might expect. When you look at this product, it seems as if it has been scientifically designed for maximum audio effect, after all, why else would it be such a stupid shape? The design job conjures images of bespectacled people in lab coats holding clipboards and testing sound reproduction in some sort of sterile, futuristic setting. In truth, that seems to be what Samsung’s marketing department wants us to think. If there is some scientific impetus for shaping a speaker set like a crap boomerang and making it difficult to transport in the process, I can’t hear it.
The sound is good, don’t get me wrong; the bass notes are rich and clear and vocals come through especially nicely, but they just don’t come through to the tune of £129, if you take my meaning.
In addition, the connector is just sort of ‘there’ and isn’t really protected at all from dust or accidental damage. Far cheaper models from Edifier, Gear 4 and Phillips (amongst others), have all found simple, low-tech ways of protecting the connector and for this price, I expect the same from Samsung.
Conclusion:
The truth is that there are better speakers available at half the price (or less) and many of these speakers are easier to transport as well. The selling point that it will play Apple products as well as Samsung products just isn’t strong enough to save it and the speakers, though generally not bad, simply aren’t as good as you can expect for the price.
Overall, this is a decent little number that should certainly be an option when it comes down in price, but until then, I’d look elsewhere.
£129.99
£149.99
£149.99
£149.99
£149.99
£149.99
NB! Confirm the retailer's price and product information prior to making your purchase.
Was: £149.99
Now: £129.99
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Customer Reviews
Honest reviews of the SAMSUNG DA-E550 10 iPod Docking Station from previous customers
At the time of writing, no one on Amazon has reviewed this product yet, so its time to leave our comfort zone and venture elsewhere to see how the world is taking to the Samsung DA-E550. Reviews for this product are scarce at best; in fact, even the official Samsung website lacks them.
Youtuber ‘Bart Stec’ posted a very short video review, commenting that reviews online are few and far between (a review on CNet.com consists of nothing more than photos and a short caption, for example), but praised the WiFi and the design, whilst conceding that the sound wasn’t actually able to fill a big room.
Whilst you’re on Youtube, if you want to get an idea of dimensions and playability, Youtube user ‘Zzagama’ has posted a short introduction video that you may find useful (be warned, however, the sound is hideous). Aside from that, there’s not a lot else out there, I’m afraid.
We encourage you to read them prior to making your final purchasing decision.