What Hi-Fi? Verdict
It's still a worthy product, but close rivals have gained the edge
Pros
- +
Lossless wireless transmission
- +
great sound for a dock
- +
sensibly small transmitter
Cons
- -
Bass is a touch detached
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We bestowed our ‘Best Dock System £100-£300' Award on Yamaha's PDX-50 only three months ago, so its reduction to four-star status will surprise many.
Luckily, we can reassure any owners that the PDX-50, in some ways, remains among the best dock systems around this price.
It's certainly the most convenient to use. The bulk of other docks in this price bracket include remote controls of varying quality, but the Yamaha transforms your iPod itself into a remote control: attach the little transmitter to the bottom of your player and it sends music wirelessly to the dock.
It's a stable, elegant solution and, for us, it makes the PDX-50 one of the most desirable shop-floor propositions around.
Sonically, though, the Yamaha's exposed by leading rivals. It offers good scale, energy and drive. But a slightly detached bass and relatively flimsy treble are apparent alongside competitors such as B&W's Zeppelin Mini and the Bose SoundDock II.
Of course, some of these are more expensive and don't have the Yamaha's winningly wireless configuration: if those factors sway you, you'll find the PDX-50 a gregarious companion.
But where out-and-out sound quality is concerned, there are very serious alternatives.
