Friday, February 09, 2007
Cygnett GrooveTraveller nano FM transmitter for iPod mini review
Since UK legislation was passed allowing the sale of FM transmitters, many companies were quick to release their products to the market. Cygnett kindly sent me their in car plug in solution aimed at the nano. Available in black or white, the 1st gen nano seems like the perfect match but this product is aimed at the 2nd gen release.
Billed as a car kit, it is easy to see why when included in the package is a slim line plug in nano dock which is the FM transmitter base and keeps your iPod fully charged, a silicon case to keep your nano secure even under harsh vibrations and a stick in rubber insert to do the same job should prefer your nano to remain naked.
Using the GrooveTraveller is very simple; you just plug it into the car charger and then slide the nano into place. The small screen at the bottom of the dock shows the current FM broadcast frequency and two small buttons beside this allow you to move this frequency up or down to get a clear signal on your radio. Just plugging the unit into the car charger turns it on and at this point you will be able to pick up the iPod music on the frequency selected using the car radio. There are no presets for favourite frequencies however the last used frequency is automatically stored so this should prove to be essentially a plug and play device.
Performance during my testing was excellent; the GrooveTraveller performed flawlessly for me in two different cars and always provided a high sound quality even during relatively long trips. I used this set up as my main form of in car audio entertainment for over a month and was completely satisfied with the sound delivered. It remained very clear and almost entirely free of the audio artefacts that can affect such a broadcast like static; it really didn’t sound too far removed from a wired connection.
Durability seems assured with the good all-round construction, and the joint on the unit allows you to position your iPod in an eye friendly manner provided access to the car charger is not too restricted.
If you are in the market for a car based FM transmitter for your iPod, especially the nano, then the Cygnett makes a great choice. A simple, folding design makes this easy to hide away in a glove compartment when not in use and provides a great cradle / power solution for your iPod when it is required. More details are available from the Cygnett website.
Billed as a car kit, it is easy to see why when included in the package is a slim line plug in nano dock which is the FM transmitter base and keeps your iPod fully charged, a silicon case to keep your nano secure even under harsh vibrations and a stick in rubber insert to do the same job should prefer your nano to remain naked.
Using the GrooveTraveller is very simple; you just plug it into the car charger and then slide the nano into place. The small screen at the bottom of the dock shows the current FM broadcast frequency and two small buttons beside this allow you to move this frequency up or down to get a clear signal on your radio. Just plugging the unit into the car charger turns it on and at this point you will be able to pick up the iPod music on the frequency selected using the car radio. There are no presets for favourite frequencies however the last used frequency is automatically stored so this should prove to be essentially a plug and play device.
Performance during my testing was excellent; the GrooveTraveller performed flawlessly for me in two different cars and always provided a high sound quality even during relatively long trips. I used this set up as my main form of in car audio entertainment for over a month and was completely satisfied with the sound delivered. It remained very clear and almost entirely free of the audio artefacts that can affect such a broadcast like static; it really didn’t sound too far removed from a wired connection.
Durability seems assured with the good all-round construction, and the joint on the unit allows you to position your iPod in an eye friendly manner provided access to the car charger is not too restricted.
If you are in the market for a car based FM transmitter for your iPod, especially the nano, then the Cygnett makes a great choice. A simple, folding design makes this easy to hide away in a glove compartment when not in use and provides a great cradle / power solution for your iPod when it is required. More details are available from the Cygnett website.
