Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere review (black)

Logitech hasn't deviated from the color scheme of the mm50, offering the Pure-Fi Anywhere in black and white versions. The high-gloss finish doesn't exactly match the metallic hues of the latest crop of iPods, but the brushed-silver trim should go nicely. The overall look of this unit doesn't deviate greatly from that of its predecessor, but there are some noticeable design differences. First, each of the four speakers (two 2-inch Max-X active, high-excursion drivers and two 3-inch pressure drivers) is covered by its own circular grille, whereas the entire face of the mm50 was covered by one grille. Also, the Pure-Fi Anywhere's onboard controls, which reside along the top edge of the speaker, are square and rest flush with the unit. Here, you'll find power, shuffle, and repeat keys; volume controls; and a Stereo XL (separation) button for creating a wider sound space.

If you prefer to control your music playback from afar--and "afar" to you means about 15 feet within direct line of sight--Logitech includes an IR remote to that end. Despite its distance limitations, we're digging the remote. You get the usual--power, shuffle/repeat, and stereo separation keys, along with a five-way playback control pad with play/pause, volume, and track shuttle buttons--but then there's another handy circular pad that lets you step in and out of the iPod's menus. We first came across this with the Cambridge SoundWorks Playdock i and are happy to see that more companies are catching on to this handy feature.

Like its blueprint, the Pure-Fi Anywhere is a solid performer. In fact, the new unit is even better, since it doesn't suffer from the same high-volume distortion as the mm50. In testing, the high-end clarity was nice--triangles and high-hats sparkled over the mids without making things sound too bright. Vocals were warm and buttery, while bass response was tight. Bass is a bit more present through the Anywhere than it was through the mm50, and it's certainly respectable for a portable unit, though it's not going to blow anyone's clothes off. The stereo separation feature did its job, noticeably widening the sound field, though whether it made things sound better is a matter of opinion. The rated battery life of 10 hours is adequate, and we appreciate the fact that the battery is of the built-in rechargeable variety.