Psyclone PSC99 Nodus PSP Speaker System

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Design : 9.0
  Features : 5.0
  Performance : 5.0
  Overall score: 6.3 (3.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  David Carnoy
• Edited by:
  John P. Falcone
• Reviewed on: 11/02/2006
• Released on: 09/15/2006

There are dozens of iPod speaker systems on the market, but the roster of PSP-centric speakers is pretty spare, and the majority of them are designed for mobile use. Since the PSP is first and foremost a handheld gaming device, it's not surprising that home-style PSP speaker systems are few and far between. But some folks do use their PSPs to listen to music, so it's perfectly reasonable to expect a company to take a crack at making the PSP version of the Bose SoundDock.

That company happens to be Psyclone, and the product--which has been officially endorsed by Sony--is called the Nodus, and it carries a list price of $200. Measuring 6.63 inches high by 15 wide by 7.5 deep and weighing 5 pounds, the compact shelf system indeed has a dock, but it's a little different from your standard iPod dock because it's not located on the top. Instead, the speaker surrounds the entire PSP, essentially framing it. Getting your PSP into the speaker isn't too tricky but a little finesse involved. You have to tilt the dock, line up the speaker's audio input and power connector with the corresponding jacks on your PSP, then push the dock in so that it's flush with the speaker. It's very much like inserting an audio tape into a cassette deck--remember those?--only slightly more difficult.

Once you get your PSP docked--it charges while cradled in the device--you'll be pretty impressed with how it looks sitting in its speaker frame. We've seen a lot of iPod speaker systems and few, if any, make the iPod look as cool as the PSP does when mounted in the Nodus. From a design standpoint, the Nodus is definitely a winner. Perched on a shelf or a table in a minimalist setting, it's going to get some props--the thing is a sleek piece of gear. But in other respects--namely, performance--the Nodus is decidedly more average.

Don't get us wrong--it sounds OK. But with Psyclone's talk of a "Class-T technology" and the "world-renowned T-amp from Sonic Impact," we expected a little more. Like a lot of these compact speaker systems that feature closely positioned speakers, there isn't much in the way of stereo separation, making the ideal listening position about three feet away from the speaker. Sit further back or off to the sides, and you'll notice the system doesn't sound quite the same. If you are standing across the room, you can use the system's small remote to raise and lower the PSP's volume and skip back and forward between tracks, but that's about it.

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