Altec Lansing has always been known to produce quality speakers at affordable prices. While the speakers may have sounded great, Altec Lansing wasn’t much of an innovator. Their speaker aesthetics, although professional, were standard to the ones from every other manufacturer in the market. However, that changed when the company decided to deliver speaker sets for notebook computers, Apple’s iPod and eventually the remaining portable audio market. While it took Altec Lansing sometime to come up with something that was truly extraordinary, their latest line of portable speakers may be a milestone for the company.

The Altec Lansing iM4 speakers are designed for pretty much any device in the market; this could be an MP3 player, a portable DVD player or even a notebook computer. Despite the support for such a vast variety of multimedia appliances, perhaps the most exciting feature of iM4 is that it only requires a single cable for operation. In fact, it only needs two pairs of AA batteries for you to enjoy the plethora of multimedia activities. Instead of just you listening to the music, you can now have an entire group listen to something on the go.

The aesthetics of the iM4 are better than anything Altec Lansing has ever introduced. The system supports two (total of four) 25mm neodymium drivers on each satellite with the overall system response time between 60Hz and 20kHz.

According to Altec Lansing, the iM4 has 18 hours of battery life with four AA batteries that are inserted in the back of the unit. It features a retractable cable and rubberized base, which makes the system even more portable and gripping than it already is. Weighing in at only 28 ounces, it is lightweight with dual inputs that will allow you to connect up to two portable audio devices at any given time.

Perhaps the most exciting claim that Altec Lansing makes is the support for deep sounding bass without a separate subwoofer, thanks to its MaxxBass technology. Altec Lansing’s MaxxBass technology allocates the sound via the speakers, in return removing the need for a separate subwoofer.

Altec Lansing’s suggested retail for this unit is $99.99, however, a quick search revealed the price range between $70.00 and $150.00. Admirably, the company may have come up with a great line of portable speakers. If what Altec Lansing claims is true, it may very well be a successor in this highly innovative line. Thus far, very few companies have managed to come up with quality portable speakers and with the mobile industry on the rise; Altec Lansing could take advantage of this, assuming they remain true to quality.

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