CES 2008: Kicker ZK500 Zune Speaker Dock

This is an interview with Brian Ganz from Kicker, and he walks me through the features of the new ZK500 Zune speaker dock. This video was taken at CES 2008 in the very noisy car audio section, so the audio isn't as clear as it could have been.

Check out Zune Thoughts ( http://www.zunethoughts.com ) for Zune news and reviews.

- Jason Dunn

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• zune
• kicker
• speaker
• dock
• bass
• jason
• dunn
• CES
• 2008

[huntinocs]

i am lookin into gettin one of these for my zune but i dont understand something. on the kicker website it says passive radiator and it also says sub woofer. so my question is: what is the difference between the two and what is the thing on the back a pr or a sub woofer? i would appreciate the help

[ThoughtsMedia]

@huntinocs I honestly don't know enough about speaker construction to understand the difference....all I can tell you is that it has very impressive bass for the size. Go to Zune Thoughts and read my review of it.

- Jason

[fernie8691]

can i leave it on all night? like if i want to sleep with it on for example?

[ThoughtsMedia]

@fernie8691 No, it needs to be turned off at night so the tiny robots inside it that play the music can get their rest.

- Jason

[heysesar]

Ok Jason. May be you´re right about sound quality and the chances that files are erased because of vibrations. I take back my words on that. But my Zune doesn´t work in the docking bay. All I get from it is a noise like a scratch or something like that. I have to plug it in the Aux In port. I contacted Kicker´s Customer Service and they say there´s nothing they can do, because I´m in Venezuela and they don´t have dealers in this country. Do you have any idea to help me solve that problem?

[ThoughtsMedia]

@heysesar Well, a defective product is a defective product, and it sucks that they can't help you...but where did you buy it from then if they have no dealers in your country? Can't you return it for a refund from wherever you bought it from?

- Jason

[gbryan32]

Yes, the iK/ZK500 are both better than the Apple Hi-Fi, which is discontinued from Apple. The KICKER models have independent tweeters, woofers and the subwoofer on the back, which makes it sound a lot better in trebble and bass response. I like all types of music on the Kicker! Hip-Hop rocks with detailed and defined bass.

[MobileSpies]

@ThoughtsMedia Damn those unionized robots...

[JimLaddie]

With both the "Auxiliary Line In" & the "Lines out", that would make a pretty decent stage monitor for someone like me. Plus, use karaoke tracks (via the mixer or the Zune) for backing and you've got yourself a decent piece of equipment there.

I saw a similar box in Future Shop with a DVD player on board.

[mrbling888]

@fernie8691 yea bro i leave mine on for days with music playiing it dosent heat up or anything its great it is the 1 and all way will be the worlds best ipod or zune docking sttion

[tomato098]

@ThoughtsMedia You can use the jack at the back to plug in any mp3 or sound output device and it will work with that.