JVC NX-D2--Massive shelf system doubles down on iPod access

(Credit: JVC)

Once upon a time, having an iPod dock was considered a great upgrade to any audio system. But now that iPod compatibility is par for the course, speaker systems are distinguishing themselves from the pack by doubling down on them. JVC was one of the first to offer dual iPod docks on one device with the JVC NX-PN7, but now the company has supersized the concept with the NX-D2. It's a brawny shelf system that boasts 230 watts of power and a three-way (woofer/midrange/tweeter) speaker design. In addition to the dual iPod docks, the NX-D2 also offers an AM/FM tuner and a CD player, and it supports digital audio playback from USB drives (USB Host). Also notable is the remote, which is said to duplicate the iPod's iconic control wheel. The NX-D2 will hit store shelves by the end of January, but the cost of owning the slick-looking stereo is a relatively high $400. If that's too rich for your blood, consider the smaller step-down UX-F3 model, which will hit at half that price in May 2010.