Logic3 JiveBox review: Logic3 JiveBox

The Logic3 JiveBox is a curious system. It's square, for one thing and it manages to incorporate a 2.1 speaker setup. It's also aimed at iPod users, thanks to the integrated dock, but a line-in socket allows it to work with any audio device you see fit.  The Jivebox is currently available for £129.

7.5

Logic3 JiveBox

The Good

General sound quality; build; price; design; good bass; loud.

The Bad

Mid-range can be a bit muddy; bass radiator easily damaged.

The Bottom Line

For the price, Logic3's JiveBox is a very attractive speaker option. It sounds great even at high volumes and bass performance is impressive. It's by no means one for the audiophiles due to the lack of separation between channels, but for 95 per cent of potential buyers, it's a corker

Strengths
One of the most notable aspects of the JiveBox's design, aside from the fact that it's a perfect cube, is its excellent build quality. It's a solid, weighty piece of kit, supported by sturdy rubber feet. The simplistic design is attractive, with just power and volume controls set into the front. A glowing colour strip is etched around the entire mid-section of the system, emanating a distinct 80s vibe.

Beneath the detachable mesh sit five speakers: a pair of 75mm drivers, a pair of 25mm tweeters and an 130mm subwoofer, backed up by a passive radiator underneath the system. Some clever circuitry gives this sub a massive injection of bonus oomph that far exceeds what you'd expect to hear from a setup of this size.

This is a tuned radiator, and it works very well

Similarly, for such a small set of speakers, sound quality is very good, and maximum volume is impressively high. We pumped some classic Red Hot Chili Peppers into the JiveBox, notably 'Funky Monks' from 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Our first thought was how bright drummer Chad Smith's cymbals were and how generally crisp highs sounded. This was noted again during playback of Dream Theater's terrific track 'Stream Of Consciousness'.

Pendulum's bass-driven club track 'Tarantula'showed off bass capabilities of the JiveBox and again we were impressed. You wouldn't imagine a system similar in size to a human head could physically make the floor of a room rumble. Not only that, but bass was clean and free of distortion up to very high levels.

Weaknesses
While most audible aspects of the JiveBox are positive, there are some minor flaws. Firstly, we noted some muddiness in the mid range: guitars sounded occasionally less prominent and snares lacked the attack they enjoy on other systems. Due to the speaker drivers all being so close together, separation between the left and right channels borders on non-existent.

Look at those swanky buttons and that retro 80s light strip

Also, the sub's radiator is rather inconveniently integrated. It sits only millimetres from the base of the unit and there's nothing protecting it from accidental damage when being carried. A warning printed on the radiator itself explicitly advises you not to touch it. This wouldn't be much of an issue, but also underneath are inputs for power, audio and iPod cables, meaning hands and fingers may often come into contact with it.

Finally, be sure to pick up a cloth if you invest in a JiveBox -- it picks up fingerprints like an astute forensic investigator.

Conclusion
If we spent £129 on this system, we wouldn't feel cheated. It's loud, it sounds good and it's got looks to match. While it suffers certain flaws, such as a slightly muddy mid-range, we're confident 95 per cent of people in the market for speakers like this won't be disappointed.

If you want more separation between your audio channels and almost equally good sound, check out Griffin's Amplifi. It's larger but remains one of our favourite iPod speaker systems and it's £50 cheaper than the JiveBox, too.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday