How to Connect Headphones and Portable Speakers to Your iPod

Apple designed the iPod and iPhone to provide excellent sound through headphones. However, from the headphone/line-out connection, the iPod or iPhone can also play music through portable speaker systems. The speaker systems must be self-powered or able to work with very little power (like headphones) and allow audio to be input via a 3.5mm, stereo mini-plug connection.

Looking at specs, you’ll notice that iPod and iPhone models include a small amplifier that’s plenty powerful enough to deliver audio through the headphone/line-out connection. All current models, including the iPod shuffle, have a frequency response of 20 to 20,000 Hz (hertz), which provides distortion-free music at the lowest or highest pitches. At pitches that produce frequencies of 20 cycles per second or 20,000 cycles per second, the iPod or iPhone responds with distortion-free sound.

Portable speaker systems typically include built-in amplifiers and a volume control, and they usually offer a stereo mini-plug that you can attach directly to the iPod or iPhone headphone/line-out connection or to a dock headphone/line-out connection. (Some portable speaker systems, such as the iBoom Travel or DLO Portable Speakers from DLO, or the Bose SoundDock Portable, provide a convenient dock connection for playing audio.) To place the external speakers farther away from the iPod or iPhone, use a stereo mini-plug extension cable, which is available at most consumer electronics stores. These cables have a stereo mini-plug on one end and a stereo mini-socket on the other.

The i-Fusion from Sonic Impact provides a dock and speakers for the road.

For a portable stereo system that offers big sound on a rechargeable battery and is perfect for environments like the beach or a boat, check out the i-Fusion or i-P23 speaker systems from Sonic Impact. The i-Fusion includes universal adapters for all dockable iPod models and an audio input connection for connecting your computer or an audio player. The double-duty case is a durable cover that acts as a speaker cabinet for both speakers, to give the speakers better bass response.