OTHER TECH

CANTON DSS 303

In a few ways, the Canton Digital Sound Station stands out from the other docks in this roundup. For starters, it's pearly white in a sea of black competitors. (Okay, goth gurus, it does come in black, too.) It also more clearly takes its minimalist styling cues from the iPod. Apple's gadget always impressed me as a solid device; the DSS 303 immediately gave me that same feeling. It's relatively heavy, lending a reassurance of tremendous build quality. Another nice impression: The Canton's white, backlighted display matches the classic one of the iPod.

The DSS 303 covers the mundane chores of a clock radio. Stubbornly Euro, the clock tells 24-hour time; conveniently, it will function for an hour after a power outage. The alarm uses the most recently selected source (radio or iPod) and retains the last volume setting. The FM-only radio has 20 presets.

The protruding (non-retractable) dock is front and center. The "button" on the panel behind the dock is actually a padded screw. Turn it in or out to find the best place to rest your iPod - simple yet clever. I also liked having the controls (four buttons) on the upper side of the dock; the already heavy unit doesn't slide away when you press them. Whether or not it's turned on, the DSS 303 charges your iPod while docked. Alone among its peers in this review group, the Canton has a fully functioning USB port (and included cable). This lets you connect the docked iPod to your computer and sync to iTunes. Excellent! Also included are seven well adapters.

On the back of the unit (as sparse as its front), you'll find a stereo analog-audio input, a USB port, and a connector for an FM antenna. The remote - guess what - is clean and uncluttered, and white. Because the dock itself is so stripped down, you'll need the remote to control things like track skip and fast-forward/reverse; otherwise, you can control them from the iPod itself. Curiously, the remote has a stereo/mono button. This doesn't seem like a necessity, but I suppose it could be useful for cleaning up some noisy radio-station reception.

The DSS 303 is small, but its two coax drivers delivered surprisingly big sound. More important, the sound quality was excellent. Vocals were very natural, and there was good detail on instruments. The unit was a bit bass-shy (although its upper-bass response was punchy and tight), but the midrange and high end were very good. The maximum volume level was quite loud, and the sound held together well. Vocals and guitars did become strident at this level, but distortion was well controlled, and the result was loud and still listenable.

In styling and function, the DSS 303 is a true iPod mothership. Much like the 'Pod itself, the Canton is simple and elegant, and it does everything well. Its USB port is the perfect perk, letting you sync while charging. This is an impressive dock.