When it comes to sound, Memorex PurePlay is pure junk

There are a ton of portable speaker systems for the iPhone, iPod and iTouch. Choosing one that will give you the most boom for your buck can leave even the techiest of characters in a purchasing stalemate.

These types of speaker systems are great for when you’re on the go. So when I saw this hard-cased, Memorex system with a streamlined design, I grabbed it off the shelf, forked over the $69.99 and continued on to the beach.

Now, I haven’t had good experiences with Memorex, so I was wary of this product from the get-go. But I was lured by the sleek design. With a hard-cased clam shell that points the speakers forward for optimal sound direction, an easy-to-use volume dial, a large power button, a line in input and DC power adapter, this product has it all.

What it doesn’t have is sound quality.

I listen to a lot of music with heavy bass and often sharp staccato mid- and high-range sound. This speaker system made every DJ set I listened to sound like it was being played in a plastic bag.

I originally thought that this might have been the result of a manufacturer defect, so I returned it and got a new one. No luck. It had the same crummy sound quality. Needless to say, I took it back for an alternative product more focused on sound quality.

Bottom Line: The system is good if all you care about is having a rugged product that can be taken anywhere. But with such bad sound quality, this little portable speaker is better left on the shelf. Go with the iHome Portable Stereo Case for Apple priced at the same $69.99.