Not all iPod speaker systems are built to look the same, and JBL, a brand of Harman Multimedia, takes design notions to eye-opening ends with its unusual but impressive-sounding JBL Radial Micro.

The JBL Radial Micro, as the name implies, comes in a small radial design that weighs slightly more than a pound. A built-in iPod dock rests in the middle of the radial body and there are no visible controls on the front side except for two silver volume buttons. The power button is instead located in the back--a minor annoyance--as are ports for power, USB connectivity for synching your iPod with iTunes, line in for playback of another portable audio device and video out for displaying iPod video and digital photos on a larger screen.

The circular design of the Radial Micro seems to work to its advantage, producing nice sound in the high, mid and low ranges. There's no dedicated subwoofer but the bass still comes out clean, as does the volume when turned up to high levels. Total system power is 2x10 watts at one-percent THD via four Odyssey transducers.

Speaking of the remote, we found the JBL Radial Micro remote extremely useful at controlling a variety of iPod functions in a market where many remotes only control play, volume and track changes. The Micro remote actually lets you power up and down the iPod as well as navigating on-screen menus. It should be noted, however, there is no power button for the Radial Micro itself on the remote.

Other features we liked with the JBL Radial Micro include provided iPod dock adapters to give a variety of iPods a snug fit, a 3.5mm auxiliary cable, remembering your previous volume settings when you turn the speaker dock back on and charging of the iPod while it is docked in the system.

The JBL Radial Micro takes an unusual design and makes it work. While its artistic appearance may not appeal to all, its great sound will definitely turn heads.

Pros: Great sound, iPod charging, advanced iPod function control
Cons: Lack of power button on frontside, lack of Radial power button on remote