DICE joins ranks of audiophile dock makers

DICE Electronics has announced an upcoming iPod dock, the iTPA-220. DICE's entry however is aimed at the luxury audiophile market, and as a result, its pre-amplifier system relies on two 6N3 vacuum tubes, which are said to produce a "warmer" sound than is possible with transistors. The speakers meanwhile tap 20W of power each, and have a frequency range between 40Hz and 18KHz, fed through one-inch tweeters and four-inch bass drivers. Enhancing sound further is the use of wood in the acoustic structure.

Though DICE has not said which particular iPods the 220 supports, it should fit several sizes, and a video output is present for fifth-generation players. If a device does not fit in the dock proper, an auxiliary input allows sound from the likes of computers and non-Apple media players. The 220 should ship in mid-September, bundled with a remote for $299.