The Altec Lansing M602 is a one-piece Apple iPod speaker and dock, in the same vein as the Bose SoundDock and the Klipsch iGroove HG. Like the others, it is easy to move from room to room, but it requires AC power and can't run on batteries. The physical design is definitely different from the others; people seem to either love it or hate it, depending on personal taste, but at $199.95 direct, it's about $50 cheaper than the Bose and Klipsch products.

Most of the M602 is fairly flat, at 8.2 by 14 by 2.5 inches (HWD), but the base (including the iPod dock) is actually 5.4 inches deep. Housed in white plastic with silver plastic trim and a metal silver grille, the M602's speaker array consists of three full-range drivers and a pair of silk dome tweeters. The total power output is 60 watts. The unit is easy to take from room to room because it weighs only 5.2 pounds, but it requires AC power via the included wall plug. Along the top there are buttons for power, volume increase and decrease, bass, and treble. A blue LED behind the power button indicates power status, and you can adjust the volume using the increase and decrease buttons. If you press the bass or treble button, one of the two corresponding LEDs will light up, enabling you to adjust bass and treble with the increase and decrease buttons.

The universal dock on the base allows your dock connector-equipped Apple iPod to stand up in front of the speaker, using the grille as a backrest. Alternatively, you can place the included white plastic adapter over the dock and sit your non-Apple player on it, resting the player against a rubber pad on the adapter's backrest. An included line-in cable plugs into the Aux input on the back of the unit, and you can plug the other end into any audio source's headphone output. There are also headphone and power jacks, a composite-video output, and a mini USB 2.0 port on the back.

One distinguishing feature of the M602 is that it has three screw holes on the back, which let you mount the speaker on a wall. The wall-mount kit is optional, but get this: It's free except for a $3 shipping and handling fee (just visit Altec Lansing's Web site to order.) Altec Lansing should have simply included the small plastic bracket and screws in the box with the M602.

You can use the buttons on the top of the M602 to adjust volume and tone and control playback via your iPod, or you can use the small white infrared remote with the blister buttons to do both. I tested the remote in a large fluorescent-lit room and got a surprisingly short 17-foot range, though your results may vary depending on the surfaces and lighting in your listening room.

One of the best things about this speaker is that a series of five blue LEDs hidden behind the grille light up at varying intensities to indicate volume level; they also indicate bass and treble levels when you press the bass or treble button.

The overall sound quality of the M602 on its default settings is very good, with plenty of mid- and upper bass. The mids aren't as up-front as with the Bose SoundDock, but they have more presence than they do in the Klipsch iGroove HG. Highs sound somewhat veiled, though this is easily adjusted via the treble tone control. The overall balance at higher volumes is pleasant, but at lower volumes, some of the midrange disappears. Thanks to the tone controls, the M602's sound is somewhat more flexible than that of other one-piece speakers.

Output is strong enough for up to midsize rooms, but if you crank it up all the way, you will hear some distortion. I measured impressive sound pressure levels: 102 dB at 12 inches and 93 dB at 1 meter, using a pink-noise track. At those volumes my iPod nano rattled audibly against the speaker grill, although I didn't have this problem with the fifth-generation iPod. My advice: Put a small piece of cloth behind your nano.

The Altec Lansing M602 is a nice speaker. It would be nice if the remote had a longer range, and a battery power option would make it even more appealing. And of course, the free wall-mounting kit should have been included in the box. Although its sound quality is not the best in its class, the M602 is a good choice for a mid-size room if you're not willing to shell out for the better tone of the Apple iPod Hi-Fi or Bose SoundDock.