Manufacturer: Psyclone
Price: $199.99
Requirements: PSP (1st Generation) for use of dock

The PlayStation Portable's built-in speakers are lacking if you want to listen to movies or music from more than a few feet away. While there are many PSP accessory speakers available, Psyclone advertises that their Nodus Sound System is "completely better than the rest," offering "crisp, clear audio" with signal processing and a Class-T amplifier. With a MSRP of $199.99, this product is more expensive than many other quality multimedia speaker systems. Between the promotional statements and the price, there was a lot to live up to when we started this review.

The Nodus all-in-one speaker unit measures 18"W x 6.75"H x 7"D. The design and finish create a good first impression with clean lines, a curved metal speaker grill in the front, and the rest encased in shiny black resin that visually compliments the PSP. The back has a 2" sub-woofer port, below which are inputs for a "brick-on-a-rope" power supply and an included 6' auxiliary audio cable. Buttons for speaker power and volume are located on the right side of the unit.

The handheld fits well in the cradle and is connected via the audio, remote, and power ports. There is still space around the top and sides of the PSP to access buttons and switches. The Nodus keeps the PSP battery charged while docked, even when the speakers are powered off.

The 9-button remote jointly controls speaker volume, input source, and PSP playback but it does not control PSP power. A docked PSP must be turned on or off manually, so it's a good thing there is space to access the power switch. Even with space to access the PSP buttons and switches, there is no practical way to play PSP games when the handheld is docked with the Nodus. The PSP must be connected with the auxiliary audio cable when playing games, and because of the cable length that also restricts game use to within six feet of the Nodus system. For more gaming freedom, longer cables are easily purchased at most electronics retailers.

Different volume settings are saved for the auxiliary and PSP inputs, and speaker output defaults to the auxiliary source if there is no PSP detected in the cradle. The speakers automatically power off after ten minutes when not in use.

We were surprised by the aesthetic impact of the Nodus design, since all photos we had previously seen didn't do it justice. Once the PSP was docked, everything was visually balanced with the PSP display centered and framed. There was obvious attention to detail during Nodus development, making it one of the few PSP accessories that emphasizes the handheld's style and capabilities. The combined Nodus and PSP compliment each other well.

The newer PSP-2001, often referred to as the "PSP Slim" or "PSP Lite," does not fit into the cradle due to changes in the handheld's size, port placement, and port design. We contacted Psyclone to find out if an adapter for the PSP Slim was available, and their rapid response demonstrated excellent customer service (even if the answer was disappointing). "Because Sony decided to change the inputs on the Slim, there won't be any way we can make it adaptable and still fit in [the dock]." Owners of the new PSP must use the auxiliary audio cable, which while functional doesn't take advantage of the elegance of the Nodus design and PSP integration.

Audio Quality

The front speakers are 9" apart, so channel separation is limited and best when listening closer to and directly in front of the unit. Because of this, the Nodus should be classified as bookshelf speakers — it works well in an office, bedroom, or dormitory and easily fills a small-to-medium sized room with decent audio. The output is loud enough to bring complaints from neighbors, but fall shorts of functioning as the primary sound system for a living room.

With output at average volumes, audio is clear and balanced. Unlike many less expensive speaker accessories, the mid-range frequencies are as defined and coherent as the extremes. Bass response is strong, but it doesn't overpower the rest of the audio.

Performance at increased volumes varies based on music selection and encoding quality. There are fewer compression artifacts with MP3s encoded at higher bit-rates or with more advanced codecs — and to be expected, distortion from lower quality sources can be annoying with louder playback. Bass-heavy sources such as techno or dance can also distort badly, however problems typically disappear by decreasing volume just a few notches.

Results: Good

The Psyclone Nodus is a well-designed speaker system that compliments the PSP both in appearance and performance. The audio output is impressive for a compact sound system, and when close enough to see the PSP's screen it makes a great mini-entertainment center.

While it is good energy conservation for the speakers to power off after ten minutes, this feature makes the Nodus difficult for use as computer speakers with the auxiliary input. There is no power indicator light, nor is there any visual indicator for which audio input is selected. The only way to figure out if the speakers are on is to crank up the volume and switch between input sources until audio is detected. It would be welcome to either have the ability to deactivate the auto power-off feature or visual indicators for power and input source.

PSP "Slim" owners have less reason to purchase the Nodus, since there is no way to dock their handheld and take advantage of the combined visual design between the speakers and newer PSP model. Because PSP-2000 owners must use the auxiliary audio cable and not the Nodus dock, it is suggested they include other quality multimedia speaker systems before making a purchase.

Even at the MSRP of $199.99, the Nodus is comparable to high-quality, equally-expensive iPod speaker accessories. The product lives up to the advertising, however at full price it is a little difficult to justify purchase when there are many high-performance multimedia speakers available for less. Fortunately, the Nodus is often available online for sale at a significant discount. When purchased for $125 or less, the Nodus is an unbeatable value.