The crazy, and crazy-expensive iXoost iPod audio docks first hit the market in 2012, and now the company has announced a new model, the XiLO 5.1. This time it comes complete with Bluetooth for connection to any smartphone or tablet. The docks are created using the same materials and techniques seen in the exhaust systems fitted to F1 racing cars, and the visual effect is quite astounding.
According to iXoost, the XiLO 5.1 “reproduces the technical perfection of the exhaust of a 10-cylinder Formula 1 engine.” The manifold has been tuned and treated to recall the distinctive sound of a single-seater racing car. Whether this translates into a brilliant sound remains to be seen, but as a work of art, the result is impressive. It’s also not clear from the press release if the new model is made using an actual F1 exhaust – like other iXoost models – or a reproduction of one.
A speaker has been fitted in each of the five forward-facing outlets, and a subwoofer is hidden in the birch wood stand. iXoost has fitted a frequency and gain control for the sub. Unlike other iXoost products, which relied on a dock for an iPod for music, the XiLO 5.1 has a Bluetooth 4.0 connection. This means any Bluetooth-equipped mobile device can feed it music, and not just a docked iPod.
It looks amazing, is technically impressive, and will probably make the ultimate gift for a car-mad, audiophile. All that’s missing is the price. iXoost says it’ll have the XiLO 5.1 up for sale very soon, but hasn’t officially revealed the cost. Its most cost-effective model currently available is a little over $6500, but if reports from Italy are anything to go by, this model will be less, at around 3,800 euros, or $4700. However, if it’s made with a real exhaust, expect this to only be the starting price.
