It seems every time I turn around somebody has introduced another iPod speaker system. In fact, so many look alike it's refreshing to find one that isn't like the others.The Tango X2 from XtremeMac has a lot going for it, with a feature or two that other systems don't have.

The Tango X2 is about the size of a shoebox. The body is matte black plastic with chrome accents.

There is an iPod dock on top, and the front is covered by a black metal speaker grille. The grille is dominated by a silver dollar-size click wheel that controls volume as well as input source.

Inside you'll find five speakers – two full-range speakers, two tweeters and one subwoofer that ports out the back.

One feature I haven't seen before is an LCD display hidden behind the speaker grille. When the X2 is turned off, the display is completely hidden, but powered on, it's very readable. The display fades to black when it's not in use.

The $149 Tango X2 works with iPods with a dock connector as well as iPhones (in airplane mode) and any other audio source with a headphone jack through an aux-in port on the back.

The Tango X2 also has an AM/FM tuner with six presets. Two radio antennas are included and are necessary for clear reception.

A business card-size remote control has the usual features of volume and music navigation within a playlist. There are also buttons on the remote to control bass and treble levels.

So how does it sound?

In a word, terrific.

I used my iPhone as a source and played different types of music including live recordings and studio tracks, and I could always adjust the tone to my liking.

The Tango X2 gets plenty loud, and it keeps the sound crisp at those higher volumes.

The X2 sounds as good as or better than systems that cost twice as much.

Its clear sound and full features make it a front-runner in its category and worth a hard look if you're in the market.Pros: Good-looking, clear display, great sound

Cons: I wish it had an alarm clock.

Cost: $149

Bottom line: A worthy competitor and a nice price.

www.xtrememac.com