Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I read all the reviews about this product's problems, like its shorting out on the second day...but I didn't believe them. Maybe those reviewers were using it wrong. Maybe they were playing it too loud (I'm too old to listen to loud music, so I figured that wouldn't be an issue for me). Maybe their iPods were somehow the culprit. Lo and behold, mine did indeed short out on the second day. I got about 10 good minutes of use out of it the first day. Next day, I turned it on, and the speakers crackled even with the volume down low. And every time I hit either volume button I heard loud distortion. Basically, it is now useless. In short, this product is trash. Amazon would only offer me a refund - I guess I should be glad I won't have to get a replacement and go through the same thing all over again. JBL says 1% of their devices have these problems? Yeah, right. My advice: STAY AWAY from this defective piece of junk. And believe the reviews - they're actually true. I've learned my lesson. UPDATED 3/8/05 I went to the Apple Store, took a chance, and bought a new one of these, one with the new chip that allegedly corrected all the problems (I didn't like the sound or the design on any of the other speakers, except for the Bose, which is a bit too pricey for me). Apple said they'd take it back if anything happened within 14 days, and would work with me if anything went wrong after that. I have to admit, the new model is working great - JBL has sorted out all the problems. I have no static, no shorting out, great sound, working volume controls, etc. etc. I think JBL did understate the original problem - and, to be honest (and refute one reviewer here), not all the defective models showed up in their database (I typed my SN in, and it said it was fine - which was clearly untrue, because Amazon sent me a recall notice). Net net: if you can get your hands on the new version (Apple stores sell them, not sure if Amazon does yet), you will enjoy this product. It is definitely the best value - great sound for a great price. But make sure you're getting a newer one, not an old one that's been sitting on a shelf for several months. So now I would give it 3 stars overall (not 5 only because of my initial problems). The product itself is 5 stars.