Nyko Speaker Stand For PlayStation Vita Review

We first saw Nyko’s Speaker Stand for the PlayStation Vita  this last January, at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show.  Even then, I was absolutely enamored with the device.  A vague “Spring 2012” release date was given, which told me that it wouldn’t be around on the Vita’s launch day.  Since then, my fellow Vita team mates here at Wanderson75.net have been asking me, “Have you heard anything new about the Nyko stand?”  Well, here it is, finally.  Fashionably late, but well dressed and ready to be the life of the party.  So, has it been worth waiting for?  Let’s find out!

Right off the bat, I have to get one thing out of the way: this is not a cheap plastic cradle like the one that was made available at launch.  While it’s not made of space age alloys, this is a far weightier, better looking, and more functional unit.  The silver and black motif fits well with the look of the PlayStation Vita, and the curved construction of the Nyko stand’s body not only looks fashionable, but serves three functions: provide a space for the two speakers (one on each side) at optimum angles for premium sound; tilt the Vita on a comfortable viewing angle for watching movies; and support the device fully so the weight of the handheld isn’t resting solely on the connector.

The Nyko Speaker Stand for the PlayStation Vita has exceptional sound for its small size.  The speakers, measuring a little over one inch in diameter, are angled to allow sound to pass from behind the PlayStation Vita, and deliver a great range of stereo sound from the device.  While it won’t have your desk thumping to a bass beat like a set of Bose or Harmon Kardon speakers, the unit delivers decent low- and mid-range sound ensuring that the music or movies that you’re enjoying don’t sound like they’re being delivered from a tin can, which is typically the case with small speakers like these.  They also put out a good amount of sound over distance, so you’ll be able to listen to it from five to ten feet away without cranking it up and getting the crackling associated with pushing the speakers too hard.

Assembling the device for use is quick and easy.  Simply plug your PlayStation Vita charging cable into the back of the base, plug it into the wall, and settle your Vita on to the connector in the middle-front of the cradle.  The Vita fits snugly into the cradle, and might feel a little bit tight.  This is because the Nyko Speaker Stand is designed to match the curvature of the handheld.  This ensures that the weight of the Vita is distributed across the body of the speaker stand, and not lying on the connector where wear and tear could eventually cause it to break.  Once the Vita is  seated in the cradle and turned on, simply press the center “Nyko” button to power on the unit and you now have powered speakers.

If so desired, an 8mm input jack is also available to plug in your MP3 player or other device to be able to listen to that instead.  This cross-functionality gives a little bit more value to the device so you don’t have to have multiple sets of speakers lying on your desktop.

The Nyko Speaker Stand for the PlayStation Vita isn’t without its complaints, however.  Despite being slightly heavier than the Sony cradle, the device is still pretty light, so when you go to remove your Vita, you’ll wind up picking up the unit as well.  It would be nice if they weighted the speaker stand to allow you to simply grab the Vita and lift.  Also, like the Sony PlayStation Vita Cradle, you’ll need to pick up a separate charging cable if you don’t like having to disassemble things to take your Vita on a trip that will require it be recharged.  I don’t see that incorporating a charging cable would have significantly increased the cost of the unit.

Overall, the Nyko Speaker Stand for the PlayStation Vita is leaps and bounds better quality than the cradle released by Sony at launch.  Its robust design and incorporation of speakers make it worth paying an extra $10 for.  If you haven’t already purchased a cradle for your Vita, you might want to consider one now.

The Nyko Speaker Stand for PlayStation Vita receives a 4.5/5.0.