GadgetReview

I’m surprised how many people still don’t know what HD Radio is.  The best way I can describe it is that every major radio station that you know has an HD version and is simultaneously broadcast with its analog version.  Simple right?  Admittedly I had gone years without ever hearing HD Radio so when I received the Polk Audio I-Sonic I was totally blown away by how awesome it sounded.

Having had a Sirius Satellite Radio (it was stolen), I thought that the programming was cool but the audio fidelity was horrible.  Not with HD Radio.  Sound is what HD Radio is all about and the Polk Audio I-Sonic excels at it.  Straight out of the box the I-Sonic delivers stellar audio reproduction values at no expense and I can easily say that I am now a huge fan of Polk Audio products and HD Radio.

In addition to being an HD Radio Receiver, the Polk Audio I-Sonic is also an iPod dock capable of iTunes tagging.  When you hear a song you like, just press the tag button on the I-Sonic and the information is stored and transferred to your connected iPod.  The next time you sync with your computer you can seamlessly buy all your tagged songs from iTunes.  For those of you who buy music this is a great way to check out some new tunes.

The I-Sonic has a myriad of other features as well.  There is a full alarm clock mode, station presets, HD station seek mode, plus the ability to plug it into a TV so you can watch videos or movies from your iPod thus making it a more suitable device to have stationed in your living room.

Aesthetically it kind of reminds me of that BOSE (Buy Other Sound Equipment) speaker system. You know, the one with the infomercial.  It actually has a very unique shape and doesn’t really have a level surface area so you can’t put beers on it.  Polk Audio uses a 4 speaker array with patented PowerPort technology that allows the I-Sonic to deliver room filling sound no matter where you are standing.  I totally agree.  The I-Sonic sounded great regardless of my position to the speakers and even when I was out of the room.

It has a display that is large and blue, and easy to read from across the room.  I also like the fact that HD Radio displays the artist and the track so even if you aren’t tagging music you know who you’re listening to with a glance of the display.

I dabbled through several genres of of music before finding my sweet spot at classic rock.  With no tweaking at all the I-Sonic sounded lavishly lush.  In fact, I had never heard classic rock sound so good.  Most memorable was how round and balanced the bass sounded.  It measured a perfect connection with treble and mid range frequencies to create a classic rock “symphony of emotion.”  In all honesty, words can be very descriptive, but they don’t come near to describing how immaculate this HD radio sounds.  Even using an iPod through it was up there with my current favorite dock the iPig, and though the iPig still jammed a little louder, the quality of the I-Sonic should not be taken lightly.

Tagging worked very smoothly and showed up just under the iTunes store bar in my computer’s iTunes.  Just one click will bring up the collection of songs you have tagged with the option to buy them.  Very easy.

The TV out capability worked flawlessly and really added versatility and depth to the I-Sonic.  All you have to do is make the proper cable arrangements and adjust the settings on your iPod and you are good to go.  The remote control works well with the TV out as well as all the other modes.  My only complaints about the controller are that it’s difficult to tell which end is which and that it could be bigger.

I’m really racking my brain for more to say about this HD Radio system.  It sounds killer, it’s easy to use, has a bunch of modes that are all well designed and implemented, and if you buy music the iTunes tagging feature will surely broaden your music horizons.  I had no issues with the firmware and all of my iPods and iPhones worked like a charm.  The price might be sticking point for some ($400), but I have rarely seen a dock that has so much quality to offer!  This is the type of system that a whole family or household can enjoy and I am just really flat out impressed with this product.

Pros:

• Sound so awesome you won’t believe it’s radio
• Versatile and easy to use
• Compact design

Cons:

• No matter what I say people will think it’s expensive
• Remote control could be shaped so you know which way is the front

Buy it here for $400!

This is totally ‘Weird Science’ meets iPod.  Yup, perched atop this here iPod dock with an alarm clock is the once hyper popular Photon Ball.  The product descriptions says that it will react to the beat of the music, but something tells me, or at least hopes it’s also touch reactive.  Oh how I miss the days of Sharper Image.  You can grab one $35.

[via Craziestgadgets]

Read

Unwire me from my audio experience and you pretty much have me sold.  Sony’s NAS-Z200iR is a WiFi enabled, DLNA compliant slot loading CD player that includes its own self charging 3.5-inch touchscreen remote.  Not to be left out in the cold, they’ve also include an iPod dock and USB input for flash drives or other MP3 players.  That means you can stream music from your PC, control your iPod’s tunes from afar – although Sony didn’t disclose the remote’s connectivity or range – or select your fave Internet radio station all from the comfort of your chair.  Hidden behind the black grill are two 20 watt speakers with double neodymium magnets for added thump.  The NAS-Z200iR will hit the EU sometime this Europe and supposedly cost a wallet damaging $1,000.  A lesser version (pictured in the gallery), sans remote of course, will hit store shelves this July.

Read

For those of you who love pressing snooze for a good hour before rising but wish you had better willpower, enter the iLuv iMM153.  All the normal clock dock functions apply here with the exception of the bed shaker.  The product page doesn’t really divulge how it works exactly so I’ll go ahead and guess.  I bet it’s slightly weighted so it stays on your bed.  I bet it also acts as a snooze button, though you should be able to toggle that option on and off.  I also bet you are supposed to put it under your pillow for maximum vibration.  It would be cool if they came out with a giant subwoofer you could put under your bed that just vibrated you awake.  Insert awesome joke here “             “.  I like the idea and would love to give it a shot since I love to hate my snooze patterns.  On sale this July for $60.

Read

While it’s far from a ‘game changer’, JVC introduced a new HiFi stereo system with a flip out iPod Dock, today.  Called the UX-LP5 it features a front facing USB input, 70 watts total power, 2-way bass reflex speakers, digital tuner and a video out for playing back movies and TV shows on a connected TV.  The JVC UX-LP5 is available now for $149.95.

[Thank, Jan]

Read

While iPod speakers are a dime a dozen these days, it’s often hard to find a really good one for the money.  Ewoo, while sounding like an overseas car manufacturer actually makes a travel speaker dock for the iPod called the eFizz Travel.

Boasting up to 20 hours of wireless battery charge, the eWoo eFizz is an ideal companion when the scenario calls for no electrical outlets.  Featuring an attractive all black finish the eFizz is head to toe speaker grill.  Being one of the smallest iPod speaker docks I have used it is fairly lightweight and easy to hold.  My iPod Classic 80g fit very snug and secure and the eFizz had a very cushioned and balanced posture sitting upon any level surface.

Operation was pretty simple overall.  Colored lights denoted what was going on with the rechargable lithium-polymer battery and the remote while very basic, performed well.  One of the touted features though, the “One Touch Info Button” did not work whatsoever.  The user manual CD was vague at best and the email I sent two weeks ago to customer service has yet to be replied to.  What it is supposed to be is some on screen iPod interface that shows battery level and some other things but I could never get to it.  Not that it was a truly imperative feature it would have been nice to explore all of the eFizz’s offerings.  Note:  I did actually see this screen twice for a couple seconds at a time.  It was totally random and I could not get back to it.  All it displayed was the level of charge for the eFizz.

The eFizz connects easily with iTunes via supplied USB cable which is cool if you have it near your computer for transferring music or downloading new firmware.   Note that you need to have power supplied to the eFizz in order for it to sync to iTunes. Though the eFizz has no real body controls to speak of, it’s easy to scroll through the actual iPod as it sits in the dock.  What I would like to see most of these travel docks are storage areas for the remote and power cord so there’s not so many loose pieces.  Also of note is that while wireless, the eFizz will not charge your iPod.

Sound wise I was’nt super impressed. The max volume wasn’t all that loud and the speakers were a bit tinny.  Not that they were bad, they just sounded really small, because they are.  At low volumes everything sounded fine as long as it didn’t have to compete with any extraneous noise. There was a bit of volume muffling that wasn’t totally distracting but noticeable to say the least.  By my bed I did enjoy the low volume as everything sounded clear and crisp.

What will make the eWoo eFizz Travel stand out amongst the hundreds of speaker docks will be its wireless capabilities, long battery charge, and extreme portability.  While the sound won’t blow you away, it will be best heard at small gatherings and picnics, or by your bed.  FYI, the iPig is still the loudest and best sounding speaker dock I have heard yet.

Pros:

• Very small and compact
• Wireless with extra long battery life
• Syncs with iTunes

Cons:

• Sound could be better given price
• Poor customer service “One Touch Info Button”
• Sporadic volume muffling

Buy it here for $122!

Amazon has a solid deal for the iLive IT188B 2.1-Channel Speaker Bar with iPod Dock. It’s $99.99 – $23.10 instant savings + free shipping = $76.89 shipped! Features include iPod dock, digital backlit clock, 2.1 channel speaker system and remote. …Continue reading: iLive IT188B 2.1-Channel Speaker Bar with iPod Dock – $77 Shipped

As a “musician” the very first thing I questioned about the TailGater is whether or not it will sound good.  Guitar amps are generally tailored for certain specific frequencies indicative of a guitar, bass, etc.  They also are generally mono.  So combining an instrument amplifier with an iPod speaker dock sounds weird to me.  It could be a speaker system disguised as an amp though.  What makes me think this is the internal battery inside the TailGater that can run up to 8 hours and has a level indicator.  I think it would be difficult for a true guitar amplifier to power a guitar like that.  Especially if it can achieve high decibel levels.  Anyway, the TailGater by Ion Audio has a rugged construction appeal to it and would look very appropriate in the back of an F150 at an Allman Brothers concert.  It has a variety of inputs and even comes with a microphone for hollering drunken gibberish in the parking lot at some Nascar event.  The specs don’t say whether or not you can have multiple inputs going simultaneously.  I think that would be a huge feature for this product especially for a guitar player wanting to play over songs in order to learn them or practice soloing or whatever.  I’ll try and get one for review and let you know how it sounds.  Available now for $199

Read

With the everyday clutter arising around your computer from having too many gadgets (is there such a thing?!), the Griffin Simplifi offers you an easy and compact solution to help you organize mounting untidiness.

The Griffin Simplifi is an all-in-one card reader, USB hub, and iPod/iPhone dock that lets you clear up your desktop while disguising itself as a polished Apple product.  The card reader is capable of accessing SD/SDHC/XD/Sony (pro) memory sticks and compact flash cards.  There are two USB inputs in the back of the Simplifi and it comes with six plastic moldings to fit a variety Apple iPods and iPhones.  Also included is a rather short USB cable to attach to your computer and an AC wall plug.

As I mentioned earlier, the Simplifi looks a lot like an Apple product with its anodized aluminum finish and glossy white plastic sides and moldings.  A very bright neon blue light gushes from the Simplifi denoting power and will flicker when you put a memory card in.  Underneath the Simplifi is a rubber stopper the covers the majority of the base and gives it more balance and weight to keep the device grounded, so it’s not sliding all over the place.  USB slots could be more spread out or there is easily room for two more.

…Continue reading: Gadget Review: Griffin Simplifi

Following on the squeals of the iPig, Speakal released the iBoo iPod speaker system today.  Reminiscent of a ghost (I’d like to think Casper) the iBoo is a bit lighter in the toes that its animal brethren and offers less speakers and power; 3 speakers and 15watts to be exact.  As always Speakal has tossed in a remote and ironically ‘humanized touch controls’.

The iBoo is available now in red, white or blue for $90.

[Speakal]