iHome IP1 Studio Series iPod and iPhone Speaker
iHome are not a company you’d usually expect to produce a high-end iPod speaker; they have a good track record in producing good value travel and home/portable speakers.
So it’s somewhat of a suprise to see iHome playing in same area of the market as the like of Bose and Bowers & Wilkins.
But play they are, with their latest addition to their range of iPod speakers, the iHome IP1 Studio Series.
I’m sure iHome will not mind me saying, but their other cheaper models have always been heavy on the plastic and never too imaginative in their design. It’s therefore a nice suprise to see that they had taken a complete departure from their previous iterations to produce something that looks, well…very Apple.
What I mean by that is that this iPod speaker is a design piece in itself, like many of Apple’s own products and just what many Apple owners are looking for.
Apple owners buy iPods, iPhones and Macbooks etc not only for their technological prowess but for their iconic designs that are a wonderful accent to our modern lives.
So here iHome may have got it right. The speaker unit comprises 2 black cans, housing 4 drivers, suspended in a chunky piece of 1/2 inch plastic.
There’s a black platform that houses the IP1 Studio Speakers electronics as well as the iPod/iPhone dock that protrudes from the front of the unit.
The design works and is striking, making iHome’s IP1 something that you’d want to put at the front of your book shelf as a feature so that people could see it (and you could show off). I think the only shame about the look of this iPod speaker is that the plastic front plate is smoke tinted, rather than simply clear.
The iHome IP1 is not just about looks though and considering the price (£269.99 from Amazon.co.uk), that’s a good job.
iHome have showed clear ambition with the IP1 by bringing on board the experts a Bongiovi Accoustics to help make the audio experience of this speaker as impressive as its looks. Bongiovi are not a name you might instantly recognise but they have an impressive pedigree in studio session recording and car audio systems.
Should you forget, you will always be reminded of Bongiovi’s involvement as one of the main features of the IP1 is the “B” button that is evident on the front of the speaker unit.
The B button activates the IP1’s party trick which is know as the Digital Power Station processor. This is a digital processor that asseses the audio that is about to go through the speakers and makes adjustments to the sound to make sure that you hear the best sound possible from the iHome IP1. This is a really good feature and all reports seem to suggest that it creates an impressive sonic experience.
Not only does the IP1 create great clarity of sound, it also does it with a kick! The iHome IP1 produces 100 watts of power through two 1” tweeters with two 4” midrange and bass woofers making this not only a fantastic ‘book shelf’ speaker but a great party speaker as well.
Feature wise this is just about it. The iHome IP1 is just about looks and sound, apparently, so don’t expect a radio, alarm clock or LCD screen to entertain you because what you see is what you get.
There is a remote control, as there should be with an iPod speaker at this level, that allows you to make the usual changes to treble, bass, volume and also allows you to step in to your iPod own controls that’s a bit basic looking, but does the job at the end of the day.
The IP1 is compatible with the iPod mini, iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, iPod classic 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G, iPod touch 1G, 2G, iPhone 1G, 3G so most Apple loving audiophiles should be able to enjoy the IP1 experience.
iHome are making a big jump with the IP1, putting it up against some established and impressive names like the Bose SoundDock II and the B&W Zeppelin Mini, but the IP1 would seem to be a good match for these other iPod speaker heavyweights.
The IP1 doesn’t have the established name of Bose, but does probably have the edge on the SoundDock II as far as size and clarity of sound. The IP1 doesn’t quite have the seductive looks of the B&W Zeppelin Mini, but is a pretty good looking speaker in its own right and again has the edge on power. Conclusion: A good buy, fabulous sound, good looks, good value.
Price: £269.99 from Play.com
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