iHome iH80 Speaker System for iPod (Black)
by Sound Design, Inc.
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List Price: Our Price: $35.00 You Save: $84.99 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of iHome iH80 Speaker System for iPod (Black)
Customer Review: Good model for the Trendy Shopper
Summary: 4 Stars
Before reviewing the equipment, know that I am using a throwback version of the I-Pod, 160 GB version (3rd generation). It was produced in 2008 and I think all of this should be noted because different I-Pods might have different docking results.
As far as the ihome is concerned, it is a nice little toy and does quite a few things. Some of the good things that are worth mentioning are that the ihome can fit almost any type of Ipod, that it works as a system for listening and it also charges the Ipod as well, and the system is nice when it is just you wanting to listen to something. One important thing to remember about this is that the remote should always be kept up with, and forgetting that little lesson might cause big problems. It is also worth mentioning that other remotes will work with this version of the ihome as well; I have an I-Pod alarm clock dock and it turns the thing on and off. It does not operate any of the EQ operations, however, and the EQ is important depending on what you like to listen to. It is also worth noting that you always need to make certain that your Ipod is adjusted to the system itself. If it is not then, above all things, you are going to have a nice little problem with crackling and with two EQs fighting for supremacy.
You also need to watch the treble and the base. Either one can be a killer - and a deal breaker.
Something worth mentioning is that this is also a one speaker system and, when everything is said and done, you get what you pay for. This is not to say that the price on the model is bad because it is not: if you watch the model the beast likes to go up and down a lot, and I found it in one of those downswings. The model also looks nice but, along with the looks, you also have to remember that the little beast has some drawbacks. One of those is the fact that the I-Pod is vulnerable when it sits there and when life takes aim at it. This means that you have to be careful when it comes to it and moreso if you have to use the adaptor to make the model you are using fit.
There are other things about the model that can be mentioned as well, but those read like a technical manual and you can see those in the editorial. Basically, this is to say that the model works - I have had two of them and they have both lasted for almost two years now - and that it sounds good when you sit around or when you need something to keep you cleaning. I wouldn't throw it to the wolves and say "its time to party," but I figure most consumers wouldn't do that, either.
Just look at it, see if you like it and if it fits your needs, and go from there. If it does fit what you want, then this is a good model that is sturdy and will do you right.
Customer Review: Nice, but depends on the price...
Summary: 4 Stars
If you can get this unit for $30-40, it's a solid deal. The unit plays loud enough for casual listening in a medium sized room, with good (for what it is) bass output. Bass/treble controls allow to dial in a little extra treble, which the unit needs because it's a bit muddy.
Remote is handy and works as expected. Comprehensive package includes several dock adapters and a nice, compact AC adapter. Built-in amp has the ability to run an expansion speaker, which so long as you use an RCA adapter, can be just about any 4 ohm speaker. This opens up a lot of additional sound output options and is probably a grossly underutilized feature.
This is not the best unit for highly portable duty. C batteries should provide decent battery life, but the unit isn't very handily shaped for carrying, and I don't think docks that support the ipod in such an standout upright position are the best choice for mobile use.
Pricing on the units is dropping because they don't include 3rd gen nano or "classic" regular adapters. Still works fine, but you'll have to hack/fabricate/not use an adapter with a 3rd gen. Trade off is fine by me given the savings, and I suppose Ihome probably makes adapters by now you can buy. I don't know, and won't bother.
If the unit braced the ipod better when docked and included an FM tuner, it'd be a home run.
Customer Review: Decent Purchase.
Summary: 4 Stars
I was lucky enough to snag this as a gold box deal at around 30 dollars and I would probably even pay upwards of 50 dollars for it.
It has the capability of becoming much louder then one would expect from a speaker this size , about the size of a adult bowling ball. In my basement, with the speaker pumped up to practically the max I could still make out the music on the second floor of my frame house.
Granted it is primarily for docking an Ipod, you can use the wire that comes with it to hook up anything that has a headphone jack to feed its music into the speaker. If you were to do that then you lose some features of the remote mainly the ability to move around in your playlist.
Two things I didn't know before I purchased it were, there is a microphone jack in the back, so you can actually have a inexpensive but still fun portable karaoke machine. The other being you can buy a second speaker (not this same one) and attach it to this one. I spent a few minutes looking for the secondary speaker on Amazon but could not locate it, but I did find it on the ihome website.
Hope my review helped you in your purchase.
Customer Review: Outstanding...for an Amazon Gold Box Deal
Summary: 4 Stars
Sound is better than I expected, but then, I bought this when it was a Gold Box deal at $19.99. Considering the outrageous prices attached to most iPod accessories (this one at regular price is no exception, even on the company's website), I would not have purchased it even at the Amazon regularly "discounted" price. I've not tried hooking it up to a computer or anything else other than my 4GB iPod nano (it has an outlet for a microphone for the karoke minded). My gripe, after three hours of use, is the remote control. Small and slender, using a flat CR type battery, it causes the controls on the speaker to all flash when it is used. It can cause the iPod to hesitate when trying to move through the menu. The seperate bass and treble controls do not seem to make much difference in the sound which is not at all bad as it is.
Major kudos to Amazon for their Amazon Prime shipping and their Gold Box deals!
Customer Review: You get what you pay for but in this case....
Summary: 4 Stars
You get what you pay for but in this case I was in the right place at the right time!
I purchased this product when it was twenty-five dollars and as always thought... how good could it be at this price?
This is my third attempt at finding a portable speaker; we've started to travel a little and it's nice to have your own tunes handy.
While it's true you have to adjust the volume this is a great little system.
At the present price of fifty dollars it's a great buy!
I know for some people they expect the concert experiance so buy a bose system but if your looking for something simple, portable and at a good price then this might be what your looking for. I'm going to watch this product and if it drops to that twenty dollar price again I'll buy a second unit!
Good luck!