iHome iP49 Radio reviews – CNET Reviews

Sunday, September 5th, 2010 at 6:00 am

aside from the iHome iP1, the iP49 is currently the company’s only other product to bear the “Studio Series” moniker, which features Bongiovi Acoustics DPS (Digital Power Station). Like the iP1, this model has a special “B” button that engages the DPS, which ostensibly augments the audio quality by employing some digital trickery to allegedly make your compressed MP3 music sound fuller and richer. We’re not sure why you wouldn’t want to have DPS engaged at all times and forgo the need for a button, but then you’d never know just what impact DPS had on your music.

Suffice to say, at least on this iHome system we found that engaging DPS indeed makes your music sound better, and all in all, the iP49 sounds decent for its size, with good clarity and respectable bass. It also plays fairly loud. The portable Logitech S715i offers slightly richer, fuller sound, but that portable unit is a bit larger and doesn’t have the clock or FM radio built-in (though you could certainly use the clock or audio streaming on your iPod/iPhone, of course).

in the end, we came away liking the dual nature of the iP49 and appreciated its versatility. in a small room, such as a dorm room, it could serve as your main audio system (again, don’t expect the greatest sound in the world, but for its size, it acquits itself well) and it’s easy enough to take with you.

our only reservation is its price. At around $160, the iP49 seems a tad pricey. For those looking for a sub-$100 system, iHome offers a variety of other portable audio solutions, including the IP46 ($100), a basic portable sound bar style system with an integrated rechargeable battery. but that model that doesn’t have a built-in clock (LCD), FM radio, or alarm.

<a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/iHome_iP49/4514-7875_7-34129893.html?part=cnet&subj=iHome+iP49tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://reviews.cnet.com/iHome_iP49/4514-7875_7-34129893.html?part=cnet”>iHome iP49 Radio reviews – CNET Reviews