Philips NP2500/37 WiFi Internet Radio Network Music Player with Rhapsody (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The entire problem with this player is that it does one thing really well, but has a couple of other features thrown in addition that don't work as advertised.
As a player for Rhapsody, this really rocks. The songs come up quickly, the interface is easy to navigate, and all the songs feature artwork that looks great on the small but crisp LCD. The only downside is that it requires a paid Rhapsody account, although the free month is a nice introduction.
When it comes to internet radio and streaming music as an UPnP device, this player really falls apart. The internet radio functions work well, but the connectivity is very slow compared to the Rhapsody service, and it is unable to display song information from every station. Some stations work, some don't. Also, to find radio stations you are limited to either browsing the menus, or using the number pad to enter the station's name or a serach keyword. The number pad works about as well as using a cell phone without T9, so it is functional but very, very slow.
The UPnP service for streaming music from your home computer never worked for me. I installed the bundled software, updated it from the company's website, but the music never started. I was able to find my music library, even my iTunes playlists, but when I hit "Play," the player just hung forever and never started the music. FYI, I'm running a Macbook Pro with iTunes, and I keep my music on an external network hard drive, so that may have been the issue. A search through the forums of the Twonky Media Player(used for streaming) revealed nothing helpful, and I was unable to resolve it in the time I had to review the item.
As far as the player itself, the design is attractive and should fit well with most home electronics. The screen is bright and clear, and the remote works as well as can be expected. There are no on device controls, so the remote is essential to any use of the player, but I had no problems. It was also easy to connect to the internet, although entering a wireless network password using the number pad was time-consuming.
Bottom line, don't expect it to work seamlessly as a streaming media center from your PC or Mac's music collection. If you want it mainly for internet radio, it works, but is a bit hard to use. Rhapsody works great, but again, it requires a subscription.

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Wirelessly access 10,000+ Internet stations FREE, your music library, and Music On-Demand with a free trial from Rhapsody. Streamium is your Home Jukebox. You can access Internet music from your home country or hometown, by musical genre (rock, pop, news, sports, 80's, etc.). Your digital music is easily accessed by Streamium so you are always connected to music you already own (in addition you can leverage music from multiple PCs/Macs). Finally, you can get music-on-demand with Rhapsody (free trial included). Search thousands of titles and artists for music of your choice or play "name-that-tune" with your friends and family (by preferred genre). This network music player allows you to "free your music" from MP3 players and your computer. With easy setup you can hook-up to your home theater or home audio system so you can experience seamless entertainment with quality you are used to hearing. FullSound is a great feature built-in that brings back high-quality CD sound from your digitally compressed MP3 files. Enjoy album art from your favorite artists (from your PC/Mac, or from Rhapsody) and enjoy radio station logos and pictures that can be shown on your player. A remote allows easy music management from a distance.

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Pioneer DEH-P5200HD CD Receiver with HD Radio and iPod Direct Control Review

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(More customer reviews)For the past 4 years I've been using a Pioneer DEH-P6700MP car stereo which is almost identical to the Pioneer DEH-P670MP. I really liked the Pioneer as it seemed to really be able to liven up my 1998 Toyota Corolla factory speakers and had several features I regularly used and loved. I decided it was time to upgrade recently as my old Pioneer was having difficulty playing CDs while the AC was on, and it was making ticking sounds with many of my CDs. I decided right off the bat I was going to stick with Pioneer.
I spent a few days researching units and the main thing I kept noticing with many of the new 2010 Pioneer CD Players was the choice of going with one that had HD Radio or going with one that had Bluetooth functionality. It doesn't appear you can get a Pioneer with both. I decided to go with the HD Radio functionality due in part to the talk about how FM broadcast quality was greatly improved. (I'll post a small rant on this at the end of my review.)
It seems like all Pioneers have the ability to read MP3 CDs still which is great, but one of the nicer additions is the USB port on the front. You can plug in your iPod, Zune, or USB thumb drive and play music off it instead of burning a CD or MP3 CD. It also works for charging USB devices. I tried plugging my Black Berry 8350i into the USB slot, but it would not recognize it as media and would only charge the phone. Another input on this Pioneer head unit is the aux audio input jack on the front of the face that you can plug into with a male to male stereo audio cable. An unannounced features this unit has that will be useful for many is RDS support. The unit will display the song/artist when listening to radio stations that broadcast this information.
Installation: I thought going from one Pioneer to another would be a breeze and that the stereo wire harness would be the same as my old Pioneer. Just to be sure I contacted Crutchfield whom said many stereo manufacturers use the same harness for several years. Unfortunately I want to confirm in my review that the one from my DEH-P6700MP and the one in this new DEH-P5200HD are not the same. They look similar, but they are wired like a mirror image of each other and will not fit each other. *A note to the beginners, if you've still got a factory stereo in your vehicle, do yourself a favor and buy a harness adapter so you do not have to cut the factory wiring in the dash. That way if you ever go to sell your vehicle or you decide you do not like the stereo, you can just disconnect the harness and put the factory stereo back in.
I've been using the Pioneer DEH-P5200HD for a few weeks now and I like the unit a lot. Many of the various equalizer settings are the same as what was available on my old unit, and MP3 CD playback is about the same as well. Having the USB slot on the front is extremely convenient and I use it frequently to plug in a 8gb USB thumb drive full of songs. When you pull out the drive and plug it back in, the unit remembers where you were at in the last song and picks right back up. One major thing that takes some getting used to is the control knob on the radio. It seems to control everything in that one knob and it takes time to get used to. The remote control will help ease you into things as all the buttons are easily spelled out on it. It's also worth noting the remote is identical to my previous Pioneer remote and both were even cross-compatible.
Pros:
-Same fantastic EQ options Pioneer is known for. Includes bass frequency filtering options.
-USB & Aux input on the face
-USB input plays immediately when you plug in a USB drive, it also remembers what file and where it was at when the device was last plugged into it.
-iPod control from the face or remote
-RDS support for showing titles of songs from broadcast radio
-No lights and animated character distractions flashing all over the display.
Cons:
-Face detaches to the left side instead of flipping down which may be harder to remove depending on your dash
-HD Radio is not much of an improvement in quality of FM radio.
-USB input when reading from a USB thumb drive appears to read the folder order from last to first. (Song order is also affected if you add more songs to a folder later.)
-Control knob is an awkward all in one with a bit of a learning curve.
Do you remember upgrading from a tube TV to a flat screen? Do you remember the difference in picture quality? HD Radio is NOT that same upgrade. The HD FM radio broadcast quality is almost the same as what you've heard for years except now you don't get static, instead you get cutting in and out for seconds at a time when the signal starts getting weaker. Sometimes you hear the radio DJs talking about how much better their station sounds in HD, but the truth is there isn't much of a difference. I've read AM broadcast is hugely improved, but I have no interest in most talk radio programming so I have not tuned into any of it.
I'll try to come back and update this review once I've had some more hands on time.
*UPDATE 5/21/2010*
HD FM Radio: I've had this unit installed for a month now and have spent more time with the HD FM Radio functionality. I have turned off the blending mode that combines the HD and regular FM signals and find HD reception to be bad. I live minutes outside Houston and the reception on most the FM HD stations is extremely poor. For HD when the signal gets weak, the broadcast just cuts out all together. When I go downtown the signal is usually exceptional, but at 20 miles away from one of my frequent stations, quality becomes more miss than hit. When I drive to the southeast side of town, most the HD stations are unavailable at all. If you live inside a large city and are close to the radio stations you might enjoy HD radio, but for those of you who live in suburbs or you are far from the radio stations FM HD Radio is probably not for you.
Sound quality: I have finally decided this unit out performs my old Pioneer in sound quality. One of the custom features you can set and adjust that makes this possible is the ability to filter low bass frequencies from your 4 regular speakers. For those that like to turn up their music really loud sometimes, this can help you from blowing a speaker and also get rid of some of that extra distortion you can get from turning up the volume too much. That's not to say you can't still blow a speaker, but it should help.
Other than the HD Radio and the occasional issue with the all in one control knob accidentally getting pressed in when changing the volume, this Pioneer is a great unit. I'd definitely buy another Pioneer car stereo, they have not let me down yet. I'll update this review again if I come across anything new or something worth updating.
*UPDATE 6/22/2010*
USB Input Reading: I have finally found out what the order folders are read from USB flash drives. Apparently all folders and subfolders are read from the flash drive based on the order in which they are copied to the drive. While you would think this wouldn't be an issue, it can be an annoyance for those with multiple folders. If you select and copy multiple folders at a time to a flash drive, Windows seems to want to copy the folders from last to first. It does the same thing if you copy a folder with subfolders in it. Also if you go back and add more folders later, those will play after all the other previously copied folders.
Song playback order is also affected by the order in which they are copied. If you go back later and add songs, they will play after the previously copied songs in that folder. If you are like me and have purchased multiple albums from an artist and want to play them from oldest to newest, you'll have to copy the folders to the drive in the order you want them to play. If all this file order talk sounds like too much, the good news is that you can burn a MP3 CD with folders and they will be played in alphanumeric order without any special copying order or anything. For those of you with iPod, none of this order playback should be an issue since the iPod is actually playing the songs and sending the music to the receiver.

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Get hooked on HD Radio with Pioneer's DEH-5200HD. Enjoy crystal-clear reception with no distortion, and tag the songs you like for later purchase at the iTunes music store. You'll also enjoy playback of WMA/MP3/AAC files from disc or USB devices, optional direct iPod control, and room to grow--easily add Bluetooth and SAT Radio, or use the two preamp outputs to build a system with external speakers and amplification.


DEH-5200HD Features
Built-In HD Radio Now listen to the radio in the same unmatched fidelity as your digital music with HD Radio. Your FM stations now with CD-quality sound, AM stations now with FM-quality sound, and crystal-clear reception with no audio distortion. Enjoy new music and programming with no subscription fee.
Fed up with your Bluetooth headset? Here's a better hands-free solution. Use the available CD-BTB200 Bluetooth Adapter and Bluetooth-enabled cellular phones for easy, safe, and hands-free operation. The unit acts like a speakerphone, channeling the sound through your car speakers which makes the call sound better. It also automatically mutes your music so that you'll never miss a call. Optional CD-BTB200 adapter required.
CD-R/RW Playback Play back your favorite CDs and burnt CD-R/RW discs in the slot-loading CD player.
MP3/WMA/AAC Playback Don't let your favorite music downloads languish on your computer hard drive. Burn them to a CD-R or CD-RW and play them right on the car stereo. Enjoy hours of your favorite tunes MP3, WMA, and AAC audio content.
You can also just throw some files on a USB thumb drive and insert it directly in the front panel USB input.
iPod Made Easy It's easy! Simply plug your iPod directly into the unit using the optional CD-IU50 iPod cable, and you are ready to rock and roll. Listening to an artist that you just can't get enough of? Now you can hold the "List" button down and it will pop up folders containing that specific artist, album, or genre. You can also have your passenger control your music directly from the iPod.
Connect, Tag, and Download Have you ever heard a great song on the radio, but couldn't remember what it was called or who sang it when you went to go look for it later? Now you don't have to worry about missing out on great music. iTunes Tagging gives you the power to "tag" all of your favorite songs without having to scramble for a piece of scrap paper in the car, then later preview or purchase music at iTunes Music Store.

Bring Your Music to Life with Advanced Sound Retriever This year you can hear the detail, warmth, and clarity the way the artist intended it, from all of the highly compressed MP3, WMA and AAC files playing on your CD player. By restoring data that tends to get lost in the digital compression process, we can make your music sound close to CD quality.
Supertuner IIID AM/FM Tuner Pioneer's legendary Supertuner IIID combines the best of digital and analog tuner technologies to reduce distortion to bring you exceptional FM and AM performance. If you live in an area where reception is weak, you'll hear a big improvement in signal strength. And when you're near tall buildings, Supertuner IIID reduces the effect of multi-path noise, which occurs when the signal is reflecting off of the buildings.
MOSFET 50W x4 Amplifier for the Power Hungry Compared to conventional power supplies, the MOSFET amplification circuit is smaller and more efficient, delivering power with less distortion and absolutely zero on/off switching noise. And that doesn't just mean a boost in volume: it means that your music will be cleaner at higher volumes because you're not pushing the limits of the amplification circuit. Clean, efficient power that will rock your vehicle.
The DEH-5200HD is also ready for expansion, with two sets of 2V RCA preamp outputs (front, rear/subwoofer) for system expansion with external amps/speakers, and a two-way crossover with separate high and low pass settings.
Get Plugged In Use the built-in AUX input for connecting any digital portable player and other external auxiliary devices. For extra-convenient access, the input is on the front panel.
Dial In Your Sound Tweak the sound to your liking with the on-board five-band graphic EQ. A Loudness feature ensures ample low-end even during quiet listening, and standard balance/fader controls let you adjust the stereo image to suit your vehicle and preferences.
DEH-5200HD Basic Specs

What's in the Box Pioneer DEH-5200HD In-Dash CD Receiver, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, Owner's Manual

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Sony MEX-BT2800 In-Dash CD Receiver MP3/WMA Player with Bluetooth Review

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(More customer reviews)Wireless bluetooth audio streaming and calling are the killer feature for this deck. If you have a smartphone (I have an iPhone) you can beam your music and phone calls through the deck. Pairing was a simple one time process. Now, whenever I get in my car, my iPhone auto-pairs with the deck in 10-15 seconds. The iPhone beams my music to the deck. The quality is very good. I can't tell the difference between bluetooth and my aux cable, and I have quality aftermarket speakers installed. Controlling the music is done through the phone itself, the way it should be (trying to control your iPod/iPhone music through the deck is a pain in the ass. I have yet to see a deck that accomplishes this in way that isn't extremely clumsy, slow, and unintuitive). So, to be clear, I just scroll through my list of songs on the phone and when I press play (on the phone) I hear the sound through the car audio system.
If you get a call during a song (or podcast, or whatever), the music will fade out gracefully and you'll hear a ring through your car speakers. One press of the volume knob answers the call. You don't have to speak into your phone. There is a microphone in the faceplate of the deck. There are two settings for low and high sensitivity on the mic. The default is low, but I found that high sensitivity works better in my car, but it probably picks up more road noise. The call quality is good. My friends can't tell the difference between a call through the stereo and a normal call. When you're done with the call, the music will fade in gracefully right where you left off!
In conclusion, this really is the ideal solution for both hands-free calling and music in your car. It works better than I hoped. I haven't used the radio, the CD player, or any other feature, so I can't comment on those. But really, who cares about any of that stuff? All that matters is the quality of the bluetooth interface, and this deck has that. There's no need to spend a small fortune on a fancy, flashy deck. The smartphones of the future will have better music streaming, podcasting, voice controls, navigation, hd radio, etc. than any deck. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google have a massive technology lead over car deck manufacturers. My advice is to get a good phone and a cheap deck with good bluetooth like this.

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Sony's MEX-BT2800 offers a basic way to add a Bluetooth receiver to your vehicle. Make hands-free calls or stream audio from your compatible devices. You can also play back CDs and CD-R/RWs, along with MP3/WMA files. A front auxiliary input is great for connecting external devices, or you can add full iPod control with a Sony adapter (that goes for HD/SAT Radio as well).

Detachable Faceplate The MEX-BT2800 features a detachable faceplate for added security, with a 1-line, 13-segment LCD display and blue control illumination.
Bluetooth Functionality The MEX-BT2800 features Bluetooth hands-free with an integrated microphone (or through an external microphone), as well as audio streaming functionality using your compatible Bluetooth music device.
MP3/WMA Playback Play CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs, including discs loaded with MP3 and WMA files.
Optional iPod Control Easily add the ability to connect, charge, and control your compatible iPod device directly from the receiver.
Satellite and HD Radio Ready The MEX-BT2800 integrates seamlessly with satellite radio Sony Bus adaptors (sold separately) so you can receive digital satellite radio broadcasts. HD Radio capability lets you receive digital audio broadcasts when used with an optional HD Radio tuner.
Radio Data System (RDS) The Radio Data System (RDS) feature displays radio broadcast information such as artist, title, and album.
Front Auxiliary Input The front auxiliary input lets you connect almost any portable audio device to your car's sound system.
EQ3 Customize the sound with Sony's EQ3 feature, which includes 7 preset tone curves and a 3-band equalizer.
What's in the Box MEX-BT2800, Installation Hardware, User's Manual

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MEElectronics M6P-BK Sports Sound-Isolating In Ear Headphones with Microphone/Remote for iPod, iPhone and Smartphones (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I own the M6 in clear and it sounds great and stays put during workout. I bought it for working out, but liked the sound better than my other in ear headphones from V Moda and Sennheiser, so I stared wearing it when I listen to movies at night and for on the go. I decided to get the M6P for the mic/remote and am very happy with it, especially for the price. I can't believe this thing is so cheap but sounds so good. MEElectronics has made me a loyal customer with their value!

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Acoustically advanced MEElectronics M6 series earphones deliver clear, accurate sound from any portable music or DVD player. Over-the-ear design leaves the wires behind your body, best for your sports activities. Lightweight, in-ear design blocks out ambient noise better than many bulky battery-powered noise-canceling earphones. Enjoy full dynamic range of your favorite music and movies without cranking up the volume to unnatural, or even unsafe listening levels. 9mm drivers with neodymium magnets. Frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz. Impedance: 16 ohms. Our earphones require proper seal to achieve best sound quality, please choose from provided tip sets that best fits your ears. "MEElectronics stands behind our products and wants you to be satisfied.From time to time achieving a good fit and therefore proper bass response and sound for in-ear headphones can be challenging.If your MEE in-ear headphones don't sound great for the price or you have any other issues, please contact our customer service department at customerservice@meelec.com."

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Alpine iDA-X305 - Radio / digital player - Full-DIN - in-dash - 50 Watts x 4 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This review will be pretty in depth, but will focus primarily on the important things. I'm going to start with the iPod/iPhone stuff first, since I would imagine this is a big reason why many people are looking into this deck.
I will preface this by saying I bought this because I needed a deck that could play music from my iPhone 3G.
*****
UPDATE: I can confirm that the iPhone/iPod 3.0 OS Software is compatible with this deck. In fact, it makes the experience a TINY bit easier because the iPod app no longer launches when you plug in your iPhone/iPod, which means you can be doing something on your phone and not worry about it getting exited when you plug the phone in. It still switches the source to iPod/iPhone, but at least the iPod application on the phone doesn't launch.
*****[iPod/iPhone/USB Stuff]
*******************
This deck supports an impressive amount iPods, iPhone 2G and iPhone 3G, Flash Drives, and most likely many other USB based players. It has a USB port in the back of the unit that screws in to avoid it coming unplugged during normal road bumps, etc. The USB cable they provide you with is nice and long. In my case, it would run almost all the way to the back of my SUV (Buick Rendezvous). It comes with a special iPod/iPhone connector that will charge the iPhone while you play music. Using a normal iPhone cable does not work, the deck gives you an error and throws a fit.
The iPod/iPhone functionality is very solid. It offers most all the sorting types of the iPod (Album, Artist, Song, Playlist) and even will show album art. Though the album art shows up fine when it is smaller, changing the view type to the album art only screen results in blurry/pixelated art work. I was slightly disappointed that there is no "Genius" functionality here, but that feature is pretty new, even to the iPod.
You can advance songs, go back a song, pause, and turn on song or album shuffle on the deck itself.
I personally find it difficult to use the deck to scroll through music, because of how unresponsive the knob is. Turning the knob is very similiar to setting your 10 speed bike to the highest speed. Even though you are pedaling REALLY fast, the tires are moving at a slower pace than if it were at a low speed. If you turn the dial really fast, it only advances 2, 3, maybe 4 spaces on the screen. This makes it hard to scroll through lots of artists, albums, or songs.
Additionally, plugging the iPhone or iPod touch into the stereo cuts off your use of the iPod application, so controlling the song play through your iPod (which I would prefer) is not possible.
Here is the bad part: it is very inconsistent and stubborn when it comes to recognizing my iPhone. If I have the iPod application up and running, then I plug it into the stereo, it will either give me an error on the deck, or tell me the device was not made for the iPhone. This means I have to close the iPod application, then plug it in to the stereo. This wouldn't be so bad, but it also seems to react differently based on whether or not a song is playing, paused, or no activity whatsoever. If I am playing a song when I plug it in, all sorts of crazy stuff happens and I end up having to unplug and replug and then pause and then quit out of the iPod app, and unplug again, then replug before it will work.
Again, wouldn't be so bad, but I find myself spending alot of time just trying to get a song playing instead of just plugging it in and driving.
Also, there is no option to not automatically switch to the iPod source when I plug in the phone. This sucks because if I just want to charge my phone, it will automatically switch the radio to the iPod source, forcing me to push source again to get back. This wouldn't be so bad, but I sometimes listen to Pandora Radio Application through my stereo, and if I am listening to it on my headphones while walking to my vehicle, plugging it into the stereo causes the application to quit, effectively cutting off my music, forcing me to relaunch Pandora and wait for it to buffer my song again. (This may be a personal problem, but it is relevant). It would be nice to turn off Auto Switch as far as the source goes.
Other than no Genius support, not being able to control from the iPhone/iPod itself, and the auto source switch, the iPhone/iPod functionality works well. I just wish I could get in my truck, turn it on, plug in my phone and leave. Instead, getting a song going is a chore. I end up sitting in my truck fidgeting with the deck instead of getting on the road.
[General Use]
***********
You WILL need to read the manual (comes on a CD in the box) in order to figure out some of the functions of this stereo. Though some of it is pretty straight forward, other functions are hidden, or are a string of button presses and knob turns to get to. They managed to make even simple tasks like setting a station preset slightly difficult.
I found it strange this unit does not support RDS, so you will miss out on the useful information that radio stations have to offer in the way of song artist and title, etc..
The clean face plate comes at the price of having to use menus to get to everything, but I expected as much, and boy are there alot of menus.
Two of the front buttons are dedicated to functions that are not even built into the deck itself, so this is kind of frustrating, especially since these addons will cost you upwards of $150 each. It seems like something better could have been put in those 2 slots (but maybe it's just me who may not be buying both addons).
All the buttons and knobs are easy to use and control, though I wish the knob itself was a little bit "stiffer." Turning the knob has inconsistent functionality. Turning it very slowly ensures you advanced to the next item in a list with every tick (clicks are very close to each other), and turning it very quickly has mixed results (sometimes it will advance you only 1 list item, sometimes a few more). Whatever the case, it is cumbersome to scroll through long lists, even with the inclusion of the "percentage" scrolling type set on, which lets you advance to a specific percentage in your music list, etc. This is kind of useless, since I don't memorize, or care to memorize what percent Metallica or any other artist is at...
Additionally, the ring of the knob can be pressed in and turned a quarter of the way to the right or left. This functionality has different uses depending on what menu, feature, or functionality you are using from the stereo.
All buttons are easy to press and sturdy. The face plate itself is very light (a good thing in my opinion) and only the button portion comes off, the LCD stays attached to the unit, making it easier to carry, but the screen itself may still be enough to tempt somebody. The back button is pretty useful and works well, especially when you are new to this unit, because you WILL venture into the wrong menu several times.
You can change the color of the interface from Blue to Red, as well as change the background using the ones built into the unit, or via a flash drive by downloading wallpapers from Alpine's media website.
[Sound]
*******
The deck sounds great. I can crank it up pretty loud (with lotsa room to go higher) and everything still sounds crisp and clear. There is a ton of room for turning volume up and down on this unit, so you will be able to find the volume level that is JUST right all the time. Has separate controls for subwoofer volume and all the fun equalizer stuff you could want (gotta look in the manual for how to do it).
[Expandability]
************
This thing can do pretty much anything you need, but it will cost you big money. It is ready to accept HD Radio, Sirius Satellite, Bluetooth Connectivity, and even an Imprint Sound Processor... but each accessory will cost you $150 plus. It is great they have support for these things, but they are expensive and probably could have been included in the stereo itself, especially when you consider the price tag this baby has. I knew it didn't come with these things when I bought it, but still, when they dedicated 2 of the very few buttons on the face plate to items that are not available in the unit by default, it is kind of frustrating.
There is no CD player built into this unit.
[Final Word]
**********
This is a great unit and has much to offer in the end of owning something fresh and great looking. It definitely stands out and has a nice LCD screen that is put to pretty good use. I wish you could adjust the size of the text on screen, as I like to have more words on screen over having it be more readable.
I hope there is a firmware update to add in genius functionality for the iPod/iPhone and fix the difficulties that can occur with plugging the phone in and getting it to be recognized.
I would definitely suggest this unit to anybody looking for a good deck that supports iPhone/iPod and is looking for ease of use and nice LCD screen space and use. Although it can be a difficult adjustment changing songs with the deck itself, it is stille very likely the best implementation of iPod/iPhone use in a deck to date. Hopefully we will see a firmware update that lets you control the unit from the phone.
If you are looking for expandability, then this is also your unit. You can do pretty much anything you feel if you are willing to pay the price for the addons. It has a nice lengthy USB and all the connections you need for your iPhone or iPod.
*************
* 4/5 Stars
*************

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Etymotic ER23-HF3-BLACK HF3 In-Ear Headsetwith 3-Button Remote Control for iPod, iPhone, iPad (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am somewhat of a headphone/earphone junkie. I'm always getting new 'phones, in search of "perfection" and although I can't say I have found personal perfection with the HF3s, they are close.
Before I start on the meat and potatoes of this review, I want to make a statement. A disclaimer, if you will. Sound quality is HIGHLY subjective and what sounds great to one listener, may sound like trash to another. It never ceases to amaze me how different it can be. Now, moving on.
PROS
-Sound Quality and Accuracy: These little guys are incredibly detailed and precise, if a bit bright. I am noticing things in my music that I never noticed with my previous earphones (SuperFi 4s, MetroFi 220s, Klipsch S2s, Klipsch S4s, V-Moda Bass Freqs, Multiple Sony EX series, V-Moda Phazes, Phillips SHE9700s, etc., etc., etc.). In fact, on the few songs I have encoded in a lower bitrate (128kbps), it clearly brings out the compression artifact so much that I have since deleted them off my iPod/MP3 player and found higher bitrate replacements.
-Build Quality: Build quality seems to be top notch. There's not much to note in this area, as you either have a solid piece of gear or you don't. These feel as if they will give you years of enjoyment. The cord is of high quality and restrains microphonics (Noise introduced into the ear canal by bumping or moving the cord) nicely. The buds themselves are solid plastic and have sort of a rough texture to them, making them easy to hold and insert/remove.
-Mic Quality: These are effectively the same 'phones as the hf5, but with a mic and iPod control (And are also the same as an hf2, but with a better mic and iPod control). I find the mic to be top quality and use it daily via Skype on my iTouch Second gen with compliments on my clarity. I don't use the cord-mounted iPod controls very much, as I have found, when listening to just music, these 'phones work best with my Sony S639F due to the iTouch's flat bass response (See cons). But the times I did use the controls, they worked perfectly.
-Fit: Etymotic includes 3 different pairs of tips. 2 sets of flanged tips (small and large), a set of "mushroom" tips and a set of foam tips. I have weird ears, so the only ones I could get to work, were the foam tips. But from what I have seen, most people prefer the flange type, although they have to go in the canal pretty deep and feel a bit odd at first.
CONS
-Bass Response: Bass response is a bit anemic, although quite accurate. I'm not a bass-head, but to me, the bass could stand to be boosted 3db or so. Don't get me wrong, it's not like some of the Shures with almost non-existant bass, but it could definitely stand to be a bit more pronounced. ESPECIALLY with the iTouch, which is engineered for a flat freq response. I've tried these with the iTouch, a Sandisk Fuze, a Sandisk Clip, and a Sony NWZ-S639F and found the Sony, paired with a Fiio E5 and these HF3s to be the perfect marriage. Clarity with just enough bass to be satisfying and not overpowering.
-Price. These command a premium over the regular hf5's just for the addition of the iPod controls and mic. Had I known I wouldn't be using these for music listening as much on the iTouch, I would probably have bought the hf5's instead. But for those that want an all-in-one solution to use with their iPod/iPhone products, this is a nice upgrade from the hf2's single button controls.
That's about it for the cons. I really love these phones and from what I've read, the transducers in these benefit greatly from burn-in, so I'm sure they'll warm up a bit over time and sound even more impressive. When I'm not actively listening to them, I have them breaking in using an awesome app JLab Audio has on their website. It runs various test tones and white noise to help with break in.
Unless you're a total bass-head concerned more with booming bass than accuracy and clarity, or are not as sensitive to a flat low end frequency response, I can definitely recommend these.

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The hf3 is the next generation of the multi-award-winning hf2 headset. The hf3 headset adds a 3-button remote control to a Made-for-iPod/Made for iPhone/Made for iPad version of the hf2 while maintaining all the design features, exceptional noise isolation and audio clarity of the hf2. The hf3 is designed to work with iPhone, iPad and all current iPod models. The main difference between the hf2 and hf3 is the added benefit of volume control. The hf3 features a 3-button remote control pod with a close-in proximity in-line microphone that makes it easy for iPhone users to pause music to engage in phone conversations, and for iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad users to adjust volume and navigate through music tracks while in motion or on the go. ACCU-Fit features provide best-in-class fit and comfort, with four noise-isolating eartips included and a small form factor for easy insertion into ears of all sizes. The hf3's attractive, sub-$200 price level puts it within reach of consumers who care about sound quality, and its choice of three soft-touch colors add a dash of style.

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MEElectronics M31-BK In-Ear Headphones for iPod, iPhone, MP3/CD/DVD Players (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[Note: the following review is intended to match with the company's M31P-BL (the P representing the included miniature mic), whereas the pictured phones are the M31-BL (no mic!). At a quieter moment, I'll reposition the review (next to M31P-BK, since I don't see the model with mic in BL on Amazon, though apparently it can be ordered direct from the manufacturer.]
I too was suspicious of the brand when Amazon had a Gold Box special on the MEElectronics M9, which sounded like a quickly manufactured name for a mass-produced generic product. But upon receiving the phones, I knew immediately I'd gotten my money's worth. Not only were they well-built and finely detailed, but the little carrying case, cord wrapper and disentangler, 4-5 sets of extra eartips were by themselves worth the price. The driver is on the small side (9mm), but once you find the right-fitting ear-tip (small always does it for me), the bass is clearly in evidence without being boomy or intrusive.
As the pictures make all too evident, they're a handsome set. But they're good performers as well and, in my case, have held up. Even the in-line mic and iPod control work flawlessly (more than I can say for a cheap set of generic "Premium" phones and even a pair of Apple phones). Still, the cost on these will seem high to some potential users, so I can understand the cautiousness, especially about an unfamiliar brand. At the same time, I've had the earpiece of the much-publicized, pricey (twice as much as these), highly reviewed Klipsch S4 snap into two different pieces the first time I applied mild pressure while swapping out ear tips. And phones this small are always easy to misplace or snag and break (if it's a constant problem, try the Colby phones for five bucks).
Another angle worth considering, especially for the consumer who is not overly impatient, is that MEElectronics' top-of-the-line phones, the A151's (which Cnet called the best phones available for under a hundred), were recently going on Amazon for less than ten bucks more than the current price of the M31's. Frankly, if I had a choice like that, the nod would go to the A151 phones.
If you don't need the mic assembly and prefer a brand name along with guaranteed extra-high fidelity, the first phones I'd look at in this price range (we're talking IEM phones, of course, and not full-sized headphones) would be the Sony MDR-EX300LP phones. Most users would not be able to distinguish them from Sony's top-of-the-line earphones, which cost 6-10 times more.

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M31 In-Ear Headphone. Fun is what the M31 is all about, giving you a fun, punchy presentation with good space and enhanced bass. Providing warmth along with 5 color choices of the the cool two-tone housing, this earphone delivers! oThe Original M Series in-ear headphones have a fun sound with enhanced bass that doesn't intrude into the rest of the spectrum, giving you the bass you want along with good clarity; Features: Durable and stylish metal housing with two-tone color; 9.0 mm dynamic driver can pump out the bass and retains clarity in the rest of the spectrum; Frustration-free designer cable offers low microphonics (cable noise from movement) and tangle resistance; In-ear design provides passive noise cancellation; Compatible with iPod, iPhone, MP3/CD/DVD players, computers, and all devices with a standard 3.5mm jack; Driver: 9.0 mm dynamic drivers; Housing: Metal with two-tone color scheme; Frequency Response: 15Hz - 20KHz; Sensitivity: 96 dB; Impedance: 16 ohms; Maximum Power Input: 30 mW; Connector: 3 pin stereo 3.5mm gold plated 90 degree plug; Cable: Designer colors 130 cm cable (51 in) with attached shirt clip; Accessories: 4 sets of eartips (small/medium/large silicon; bi-flange), clamshell zipper case; Compatible Accessories: Comply T-400 foam ear tips; Warranty: 1 year; Dimension: 0.25 inch H x 0.3 inch W x 0.7 inch L; Ship Weight: 0.75 lb;

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TENQA SP-99 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Setting up the device was pretty easy. After a few seconds, I was streaming music from my iPhone. The next time my iphone immediately recognized the device.
The sound quality is good for the purpose being a small wireless speaker. It's definitely not a Bose but is comparable to other iPod speakers I've tried. For this price, I'm certainly not complaining. If you turn the volume all the way up, you will get some distortion. However, you can turn volume up enough to fill whatever room you're in. I can hear it clearly when I'm taking a shower.
The compact shape is nice with its curved front. It's small enough to fit on a nightstand. I also like the silver and black coloring. It really makes the product stand out.
The speaker is convenient when watching movies on my computer while in my bed. I just use Bluetooth to connect to my computer and keep the wireless speaker next to my bed across the room. Then I can easily control the volume from there. The SP-109 is definitely better than my computer speakers.
Also, I use the speaker to stream music to my kitchen when I'm cooking. My apartment's a pretty decent size and it works fine for me but you may want to be cautious if you have a big house. If you get too far away from the source, the music will start to cut out.
Overall, I'm very happy with it and think it's a great value!

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Remove the wires between you and your music at home or on the go. The Tenqa SP-99 Bluetooth Wireless Portable Speaker is a battery-powered, portable Bluetooth speaker that connects you with your music on your mobile phone, iPod touch, iPhone, mp3 player, computer, and more-without wires.

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USA SPEC PA12-BMW - iPod in-vehicle interface adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)I installed this on my MINI. It works well and takes the place of the CD player. You use the buttons on the radio to access play lists on your IPOD.
I love being able to use the radio controls on the steering wheel to control the volume and select songs on the IPOD. It also allows me to use the IPOD in the normal way to select songs.
So what is the down side? After a period of use- it varies from 3 hours to 10 hours- the IPOD locks up. I do a soft restart of the IPOD and sometimes this will fix things. However, twice I have had to remove power to the USA SPEC- that is not just turn the car off but disconnect the power lead coming to the interface. That fixes things but is kind of a pain.
In case you are wondering, the text does not display on my radio. It just says CD1, CD2, etc. I thought text display might mean the name of the song playing might appear or at least the name of the playlist. But not so on my 2003 MINI.
So I like this unit overall, but if you want an install and forget it solution I can tell you there might be some frustration. I wonder if it is programmed by the same guys at that big computer software company.

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USA SPEC PA15-TOY - iPod in-vehicle interface adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of coolest "black box" gadgets I have had in a long time. I got this USA Spec PA12TOY ipod adapter for my 2008 Toyota Tacoma with 6 CD changer factory stereo (not JBL). Installation was a breeze (simple plug & play). I popped out the stereo, where there is an empty plug waiting on the back side. A cable from the USA Spec plugs into the empty plug of the radio. Then an additional cable runs from the USA Spec to your ipod. This USA Spec has additional RCA plugs that I connected my Sirius radio into (cable not included but only a few dollars). The unit is pretty small and was easilly hidden up behind my glove box. If you search the internet you may be able to find photos of individual installations and advice on how to take your radio out (I was for the Tacoma). Important to note that your CD changer is disabled with the use of this (but who needs CDs when you have your ipod?). For my radio/vehicle, the ipod operates under CD1-CD5 (corresponding to the first 5 playlists on my ipod). CD6 is the auxillary RCA plugs (my Sirius radio). I control the ipod either on the ipod itself, through the controls on the stereo, or on the steering wheel stero controls. USA Spec appears to upgrade the unit from time to time, so you should check their website for the latest unit that goes with your vehicle. I am extremely happy with the product and will be looking for one to go with my other vehicle. Highly recommended!!!

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Grace Digital GDI-IRA500 Wireless Internet Radio Adapter Featuring Pandora, NPR and SIRIUS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Grace Solo internet radio does a great job connecting the world of internet radio to my home stereo.
The Solo is good looking and connects simply out of the box. Plug in the power, connect the standard rca cable to your stereo, turn it on, choose your home network and within 5 minutes you are listening to Pandora or one of the 17,000 radio stations. While Grace has many models of standalone table top radios, I like the Solo because it connects directly to my home stereo (or even powered speakers). The solo even has a headset jack.
When you first take the Solo out of the box, you see the Solo internet radio tuner, a power cable, manual, remote and rca cable to connect to your stereo. It uses WiFi to access the internet. Make sure you have Wi-Fi in your home, and that it is strong in the area you put the solo. The Solo does have a built in Wi-Fi signal meter to see how strong your Wi-Fi is. So if you put it on the bottom shelf of your stereo system and notice a weak signal you may want to put it on a middle or top shelf. The Solo works with any 802.11b,g or n router and has a built in 802.11g receiver.
After you connect to your wireless network (you will need your wireless WEP or WPA password to do this) and set the time zone on the clock, the Solo remembers everything (including station presets) when you unplug it. That is nice because no one wants to type their wireless password in more than once.
Once you are set up you can start searching for stations by genre or location or type the call sign of the station directly into the radio. You can do this via the remote control or directly on the unit itself. I like Pandora. In order to listen to Pandora you have to register your radio at Grace's web site [...] . After you create a Grace account you enter in your Pandora user name and password on the Grace site and the radio is linked to your Pandora stations. Within a minute your Pandora stations are on the Grace radio in the `personal radio' folder. Pretty cool. You can create stations on the Grace Solo, although I prefer to do that on the Pandora web site. Grace plays SIRIUS and Live365 as well but I do not have SIRIUS or Live365 VIP accounts so I can't comment on that.

I really love the Grace unit. I get all my local radio stations #my FM reception is bad at my house but my favorite FM stations - most do these days - broadcast over the internet .. so I get those, Pandora, NPR and I even started listening to the BBC 4 which is kind of cool#.
Obviously I give this a 5 star. The only negative I would say is that on a few random stations they do not show the song metadata (they all show the station metadata). I'm not sure if that is because the station is not sending it or what. You get the station and song metadata for Pandora which is the most important for me. Oh - you can even thumbs up or down Pandora songs .. very of cool.

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Convenient Access to Online Music in Your Home AM and FM radio stations all over the world stream their audio content over the Internet. Grace Digital Audio's "Solo" product line of Wi-Fi Receiver and Media Streamers allow you link this massive amount of free content, as well as a variety of pay Internet radio services, conveniently and efficiently to your stereo or home entertainment system. Setup is simple, all you need is access to a broadband Internet connection and a wireless router. Acting like any wireless device, once configured to the Wi-Fi signal(s) available and its security, if any, the Solo Wi-Fi Receiver provides quick access to literally thousand of Internet radio stations and podcasts from your home stereo without having to fire up a computer. In addition, users can listen to the hottest premium online music services like Pandora, Live365 and Sirius*. Easy access to thousands of free and premium Internet radio content streams without using a computer. View larger.

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Myvu Personal Media Viewer Solo Plus Edition (MA-0495) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently purchased a set of these. Personal video glasses are a difficult item to purchase because it's very hard to find a store that carries them, let alone lets you try them on before purchase, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
First impression out of the box: these glasses are amazingly tiny and lightweight. The branches fold up, and they can very easily fit into a jacket pocket. That's a very important point when it comes to a device meant to travel a lot: you will not think twice about carrying them, unlike a DVD player.
I found the descriptions of what you see in the glasses quite misleading: the panels are actually collimated at about a foot in front of your eyes, so the illusion is quite similar to watching the screen in the seat in front of you on an airplane. It's perfectly acceptable, but falls short of the pompous comparisons to watching a 44" big screen from 9 feet away. The field of view may be identical, but the focusing isn't.
The Myvu glasses do not isolate you, as you can very easily see around the virtual screen. This is probably good to address a common problem with immersive VR goggles, which tend to make the user nauseous and disoriented. On the downside, this makes them more difficult to watch in very bright ambient light conditions. Also, switching between the virtual screen and the "outside world" is difficult because of the short focusing distance of the screen.
Finally, I was surprised to find out watching videos through the goggles did not significantly reduce battery life compared to watching them on the iPod screen directly. You will want to get some sort of high capacity USB battery pack if you want to be able to watch more than a couple of movies on one charge, though.
If you fly a lot (or have a long train commute) and would like to catch up on your video watching, you can't go wrong with the Myvu goggles. They're inexpensive, well designed, take up very little space and work very well.
You should also know that Myvu is coming up with new models: the Shade 301 (an update to this model) and the Crystal 701 (with full VGA resolution panels).
[EDIT]
Almost a year later, and my rating still stands: this is a wonderful product. I have used the Solo glasses on quite a few long plane trips, and they have performed flawlessly. The biggest chore is to keep the iPod topped up with interesting movies and TV shows!

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MEElectronics M9-BK Hi-Fi Sound-Isolating In-Ear Headphones (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)These are a good phone for the price. Worth much more than 30 bucks. Good build quality. If you like bass these phones might be for you.

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M9 second generation delivers ultimate sound with stylish color options (black or silver). Improved cable to eliminate microphonics. Redesigned casing provides superb durability. Headphone offers clear, accurate sound from any portable music or DVD player. MP3 and iPod accessory blocks out ambient noise for better listening. Electronic device features comfortable in-ear sound-isolating design. Lightweight, in-ear design blocks out ambient noise better than many bulky battery-powered noise-canceling headphones. Enjoy the full dynamic range of your favorite music and movies without cranking up the volume. M9 in-ear headphones deliver rich, clean sound from your portable player. Aluminum casting produces deep clean bass. 9mm drivers with neodymium magnets. 48-inch straight cord with gold-plated stereo mini-plus. Frequency response: 20 to 20,000 Hz. Impedance: 16 ohms. Our earphones require proper seal to achieve best sound quality, please choose from provided tip sets that best fits your ears. "MEElectronics stands behind our products and wants you to be satisfied.From time to time achieving a good fit and therefore proper bass response and sound for in-ear headphones can be challenging.If your MEE in-ear headphones don't sound great for the price or you have any other issues, please contact our customer service department at customerservice@meelec.com."

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Cowon D3 Plenue 32 GB 3.7-Inch MP3 Player with Android (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own the D3, and have gone over it with a fine tooth comb. While the specs are great, the firmware is not quite ready. Mine freezes up randomly. There is a persistent flaw in the music application that makes the audio cut-out momentarily near the beginning of each new song being played. There is also no access to any app market on the U.S. firmware of the D3. Cowon has been releasing updates rapidly though. These flaws may eventually be fixed, but since this is their first venture using Android on one of their players it is clear they need more experience. It is also overpriced given that a reliable 4th gen 32gb iPod Touch is $299 or less. There is no camera or GPS, and so far no engish version of a User Manual available either. Bluetooth worked fine with headphones except for that audio cut-out flaw. Files transfers over bluetooth failed every time I tried. No Bluetooth keyboard or mouse support either.
At the time of this review my D3 had (Korean) firmware 1.27 on it. The latest North America version was 3.25.
Update 2/10/2011: Cowon updated the firmware today, and with version 3.27 on my D3 the audio cut-out seems to have been eliminated.
Update 2/16/2011: Cowon updated the firmware again, to 1.29 (Korean). I expect the U.S. version (3.29) in a day or two. Now up to 9 home pages. Updates to the Music app including album art support for FLAC files. Still no gapless playback. Still the occasional bug playing music.
Update 3/12/2011: Cowon updated the firmware again. I've got version 3.31 on mine now. The Music app seems to be fixed except for no gapless playback yet. The Video app has a new trick when the D3 is flipped (ff/rw buttons reverse). Still too expensive with no app store and no local network streaming (Home Sharing on the iPod Touch, and available on the Archos android players). The UI is much more fluid now, but still hesitates when the media database decides to update.
My full review: [Google search for 4dthinker]
4D

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