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(More customer reviews)(PLEASE NOTE: This Video Review was made using a Canon SD800 IS camera and was recorded in avi format. It was then converted to mpegII for upload. I recommend that you use a good set of earphones to listen to the speaker comparison portion of the review. )
Even though the internal speakers on my Sony Vaio notebook computer are decent, I sometimes need a little more volume and clarity. When the need arises, I usually whip out the ear-buds. But recently, I've been wanting to play some tunes on my computer at work where it's not convenient to wear ear-buds. Hence, the "need" for one of these portable mini-speakers.
After reading the reviews on portable notebook/iPod/iPhone speakers, I narrowed my choice down to 3 products and ordered all 3.
I thought that I would choose the best one, send the others back, and review them at the same time. So....my 3 choices were the X-Mini II Capsule Speaker, the iHOME Rechargeable Mini Speakers for iPod (Blue), and the Altec Lansing iM-237 Orbit Ultraportable Speaker for MP3 Players (Silver),
I tested all 3 speakers with my Sony Vaio notebook, my iPhone 3Gs, and my 60-gig iPod. All 3 speakers worked with all 3 devices, and the rating results were comparable.
One more thing: although 2 of the 3 speakers have USB charging cables, none of them are USB devices. The USB only charges the speaker; the sound is controlled via the headphone-out controls.
1) X-Mini II Capsule Speaker ---- This speaker is the most compact. I like the design, the lines, the feel, and the size. It just feels right. It looks like a little pill/capsule, and then springs open to reveal bellows that enhance the bass. The sound is focused and clear, but ranks #3 in loudness and bass quality. It is the only speaker of the 3 that I tested that has a volume control, but I really don't see the need for a volume control when the speaker is only 6 inches away from the sound source. It has a built-in speaker cord for when you want to run it on the internal rechargeable battery. There's also a combined USB charging/speaker cable....1 plug inserts into your computer USB port to charge the speaker battery, and the 2nd plug goes to the headphone-out on your computer (or iPod). So, if your speaker battery dies, just plug the 2 plugs into the computer and you're back up and running. If you're using the speaker to listen to your iPod or iPhone, you are out of luck if the speaker battery dies, unless you have a USB power source nearby. Unfortunately, both the attached speaker cable and the combined USB charging/speaker cable are very flimsy. It also has a speaker-out jack, which allows you to daisy-chain speakers together. Not really a huge selling point, since people tend to buy these speakers because they are small and compact...so who wants to carry 2 with them? But I suppose it does allow for more flexibiity, athough daisy-chaining 2-3 of these little guys together just doesn't make good financial sense. So, just like the volume control, the speaker-out jack is a non-issue to me. Also comes with a little carrying bag made of felt material.
Pros --- Looks and feels right. Small/compact. Decent sound, considering it's size. Rechargeable battery. Option of using built-in cable or combined USB charging/speaker cable.
Cons --- Worst performance in terms of loudness and bass (but still not bad). Flimsy cables.
2) iHOME Rechargeable Mini Speakers for iPod (Blue) ---- This speaker is very similar to the X-Mini II above. The major differences: it's larger than the X-Mini and doesn't look as "polished". It doesn't have a volume control, but who needs one anyway? It doesn't have a built-in cable....it only has a USB charging/speaker cable....but it's MUCH sturdier than the cable on the X-Mini. The sound is louder and fuller, with more pronounced bass.....probably because the diameter is bigger and the bellows are longer. Comes with a medium-heavy duty black carrying bag, which is more substantial than the felt used for the X-Mini II bag. Also has a speaker-out jack, just like the X-Mini II, for daisy-chaining speakers together.
Pros --- Ranks #2 in loudness and bass. Small/compact. Rechargeable battery. Sturdy cable. Nicer carrying bag. $10 cheaper than the X-Mini.
Cons --- Less "polished" look/feel. Not as small as the X-Mini. No built-in speaker cable, so you MUST use the more bulky USB charging/speaker cable.
3) Altec Lansing iM-237 Orbit Ultraportable Speaker for MP3 Players (Silver) --- This speaker is the largest, but weighs about the same as the IHome. It has NO USB charging cable....just a built-in speaker cable. It ONLY runs on 3 AAA batteries. I haven't used it long enough to test the battery life. The carrying case is a deluxe zippered case that really protects the speaker. It also includes a lanyard for the speaker and a little caribiner clip for the case. The sound clearly out-classes the other 2 in loudness, clarity, and bass.
Pros --- Best sound of the 3. Uses 3 AAA batteries (no rechargeable battery to die on you). Built-in speaker cable. Very nice carrying case.
Cons --- Largest of the 3. Uses 3 AAA batteries (rechargeable battery is convenient, but they often die.) Flimsy built-in speaker cable.
So.....which one am I keeping? That's a good question. I'm DEFINITELY returning the X-Mini II. It performed the worst of the 3, it has flimsy cables, and it costs as much as the Altec. Although the iHome requires that you use the bulkier combo-cord, it sounds better and costs $10 less than the X-Mini II. No-brainer.
How about the Altec? It sounds the best, but has some limitations. I might keep BOTH the Altec and the iHome. But I'm DEFINITELY keeping the iHome, which is the all-around winner in this speaker shoot-out when you compare sound, price, and features.
A couple more remarks. The iHome packaging is maddening. The speaker is wire-tied into the package, making it extremely difficult to remove. I ended up essentially destroying the packaging in order to remove the speaker. But perhaps iHome did that on purpose, so as to discourage returns. Very annoying, but not a deal-breaker. Also, the iHome's cable has a hard plastic clip attached that is supposed to be used as a wire-tie. I have very good manual dexterity, but I was unable to fold the cable back up and clip it back together. Nice try, iHome, but the velcro cable-tie of the X-Mini II is a much better design.....too bad they decided to include such a flimsy cable.
I hope this review helps you in your purchase of a portable speaker for your notebook computer or iPod/iPhone. Be sure to check out my VIDEO REVIEW, which includes sound bytes from all 3 speakers. It is located here: iHOME Rechargeable Mini Speakers for iPod (Blue).
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