- Plays and charges iPod mini 1G; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G; iPod classic 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G; iPod touch 1G, 2G
- Wake or sleep to iPod, custom playlist, AM/FM radio, or buzzer
- High-fidelity stereo drivers in specially designed Reson8 speaker chambers deliver astounding clarity, depth, and power
- Gradual Wake and Gradual Sleep increase/decrease alarm/sleep volume so as not to startle the user
- Full-function remote controls unit and iPod menu functions
I have a couple minor complaints with the iHome IH9, let's get those out of the way. First complaint: the AM reception, even with the external antenna isn't great. With the antenna it is "OK" but without the antenna it is non-existent. My previous inexpensive AM/FM clock radio (with digital tuner) did a much better job with AM. Second complaint: I wish the volume wheel & adjustment wheel (top left, top right) were "grippy-er". Laying in bed they are kind of hard to turn. Finally, with the iPod sitting above the clock it seems a touch funky and fragile, but I think it is probably fine almost all the iPod clocks have this EXACT same design, so, I am just paranoid.
Now, for the things I like. The sound is really good. I don't think it is an "auto-set" clock, but it came from the factory already set. Keeps good time (so far). Readout is super easy to read. There are 7 brightness settings to the display, including OFF, and it fast and easy to switch between them. The fall asleep to (radio/ipod/line-in) is great, the dual alarms to (buzzer/radio/ipod/ipod-playlist/line-in) is great. The fact that either alarm can be 7-day, 5-day (weekday), or 2-day (weekend) is fantastic. The remove is somewhat useful, I guess haven't used it much.
It is a touch pricey, I paid $90 but I really love the features and sound. No plans to return it.
Buy iHome iH9 Alarm Clock Speaker System with Dock for iPod (Black) Now
I purchased the IH9 after seeing a good magazine review. When hooked up to an iPod, it sounds spectacular. The sound is on par with any higher-end table radio or bookshelf stereo I've heard, such as the Bose.
However, the FM tuner leaves something to be desired. No matter which station I chose, no matter how strong or weak the signal, the audio was distorted. I adjusted the equalizer settings (the equalizer is a nice touch) as well as the 3D simulation and it didn't help. There was always some distortion, even at low volume levels, whether it was music or NPR.
It's clearly not a problem with the speakers because of the excellent iPod audio quality. I suspect an inexpensive FM tuner, or just a bad batch of FM tuners that wound up in my IH9.
I don't plan to keep the IH9, as much as I like it otherwise, because I listen to FM radio in a clock radio more than I'm likely to listen to my iPod Nano, and distorted sound is distracting. But if you're solely or primarily an iPod listener -or don't care too much about FM radio quality -this is a nicely designed and sounding unit.
Read Best Reviews of iHome iH9 Alarm Clock Speaker System with Dock for iPod (Black) Here
A big step up from the last model. Just be careful when buying, since it's easy to get messed up with the two versions of the same item. There is one iHome that plays third generation, and one that plays second generation. So, if you get the second generation iHome, you will be unable to play the third generation iPods.
Pros
+ 6 radio presets
+ comes with remote
+ easy alarm functions; you can set an alarm up so that all you ever have to do is hit the power button when it goes off
+ charges iPod so you don't have to go through the hassle of plugging it into the computer
+ remote can control iHome from across the room
+ crystal clear radio reception
+ remote has practically every button you could ever want
+ louder volume settings
+ easy to set and use
+ can dock almost every kind of iPod with add on attachments
+ better display; numbers are easier to read and the light had just the right amount of brightness
+ more dimmer settings
+ can play cd's
+ AM and FM radio
+ can play the shuffle
+ seems to charge faster than before, if only by a little bit
Cons
the softest volume setting is quite loud
HUGE AC adaptor which gets sort of hot
remote gets kind of confusing the way it's laid out
still can't charge the shuffle
All in all, the pros outweigh the cons. It's THE best iHome yet. And the silver color looks amazing.
Want iHome iH9 Alarm Clock Speaker System with Dock for iPod (Black) Discount?
It is a good ipod alarm clock but it has several issues I was displeased with.
Pros:
Good alarm settings. Dual alarms, ability to wake up to a playlist or a selected song, can set the alarm to go off on weekdays only so there is no need to turn the alarm on/off
Easy to use/set up
Good interface and controls
The remote can fully navigate your ipod and the other ihome funtions such as the radio and alarm.
Cons:
Although there are 8 dimmer settings for the backlight, all of them besides the brightest and the darkest make an annoying buzzing sound. (its subtle but I can't stand it)
The radio DOES NOT WORK. I live in New York City, can see the empire state building and I cannot get a station that is broadcast from it. If you plan to use the radio function at all do not get this alarm clock because you will be VERY disappointed. I get only 3 stations somewhat clearly from the middle of Manhattan.
Does not work with some ipod models so make sure it works with yours.
In the middle:
The sound doesn't compare to my bose sounddock. If you want great sound and don't care about the alarm features get a bose or klipsch igroove or room groove. If you do want an alarm clock to play your ipod I don't think there is anything better out there without spending a lot of money.
Overall, if you want a solid alarm clock to wake to your ipod (and only your ipod), don't want a radio, and don't care for a better sounding unit like a bose or klipsch then this may be for you. If you really want to spend some money check out the polk isonic or the chestnut hill george
I'm impressed with this clock radio / iPod dock. This device shares a room with a Bose Wave Radio. $90 David versus the $300 Goliath. David wins on the critical counts, sound, radio reception, and cost. The iHome iH9SR is way better than I ever expected.
This is a complete rebuild (I think they threw out the horrible plans from the iH8) of the previous model. The controls are smoother, the display better, the sound infintely better (stereo to start with), and the heft is wonderful. I just spent 2 weeks with an iH8 in a hotel, it was good. The iH9 blows that older model away.
Honestly, I've read the other reviews of this unit, and I frankly don't understand them at all. The sound is clear. The clock is perfectly visible, the dimmer works exactly as reported in the owners manual. The AM and FM reception is way better than anything I own (including that Bose Wave connected to a roof antenna). The sound is clear and very tunable to your taste. iPod integration is wonderful. I love the two alarms with play list, radio, buzzer, or iPod; and 2, 5, or 7 day settings. The unit includes every battery you will ever need (two double A's in the base, and the remote battery). Even the remote you almost have to close your eyes and not think to use it correctly. The remote is actually a nice size, not credit card thin, but not TV big just thick enough, just large enough to be usable.
My only complaint? The wall wart is big and it is heavy. But if they made it smaller, the amp would be less powerful and the sound would suffer. So it's essential.
Oh packaging this is hilarious. I think the company must own stock in 3M scotch tape. I've never seen so much tape in one box in my life. And the little iPod inserts (you know those nasty little plastic inserts for different iPods), come in two separate bags, and then each is individually wrapped in a bag. Kind of a waste.
The box says it big and bold this unit will not charge or control a Series 3 iPod. Dec. 15 update: It will not control or charge the Third Generation iPod Nano, and it does not include an adapter for the iPod Touch (just got this from the www.ihomeaudio.com website). And after 6 months with this dock, we still love it. Would gladly buy it again.
Bottom line I love this baby, great price, great sound, great iPod dock.
The Xperia line is really starting to shine. I love the Arc LT15a. Works great on AT&T with 3.5G HSDPA data. Not carrier crippled like so many other Android phones. For example, you can install unsigned apps (like Amazon AppStore). USB tethering and WiFi hotspot work right out of the box (unlike Atrix). Works fine with MS Exchange (does not have the Gingerbread/Exchange bug like Dell Streak Mini 5). HDMI works as it should, simply mirroring the entire display to an HDTV (unlike Sprint EVO). The 854x480 16:9 aspect display is perfect for watching movies (unlike 800x480 Inspire 4G). Real hardware keys up front that wake up the display so you don't need the tiny power button on the top edge (unlike Infuse 4G). Very fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 8255 processor (not the old 8250 incorrectly listed in the specs). No proprietary connectors. So thin. So light. Cool accessories. My only wish is for a front facing camera. Overall I like the Galaxy S2 better but Arc is so much cheaper. Keep up the good work Sony!
