Home > Consumer Reviews > iRhythm A-303 - iPod Docking Speakers - 20 Watts - Black

I was apprehensive about these, because the docking systems I have tried to date just do not do the iPod justice. Usually with no bass and sound really tinny and cheap. I was recomended to look at these after reading a review on trustedreviews.com, where they gave this set a reccomended over the Apple and Bose offerings which at double the price of the i-Rhythm is way out of my budget!! Thankyou i-Rhythms for giving me a great sounding docking solution for my iPod

I bought mine in the US where I had the chance to listen to both the Bose and the iRhythm together. Now lets not kid ourselves here on a couple of points. Name brands matter - iPod is no better than a Creative Zen but which one sells more? Bose has marketed itself into the premium brand sector very well indeed but, in truth, the gear is good but not outstanding. At this level which is compressed audio and compact speakers you are not going to get the ultimate hifi experience. The Bose iDock is good, but then so is the iRhythm. Quality is pretty much the same and the sound is similar. Perhaps the iRhythm has a better bass wieght. Anyway if you took the name branding out of it and went on musicality you could flip a coin and feel happy with either. Add in the price and the iRhythm wins hands down. Half the price same sound, same build quality.

As always I was unsure about purchasing these before hearing them. I had read the various reviews which all said how good they are and well they are all true!! I have to admit I am a great BOSE fan, but for the price these are and the quality of sound I have 3 sets around the house for not much more than 1 BOSE system!! Highly recommended purchase you will not be dissapointed.

Ken

I saw the reviews for this little beastie, and decided to buy one for my wife. It duly arrived, i plugged in fired it up and my initial comments were :-

It's smaller than i expected, this little beastie will comfortably fit in quite a small area.

It's heavier than it looks, the base speaker or something has some real weight to it. This is a good thing, it feels like a quality product.

It's ludicrously simple. You place the ipod in the cradle. there is an on off switch on the back and then there is a volume control (well 2 actually) near the ipod. that is it, no other controls at all. You are supposed to use the remote which is very small and flimsy looking. It has an on off button, volume controls and a fast forward/skip button (and reverse). That is it no other controls. Not really a techno geek? Don't worry. if you can use an ipod your technical expertise is already well over what is required for this unit.

Shape and asthetics - it is a very pretty little beastie, a very pleasing curvy shape, I think most people would be quite happy to have this in their living room etc, it does not look cluttered or ungainly.

Now of course the one and only really important thing.... what does it sound like. I am very fussy about music quality, I am used to very expensive Denon seperates and have been sceptical about getting a reasonable iPod speaker at a sensible price.

Well it certainly does not dissapoint, the quality is truly impressive. If this unit was £200 I would be giving it 4 stars for value, it is that good, at well under £100 it can not be anything other than 5 stars. Sound quality is basically equivalent to any of the other £200+ speaker systems out there, which at this price is very commendable.

I believe one reviewer mentioned that it makes a slight hissing noise when switched on but not playing music? This is true, not sure why, not really a problem and of course not noticeable when you are playing music.

Although I have no wish to play the music loud enough to upset the neighbours, this unit seems to have enough power and volume to please all but the deafest of owners. Bass is very good from such a small unit.

I was not enormously impressed by separation, i think it is everything you could expect from a unit this size, but the truth is the speakers are very close together and there is not much you can do to disguise that. As good as can be expected on a unit this size, not as good as properly spaced separate speakers.

Is it as good as £1,000 worth of Denon equipment. No, but it is close enough that for an average listener it will do an excellent job. Unless you are a real audiphile and insist on £1,000 worth of seperates in an accoustically perfect room, seriously consider this little beastie, you will not be dissapointed.

Would I recommend this to friends. Yes deffinitely.

Would I buy another one? once again yes deffinitely.

Andy Watkins

Firstly, the sound off this unit is absolutely tremendous; if it weren't for what I'm about to write, I would most definitely recommend it.

Your iPod slots onto a connector which comes from the main board of the unit. The connector is not housed in plastic like the USB cable uploader/charger is and it is extremely flimsy.

I had the unit for just under a year, when I took the iPod out of the docking station and the connector came with it. I contacted the company that I bought it from and they pointed me in the direction of IRhythms. Spoke with them and they said it could not be repaired. Went back to the company that I bought it from and they finally found my invoice and therefore it was within warranty. After sending it back, I got contact from them saying that due to the connector being snapped, the warranty was void.

What exactly is the warranty for then? This is *the* most vulnerable part on the unit and I would be confident in saying that I will not be the only owner that this has happened/will happen to.

IRhythms have developed a brilliant sounding unit with a major flaw; however, they have covered their backside brilliantly by saying that if the most vulnerable part on the unit breaks then your warranty is void.

What fantastic customer service.