Posts Tagged imaingo

If you believe good things come in small packages, the iMainGo2 speaker case for the iPhone and portable music players proves the point.

Portable Sound Laboratories did a superb job designing a great-sounding and reasonably-priced speaker system that works with Apple’s iPhone, all iPods  and Microsoft’s Zune (second generation and later). It’s ideal for taking on the road and playing your favorite tunes in a hotel room, on the beach or at the campsite.

The small speakers are built into a padded case and setup is simple.

For my iPod Touch, I just plugged in the audio cable, strapped it into the case, turned on the built-in amplifier, zipped the case shut and enjoyed the music.

The iMainGo2 is powered by four AAA batteries. Be careful when installing the batteries. If they’re not installed properly, it can cause all kinds of havoc such as distorted sound or even battery overheating or rupture.

A plastic screen on the front of the iMainGo2 allows use of the touch controls for choosing music, skipping tracks and adjusting the volume.

Another nice feature is an alarm switch. If your iPod includes a wake-up alarm, the case switches to a battery-saving mode until the alarm activates with music or video.

Of course, none of this really matters if it doesn’t sound good. And the iMainGo2 does not disappoint.

The small, titanium speakers deliver a rich sound that can easily fill an average room. The bass response is impressive and there’s no tinny sound common in smaller speakers. The iMainGo2 allows for comfortable listening for hours. And you won’t have to make frequent battery changes. A set of batteries will last up to 30 hours.

Side by side with other portable speakers I reviewed earlier, the X-mini Capsule and Max II models, the sound of the iMainGo2 wasn’t quite as bright on high-end frequencies. But the iMainGo’s sound was still clear and not muddy. (My colleague, Tim, also reviewed the iHome IM7 travel speaker.)

Many MP3 players include equalizers that can adjust the bass and treble response to your own preferences.

The retail price of the iMainGo2, $39.95, is a pleasant surprise. I could easily see a portable speaker set that sounds this good costing more. It’s available from Amazon and other retailers.

Besides being ideal for iPhones, iPods and most Zunes, these portable speakers will also work with many other cell phones and could even be connected to a laptop or portable gaming system.

The iMainGo2 does add some bulk to sleek iPhones and iPods. It’s about the size of a paperback book. In a way, the size reminds me of a portable transistor radio I listened to as a kid in the ’60s. I know, I’m dating myself.

But a transistor set listening to AM radio never came close to sounding as good as an MP3 player and the iMainGo2. That’s progress.