iHome iP47 – Review

iHome’s top of the line device, the iP47 leaves no feature behind.  It integrates functions like A2DP stereo Bluetooth connectivity, GSM interface shielding, Alarm Clock, AM/FM Radio, iPhone Docking and Charging, Direct Dialing from the unit, Speakerphone, and a fully functional remote control.

We received our review unit a few weeks ago and I initially thought that this device was primarily for someone to play music from their iPhone/iTouch at home or work.  I wasn’t really expecting to use it for any of the other features, although the speakerphone was something that sparked interest in the office.

From this perspective, if you are an audiophile and are looking for the best sounding stereo, and nothing else, this unit is not for you. If, however, you are looking for decent quality sound for your music, AND want a high quality speakerphone that even allows you to dial and answer calls from a remote control, this unit is worth serious consideration.

So let’s break down the components-

As a speaker system- fine but nothing special.

As a speakerphone- Very good!
The speakerphone functionality connects to your phone via Bluetooth so it doesn’t require you to dock the phone.  The sound is absolutely fantastic! You can hear the other party clearly and the ample volume makes it easy for a few people to not crowd around the unit when having a conference call.  The microphone is sufficient enough to do the job, but not as impressive as the speaker.  I found myself having trouble with other people on the line if I moved too far away from the unit (> 5 feet).  Often, the party on the other side of the conversation complained that I sounded like I was in a tunnel or was too hard to hear.

As an alarm clock-
The alarm clock features are what you would come to expect from iHome. They offer an excellent, easy to use interface.  The iP47 supports 2 different alarms and the alarm can be set to work from either the iPod, Radio, or Buzzer.  In addition, the auto volume increase when using the alarm is a nice feature, since you don’t suddenly get jolted from AC/DC or Ozzy in the morning when the randomizer plays your song at full blast.  Varying brightness on the display is also nice, since most people would keep this system near their bed and the light could be distracting at night.  The iP47 offers 4 levels of brightness.  In addition, four presets are available for AM stations, and eight for FM stations, and although other iHome systems offer 24 total, I find that twelve here is ample for my needs.

Overall Details-
The remote control is convenient and the integrated keypad (that retracts under the iP47) is a nice touch. It keeps the face of the iHome clean and uncluttered.

A2DP stereo support will make many users happy, and the fact that the unit has GSM shielding means that the sound will be clear of static additives. It works so well that I did not experience any sort of static or noise when I had the iPhone docked or connected via Bluetooth and was using the speakerphone.

Finally, I also liked the fact that you could charge your iPhone while talking and the unique feature of using the speakerphone / remote combination allowing me answer the phone "remotely" without running to it everytime a call comes in. Get a call when your phone is docked? Just press the remote, answer the call on speakerphone, and click the remote to hang up when your done (all the while continuing to charge the phone).  Very nice.

Overall, if you are looking for an all in one package that gives you a great speaker phone (ample mic), and very nicely integrated set of features, this is a good choice. Better still, iHome recently dropped the price to $179 so the unit is now a bit more affordable than a few weeks back. On the other hand, (there’s ALWAYS another hand) if you’re looking for a high quality sound system for your music and the speakerphone isn’t important, this may not be your best choice for high quality sound.

Maybe the next revision will have an updated set of speakers (and maybe a better quality mic?) which will make this the premier all in one option for your iPhone. As it stands now it is very good but not great.