Customer Reviews

Altec Lansing iM9 inMotion Mobile Speaker Dock for iPod (Black)

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Excellent for travellers, but as a fellow audiophile, I have had to accept some shortcomings of the amp. The speakers are full range and the enclosure has no harmonics of its own which is rare in portables. Bass is warm and drives down low enough to make you wonder how the 2 little 2 3/4" drivers can produce warm bass guitar chords with aplomb. The tweeters are efficient and high sensitivity. Infact, they are accurate with music but also reveal both a benefit and a flaw of the design:
If you want to fall asleep to it next to your bed, the background hiss thats present at all volumes consitently(it doesnt get louder as you turn it up)this hiss could annoy you. I can sleep to it, but end up facing the tweeters away from me to attenuate the hiss. I only notice it between songs and when I am in very quiet settings. If you can tolerate placing it away about 6-10 feet and don't mind hearing the hiss during very quiet sections, its a great unit. I never notice the hiss outside or at engagements or with others. If you want something thats built tougher than other items I have owned both by Altec and other vendors, I will add that the battery capability is why you need to deal with the shortcomings of a Class D amp, whereas IC based solid state units are cleaner on the sound, but will never let you crank tunes for 8 hours on the beach at good volume so you can actually hear the sound will wading/swimming close to shore. The conveniences, and ALTEC's time to market with an evolved product explain some of the nuances I describe, but this will not be a choice I second guess, I have HiFi where I need it, at home, in my car and via my $500 headphones, but at the beach, in a hotel pool, or after nice day on the boardwalk, its a great way to share music for hours with good sound, great design and outstanding build quality. I chose it over their iM3, iM5 and the iM7 wont do, its too big! The iM11 has good sound and less hiss but not for the on the go, outdoors types. This item appears to have been well thought out and will be an addition to anyone who wants to utilized their ipod on the go in addition to an active lifestyle in environemnts less than optimal for the desk monger speakers so ubiquitous in the iPod speaker arena.

Absolutely terrific. I bought the Bose SoundDock and was not disappointed. However, it did not meet my portability needs. I loved the compact size and battery capability of this unit. I ordered it, and was shocked at the sound quality. It is not a Bose system, but for its size, delivers quite a punch. The versatility of this unit has caused my SoundDock to go into hibernation. Other reviewers have criticized this unit for inability to adjust treble/bass. You need to use the EQ on the iPod itself. Great product!

I bought the IM9 yesterday after spending an hour at the Apple store listening to all the alternatives. Loved the Bose system, but couldn't justify the expense. It was a decision between this and a Klipsch product, but when it came to sound balance (you have no control over bass, treble, etc. on any of them) -- using Barry White for the comparison -- the Klipsch was WAY too tinny. The IM9 has really nice warm bass (almost TOO much for a small room)-- I liked it better in the store and outside than I did in my little kitchen. Inside, I also noticed the hiss another reviewer mentioned, but it wasn't enough to make me want to take it back...it was, however, enough to knock my rating here down a star.
What I love about this is the beefiness of it. It's heavy for its size, and for all its compactness, it surprised me with the quality of sound. THe IM7(?) claims to have better sound, which I couldn't really hear in the store, and is so much bigger it makes portability a factor.

I got my im9 a week ago and I am in love with this thing. I have had over 20 different boom boxes and portable players in my life. I live in Miami and frequent swimming pools and the beach. This is the best portable sound system ever. Great sound, great portability and runs on 4 C batteries that last between 18 - 22 hours. The price seemed a little steep, but now I realize it is worth every penny. It is a great high quality product. The only competition I have seen is the Altec Lansing im7. I read reviews saying that the im7 is better. Well, the im7 is HUGE, takes 8 D batteries (that last 8 - 10 hours) and weighs 10 pounds. The im9 is the size of a textbook and weighs 5 pounds with batteries. The im9 sounds amazing and is plenty loud for the pool or beach. I am happy I have the im9 instead of the im7. It also comes with a FREE backpack that has extra pockets for cords, accessories and a water bottle. You wont be dissapointed.

LONG TERM TEST edit added on January 24, 2009 :

After originally purchasing the im9 about 3 1/2 years ago I am amazed that it is still going strong. The metal mesh speaker grill is banged up. The scratches and dings are cosmetically apparent, there is sand in every nook and cranny, but it still sounds just like the first day I bought it. This is one of the best investments I have ever made. I have plenty of dancing bikini beach day pictures to prove it. I originally purchased it for $179.00. Nothing can stand up to this unit in portability, durability, sound, and battery life. When I saw it for $60 I ordered a second one ! I think this unit has been discontinued. I have not seen it at the electronics stores lately. Probably due to the fact that the iPhone/iPod Touch does not fit in the door jam. (Apple screws up again.) So scoop up a piece of electronic history before it's gone. I put this electronic masterpiece right up next to the Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntable. It's really that good.

When I first heard it, I knew that it was the one for me. This little guy had much more powerful bass than other things its size. In fact, it's so powerful that it can be a little overbearing unless you turn down the bass in the setting/EQ menu.

But the thing that I wondered about most was the "pop" when one song ends and another when the next song starts (yeah, it bugged the heck out of me too). I don't hear that from the headphone jack, either on the back of the im9 or in the iPod itself, so I knew it had to be coming from the im9 & amps. Close listening indicated that when the pop happened after the song started, the bass became much more powerful, which indicated to me that the "subwoofer" amp was switching off at the end of the previous song (first pop) and then on after the next song started (second pop).

What is apparently happening is that the output from the iPod into the im9 is being switched off between songs as the iPod checks the level, which then shuts off the amp. If you turn off the "check level" option way down at the bottom of the settings menu on your iPod, the iPod will not switch off to check the level. That should get rid of most or all of the pop and it made all the difference in my 30GB classic/im9 combo. It still doesn't take all the transition noise away, but it is a noticeable improvement.

I love my IM9, or we lovingly refer to it, the "jambox." That being said, there are some pros and cons...

PRO:
Totally portable
RUGGED (used everyday in Iraq.)
Sound quality great, when plugged in
Gets LOUD when plugged in, still loud when not plugged in but the lows pop.

CON:
Sometimes the Ipod needs to be reset when in dock
Sound quality diminishes when not on AC power

Overall, this system is really good for dirty, rugged conditions. If you're not in dirty and rugged conditions it's still going to work wonderfully, obviously.

Those looking for a reasonably priced iPod speaker system may find themselves finding this well-rated bit of machinery, and it certainly gives a feeling of solidity. The reassuring heft combines with an elegantly simple design to house a pair of two-way speaikers, in black (perhaps to go wtih the new black video iPods). It comes with an attractive nylon carrying case so you can take the speakers safely on trips.

Set-up is complicated by the rather poor instruction booklet, which offers no visual guide to setting up the universal power jack or using the unit itself. A secret: go to the Altec Lansing website, and download a PDF of detailed visual instructions. Using this visual guide, putting the speakers together is (literally) a snap. The system comes with separate plastic sleeves to fit the various sizes of iPods, so don't worry if you own an iPod mini. However, if you have an older iPod (like a third generation), you'll be out of luck. If you use a rubber protector for everyday use, you'll have to remove it each time you use the speakers. (Some may know what an ordeal this can be.) This iM9 has a plastic prop that keeps it upright, but it doesn't take much to flip the speaker on its back; the prop could be better designed.

You can power the iM9 with the provided external jack, or with batteries. If you use the latter, you'll find it convenient to use recharegables.

But what about the sound? The iM9 uses the input jack on the bottom of your iPod. As a result, you will not be able to change your EQ settings on the run - an important issue for anyone with picky tastes in sound. Settings like Electronic or Treble Boost, for example, won't be available to you. For most, this isn't an issue, but every potential owner should know this before buying. It's recommended you use the iPod's Sound Check option to make certain the volume levels remain even on Shuffle Mode.

The sound is very similar to the Sennheiser HD580 headphones - that is, solid detail through its range, with a mid=range that's warm and inviting, and bass that veers ever so close to bass boost without stepping over the boundary. Obviously, this speaker system lacks transparency, but aims for a richer sound. Since you're using the iPod's bottom input, the sound balance cannot be changed.

Certainly, many have (and will) probably find this system perfectly satisfactory, but it's strongly recommended that you sample the iM9's sound (if you can) with your own mix of songs before buying.

I bought this to use by the pool, and the design looks like it can stand the occassional wet hand, expect for the handle area at the top. Well, actually, there is not any handle, but there is a groove on the back at the top where your fingers can get a grip, but your thumb ends up on the front of the unit which can be slippery when wet, and might drip water inside.

Also, our family has three different sizes of IPODS, and there are adapters that need to be used to hold each one, so you have to swap them out, being careful not to break anything, and then store them for the next time, which is why I guess they threw in the carry bag.

Also, the written instructions make no mention of the lever that pushes the IPOD against the front frame to hold it, although it is on the color picture instructions. This also has another plastic disk that has to be attached to it to hold all our IPOD's--I guess a 40GB IPOD is fatter and does not need it. You would think Altec Lansing could design a universal method that would grip all IPODs securely but I guess their engineers couldn't get it done that fast for the market.

If you do not use the right frame AND also remember to secure the IPOD with the lever/disc combo that pushes against the back of the IPOD the sound can go in and out and have a crackle in the background. Once I secured the IPOD properly this stopped and the sound seems really good.

Be aware though that this device is not a kid's toy--it requires a more delicate hand to operate than they might apply, and though solidly built, I doubt seriously it would survive a 3 foot drop onto concrete. I suggest you purchase an extended warranty.

First, let my refute an opinion about the IM9 that seems to have created a bit of a bad rap. After reading numerous reviews on this unit I decided to purchase it despite about 70% of the reviews mentioning an annoying hiss present especially at low volume levels. After purchasing my IM9 through Amazon on November 1st 2007 I fully expected to encounter this annoyance and in fact I had steeled myself to anticipate it. WELL, sticking with factual observation here, after playing around with the volume control at all levels I found there to be no more hiss in the IM9 than is present in the highly acclaimed IM7 which I also own. I consider myslef an audiophile at the consumer level. Based on what I've observed the low level random electronic noise (hiss) germain to this digital amplifyer is barely detectable at low volume. I can only speculate that Altec Lansing my have corrected this issue in later manufacturing of this unit.

POSITIVES: This unit is solid and mobile with a bit more weight perhaps than many whould prefer. I was amazed despite the pub. in previous review of just how dense this little baby was after hefting it out of it's box. Ilounge is absolutely correct in warning people that the strange design dicotomy of the unit does NOT protect your IPOD from moisture so be careful about exposing it to any amount of rain as you would in conventional non-splash resistant mobile speakers. The narrow 3 inch footprint allows the IM9 to squeeze just about anywhere. The sound that eminates from this thing is truly amazing. Again Ilounge tot it right when they deem it to be soundock like in sound. There's good and bad regarding the density and solidity of the chasis design. The good is that it will stand up to a lot of wear and tear. You can also pump lots of volume and low frequency through this thing with little fear of chasis vibration contributing mightily to good clean sound. The IM9 falls short of the Sound Dock however in natural resinance in large (I think) because it lacks open areas within for the sounds to resinate. I've installed 4 5000mah Nickel Metal rechargable C batteries in this thing and they've gone about 30 hours thusfar at quite a range of volume. I love the simple 4 button control setup at the top of the unit with special attention to tactile distinctions for each. You can also get lots of velocity (volume) out of a decent pair of ear or headphones for private listening.

NEGATIVES: No remote. The power button feels a bit sticky and flimly in the way it reacts making it noticably disparate from the solidity of the rest of the unit. Due to product weight and density the carrying depression in the back of the unit is somewhat lacking or inadiquate until you develop your own technique for transport. This is especially an issue with me because I carry it quite a bit. The universal dock in the IM9 does not hold my Ipod classic firmly in place allowing it (even with dock retracted) to move forward and backward unlike the security of the IM7. So far this has not lead to sound interruptions or other issues.

CONCLUSSION: At Amazon's current asking price of $100 you'll be hard pressed to get comparable sound quality in any mobile unit anywhere. I have not had to remove my Ipod since installing it in the unit. I am able to keep it charged and synced daily. It's definately NOT for everyone however if you like good sound, protection and value the IM9 is for you.

I'm at a loss for words. This speaker system is soooo much better than anything else that I own. I have a TravelTunes and an iHome, I need something portable and loud for my workplace. The iHome was barely loud enough but this system is at least 5x louder than the iHome. I'm so happy with my purchase!!!! I researched many systems and my choices were between the m7, m9 and Bose, and this one was the cheapest and has the cool "tape deck" type door, not the flimsy type on the m7. After installing the door spacer for my 30G Ipod and the circular spacer on the adjustment dial, my ipod was locked in snug and tight, TOO COOL! The volume buttons are easy to adjust, just hold them down until you get the level you want. The sound quality is really nice and it doesn't make my Ipod lock up when I skip songs. The only thing I don't like is the "handle". A regular handle that you can stick your hand through would be better. A great purchase and a great product from Altec Lansing!!!!