Customer Reviews

Athena iVoice Direct Radiating Dock & Sound System for iPod

5 star:		(115)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I have "ear tested" just about every iPod portable speaker system found in major outlets, and some not so portable. For my use, this system bested them all, including Bose, Klipsch, and especially Logitech. The only thing that came close for me was the JBL full-sized Radial, and the Athena was still louder without distortion. The Klipsch was good, but it was somewhat more bass-heavy than the Athena and a bit muddy in comparison.

If most of your music listening is to bass-heavy music, you will most likely disagree with me about the Athena. I listen to everything *but* bass-heavy music, and this system has a beautiful, clear, sweet mid and high range, *and* it has a nice bass. Not thumping, not jumping off the table, but certainly there, and IMO, balanced with the rest of the sound, not just bass-heavy like the Bose and the Apple.

Regardless of cost, I would buy this system over the Bose or Apple Hi-Fi any day.

I haven't had any problems with the remote, though you do have to aim it at the bottom of the unit. If you aren't hitting its 'sweet spot', it's not going to work. I can sure live with that...

UPDATE: I'm still in love with my iVoice, but I was worried, after reading all the Nano 4th Gen compatibility issues for older players and boomboxes, etc., that it wouldn't charge the new Nano I'd ordered from Amazon (which came two days early!). I just tried it, and yes, it DOES charge the 4th Gen Nanos, so - go for it, you won't be sorry, and your wallet will be about $200 on the plus side for not buying the Bose.

I really like this product. I give it an A all the way. Nice design, not too heavy, pretty light weight. You can mount it on a wall if you like. Comes with a remote. One downfall, if you care about this, is it is not battery powered. (things I can do without, as long as I have good sound)

I listened to a bunch of products as far as speakers go for the ipod, and they all had one problem or another with them. The ones I found at the apple store sounded like I was listening to music out of a tin can. One did not go too loud when another did. One had a remote and another didn't. One came with a travel bag, so there were ups and downs to each.

I went over to Best Buy to look, and I saw the Athena iVoice, and had not see this one before. I popped my ipod in, and I was instantly impressed with the sound I heard. I could actually turn the system up and it did not crack or distort. I compared this one to a few others, and I still went back to this one, due to the sound.

I did buy the 2 year warranty Best Buy was offering, just in case something is to happen, or the speakers blow. But last night I had it set up in the kitchen, and blasting Tool so loud.. rocking out and bouncing around. I love this machine.. I had to find some website that carries this product, just so I could leave a review on it!!

Here is another great review I found on line (after I had got this puppy home) and I knew I had a great product.

[...]

I didn't have much hope of finding an iPod speaker system that delivered decent sound within my price range, and had decided to just save up for a Bose. Then I read some good reviews for the iVoice. It has an amazing sound, especially considering it can be had for $100 - crisp, clear, not muddy, not tinny, good bass, volume goes really high. I am using it in a very large room and it sounds great.

In the picture here it looks tippy, but it actually has a broad piece in the back that stabilizes it perfectly. It's also very sleek-looking.

The only con (possibly) is that the remote is smaller than a credit card (though thicker) so it might get lost easily. But I'm delighted with the iVoice's sound and features - it's a fantastic value.

I am not the type of person who usually makes recommendations on products, but this system so good that it is absolutely worth reviewing. I was amazed by the sound quality -- both based on the price point and versus other ipod speaker systems. I compared the Athena iVoice to several other small systems (side-by-side vs. Bose, Logitech, JBL, etc.) and it had noticeably better sound than any of the others. It was not "just as good" -- it truly was noticeably better. The fact that it was also the least expensive made it a "no-brainer" to purchase. In addition to our own unit, we have now bought it as a gift and also recommended it to other friends. Everyone loves it!

What especially stands out about it is that there is no perceived distortion at any volume level -- you can play it low or crank it up pretty loud and the sound remains clear and crisp. I mostly listen to classic rock, but my wife likes jazz, pop and easy listening. It has plenty of bass for my rock, but the sound also is very balanced and clear for the jazz, pop and easy listening.

The unit itself is very solid, good-looking and well made.

All-in-all it is simply a great iPod sound system!

After reading the reviews here, I decided to buy this unit. Simple design, simple packaging and setup (just pop in the power cord unless you're using a non-iPod music device in which case use the included 1/8" jack), and wow, what an amazing sound! For the size, the sound was very rich and full. Good low end response, non-tinny high end drive, and clean clear midrange. Volume is quite good as well, and there is very little distortion at high volumes (which fill a room and then some). Tested audio with a variety of pop, light rock, Christmas music, hard rock, and heavy metal. All sounded good, though the cleaner genres (specifically Christmas music) sounded the best - all sounded very good and clear.

Setting up was simple. Unbox, plug it in, pop in the iPod, and play. The remote is a nice touch; small yet easy to thumb. Controls are very simple (both the unit and the remote: power, volume up/down; additional on remote: track forward/back, play/pause, mute).

Features I particularly like: wall-mountable, the ability to add other audio devices (non iPods, Shuffles, etc.), and video out, which would make pairing this with a small LCD perfect for an office, kid's room, or dorm. Mount them both on the wall and enjoy.

One note of sourness not directed at the product, I'd ordered this through Vanns here on Amazon, and the unit shipped with no protective boxing. It arrived a bit worn and the box literally fell apart at the seams when I began opening it. fortunately the unit was well-packed by Athena and it worked just fine.

I just may buy another one for my office!

Athena iVoice Direct Radiating Dock & Sound System for iPod
When I read the reviews about this product I found them a little hard to believe. Then I listened to one. Believe them! This little unit is impressive. It has the best sound I have heard in years. BD(before) (divorce) my ex was a stereo salesman and we had the best in stereo equipment, Altec, Bose, Harmon Kardon etc. Needless to say, he got custody of the audio equipment. I have missed having great sound since then. This is sound at it's best. It doesn't clip the sound. It is so crisp and clear I keep thinking I am at the symphony or a rock concert. I am going to by another for my upstairs. I haven't enjoyed music so much in years. I can't imagine that the Bose unit can sound much better at over twice the price.

[Final Update: As great a dock speaker as this is (I'm using it with a Classic, a Nano 3G and a Touch 2G--no inserts, or adapter, required), its sound beats the internal speakers I've heard in HDTV systems. In fact, I picked up two more, along with a headphone splitter, and now have 2 of these babies replacing the speakers in a Sony flat screen. Admittedly, one Athena would do, since each Athena has full, spacious, 2-speakered sound to begin with. But in these depressive times, why not go with some extravagance when it's affordable?]

[Update: If this speaker doesn't blow you away, you have a defective unit. Exchange it for another. Warning: Guard the (as usual) tiny remote switch with your life, should this unit be in the process of being phased out. I'm even having difficulty replacing the remote for a comparatively new JBL portable iPod speaker. Moreover, the remotes are disproportionately pricey, even when available. Also, the included battery was sporadic and failed in short order. Replace it with an Everready CR-2025, and you should notice an instant difference. Finally, double-check the price of the Athena. This review is based on the reduced price which, curiously, is not appearing on my Profile page. Still, seeing what a Bose or Tivoli goes for, it would be hard, imo, to "overpay" for the unit. I've just auditioned and reviewed the runaway favorite, the Altec IM600. In short, if you can forgo the radio and a couple of other conveniences, the Athena is the better choice, the one that no doubt would be made by the goddess's celebrated "A" student, Odysseus.]

If you're a musician, or (better) someone capable of distinguishing "true" musical frequencies and "honest" sonic imaging from numerous doctored, contrived approximations, you owe it to yourself to dedicate at least some portion of your precious listening space to the Athena. This is not merely a good-sounding speaker; it's a miraculous little system stopping at nothing less than verisimilitude in its accurate and simply breathtaking representations of musical sound. The acoustic bass that sounded distorted or boomy on other systems speaks with unmistakable human clarity on the Athena; the sonorities of the Steinway piano are rich, complex and brilliant while the less stable intonation of the Baldwin is no less identifiable, yet the inimitable touch of Bill Evans comes through equally unmistakably on both instruments; the vibrations of a Hammond B3 Leslie system are not so much "captured" as "constructed" in the listener's own space, which suddenly contains its own Leslie system. With the Athena there's no mistaking a crash cymbal with a ride cymbal or a Paiste with a Zildjian ride cymbal; or a Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophone with a Yamaha Custom. $49.95, $149.95, $449.95, or $1495.00--merely quantitative figures, all immaterial to someone for whom music is truly important. Listen to this speaker, and nothing less will do. A few observations:

1. Some of the reviews suggest that the Athena iVoice is basically a knock-off of the Bose Sound Dock--at a price reduction of 80% or better. Maybe. I think it's better. And while coming up short in terms of style, material and build quality, the Athena is competitive (to say the least) with a Kloss Tivoli Stereo System costing 20-30 times as much.

2. The remote control is smaller than a credit card and unsophisticated--but it does all you need from the other side of the room--control volume, skip songs, turn it on.

3. The thing isn't as ugly as it appears in the photo, though the consumer should not be misled into assuming the unit is a light, thin picture frame ready to be hung on the wall from a tack or thin nail. Since the unit comes without an external power adapter (3 cheers for Athena!), the transformer is built inside the back of the unit, which consequently is several inches deep. There's enough flat surface for the unit to be mounted on a wall, but plan on a couple of well-planted, sturdy screws and an overhang of at least 4 inches. (I frankly wouldn't regard this as an ideal wall-hanging unit. For one thing, if you lose track of that tiny remote, you'll need to reach to the top of the unit to operate the controls.) The Athena sounds good even in open areas, but for optimal sound--especially bass--try for a corner.

4. The unit, like my factory-tuned Tivoli and unlike a twenty-dollar radio purchased at Walgreen's, has no tone controls. Just be assured that's not a cost-cutter on the part of those who designed the Athena. Even though the unit is devoid of EQ controls (not even bass and treble) as well as a switch for "simulated" surround sound, its frequency coverage and sound dispersion are so satisfying that the aforementioned controls now seem like so many novelties and gimmicks.

5. Unlike JBL, Cyber Acoustics, and a number of other iPod players that provide the user with six or more plastic insert adapters to ensure a tight fit between iPod and dock, the Athena uses a rotating, in-and-out wheel that can be turned to accommodate players of various sizes--a simple yet effective solution.

There's a reason that a number of dock-speaker systems, including this one, have been reduced in price. Most will not necessarily perform as advertised (transmitting video or synching a phone, for example) when used with newer devices such as the Nano 3G or iPhone. Nevertheless, the Athena is currently the best deal among all such "aging" systems (and most newer ones). The sound is so good it leaves little to no room for improvement. (If you don't require a remote and would prefer a system that can operate on either battery or electrical power, the Cyber Acoustics CA-421 is a smaller unit that offers less volume and spaciousness but manages to be fuller-frequencied and more pleasing than similar-sized units.)

Should an Athena not be in the cards, go out of your way NOT to listen to one. Doing so will spoil you irremediably and lead to a life of unabated regret.

I chose this product because it had good reviews in regards to sound quality. Now that I have had it for almost a month, I am becoming aware of its shortcomings.

First, it was designed for the taller iPods. With the newer, shorter Nanos, removing the iPods from the dock is a challenge. Whereas owners of the taller iPods could grab the top with their fingers and pull, new iPod owners must get their fingers behind the iPod, wiggle, and coerce it out of the dock. You will see in all the photos they have older iPods in the units that extend beyond the top of the docking system. Wiggling out the Pod cannot be good for it. I don't like the wear and tear this could have on the iPod's connection port. Other docking systems that I see allow the iPod to dock on a flush surface, so regardless of the size of the iPod, the user can just grab it and pull it out. (Even putting the iPod in is probably easier on other models.)

Second, I cannot get the video to work by plugging the system into the tv. The minimalist instructions simply tell you to plug it in to the video port and it will pass the video through. Well, it doesn't. There is no troubleshooting for this.

Third, trying to manage the iPod through the system is a little cumbersome. When you plug everything in, the computer doesn't activate iTunes and sync the iPod like it does with a direct USB connection to the computer. If you restart the iPod, that wakes up the system and then it works fine.

Fourth, the remote is a bit of a joke. You have to be standing right in front of the unit to get it to work.

All said, we do like how it sounds, and I guess for the price we're happy to be able to listen to podcasts and music in our kitchen. But with three iPods in the house, I wish it were easier to be docking and un-docking without worrying about the longevity of our iPods. (In my experience with mp3 players and other portable devices, it's most often the connections and ports that go bad first. On my sport mp3 player, the earphone port has problems from wear and tear and thus an otherwise really good system will end up being useless. Something is only as strong as its weakest link.)

If I could, I would look again at the other docking systems out there and return this one.

I already have a Bose ipod player at home but bought this athena iVoice player for my office based on these reviews and I couldn't agree more ... It goes without saying that the music I play in my office has to be at a lower volume but this model plays my music in a clear undistorted manner and I'd highly recommend it.

All the features are great but note:

From the Athena website:

Please note: The USB connection on the iVoice is not compatible with the iPhone or iTouch.
The video output function of the iVoice is not compatible with the 3rd gen iPod nano, the 6th gen iPod classic, the iPhone, or iTouch.

http://www.athenaspeakers.com/v2/product.php?ident=Athena+iVoice&sub=manuals