Customer Reviews

iMainGo 2 Portable Speaker for MP3 Players (Black)

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(52)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Length:: 2:29 Mins

I made this video the first day I got my IMainGo2 because I fell in love with this product right away. These are the best portable speakers I have ever had. The sound is so rich and clean and can really lighten up a room. I hope from watching this video you can see how much I really love this product and i hope you will take my advice and get one ASAP!

Donald Norman (great psychologist and human factors expert) has emphasized that products should be functional, but that they should also be beautiful and have an emotional impact as well. "We know how to make products that work fine; how do we make products that make you smile?" Well, there's something about the design of this little gadget that forces my lips to curve upward. The sound quality, simplicity, compact design, and usability combine to make this both a pleasure to use and a joy to behold.

Well... there are plenty of tiny portable speaker systems out there, and I've tried many of them. Back in the dark ages (early 2000's) I trekked around with Sony SRS-T77 portable speakers and a (gack) portable CD player. Despite being limited to such primitive tools, I learned that I could have a portable blast all over the place -- in homes, cars, planes, parks, hotel rooms, conferences, cafes, beach bonfires, sporting events, and more. And I learned a valuable law of the universe -- If you clunk around with an obnoxious boombox, then you are trying too hard. You'll find more, and better, trouble without the excess. (Amazingly, the SRS-T77 is still on the market, and it really is not a bad choice compared to some of the the junk out there. Mine still works despite years of trying to kill it. Don't mess with the newer Sony SRS-T33; it sounds worse.)

Anyway, I used the original iMainGo for about a year until mine was stolen. It (a) sounded really good (compared to any other tiny speaker system available at the time), (b) was easy to carry without a lot of clutter, and (c) protected my iPod within its zippered enclosure. I liked the fact that the iMainGo was a protective enclosure, and not just a peripheral portable speaker. And I liked the fact that it was really small. And it got plenty of attention, for better or for worse. Once the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Zune came out, the system became somewhat obsolete because these newer products did not fit easily into the plastic inner shell of the iMainGo. Moreover, the iPhone required an an unglamorous adapter plug to connect to its earplug jack.

The iMainGo2 was announced by its parent company early this year, but there didn't seem to be any for me to get one until now. Mine arrived last week, and I've been subjecting it to rigorous experimentation, in the interests of science, of course. The revised product doesn't differ much from the original, except for a re-designed plug, an enlarged storage compartment, and use of memory foam. In particular, the new design uses memory foam to fit the contour of the iPhone, iPod or any other phone/MP3 player. Additionally, the speaker plug is now compatible with iPhones (no adapter needed). The iMainGo2 attaches to any earplug jack with a tiny internal mini-plug cable, making it compatible with just about any brand of MP3 player.

I love the iMainGo2. Like its predecessor, it's loud enough to annoy the really old lady across the street, but clear enough to party for hours with her granddaughters.

If you find something better... let me know! Since losing my original iMainGo, I had been using the new Altec Lansing portable speaker. It sounds really good... but it doesn't have the other features that I've come to appreciate in the iMainGo products.

The product uses 4 AAA batteries. Use rechargeable batteries, and this will save you a variety of headaches. Also, if the batteries are weak, the sound is not very good.

By the way, here is my wish list for the iMainGo3!

1) Make the enclosure/memory foam space even larger. As it is, my iPhone (including my new iPhone 3G) fits tightly into the iMainGo2. I have to take it out of its usual protective case to put it in the iMainGo. It would be better if at least some iPhone cases fit inside the iMainGo

2) Design the iMainGo so that you can answer calls if you are storing an iPhone inside it. The instructions suggest that you shouldn't even try to answer an iPhone when it is stored inside. But this detracts from the usability of the device.

3) Recognize that many of us use the iMainGo unzippered, with the cell phone facing in rather than out. I'm betting that I'm not the only person who does this! Instead of using just one velcro band that crosses the middle of the touch pad, use two - one at the top and one at the bottom.

4) Provide an a/c power option. And while you are at it, improve the battery chamber. The springs are a bit cheap, I think.

Alternatives:

Don't be seduced into buying speakers just because they are tiny. Many small speakers sound horrible, and even the good ones aren't all that much fun to carry around. Also, don't expect some of the larger stuff to be any more portable than a bowling ball.

If you are looking at comparable systems, then take a look at the Sonic Impact i-Fusion (iPods only, I think), LG Portable stereo speakers (MSP-100), Altec Lansing InMotion iM4, Logitech mm32 portable speakers, Creative TravelSound, JBL On Tour, Audio Source DB5, or the Altec Lansing iM-237 Orbit (see my review). All of these are OK, IMHO.

Here are the products I didn't try but wish I had... (1) DLO Portable Speakers for iPhone. They may be more appealing to some iPhone users than the iMainGo2. The speakers fold into an egg-shaped unit and turn the iPhone into a speaker phone. (2) Logic3 portable speakers for iPhone. They supposedly sound pretty good. (3) LiveSpeakR iPhone speakers. (4) LG Portable Stereo Speakers MSP-100. These are very small and reportedly sound good, (5) Kensington 33388 FX 300 speakers. (6) JVC MP3 case with built in speakers. The last two share something of a resemblance to the iMainGo. I doubt that any of these could replace my iMainGo2! I am, however, thinking that I'll need to try (7) the Dada Code M footwear MP3 player... (Check this one out -- it is totally nuts...)

I bought the Imaingo2 based on all the positive press on the internet. It is billed as having room filling sound. I agree, although wide open there is a little distortion.

I have to say, the styling, fit, finish, and protection are excellent. I also find the case makes my Ipod Touch G2 easier to hold and operate, since the Ipod is so tiny and slippery to begin with. Excellent product.

Wow, the other positive reviews here and elsewhere were NOT exaggerations.

I don't know how this little case puts out such fine sound, but it does.

The bass is especially surprising: it's much richer and fuller than that produced by any other comparably sized portable speakers I've encountered, including those from Sony, Yamaha, and iHome. I'm sitting here listening to a Brahms Violin Concerto, and the whole orchestra is right here with me, including the basses and tympani.

The form factor of the case is also noteworthy. Two stereo speakers (plus two bass ports) all in one compact case that also holds your itouch, iphone, or other mp3 player (I'm using a Samsung K3, and it fits perfectly). The miniplug cord and foam insert allow a good deal of flexibility to accommodate different mp3 players.

I have the K3 facing out through the plastic window, and it's easy to access the player's touch-sensitive controls.

My only disappointment is that the case doesn't have a long enough miniplug cord to serve as an effective antenna for my Insignia HD radio, but that's not the fault of the iMainGo2. Use it with an mp3 player, and you'll be as happy as can be.

Other customers have complained about the difficulty of installing batteries in the case. Put the two bottom batteries in first, folks! Problem solved! I'm using 1000mAh NiMH rechargeables, and the iMainGo2 plays beautifully for hours.

The fact that all this goodness costs just $40 is commendable as well. Pay attention, Bose -- good sound doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg!

So if you have been wanting excellent sounding, compact, and convenient speakers for your mp3 player at a bargain price, your search is over. I think I'm in love...

When they say the batteries arent easy to get into this player, they are correct. However, that is its only fault. This puts out amazing sound for its size. Dont hesitate.

Pros: Good sound for size, there is room to store some additional accessories, compact enough to take with you anywhere, keeps your device protected.

Cons: Somewhat bulky relative to size of Mp3 player or phone, no external power adapter for speakers or device, could have been rechargeable cannot access Mp3 player or Phone power button without opening the darn thing, No volume control, and batteries can be awkward to put in.

I really shopped around for portable speakers before deciding on the IMainGo2. After reading David Peterzell's review here, I purchased it about a month ago. Yes, there is some distortion when I turn it all the way up, and I agree that it would be nice to be able to use a/c power, but I absolutely love not wearing ear buds or headphones and being able to share my music with others. I'm listening to it right now at work. Awesome gadget for $40!

This little device will blow you away. I bought this for my honeymoon so we could have tunes on the beach and at the pool. We used it with a few different ipods and an iphone and both work flawlessly through the vinyl window. The volume is enough to make you think you might be disturbing others around you and everyone that does notice is amazed at the sound quality from such a small device. It has a full range of sound including decent bass and the clarity is almost perfect (no crackling or distortion except from the really deep bass hiphop - just turn it down a little). From my experience, many devices of this size can be loud but are almost always lacking bass. The batteries easily last the 30 hours mentioned in the literature and the price is right!

Summary:
Pros - Good construction, AWESOME sound (good lows, clear upper range), protects music player, good bass, no noticeable distortion.
Cons - $40 is a bit high, especially if you add $10 more for 4 rechargeable AAAs, but with these types of speakers you get what you pay for.



The iMainGo2 surprised me with great sound quality. I agonized betweeen the iMainGo2 and the Altec Lansing iM-237 Orbit Ultraportable Speaker for MP3 Players (Silver), as well as the iLuv iSP100BLK Mini Portable Speaker for MP3 Players and iPod (Black), X-Mini II Capsule Speaker, and the iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker. I have lots of speakers at home, and have done a lot of tinkering.

I ended up going with this one because it has a class D digital amplifier and titanium drivers. Also, it has L and R drivers, as opposed to just one. Soundstage is small, but it is there.

I don't understand the mixed reviews, because it sounds amazing. The "Bass porting" DOES work; you can hear the bass well, just don't expect a subwoofer. It even comes with 4 Energizer AAAs! They've been powering it at near-top volume for several hours, with no decrease in sound quality or volume... so I can't comment on battery life.

Some things to know about the iMainGo2:
-the clear vinyl touch screen window is fairly soft and has an excellent feel, and is almost tacky, in a good way. The player won't slip around inside. It also helps the unit to not slip around on a dashboard, etc.
-there's a memory foam insert to cushion the back of your player, and a black plastic plate goes behind it, and the adjustable velcro strap goes over that.
-overall build quality is stellar. I can't stress that enough.
-Most of the case interior is hard plastic (covered in nice no-scratch felt), i.e. there's not mcuh extra room in there for headphones or other things.
-It's designed around the iPhone/Touch, but accomodates most mp3 players, including most zunes (except my 1st-gen Zune brick, which is long enough that the headphone jack ).
-The power indicator light is very bright green, but is wisely placed inside by the switch, so the speaker can be used in the dark.
-The sound is somewhat directional, just something to know.

My one minor complaint is that the audio-in cord (3.5mm headset-style jack, ~10cm cord) enters the plastic where it is under the zipper when the unit is closed. This may cause it to wear more quickly, but perhaps not.

Overall, great portable speaker. Worth the money. Hope this helps :)

Again, for the price, this is a nice little unit. The sound is surprisingly good, better than you would think for only 40$, and the touch-screen is easily used through the plastic front. The Itouch/Iphone fits very snugly inside and is well proctected, and the zipper is heavy-duty and looks like it will last a while. Only complaint that I have is the really cheap components in the battery compartment. The really cheap springs get in the way of trying to squeeze 4 batteries inside, and you end up bending the heck out of them every time. Otherwise I would have given it a solid 5 stars.