Reviews for iHome iW3 AirPlay Rechargeable Wireless Audio System - Black

I was looking for a better option than Bluetooth for a wireless speaker. Most AirPlay speakers I've seen are quite expensive, but I saw this one at my local Apple Store and thought I would give it a try. It's much more affordable than the $350+ price of many of the other brands. So far I'm very happy with it. I had it set up and working in just a few minutes. The sound is really good, but I'm sure it won't hold a candle to a B&W or Bose. Since I'm no audiophile, it's good enough for me in my home office. Plus, it has a rechargeable battery built in, so I can easily move it from room to room if I want.

Others have posted reviews mentioning problems with networking. I'm using an Apple Time Capsule as my router with 802.11n and WPA2 Personal security. The instructions say that you can ONLY use this speaker on a network with WPA or WPA2 security, and that it won't work on WEP or WPA/WPA2 Enterprise networks. iHome should really put this on the outside of the box.

If you want a low-cost AirPlay speaker with decent sound, I think this is a great buy. Just be aware of the WiFi network requirements before you buy.

Perfectly easy to set up with the help of an iDevice. Sound is okay, if not for the price. However, most of the time it cuts out after a few seconds or begins to "stutter", even though the router is in the next room. I have an Airport Express hooked up to a stereo, and AirPlay works like a charm. This on the other hand is a joke.

I was very excited to get this set up, and setting it up was very fast and easy. Using the App from the App Store was a breeze, and I had it working within 60 seconds.

It is definitely not audiophile grade, but it definitely gets an A for effort. It fills a bedroom well enough, but I find that there is some slight bass distortion at top volume, and the very occasional housing rattle. I have found that it works best with the "Rock" EQ setting on the iPhone. Avoid Bass Booster - it can't handle it at top volume.

The packaging was definitely mass-market electronic grade. Whereas for Apple no expense is spared, for iHome, no cost-reductions are missed!

I think for the price of this unit (currently about two hundred US dollars) it should definitely be a better product. Based on its performance, its build and packaging, etc., it is more like a ninety-nine dollar speaker, not two hundred! But, there aren't alot of AirPlay speakers out there to choose from, and iHome knows it!

I purchased this speaker because we just wanted something in the kitchen, stream some music, and not disrupt the rest of the house. So far, everything is working great.

The speaker is rather heavy, probably because of the built in battery. We probably won't use the battery much, as we just have it on the charging base (which fits inside a small cut-out under the base). The chrome band around the bottom gives it a nice look as well. The buttons on top seem to be a good quality, they don't feel cheap or fragile.

Setting up the speaker was a breeze. I just connected my iPad and it prompted me to download the small free set-up app. A minute later, I punched in my WiFi password and the speaker connected without a hitch. Streaming iTunes via Airplay was no problem. One bonus was being able to stream Pandora internet radio.

I mostly chose this speaker because the more highly rated alternative was twice the price. The sound seems good to me, I'm no audiophile, but can appreciate good music and good sound. This speaker delivers.