iHome iP46 Sound Bar: Rechargeable Portable Speakers

June 23, 2010 By Geoff Duncan

iHome's iP46 sound bar sports four speakers, but is still easily portable and can run 10 hours off a rechargeable lithium ion battery.

Sure, portable speaker systems for the iPod and iPhone aren’t exactly hard to find, but finding one with the right mix of features can still be a struggle. iHome is aiming to please folks who need a compact, decent-sounding portable speaker solution with the iHome iP46, a compact soundbar that manages to pack in four speakers while still maintaining portability. Plus, the unit can run off a rechargeable lithium-ion batter for up to 10 hours, making it a good portable solution for folks who will be away from wall sockets.

“The iP46 is for the music lover on the move who wants a portable solution without sacrificing superior sound,” said iHome marketing VP Evan Stein, in a statement. “The rechargeable battery and streamlined design really enhances the overall portability of the unit.”

The iP46 can run off an AC Adapter, but an internal rechargeable lithium ion battery also means the speaker system can pump tunes without being connected to a wall. The unit features two active and two passive speakers in a Reson8 chamber for “awesome” sound…although we’re not really sure what a passive speaker is going to do. The unit sports SRS TruBass for extra oomph, a retracting universal dock (the iP46 is compatible with a broad range of iPods with dock connectors and—of course—iPhones and iPod touch devices), and features a line-in jack for non-iPod devices and folding stand supports.

The IP Portable Rechargeable Stereo Speaker System should be available now at retailers for a suggested price of $99.

Showing 3 comments

Bob at 11:14am 22nd September 2010 Just bought one at Sams Club for 79.98 - retractable dock does not extend - told to take back - what a bummer!!!
mike at 9:40am 27th July 2010 I just purchased the IP46 at Costco here in Hawaii for 79.99. I agree with Forrest on which music translates best on this speaker unit. I actually killed my ipod touch by getting it wet, so I've only tested this speaker using line in inputs. I tried it through my LG phone's media player, my laptop and a small RCA mp3 player I have. Through the line in, I had different results from each source. With my phone I got a very loud and strong sound, but that was expected because I have the same sound from using ear buds. With my Laptop the speaker was substantial louder at maximum volume and sounded the best playing through winamp. With the RCA mp3 player the sound was balanced but the maximum volume was lowest of the three sources. I can only conclude that the speaker works something like earbuds. Your source will dictate how loud this thing gets as well as how clear as well as the depth of the sound. I am curious to try it with an ipod. And overall, I am happy with the unit. The battery life is good and the sound is pretty nice too. It does need a case or a bag, and a handle would be nice too. I might customize mine.
Forrest Proctor at 3:13am 28th June 2010 I bought this unit as a travel sound system and find it perfect for its size and sound quality. The richness of sound depends on the type of music that is played back on it; music recorded decades in the past will sometimes sound tinny, but older music that had some thought put into the sound mixing and recording are perfect for this unit. Music that contains what I call "artificial" bass, the kind that can only be heard during earth tremors in nature cannot be reproduced by the unit. Music that depends on this these low frequencies will not be that enjoyable on the IP46 and that is usually rap or pop music from the late 90's to the present. Classical, average pop music and Rock sound great on it. If you're looking for a balance between portability and sound quality, this unit should do it for you. Bear in mind the Ipod EQ typically will make the sound distort on any setting other than "flat" or "off". I have found the IP46 can get even more punch to the sound using the "Acoustic' sound mode found on the Ipod with little or no distortion.