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How does this compare with the much more famous brands?
Until now, WiFi speakers were the exclusive domain of such high-end companies like Sonos, Polk, Denon, Bose and a couple of others, with prices ranging from $300 up to $1000 or more. My entire house is wired (or should I say unwired) with WiFi speakers that simply plug in wherever there's an AC outlet and derive their music from the internet from sources like Pandora, Spotify, etc. The TV soundbar in my bedroom automatically senses when the TV is on and if not it plays internet music for me.
Most of these high-end speakers are a big cut above ordinary bookshelf speakers, capable of filling the room with near audiophile quality sound commensurate with their high-end price.
Now comes iDea Home with a WiFi speaker that sells for a fraction of the price, is smaller and more portable but just as stunning looking and offers everything but the kitchen sink built in. Being a product expert having owned, tested and reviewed the other, more expensive brands, iDea Home approached me with the request to try a complimentary sample of their new speaker. Our reviews are always completely independent on any manufacturer or organization.
At under $80 this speaker will immediately remind you of the look and quality of a Bose portable speaker. But can it match the sound of Bose's lofty price tag?
Well, it's got a lot going for it. Unhampered by the limitations of Bluetooth like 98% of the other small portable speakers, the iDea Home capitalizes on the 150Mbps bandwidth of WiFi to deliver the full power of the audio spectrum. Like many of the newest computer engineered speakers they tune the 4 internal drivers to pump out a shocking volume of clean listenable sound. If WiFi isn't available or you take your speaker to a friend's who doesn't have the required app, no problem, you can also switch to Bluetooth or a hard-wired connection (or even use a plug-in media card loaded with music).
Right now the iDea Home supports Pandora, TuneIn, iHeart and Spotify (and of course, your stored music library). My experience owning similar systems from other companies is that they all start slow and continue to add on more of the listed choice options as time goes on.
Are there any downsides? Not really as a negative to this particular product but to WiFi multi-room speakers in general, there is a lack of standardization in the way they are controlled. In other words, the speaker itself doesn't have any kind of tuning system built in, all WiFi systems are designed to be controlled from your IPhone or Android phone. Unless you're streaming content from your phone, the music doesn't actually get "tuned" by your phone, but rather your phone acts like a remote control for the speaker. And each manufacturer of WiFi speakers has their own downloadable app, none of which are compatible with any of the other companies. It's like buying a car that can only run one the gas sold by that car maker and nobody else's. Again, this isn't a negative about this speaker but the entire new class of WiFi speakers. If you only plan to buy from one brand it's not an issue at all.
But coming full circle to the under-$80 price this speaker has compared to everyone else's far more expensive WiFi speakers, this one represents an incredible value and equally incredibly good sound (which I would compare favorably with the infamous $200 Bose SoundLink Mini). The speaker is well-made, great looking and has impressive battery life ... long enough to outlast most people at the party. Some people may find getting used to the app a little daunting, but if it's any comfort the app used for those $1000 speakers isn't really any better, it's one of the trade-offs of being on the cutting edge of new technology. But the good news there is that it is 100% software driven, so the app can keep getting better without obsoleting your speaker.
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