Polk Audio I-Sonic Entertainment System 2

I enjoy this system tremendously. Sounds great for such a small package. The firmware was outdated when I received it, and I quickly found out that Polk Audio no longer provides the firmware on their website for download. It seems too many people were having issues flashing the ROM. Basically because 1) they didn't read the directions and use a memory stick < 1Gb, and 2) if they had other files on the memory stick the I-Sonic would get a bit confused. I called Polk Audio and insisted they email me the firmware (They wanted to mail me a memory stick). I performed the upgrade without any problems using an old 128Mb stick I had lying around (made sure nothing else was on it). So you should be able to request the same from Polk Audio.

First off, I would state that I am not an expert audiophile. Impressive sound for its size, however it does not sound better than a real home stereo system. I guess I was expecting a tiny bit more, due to some of the hype and other reviews. It plays fairly loud without distortion. I would say that the sound is clear, but lacking some fullness that would make it exceptional. It can easily fill a small room. The rear firing speakers do allow for less directional sound, so can sound ok from different listening locations, but of course you will not get great separation from a small box. Remote is quite small, but is ok.

I think the unit is a little pricy, especially since it does not include CD or DVD player. I bought this unit mainly to play music from MP3 player and will probably connect DVD/CD player. I wanted the best sound without having a big system to set up and take up a lot of room.

So, for someone who wants the best sound in a very small size, this would fit the bill. Again, just dont expect it to sound as good a real home theater system or stereo.

This is a really nice device. The HD radio works quite well and the iPod dock is top notch. Highly recomended.

Contrary to the product description, this product does NOT contain the CD/DVD player of the original I-Sonic. You may confirm this in the chart at the bottom of:

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/isonic/

This useful chart also compares the features of competing products.

[I have no personal experience with the product, so I put in the current average rating.]

Polk Audio I-Sonic Entertainment System 2I cannot recommend the Polk I-Sonic 2 too highly! The HD sound really is as good as they say; the AM does sound like FM, and the FM, like CD. Since the I-Sonic 2 is the only tabletop HD radio that is iPod ready, the purchase was a no-brainer. My iPod sounds much better on the I-Sonic 2 than on either of my two docking stations with speakers. And the radio sounds better than the radio tuner of my expensive stereo system. I should also mention Polk Audio's customer service. It is incredible. My iPod kept freezing when I first used it on the I-Sonic and finally died altogether. A techie at the Apple store told me my hard drive was no longer operational, and I would need to get a new hard drive ($150) or buy a new iPod ($250). I sent the I-sonic back to Polk. Once Polk had the radio, Ken in Customer Relations phoned me four times from Baltimore to keep me informed about the progress of the investigation into the problem. The iPod was put through internet tests, which determined that it was fully functional; the hard drive, undamaged. The problem was that I had been using an incorrect adaptor to connect the iPod to the I-Sonic. Ken's last call was to tell me that at Polk's expense my I-Sonic and my iPod were being shipped to me in Los Angeles by two day UPS air delivery. Polk is the tops!