Opinions on Polk iSonic

Gempler

I am looking for a better sounding all-in-one docking station/amplifier/speaker system for an iPod dock that is hopefully under $300 and the Polk iSonic comes to mind. Unfortunately it isn't on display in any stores so I am unable to audition it. Can someone with first hand experience with it please give me some insight into this product? Can you compare to the Bose wave radio (which I personally think is appallingly bad sound quality as well as insultingly overpriced for what it does). Also a comparison to the Geneva Sound model S would be helpful. And finally, is the Polk iSonic still in production (Crutchfield, a loyal Polk retailer has it on their site as 'discontinued' an unavailable).
Thank you for reading this and thanks in advance for your reply.

ps. I also hear good things about the Kicker ik501. any opinions on that one are also welcome? Thanks!

ohskigod

I se Isonics in the store, so I assume they are still in production. i think it has ben updated recently. The fact that these do not outsell Bose Wave Radios baffles the hell out of me. Infinitely superior in pretty much every way.

F1nut

I thought the I-Sonic was was kiss ****. A shame if they have discontinued it.

Cheap tweak tip, put some 1" risers under it, helps the bass.

blueboxer

I bought one years ago and still love it, it always amazes people with the sound it puts out.

cfrizz

I have the I-Sonic2. It is a great sounding machine that has terrific bass. +1 on the risers.

mrbigbluelight

I'm not sure, Christopher, if you had a chance to view the Polk page with information on the I-Sonic firmware upgrade feature, but here it is:

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


The firmware upgrade process is, in my opinion, another example of Polk's committment to Customer Service.

To request a thumb/flash drive, please contact our Customer Service/Technical Support Department at 800-377-7655, 9 AM - 5:30 PM Monday-Friday EST, or send us an email at polkcs@polkaudio.com."

You can call, or email, Polk Customer Service and they send you a USB thumb drive with the I-Sonic Upgrade File.
Simple, straightforward, and .... cool.

I'd suggest that you use the link that Xcapri posted for the Polk Direct store and do yourself a favor: Try it out. You will be very pleased, IMO.

reeltrouble1

Polk missed the boat with this one. only 6 stars out of 10, but on principle alone better than bose...hehehehe

RT1

Gempler

Thanks again for all the replies.
After going to a bunch of different stores (big box and specialty stores alike) I am sorry to say that I passed on the I-Sonic and went with a Geneva. The I-Sonic was nowhere to be found (auditioned). The Bose was everywhere polluting the air with its loud processed sound. There were a couple of surprisingly impressing sounding things from Altec Lansing and even iLuv... but nothing in this $500 or less price range came anywhere close in musicality of the Geneva (http://genevalab.com). And I also admire the styling which is more furniture like than appliance like. It is not as loud as the $500 Bose but it didn't have the processed sound or fatiguing quality as the Bose either. Would have loved to have auditioned the I-Sonic but it seems to be pulled from the stores. Hopefully that is because Polk has something new coming out.
An interesting rumor that I heard was that Apple is soon going to enter this marketplace and evict Bose, Dr Dre, B&W, and all the others that they current carry in their stores. I wonder if they might just re-badge the Geneva as it closely matches their aesthetics sense.

dorokusai

If anyone is interested in the Polk I-Sonic/ES2 idea and cannot find one local to demo let alone listen to at length....I will send you my personal Polk unit to audition to keep you from even thinking about a Bose, or alternative option. The I-Sonic is no longer made but the body and sound is about the same if not better.

Contact me offline via PM or by email, also thru here if interested. If you like it, awesome, if you don't....awesome but that would be unfortunate.

Christopher - Have fun with your purchase.

Gempler

That's a nice offer.
But what do you mean by

dorokusai wrote: »

"The I-Sonic is no longer made but the body and sound is about the same if not better.

Better than what?

dorokusai

I mean that since the I-Sonic is no longer made, the ES2 is the currently offered product and the footprint is the same that it sounds as good if not better. Is that a better statement Christopher? I mean that honestly, not in a sarcastic way, which would be normal for me.

It was tweaked prior to becoming a new.....product. The old I-Sonic benefited from being raised in the rear by a couple inches to better allow the power port to function and bass response improved. The ES2 doesn't need that and the bass is solid. You cannot design something that works awesome in every environment....the bane of all engineers....it happens. What you should expect from everything you buy and wonder about, is the next version to be better. Polk Audio listens to feedback, listens to CS and logs repair issues very closely.

The ES2 is better and I've not only owned but heard them both. Is it mind boggling different? No. But it simply addressed the issues of the previous model. Not every change in a product has to be epic and while I'll be, as usual, reviled by the engineering dept upon my next visit to Polk....sometimes it's just simply thing that make the best changes.

Gempler

i understand what you are saying now. comparing the original i-sonic to the i-sonic es2. i thought you were talking about it sounding the same or better than a bose which i would thought was far from a compliment. heck, i can't sing, but my own singing sounds better than any recording artist played through a bose. but the bose is louder

Gempler

ps. i thought the bigest diffference between the models is that they integrated the ipod dock into the unit since apple started to demonstrate their commitment to their standard ipod connector. without that standard in their (apple's) proudct line it made more sense to keep the dock external so one could 'upgrade' the dock should it now longer be compatible.

dorokusai

christophermuto wrote: »

ps. i thought the bigest diffference between the models is that they integrated the ipod dock into the unit since apple started to demonstrate their commitment to their standard ipod connector. without that standard in their (apple's) proudct line it made more sense to keep the dock external so one could 'upgrade' the dock should it now longer be compatible.

Singing? Oh...don't even go there since I sound like a bloated goat with gas.

I understand that comment Christopher. I believe it was a mixed signals atmosphere at that time, just guessing since I'm a groundling. There was such a rush to get iPod sourced gear at that time that it parlayed some issues that should have been addressed.

Mind you.....Polk has never introduced a product that didn't fit the market or was ready for the market as intended. Could they have done a better job? Sure, and they did with the ES2. I'm and end user guy and what sucked is that the tabletop market was so off the freaking wall that I don't believe anyone really knew where to go.

The ES2 is cool and a solid product....I dig it and that's just as a audio nerd. The dock and compatibility was imperative as a product. That's a very good point, identified by you and the main thing that will survive the product.

The iWhatever is going to continue to be an issue, period. Google/Android is making some major headway and perhaps that will change, who knows, hopefully it will.

dorokusai

christophermuto wrote: »

ps. i thought the bigest diffference between the models is that they integrated the ipod dock into the unit since apple started to demonstrate their commitment to their standard ipod connector. without that standard in their (apple's) proudct line it made more sense to keep the dock external so one could 'upgrade' the dock should it now longer be compatible.

I hate to say it but hopefully they standardize something amongst manufacturers. It sucks in regards to being someone else, other than Apple for example, but something has to happen. The ES2 uses the adapters to handle all current Apple products. Polk's choice of a built-in solution was always the intention and design. A "add-on" was simply not an option.

You and I both know that these connections will continue to change and further anger us....planned obsolescence? Argh in Charlie Brown fashion.

How much do you want to bet, you and I will meet here in ten years and be talking about the same situation. Honestly, if we're both on the Polk forum in ten years I might ask someone to kill me, ha ha. - Mark

shack

I just watched Stu with his ES2 demo on the website. I would think that for $299 you would be hard pressed to beat this machine. I've heard a couple of the original I-Sonics and if the ES2 is better...then I would take Mark up on his demo offer...then if it is "all that" buy the ES2 and return the other one.

Gempler

That makes perfect sense if one is buying for themselves. But as a gift I had to know whatever i got was good before I gave it. And all i have to go on with the I-Sonic is the pictures and recomendation. If you look at the Geneva you will see it is quite different looking. A look I prefer to the I-Soonic but others may not. And the sound was superb. The larger Geneva units are astoudingly good. The little one is merely impressive, and head and shoulders above the fray. But Geneva has the same problem as the I-Sonic in that it just doesn't have market penetration and that makes it hard to sell. I had to go out of my way to find it. And even going out of my way I was unable to find a I-Sonic. In home trial is the only way to go. But as for a gift I like to know what I am giving someone and it can become embarasing and uncomfortable to say here is something that i never heard but on paper 'sounds' great... and you can return it if you don't like it and then I will get the money back!?!? Ugh.

dorokusai

christophermuto wrote: »

That makes perfect sense if one is buying for themselves. But as a gift I had to know whatever i got was good before I gave it. And all i have to go on with the I-Sonic is the pictures and recomendation. If you look at the Geneva you will see it is quite different looking. A look I prefer to the I-Soonic but others may not. And the sound was superb. The larger Geneva units are astoudingly good. The little one is merely impressive, and head and shoulders above the fray. But Geneva has the same problem as the I-Sonic in that it just doesn't have market penetration and that makes it hard to sell. I had to go out of my way to find it. And even going out of my way I was unable to find a I-Sonic. In home trial is the only way to go. But as for a gift I like to know what I am giving someone and it can become embarasing and uncomfortable to say here is something that i never heard but on paper 'sounds' great... and you can return it if you don't like it and then I will get the money back!?!? Ugh.

Polk's work in regards to floor retail sucks and trying to find something you can actually listen to is quite difficult. I don't blame you at all. I've heard the Geneva and it's pleasant to listen to.

Your question in regards to the Polk alternative is solid. Hopefully they will listen and you'e not the only one to raise the question here or privately.

In the interim, for others, you can borrow mine and decide for yourself.

Christopher- I wish I could have caught you before all this so I could have sent you one beforehand. How awful would it be to give a gift that sucked, lol, I know exactly what you mean. Is there anything I can do to get you into a new Lexus...oh wait, new Polk before the holidays?

If I can get you an ES2 before you need it, for Xmas....would you entertain going Polk and ditching the Geneva, based on my suggestion and audible recommendation? Simply retain the receipt, return it and I'll cover the initial cost issues for now in regards to the ES2. Deal?

Gempler

Well I got the Geneva S to give as a gift to my teenage niece. She didn't like it. It wasn't loud enough. A comment that a Geneva telephone support made themselves when comparing it to other brands. I prefer fidelity to loud and the Geneva has that in spades. And I prefer the Geneva style that makes it look more like an art object than an electronic appliance. But that said, it went back to the store because it was not loud enough and we ordered the I-sonic ES2. It arrived a couple of days ago and though I have not had the pleasure to listen to it yet here is what my niece wrote in an email this morning:
"these things are awesome. i love them so much!!!!
they are so loud and they are actually really clear... i gave my old iHome to
sis and she loves it. me and her are blowing the house down!!!"
Still wish the ES2 worked with the latest model iTouch and iPhone, and hope they will work this out (they apparently play but you can't use the remote or alarm functions with these units) but am very pleased that my niece is pleased.
Thanks again to all for all the comments.
Regards,

ps. the mobile phone industry just announced working together to establish an interface standard for mobile phones chargers... which will likely be the micro usb connector. and there are new cd players in europe that have usb ports that are ipod compatible and extract music files directly from the ipod circumventing the ipods dac... so there is progrss being made on standardized interfaces as these devices become more mature.

steviebuck

Is the I-Sonic ES2 compatible with the Ipod Touch 4g?

Gempler

steviebuck wrote: »

Is the I-Sonic ES2 compatible with the Ipod Touch 4g?

No. Before I purchased on in Decemeber I called and asked about the iTouch 4g and the iPhone 4g and they said no, and it doesn't seem like it ever be upgraded to be compatible either. Not sure if it is just a software issue or if the newer model devices have a somewhat different connector.
http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/isonic/ipod-compatibility.php

You could of course connect any device to the I-Sonic using the auxilary input, but that means no remote control functions for the iPod 4g and no display of the current track on the I-Sonic display.

The older Bose also have the same problem, but the latest Bose Sounddock 10 is compatible with the iPod 4g and iPhone 4g. Too bad for Bose that their Soundock 10 costs nearly twice the price of I-Sonic and yet doesn't sound nearly as good.

The I-Soinc is definately the best bank for the buck. Much more musical than any of the Bose products. But it is still a somewhat processed sound to my ear. Not nearly as musical or physically beautiful (in my opinion) as the Geneva S for the same price (www.genevalab.com). The Geneva is compatible with the iPhone 4 but it does not state that it is compatible with the iPod 4g. Perhaps that is an oversite or perhaps there is some compatibility problem. However, the Geneva S can only whisper in comparison to the I-Sonic which can really roar for such a tiny package.

warren

Great HD Radio, just sit back and close your eyes.... Oh, and itunes comes alive.