I Sonic

[Deleted User] · August 2006

Look in the website - Polk has started shipping the I-Sonic!!

:cool:

HBombToo · August 2006

My I-Sonic showed up this weekend.

First off, I am very impressed with the look and the build quality. The I-Sonic seems to have a build quality of a higher end cd/dvd player and I was shocked at at how heavy it is. I also like the soft blue screen which is very easy to look at when its alarm clock goes off in the morning even with a hang over;) . The menu system is very intuitive IMO and I muddled my way through the settings painlessly even without reading the owners manual.. "Of Course:D"

Since I'm hooked on SDA's and SVS for my 2 channel and HT experience my expectation for sound quality was not very high. Again, I was shocked at the very rich, full and detailed sound field the I-Sonic delivered. The Bass was tight and believable and offered more than I thought could be accomplished. To be honest, I managed to only preset 1 channel, the Rock which is a local KC HD station and was immediatly captured and just sat on the bed in disbelief of what I was hearing. The wife rolled into the bedroom wondering what the hell I was doing and was also floored. When she informed me to trade in all my other gear and just use the I-Sonic I had to put my foot down.;) So we at least know the I-Sonic has bridged the WAF element of the test...

I then split the audio out of my Comcast receiver and fed the line in of the I-Sonic and was immediatly aware of how bad the speakers in the Westinghouse 32" LCD TV actually sounded. Its painfully obviouse that HD TV manufacturers view audio as a needed nuisence. Thank God for Polk!!!

I have not popped in a dvd or cd into its player yet since I have had contractors crawling all over my house(thats another story over a desperatly needed 12 pack) but I'm sure when I take the time I'll be as amazed with those features also.

Kudos to the engineers at Polk for a well crafted device that is perfectly designed for a very compact but excellent video/audio experience for the home or office.

Best regards and Thanks Polk!

Henry

PolkThug · August 2006

Cool. Can you flip back and forth between the regular 98.9 and the HD version? I would love to hear a comparison.

HBombToo · August 2006

I have not tried that but I'll put it on the list of to do's and report back.

dorokusai · August 2006

The ISonic sounds really nice for what it is....I was impressed.

MattN03 · August 2006

PolkThug wrote:

Cool. Can you flip back and forth between the regular 98.9 and the HD version? I would love to hear a comparison.

I'd be interested in this too.

TroyD · August 2006

sounds cool...definately on my short list.

BDT

reeltrouble1 · August 2006

very cool Henry, you should pile it and yourself into a plane and come to PF06!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now you guys have peaked my interest, maybe this is a way to get Mrs. RT1 into polk just a bit..

RT1

cfrizz · August 2006

Glad you are enjoying your new toy!

Oh yeah, PICS PLEASE!!!:D

HBombToo wrote:

My I-Sonic showed up this weekend.

First off, I am very impressed with the look and the build quality. The I-Sonic seems to have a build quality of a higher end cd/dvd player and I was shocked at at how heavy it is. I also like the soft blue screen which is very easy to look at when its alarm clock goes off in the morning even with a hang over;) . The menu system is very intuitive IMO and I muddled my way through the settings painlessly even without reading the owners manual.. "Of Course:D"

Since I'm hooked on SDA's and SVS for my 2 channel and HT experience my expectation for sound quality was not very high. Again, I was shocked at the very rich, full and detailed sound field the I-Sonic delivered. The Bass was tight and believable and offered more than I thought could be accomplished. To be honest, I managed to only preset 1 channel, the Rock which is a local KC HD station and was immediatly captured and just sat on the bed in disbelief of what I was hearing. The wife rolled into the bedroom wondering what the hell I was doing and was also floored. When she informed me to trade in all my other gear and just use the I-Sonic I had to put my foot down.;) So we at least know the I-Sonic has bridged the WAF element of the test...

I then split the audio out of my Comcast receiver and fed the line in of the I-Sonic and was immediatly aware of how bad the speakers in the Westinghouse 32" LCD TV actually sounded. Its painfully obviouse that HD TV manufacturers view audio as a needed nuisence. Thank God for Polk!!!

I have not popped in a dvd or cd into its player yet since I have had contractors crawling all over my house(thats another story over a desperatly needed 12 pack) but I'm sure when I take the time I'll be as amazed with those features also.

Kudos to the engineers at Polk for a well crafted device that is perfectly designed for a very compact but excellent video/audio experience for the home or office.

Best regards and Thanks Polk!

Henry

MrNightly · August 2006

HBombToo wrote:

I have not popped in a dvd or cd into its player yet since I have had contractors crawling all over my house(thats another story over a desperatly needed 12 pack) but I'm sure when I take the time I'll be as amazed with those features also.

Those guys better not be messing up that fancy deck stain

I hear hard work went into that buddy!

F1nut · August 2006

Spent a lot of time behind the windshield today, listening mostly to the news/traffic station to avoid any traffic mess in town. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a number of well done ads for the I-Sonic. My congrats to Polk for finally bringing it to market.

reeltrouble1 · August 2006

Well, I have not heard a single add, but then our traffic is not news, we have much better things to do, like measuring how far a pine cone bounces after it falls from a 50ft. tree.

Glad to hear Polk is marketing the new product.

RT1

Toxis · August 2006

Awesome. I've considered getting one but I already have the Cambridge and it sounds amazing for a lil clock radio. Sure it doesn't do DVD but I don't have or want a TV in my room right now so that's no gain to me. Maybe someday though...

bknauss · August 2006

F1nut wrote:

Spent a lot of time behind the windshield today, listening mostly to the news/traffic station to avoid any traffic mess in town. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a number of well done ads for the I-Sonic. My congrats to Polk for finally bringing it to market.

What station? Are you still in Brookeville? I still have yet to hear a commercial.

HBombToo · August 2006

MrNightly wrote:

Those guys better not be messing up that fancy deck stain I hear hard work went into that buddy!

Since you finished up my friend, I have installed a new Timberline 50 year roof, removed all the old siding, wrapped the house in Tyvec, replaced all the exterior siding with tongue and grove smart board and had the entire house painted. There are some battle scars on the deck and porche but a little touch up will have your excellent contribution back to where it was. It has been 1 hellova ride I tell ya!

HBomb

F1nut · August 2006

bknauss wrote:

What station? Are you still in Brookeville? I still have yet to hear a commercial.

Hey Brian,

WTOP. I moved up the road a bit. Better check with the advertising dept.

Fireman32 · August 2006

I think a demo is needed at polkfest

F1nut · August 2006

Fireman32 wrote:

I think a demo is needed at polkfest

I guarantee you that there will be one.

Fireman32 · August 2006

F1nut wrote:

I guarantee you that there will be one.

Glad to hear it. this unit might be a good possibilty for the bedroom rig

HBombToo · August 2006

Fireman32 wrote:

Glad to hear it. this unit might be a good possibilty for the bedroom rig

It is perfect for the bedroom! I am very satisfied.

HBomb

zombie boy 2000 · November 2006

Mike and Mike in the Morning pitched the I Sonic today on ESPN 2.

Chicomoralessxm · December 2006

hope somebody can answer me but what does the cd players on the I-sonic sound like??? the xm radio is nice but in my region thats not available yet. How does the cd player perform???

brettw22 · December 2006

It performs like a dvd player.

My one complaint in listening to CD's in DVD Players is the FF being the 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x, etc instead of a usual quick scan that an exclusive CD player moves at.

HBombToo · December 2006

Fair enough Brett

I have caught my wife playing Christmas music from Comcast, CD's and now I have to show her the local off air channel thats exclusive to that genra(pcspl). WAF is a really cool thing:p

1/4twin

RuSsMaN · December 2006

The CDP (dvd) is fine, takes a few seconds to load, be patient skipping tracks, and the 'scan' as mentioned isn't a simple scan.

Overall, a balanced, listenable sound. The bass jumps out at first, the 'wow' factor. The 'I cannot believe it sounds so BIG factor'. In room, for me, it will need some tweaking. I actually wish I could plug the port (defeat the bass EQ'ing) and just add a PSW10 to the preouts. I'd also like a little more on the top end, the FR drivers just don't have the resolution even a simple small mylar dome with a decent 6db/oct cap (say 10Khz+/-) would provide. Doesn't polk have (or had) a 3" coax for the auto line?

For the market it's directed at and designed for, home f#$king run - my suggestions are from an anal retentive audiophile. I'm going to hang an LCD screen, with an iSonic sitting ontop of of the Fisher tube console (below) in the master bedroom fairly soon. Ronco that ****.

Cheers,
Russ

HBombToo · December 2006

!!!
and it does NOT go into blink mode on the clock after a power hit .

I am only delayed by the total time of the power outage.

1/4 twin

Chicomoralessxm · December 2006

i'm just curious about getting on for my wife i'm getting an intergrated amp the nad 325bee or the Ca azur 540a how willl the isonic sound if i use its tuner with these??? i can do that right???

bknauss · December 2006

brettw22 wrote:

My one complaint in listening to CD's in DVD Players is the FF being the 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x, etc instead of a usual quick scan that an exclusive CD player moves at.

Unfortunately, its a DVD player, so you're stuck with that functionality. I agree though, it would be nice to have the scan action instead.

bknauss · December 2006

Chicomoralessxm wrote:

i'm just curious about getting on for my wife i'm getting an intergrated amp the nad 325bee or the Ca azur 540a how willl the isonic sound if i use its tuner with these??? i can do that right???

Yup, you can go right ahead and output via the RCAs to whatever amps/AVR you have. All modes can be output on either one of the two Aux outputs(AM/FM/HD, XM, DVD, inputs from you iPod/whatever).

bknauss · December 2006

RuSsMaN wrote:

The CDP (dvd) is fine, takes a few seconds to load, be patient skipping tracks, and the 'scan' as mentioned isn't a simple scan.

Overall, a balanced, listenable sound. The bass jumps out at first, the 'wow' factor. The 'I cannot believe it sounds so BIG factor'. In room, for me, it will need some tweaking. I actually wish I could plug the port (defeat the bass EQ'ing) and just add a PSW10 to the preouts. I'd also like a little more on the top end, the FR drivers just don't have the resolution even a simple small mylar dome with a decent 6db/oct cap (say 10Khz+/-) would provide. Doesn't polk have (or had) a 3" coax for the auto line?

Cheers,
Russ

Russ, couple comments:
1. It takes a bit of time to load up cause its a DVD player. Pop a CD into your home DVD player and you'll notice the same thing. Its not just an I-Sonic issue

2. You can always stuff foam into the Power Port and use the Aux outputs to hookup a PSW10

3. If you want more top end, you're going to sacrifice bottom end in a FR driver... unless of course you're using some pretty gosh darn good (and expensive) FR drivers. And if you moved up to a 3" driver, you would need more volume in the cabinet. And I don't think the WAF would exist if the thing got bigger!

Glad you hear you're so happy with the I-Sonic. We put in a LOT of time into it to perfect it as much as possible. I've heard many comments since CES last year from industry folks who were amazed we could fit everything into such a small package. It sure wasn't easy.

I Sonic

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