My husband and I generally don’t exchange presents at Christmas, but when we do, it’s usually something we both will use. So this past year, after months of hearing me yell at him to wake up in the morning (after 5-10 minutes straight of alarm buzzing), my husband surprised me with a new alarm clock.

THE BASICS
The six-watt iHome iH5 is not your average alarm clock. As most Apple stockholders will vouch, today is the day of the iPod. Everyone has one (maybe even two or three) and they rule supreme in the world of MP3 players. With that in mind, the iH5 is a “home system” for iPods* (gen. 3, gen. 4, mini, photo, and nano). It allows users to plug in their players, charge them, listen to them out loud, wake to the music on them, and even fall asleep to the music. And there’s even a line-in jack to attach non-docking iPods (like the Shuffle), CD players, and other MP3 players with the included patch cord.

The iH5 has both standard and nonconventional alarm clock features. There’s a large LCD display which outputs the time and date (both of which are factory preset) and the top buttons are lit all day long. The iH5 comes with factory-installed batteries that serve as backup power for the system in case of a power outage. There is a gradual wake/gradual sleep feature which increases or decreases, respectively, the volume of the music or buzzer. There is an AM/FM radio tuner and an AM antenna to help with reception. A remote is available for an additional $19.99 on the manufacturer Web site. However, our box came with a remote included.

The iH5 is available in black or white.

CONTENTS
iH5 home system (10.2” x 3” x 6.1”)
inserts to fit all docking iPods even the Nano
AC adaptor
AM antenna
CD/MP3 patch cord
Remote (not included with all iH5s)

INSTALLATION
Right out of the box, the iH5 is preset with time and date. This is a great feature. I was dreading having to program all of that data. But even changing it isn’t a hassle. The directions are pretty intuitive.

There are several plastic adapters that click into place on top of the unit to support the various types of docking iPods. These provide a stand for the iPods and a base for charging and hooking into the alarm clock speakers. Each adapter is labeled in very tiny print with its corresponding iPod’s name. We have an iPod Shuffle, which really isn’t the best item to use with this system, since it is a nondocking unit. However, we plan to buy a newer iPod soon so it’s a great perk that the iH5 has so many adapters.

For our Shuffle, the adapter works just as a stand where it can rest (though nothing connects into place so it can slip off) and a wire attached to the line-in jack in back of the iHome allows for the music to be broadcast through the speakers.

There is also an odd-shaped (it’s square with a big whole in the middle) AM antenna that plugs into the system. I believe it’s suggested that the antenna is placed at least six inches away from the system, which makes the whole sleek, white box lose some of its aura. I mean, having a long skinny wire dangling nearby on the dresser with a weird plastic square thing at the end doesn’t look so cool. However, it does help a bit with tuning.

USAGE
For the first few nights of use, we set the iHome to wake us with music from the radio. My husband loved waking up to his favorite FM station and I didn’t wake up with a migraine from the constant BEEP, BEEP, BEEPing of his very loud, old alarm clock. It was a refreshing way to wake. Even still, my husband hit snooze a few times and with each press of the button, the next wake up alarm broadcast louder than the previous. This was due to the iH5’s “Gentle Wake” ascending volume feature.

I decided to test out the beeping of the iH5 for the next couple of nights and was pleased that it had a much less annoying sound than I’m used to from alarm clocks.

By this point my husband felt bad that he was using my Christmas present, so I decided to hook the iH5 up in the kitchen where I could listen to music while I cook and clean… and that’s where it’s been ever since.

PERFORMANCE
The sound quality on the iH5 is exceptional for a clock radio. The music from our Shuffle is broadcast crisp and clear. My husband doesn’t detect any difference from when he listens to it on his headset. The FM stations are also clear, though not as crisp as the MP3 sounds. AM, however, has its deficiencies. I’ve always had trouble getting AM reception in our house, so it may not be the fault of the iH5.

Since we have a Shuffle, we’re not able to fully appreciate the iH5’s features. It would be great to charge my iPod while I listen to it, but that’s not possible with non-docking iPods.

I hate the radio/set up-down tuner. It’s a round dial that makes it impossible to quickly change radio stations or adjust the time. You have to literally turn it around and around until you find what you’re looking for. I wish there was a scan-type button that would fast forward to the next station or at least jump a few clicks. I also wish there were a few preset buttons for my favorite radio stations since I use this system interchangeably as a stereo and as an iPod broadcaster.

OVERALL
I’m satisfied with my iHome iH5. It’s an exceptional alarm clock, a good docking station and broadcaster for my iPod, and a decent extra stereo. The sound quality is great, the features are nice, the additional dock inserts allow me to continue using this system even after upgrading my iPod, and the price was right. I received this system as a gift, but it retails for about $80-$100.

FROM THE MANUFACTURER WEB SITE
• Wake to iPod™, AM/FM Radio, or Buzzer
• Removable dock inserts fit all docking iPods and charge your iPod™ while docked
• Sleep to your iPod™ or AM/FM radio, with Programmable Sleep
• Stereo drivers in our exclusive Reson8™ speakers deliver astounding clarity, depth, and power
• Patch cord included to play shuffle/CDs
• Gradual Wake and Gradual Sleep increase/decrease Alarm/Sleep volume
• Multifunction LCD Display with adjustable backlighting

SDI Technologies Inc.
1299 Main Street
Rahway, NJ 07065
www.ihomeaudio.com
732-574-9000


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