iRhythms A303 review

The A303 – like its near-identical sibling, the A302 – manages to produce an okay sound for an okay price... but we're far from excited by either of t Tested at £100.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Half-decent for the money - but only half

Pros

  • +

    Looks good, is sensibly priced and sounds fine at reasonable levels

Cons

  • -

    Bass booms at high volumes

  • -

    limited remote control

  • -

    mains power only

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iRhythms has been busy of late setting up its stall in the vast iPod accessory market, but it's going to have to do better than the A303 if it's going to thrive in this competitive market. Incidentally, the A303 and A302 differ only in colour, with this model being black.

Built for versatility, the A303 can be used both in the home and as a set of travel speakers. iPods fit snugly into the universal dock well – which, as you'd expect, also charges your player – and the remote control offers basic interaction with your iPod.

Minimal socketry
There's a minimum of connectivity: all the A303 really has to offer is an auxiliary input. This does enable the dock to be used with other MP3 players and portables though, which further boosts its travel credentials.

Sonically, the A302 doesn't really justify its price. The bass gets a little lost at times, even though the midrange holds up adequately, and detail retrieval is fairly good.

This iRhythms doesn't really have the power for home use, so at best is an okay travel companion. Having said that, something like Logitech's Pure-Fi Anywhere is a far better iPod speaker dock to pack on your hols.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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