INTRODUCTION

   Testing wireless portable speakers while I’m away on business or during one of my very short yearly vacations is something i really do enjoy doing but although I’ve tested plenty such devices in the past I’ve always felt that there's no way I’ve seen it all in terms of features and performance. Sure numerous models have passed through here ranging from very compact ones that can fit in the palm of your hand and up to very large ones which i wouldn't quite call "portable" but all of them had one thing in common, target audience. For good or bad every single one of those speakers was aimed at regular consumers who just want to listen to their favorite tunes and although i also belong in that category there are people who don't and would like something more from a portable speaker. IK Multimedia caters to professional musicians around the world and their latest iLoud Studio-Quality Portable Speaker might just be exactly what some of them have been looking for.

   It all began in a small town in northern Italy. Not just any small town, but a town rich in heritage — a heritage of innovation. A town known as the sports car capital of the world, and also known for its exquisite cuisine and as the birthplace of Balsamic Vinegar. And the birthplace of one of the most innovative companies in the music industry - the town of Modena, Italy. Way back in 1996 — around the time electricity was discovered and cell phones were the size of your average 4-slot toaster — two Italian engineers got together to solve a problem in a recording studio. Could you get the sound of classic analog gear from a computer? One of them said (in Italian, of course) "Could we emulate electronic circuits using DSP algorithms and feed an audio signal through the computer and get the same sound?" The answer was yes, the piece of gear they emulated was a vintage Abbey Road console, and a company was born. Although that's a pretty simplified version of how IK came to be, it reflects the driving philosophy behind all of our products: give musicians the tools they want/need to be creative and productive. IK Multimedia is a multi-national company based in Modena, Italy. We have direct operating units in 4 countries: Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. Our products are sold in over 120 countries with a network of 15,000 resellers and used by millions of musicians worldwide. The IK team includes nearly 100 people that take care of all aspects of our music creation products enterprise with passion.

   The iLoud is not your average portable Bluetooth wireless speaker not only because it's twice as large compared to most mid-sized models in the market currently but also because it can output up to a massive 40W of power (probably RMS) thanks to its four class-d amplifiers, tuned bass-reflex and via its two 3 inch precision custom woofers and two 3/4 inch precision custom tweeters (bi-amped design). It also comes ready with onboard DSP (used to maintain accuracy and efficiency at all volume levels), a special iRig input which you can use to connect compatible guitars and dynamic microphones with iOS devices to create and process your very own content with the help of several mobile apps including AmpliTube and VocaLive. With all these in mind I’m quite certain that we all realize that this is not just a portable wireless speaker like the rest of the crowd. However the thing that interests me the most is audio quality so let's see if the iLoud Studio-Quality Portable Speaker is really the ideal companion for musicians around the world.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The iLoud is packed inside a medium sized box that has a product image at the front, the company logo and the output power.

At the top of the box you can see a guy with his guitar plugged into the iLoud and some of its main features listed on the left as small icons.

Both the specifications and bundle contents are listed at the bottom.

The features of the iLoud along with several pictures are listed at the rear.

Once you open the box you will see the AC power adapter version and that the device has passed testing prior to leaving the factory.

Inside the box you will find the iLoud speaker, power adapter, AC power cord, 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable (1m), quickstart guide, registration card and a small product catalog.

THE ILOUD

The hard plastic enclosure of the iLoud measures 250mm in length, 160mm in height and 60mm in depth while it weighs 1330g.

As you can see in terms of size the iLoud takes on even the Solemate MAX by Jabra.

At the front of the iLoud we see its name and a the volume control knob (the ring around it lights up red when on).

Most of fun is at the rear of the iLoud and so here we have an input 3.5mm port, iRig input, gain control, Bluetooth pairing button, power/charge LED (red/yellow/green), on/off power switch and the DC in.

The bass-reflex hole is placed at the rear right and it does pack quite the punch (put your hand there and you will see what i mean).

A large piece of anti-glide rubber is placed at the bottom of the iLoud along with a small stand.

CONCLUSION

   Unlike most (if not all) portable wireless speakers since the iLoud was designed for professionals it may offer accurate and crisp audio reproduction with quite a bit of bass but it does so with a flat frequency response (uncolored material) and that's something that will most likely annoy regular consumers. Surprisingly enough although lately i am a bit picky i did enjoy listening to music from the iLoud especially because of its very high volume levels (roughly the same compared to the Solemate MAX). Unfortunately since I’m not a musician i was unable to use the iLoud neither with a guitar nor with a microphone so i can't comment on the available applications from IK Multimedia (although judging by the demo I’ve seen they look highly detailed and professional). Battery life is also very good thanks to the built-in Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery since even at full volume the iLoud managed to run for over two and a half hours (with normal use the battery life jumped to slightly over 7 hours). My sole "concern" regarding the iLoud is the quality of the enclosure since plastic may seem too "cheap" to some people while the volume control knob doesn't feel very smooth when used. These are very tiny issues since the end result is very good but i do believe IK Multimedia could further improve the product by addressing them (a USB 5v charging port for portable devices would also make a good addition).

   Although you can find the iLoud Studio-Quality Portable Speaker by IK Multimedia in many places around the globe their current time limited offer of USD249/199Euros is the best one around so i suggest purchasing it directly from their online store. Bottom line if you're a musician who likes working while away from the studio or your home then the iLoud could help you out but for regular consumers a high end portable speaker like the TDK A33/A73 or the Jabra Solemate MAX should make a better choice. However we are here to determine whether or not the product in our hands delivers on the claims of the manufacturer and although the iLoud by IK Multimedia is not perfect it delivers and that's why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Amplifier Output (40W Total)
- Audio Clarity (Accurate/Crisp)
- Bass Levels (Rear Bass Reflex)
- Bluetooth v3.0 & 3.5mm AUX Input
- iRig Port
- Gain Control
- Extra Stand
- 3.5mm Cable
- Battery Life (Up To 10 Hours)

CONS

- Plastic Enclosure (For Some)
- Price (For Some)
- Flat Frequency Response (For Some)