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Polk I-Sonic HD Radio Review
At $599, the Polk I-Sonic XM Radio/HD Stereo System ought to have a lot to offer. And it does. But what's equally important is what it doesn't offer (more on that later). But first, let's look at the good stuff. The I-Sonic is XM satellite radio capable, has a music and MP3 CD player that also plays DVDs (there is both an S-Video and Composite Video out on the back of the radio). The unit comes with a remote control and is a digital clock radio as well as an HD Radio (TM). It has JPEG photo playback and a separate speaker which delivers a more stereo-like listening experience. Measuring just 14.5 x 9.8 x 4.8, the I-Sonic is both small and smartly styled. Its screen displays text information about the station's frequency, as well as name and the artist of the song being played. Some day, it may also display weather and traffic information but that feature appears to be a few years away. The sound is excellent – better, I have been told than the Bose Wave Radio, which is saying a lot. But then, $599 is a lot to pay for what is basically a very sophisticated clock radio, albeit one that does HD Radio(TM). What's missing? The I-Sonic has no iPod docking station. You can plug your iPod into the back of the radio via an AUX in jack, but there is no real capability to work with the iPod or display iPod data on the unit's screen. Plus, there is no way to use the unit with Internet radio, your iTunes or Windows Media Player library or to access any audio streams. WiFi capability would have gone a long way to making this radio more attractive to me but I guess that would have pushed the price even further up into the stratosphere. While the radio is XM satellite capable, that may or may appeal to you. I'm not big on satellite radio because I get all the major Sirius channels via my DISH receiver. Plus, I do not like the fact that XM licenses are receiver dependent, meaning that if you want to have XM on your car radio and the I-SONIC, it will cost you $19.98 a month or $239 a year. Note: When you buy the XM optional tuner, you buy a portable tuner that can b e moved from receiver to receiver ... but moving a device from radio to radio just doesn't appeal to me. The radio's sound is awesome and it does pick up HD stations and HD2 channels, which do have some really interesting off-the-wall formats. But at $599, I just don't think that's enough. Nice try, Polk Audio but you need to do better.
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