Sony ICF-C1IPMK2 Speaker System and Clock Radio with iPod Dock
From the Manufacturer–Posted October 1, 2008
The iPod, iPhone, and MP3 player have all but replaced other media for portable music access. Now you can enjoy it at your office or home while listening through speakers instead of headphones with Sony’s ICF-C1IPMK2. Add your iPod or iPhone to this AM/FM clock radio for additional music to listen at home or office, to fall asleep by, and to wake up with. The ICF-C1IPMK2 combines Auto Time Set and Automatic Daylight Savings Time Adjustment along with a dual alarm and the added bonus of being able to dock your iPod music player or iPhone and listen to your favorite tunes through its speakers. If you don’t have an iPod that fits into a dock or you own an MP3 player of another brand, there’s an audio input port that lets you connect those too. With the dual alarm, you can set two separate wake-up times. Plus, you have the option of waking up to your iPod, the radio, or a buzzer. The stereo speakers feature MEGAXpand iPod, so you …more
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13 comments
Edolie on July 31, 2009 at 6:39 pm
3.0 out of 5 stars
Needs Improvement
I wanted to listen to this at work, with my headphones for when I wanted to listen to the radio. Yeah I found out real quick that there isn’t a headphone jack on it.
Neha on July 31, 2009 at 6:53 pm
There seems to be some confusion, Sony had a previous model of this that was very similar but was NOT iphone compatible. This new model IS iphone compatible. Make sure the box says “iphone” and not just ipod on it or make sure you order this unit (from this review. ) Sony really should have changed the name or the look more. I suppose they will replace the old one with this one ultimately. I found a great review of this also in ilounge. com where they gave it an A- and they are pretty stingy with their A’s so I knew it had to be good. This is in fact a GREAT iphone / ipod clock radio / speaker system. I was pretty blown away by it and the price. They called it Sony’s BEST iphone / ipod accessory ever and I agree. Pro’s: First, most iphone systems like this start at $150, so this is a great deal at under $100. The unit is pretty small really and sets up instantly. Nothing like a great product for less than what you expect to pay. Amazing sound! I was unprepared for the quality of the sound and even the “mega-xpand” really does seem to give you a larger, more separated sound. I don’t know how this stacks up to say a $300 Bose ipod speaker system but I am more than happy for a bed side / desk side speaker. I have had it for 4 days and I have not heard any noticeable cell phone noise or interference also. There is a very nice adjustable knob in the back that you turn to adjust the position of the dock for the ipod. Hard to explain but this solves the issue of different ipods being thicker or thinner than others. You adjust it once and it stays put – impressive. Should make it compatible with many different ipods. The Remote! It comes with a tiny infrared remote that lets you control ALL of the ipod’s music controls. Very slick. You can menu up to all the playlists, album, songs, artists etc. . and then drill down and play. Also very impressive! It will even turn on the ipod its its off / asleep. This is extremely useful! The clock functions are ok, I can’t say much good or bad really here. 2 alarms, adjustable display on the clock, programmable radio stations buttons, an AM and FM antenna. I usually just use my iphone’s alarm to wake me up but I assume the clock stuff is also good. Its a pretty basic alarm system, buzzer, radio etc. . no multi day alarms or such. Also has sleep mode that you can set on the remote. No nature sounds or any of that. Just 2 alarms and snooze, etc. More than enough for me. It also has an audio in port on the back which is very nice for watching movies or such on the ipod & playing thru the speakers. I won’t use it much but its a killer feature. It also has some sort of auto time set function, works ok but I had to set my time zone. I think it comes with a built in lithium battery to keep the clock function set in case of a power outage, also nice feature. Con’s: Not many really. The unit seems a tad unstable on my desk, like its top heavy but it hasn’t fallen over or anything. I might try and put something under the back to make it more stable. The alarm display is very cluttered, even if you have the alarms off, it still displays one of the alarm times and such. The time display is very large so thats not an issue but it be nice to turn off some of the extra display stuff. Even with the knob adjusted, I still have to carefully position the iphone on the dock and slide it in, I wish it would slide it more easily. Also not a huge detractor.
Anonymous on July 31, 2009 at 7:54 pm
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty good
Overall, this is a pretty good system. I bought this for my iPhone 3GS and haven’t noticed any issues with it yet. But like others have said, the display is a little too bright.
Anonymous on July 31, 2009 at 8:26 pm
While getting ready for work and getting ready for bed, I like to listen to podcasts downloaded into iTunes. Prior to buying the Sony Speaker Dock and Clock Radio, I had a cluttered setup on my nightstand, including: * a clock radio, * laptop, * the excellent JBL On Tour Portable Speaker System ( Black ), and * Apple USB Power Adapter for iPod (White) for my iPhone. After applying a bit of creative thinking, the Sony Speaker Dock and Clock Radio has replaced all of these as a single device on my nightstand that does all of the above. How did this replace having a laptop on my nightstand? The solution involves Apple Airport Express base station. I connected the base station’s audio output to the Sony’s audio input. Using Apple’s free Remote software for iPhone, I can control iTunes audio on any computer on my home network. Since iTunes can redirect audio to the Airport Express, I can listen to podcasts on this device that were downloaded to a computer in another room. If you don’t have an Airport Express, you can do the same thing by syncing your iPhone with your computer before bedtime each night. From the dock, I can even use my iPhone to peek at my email if I’m lying awake at night. The sound quality on this device is good for a product in this price range. Mid-tones are clear and full. Low bass notes have some slight distortion, and higher frequencies don’t have the oomph that they do on my JBL. But as a bedroom entertainment hub, this provides a very good audio experience. Previously I had bought and returned an iHome because of its horrible audio quality, but by comparison the Sony provides a greatly superior audio experience. Each of the dual alarms allows the choice of buzzer, iPod audio or radio audio at an adjustable preset volume. I configured one alarm for audio at a relatively low volume and the second alarm for buzzer to activate a few minutes later. This combination gives me the opportunity to wake up gradually. (As someone who is not a morning person, I’m grateful for that feature!) By default, the clock automatically sets the time (provided you enter the correct timezone), and the included button cell battery provides backup for the timekeeping and buzzer functions. In summary, this product is full of features that are practical and well thought out. If you think about the fact that this produce frees up your USB iPhone/iPod charger for something else, that may help justify the expense. Be warned that most models of alarm clock/speaker docks for iPod (including the older version of this product) do not work with the iPhone 3G. (Older iPods could charge at either 12V or 5V, but the iPhone 3G charges only at 5V. ) If you’re interested in another product, be sure it’s compatible with iPhone 3G. Pros * Good sound quality compared to similar products in this price range * Digital AM/FM tuner (with 5 and 10 presets, respectively) * Auxiliary audio input (in addition to iPod dock) * Compatible with Apple Universal dock inserts * Allows content playback and charging of iPhone 3G * Dual alarms can be used in tandem to gradually wake up Cons * Fairly large footprint takes up a lot of nightstand space * Display too bright, even at dimmest setting
Ryann on July 31, 2009 at 8:49 pm
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not too bad…
Got ICF-C1IPMK2 yesterday. Had a chance to fiddle with it, set it up, use the sleep mode, listen to music, and use the “remote commander”.
Badru on July 31, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Last year I bought the previous version of this clock radio (the ICF-C1IP) and was extremely impressed, especially compared to many other iPod clock radios that I tried. This week I bought this updated version for another room, and was pleasantly surprised. What I’ve noticed in this updated version: - explicitly iPhone compatible (“works with iPhone” indicated on the box) - AM radio reception is notably clearer (and the old one wasn’t bad) - the display is brighter and easier to read (it might, in fact, be a little too bright at the lowest dim level) - the grille is a dark gray, not pure black as the last model (in my opinion, this has a slightly cleaner look to it) - sound quality just slightly less bass than earlier version (subtle – probably because of magnetic shielding for iPhone) How do you tell which version you’re buying, aside from the model number? Look for the “MK2″ in the product name, as well as the “Works with iPhone” on the box. Like the previous version, the Sony is fully compatible with my iPod Classic, and the sound quality and radio performance is notably better than other iPod clock radios I’ve tested. Sony has done a great job with the ICF-C1iPMK2. It is an upright design, with most of the unit behind the iPod, in a slanted design with controls at the top. The iPod dock accepts universal adapters, but they aren’t really needed as Sony has an adjustable supporting plate behind the iPod. Unlike other iPod clock radios, the Sony does not attempt to duplicate the iPod menus on its display. Instead, the Sony includes a remote control that lets you completely control the iPod menus as if you were manipulating the scroll wheel. Quite impressive. Sound quality is very good for a clock radio – with crisp highs and even midtones. You may want to play around with your iPod equalizer settings to see what sounds best. (To my ears, “Jazz” EQ setting works well with these small speakers. ) Sony includes a simulated mode they call “Mega XPand” that in my experience made the music sound muddied and under-sampled. Your mileage my vary. The blue-backlit clock is located in the iPod dock area, and 3 brightness levels are available. In my experience, even the lowest setting is a bit too bright, but not enough to disturb me at night. I wish that the display were slightly larger, although the high contrast lets me see the time without my glasses from a reasonable distance. And, unlike most iPod clock radios, the radio reception is outstanding – with an external AM antenna provided. The unit has dual alarms, which can be set to iPod (you can even select a wakeup volume), Radio, or Buzzer. On the downside, the battery backup for the buzzer alarm and clock is a small expensive lithium battery (although after nearly a year of use, this battery was still working on my old model). And, if your relying on just the buzzer to wake you up it’s not very loud. You also have to be careful when changing the alarms to make sure that you don’t accidentally turn the alarm off. But all of these are minor issues. However, these are all very minor issues that don’t detract from the unit overall. All in all, in my experience, this is the best iPod clock radio you can buy.
Ull on July 31, 2009 at 10:44 pm
2.0 out of 5 stars
Could be better
If you want a simple way to play your music on your iPod or iPhone while in the kitchen or on your bedside table this will make do.
Zuriel on July 31, 2009 at 11:38 pm
1.0 out of 5 stars
Incompatible with iPhone.
You cannot imagine how frustrated and angry I was after waiting 2 weeks for this thing to arrive and finding out it is not compatible with my iPhone.
Lundy on August 1, 2009 at 2:09 am
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good product, a few flaws
This is very close to a 5-star product, but a few things hold it back.
Pros: Good sound for the price and size, good iPod integration, fully functional remote control…
Annabel on August 1, 2009 at 2:50 am
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good quality
Very good speakers. Fits iphone, remote very handy.
Fm antenna could be better
Anonymous on August 1, 2009 at 3:46 am
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not as good as I was hoping for
I bought this almost a year ago, right after it came out. I use it with an iPhone 3G.
With most any iPhone cover, you will find the adjustable backrest doesn’t allow…
Frick on August 1, 2009 at 5:27 am
1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not charge an iPhone 3G!
I bought this product and set it up in my office and all seemed well. The sound was good and I was happy to see the charging icon in the upper-right corner of my iPhone 3G’s…
Iorwerth on August 1, 2009 at 6:52 am
3.0 out of 5 stars
Kind of Okay
Just because it is Sony, I bought it. But the sound is not what I expected. At high volume, we can hear some distortion on the quality of sound.