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CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good
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Product summary
The good: The Ion Block Rocker is a portable, powered speaker system that includes an iPod dock, professional XLR microphone, instrument input, and a rechargeable battery.
The bad: The sound quality of the Block Rocker is as blunt as it is loud, the speaker is mono, the iPod dock doesn't offer much protection, there's no remote, the system is very heavy, and its design isn't pretty.
The bottom line: If you need a durable, portable, and practical way to get loud, the Ion Block Rocker is an impressive and easy-to-use solution.
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 09/26/2008
- Released on: 05/01/2008
Options are limited for those who want to make an obnoxious amount of noise outdoors--boom boxes take batteries, bullhorns are abrasive, and that Marshall guitar stack doesn't travel easily. Thankfully, the rechargeable battery-powered Ion Block Rocker ($299) has arrived to deliver bone-rattling sound to even the most quiet, far-flung corners of the earth.
Designed more like a guitar amp on wheels than an iPod boom box, the Block Rocker combines a 12-hour rechargeable battery, 22-watt amplifier, 7-inch speaker, and 1-inch tweeter into a single portable audio system. Just like your luggage, the Block Rocker includes built-in wheels, and a telescoping handle for moving its 40-pound mass around without breaking your back. Two metal handles are planted on the side if you ever need to lift the system into your car, and there's a recessed 1 3/8-inch hole on the bottom for placing the Block Rocker onto a professional PA speaker stand.
You'll find an abundance of audio inputs on the Block Rocker, including an iPod Dock, RCA stereo jacks, XLR mic input, and quarter-inch instrument jacks for plugging in a guitar. The iPod dock slapped on the top of the Block Rocker isn't the safest way to travel with your iPod, but it does include a tension screw to prevent your iPod from easily shaking loose. All other audio inputs are located on the front of the Block Rocker, along with large plastic knobs for adjusting input gain and volume output.
A standard, three-prong power cable input is located on the back of the Block Rocker (a power cable is included), which is used to provide direct power or recharge the system's internal battery (it takes about 4 hours to reach full charge). The back of the Block Rocker also includes a power switch, an output link for pairing with another speaker, and a battery level indicator.
Continue reading- See more CNET content tagged:
- ION Audio,
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- Apple iPod,
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