With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I thought that I would do a quick review of the Altec Lansing inMotion Compact (iMT320) portable speaker as one of those great tech gifts for Mom. But before you rush out and get one of these (and I do recommend that you do), here is a strategy for you gadget-crazy men/dads (and sure, women/daughters) to think about that might make even you a bit happier in the end.
Let’s be honest here, most moms that I know (especially my wife) don’t want to receive gadgets for Mother’s Day. They want to be pampered, get massages, have some time away from the kids or get some other gift that makes them feel special. Many times, I have personally found that this does not involve gadgets. However, I could be very wrong. There may be that geek buried deep within each and every mom that cries out to get gadgets. So here’s my tip to you, go ahead and get this portable speaker set (I will tell you why in a minute) for your Mom (or wife). If she’s got that gadget geek inside, she will be happy, if not, just tell her you made a big mistake, have a backup gift ready and tell her that you will just take the Altec Lansing off of her hands and never try to give her a gift like that again. (You may have to wait a year or two before you try the same trick again – wink!)
There are many speakers for the iPod or iPhone out there in the market. I have mentioned this before and my view on this hasn’t changed (can you say “super saturated?”). But the ones that get my attention are the ones that do something different or sound particularly exceptional. The Altec Lansing inMotion Compact’s design is what really makes it a winner, but the sound and the fact that it is portable (battery powered) is great as well.
Here are some highlights of what stood out in my mind about the Altec Lansing inMotion Compact (model #:iMT320)
- Unique portable design – there is a flap that acts as a stabilizing base that also covers up the speakers when you want to go on the move. This is the first time that I have seen this type of design that really make the speakers look like they are ready for the road. Mom could even take it to a spa for some relaxing music. Below is the inMotion with the speakers covered with the flap:
- Compact & lightweight – the inMotion is shaped like a trapezoid from one angle: 9.5” (W) x 1.8” (D) x 4.7” (H). It probably won’t fit into a purse, but definitely a larger bag.
- Dual Power options – if you want, you can plug it into a wall or use 4 AA batteries to give you up to 24 hours of juice. If Mom is out and about, the battery option is really great.
- Crisp Performance – the inMotion Compact has two 2” (50 mm) full-range neodymium drivers which produce a very nice treble and mid-range. Mom would be impressed.
- Bass that Bumps a Bit – I was actually pleasantly surprised with this. Under the two speakers are front-firing ports that actually do deliver pretty good bass for the size (and power) of the speakers. Below are the two front-firing bass ports:
- Not Just iPods – in the back, there is an AUX port that allows for you to connect a secondary audio source. Below you can see the battery area and the AUX in port and power port:
- iPods/iPhones Get Juice – when docked, the inMotion Compact will charge Mom’s iPod or iPhone
- No iPhone Interference – these speakers a immune to the electromagnetic, mobile phone interference that is common to many small speakers. This means that Mom doesn’t have to switch to “Airplane Mode” when she uses them and even can receive calls on them (which pauses the music)
I really did like the innovation behind the front flap that acts as not only a protective cover but also a stand to stabilize the speaker when on a flat surface. While not a rock-solid stand (it does feel a bit flimsy), it does do its job at multi-tasking. Here you can see the flap fully extended (note: the speakers will not stand up on their own in this position but that is the design):
The inMotion Compact does not come with a remote control. All of your music is controlled on your audio device (e.g., iPod) or if you are connected via the AUX port, via that device. I found that the performance was quite good at low to medium volume levels. When you really push it to higher volumes (trust me, you won’t use this for a big party), it does distort a little bit and I’m sure if you are using only batteries to power it, when they start running out, you will get distortion at lower volumes as well. But this is pretty much what is to be expected for these smaller speakers. However, as a portable and compact speaker solution for those people (e.g., Moms) on the go, the Altec Lansings are solid contenders with an innovative protective design within the smaller, portable speaker space. And they do provide a rich, well balanced sound which I have found somewhat rare within the smaller speaker market.
The inMotion Compacts retail for $79.95 and were recently introduced to the market in January 2010. You can pick these up on Amazon for about the same price.
So, if you follow my strategy outlined at the beginning of this review, you will either make your Mom (or Wife) extremely happy for Mother’s Day for the geek side of her or, by playing your cards differently, add a really nice portable speaker solution to your family’s gadget collection. One way or another, these Altec Lansings are a reasonably-priced, feature-rich and performance-driven set of portable speakers good for just about any environment, inside or out.
Disclosure Text : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.
HTD says: Make your Mom happy with a set of Altec Lansing inMotion Compacts. The design and performance alone will show her your love!
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