Review: SRS Labs iWOW Adapter for iPod

We're calling it now: manufacturers need to stop slapping a lower case "i" in front of their products in the hope of netting a loose scrap from the table of Apple. iSpeaker, iCase, iCarCharger, iBling, iDog. Come on guys, all this serves to do is make us feel overwhelmed and unimpressed. But when the ubiquitous letter is followed by WOW, we feel justified in expecting something more than just pod compatibility.

The iWOW adapter from SRS Labs promises to coax more "immersive" sound from your iPod, and it actually delivers — provided you're listening to the right kind of music. Set up is easy: snap on the slick little 1-inch extension, plug in some spendy headphones, press a button, and you do indeed get a fuller sound with more depth – especially if you enjoy songs like Sting's "Fragile," a track hand-picked by SRS to highlight the effect.

SRS says the device does its trick with state-of-the-art patented technology that, among other things, produces 3D audio and deep bass. True enough. The bass of African drums were much more present behind Sting's crooning, as if the low level thump had been pumped up relative to the vocals. And there was a sense of space, almost like surround sound. After listening with iWOW for a few minutes, the sound from the iPod alone felt thin and trebly in comparison.

But when iWOW was applied to songs that were heavy on low-end thump or had multilayered sound (Exhibit A: Beck's Cold Brains) the iWOW performed more like iMeh. At top volume, bass beats splintered, while at lower volumes tracks sounded muddled and crowded. SRS claims the device "dynamically locates and restores audio detail" and creates a more natural sound. We're not buying it – most of the audio we threw at the iWOW was punctuated with a subtle hiss and fuzzy bass.

But all of this was perceived through a $140 pair of midrange Bose headphones. http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/audio_headphones/around_ear_headphones/index.jsp While the SRS-selected Sting, Shania Twain, and Eagles songs sounded better with those 'phones, most of the "wow" effect is lost on ear buds – even high-quality ones. And because most iPod users aren't lugging around bulky 'cans, the adapter may not make sense for everyone. For $70 the iWOW is really not worth it unless you're a hardcore Sting fan. Here's out advice: if you inexplicably have seventy extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket, go ahead and pick up a pair of iDogs instead. http://www.hasbro.com/tiger/idog/