iSphere is a small, reasonably-priced, spherical (d'oh) iPod speaker system. It has a sleek, minimalist look, which is to be expected -- it was created by Sharper Image Design. What I didn't expect was that such a small (7-inches in diameter and 2.5 pounds) three-speaker system would sound so good.

iSphere has three speakers: left and right full-frequency drivers plus a rear-facing subwoofer. And a small port on the bottom of the unit seems to enhance the system's low-frequency response. But the secret sauce that makes iSphere sound better than most small, inexpensive iPod speaker systems is the built-in SRS WOW audio enhancement.

SRS WOW is patented technology from SRS Labs. According to Sharper Image, it "retrieves the original audio data lost during the recording and compression process and delivers an incredibly detailed, immersive, and natural 3-D audio experience. SRS WOW also improves the dynamic audio performance of compressed and uncompressed audio by expanding the size of the audio image and creating a deep, rich bass response." The combination of the hardware design and SRS WOW technology translates into a fine-sounding speaker system with a deep, clean bottom end, tight mids, and crisp highs.

Note: iSphere doesn't allow you to turn SRS WOW on and off--it's always on. But SRS Labs offers a $20 SRS WOW iTunes plug-in that you can turn on and off at will. A free trial version is available at http://www.srs-store.com/store-plugins/mall/iwow-plugin.asp. I love what it does for my music and keep it turned on whenever I listen to music with iTunes. I recommend you give it a try.

Moving right along, the iSphere sounds darn good but lacks several features I'd like to have seen included. First and foremost, its only control is for volume--there's no way to change bass, treble, or EQ with the iSphere. Furthermore, while it does have a dock connector and recharges your iPod while you listen, that's all it does. There's no remote control, so to change any setting--songs, playlists, EQ, next song, previous song, shuffle, and such--you have to use your iPod, which I find somewhat inconvenient. Finally, iSphere's small size and light weight make it easy to tote around, there's no option to run it on batteries. AC is good but a choice of AC or batteries would have been even better.

The Bottom Line

iSphere is a good looking, fine-sounding, reasonably-priced iPod speaker system. If you don't mind foregoing frills like a remote control and battery power, iSphere is an excellent little desktop speaker system with a big, clean sound.