I ordered this for my mother for Christmas so that she could charge and play her new iPod nano at the same time while she’s getting ready for work in the morning.

Except it doesn’t charge her iPod.

And it requires batteries.

And of course, I didn’t know any of this until about a month after Christmas, and she’d taken it home and been using it for a month.

REALLY disappointed in this purchase.

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Updated 3/1/10

So, I visited my parents this weekend, and discovered the “charging” cable tucked away in the original box (which my mother had thankfully saved). It’s a USB > mini-USB cable, so that you can hook the unit to your PC and allow the computer to power the unit and charge the iPod.

There is a spot for an AC adaptor, but it’s “optional” equipment according to the owner’s manual, and must be purchased separately. Boo.

Still not REALLY a charger, but she borrowed my dad’s USB>AC adaptor and was able to plug into the wall, so at least she’s not burning through a bunch of AA batteries anymore.

I’m upgrading the review to a 3 because it’s got decent sound quality and a smallish footprint, but I think calling it a “charging base” is misleading at best.

These speakers fit into the smallest space on my desk and sound is very good. I can hide it away in my drawer or put it under my desk over the weekend and its compact enough to fit right in. It was litterally out of the box and working on my desk in seconds.

Great price, speakers are worse than my laptop’s built-in speakers. It is probably worth saving an extra month to get better quality.

This is a very high-quality cable. Construction is solid, the audio quality is great, and the grounding cable is an excellent feature.

I was experiencing a real low humming noise coming from my subs that are built into my floor standing speakers when everything was shut off, but still plugged in. I suspected maybe it was from all the electricity traveling through the nine components I have plugged into a large surge protector, but who knows. I tried a couple of different quality sub interconnect cables with no luck until I purchased this cable that had the extra ground wire. Not only did it take the humming noise away the quality of my bass increased. Audioquest makes a great cable.

The difference between the Sharp i-Elegance and my less expensive mp3 speaker is the built-in sub-woofer, which contributes to the i-Elegance’s hefty weight of 1.3 lb. The lid flips open and on it are the various controls: the On/Standby button on the right and the E-Sound/(-TV OUT) button on the left. At the center of the lid is the plug-in slot for your iPod, with 4 templates for different models. The volume controls are on either side of the slot. The “E-Sound” button activates the circuit that electronically enhances the bass at low volume. Supposedly, you can view your video files in you iPod on a TV monitor via the i-Elegance. There is a RCA video output at the back for you to do so. The “E-Sound” button doubles as the “TV OUT” control.

I don’t have an iPod; I have a Nomad Jukebox mp3 player instead, but it is not a problem. I can plug my player in at the “AUX IN” socket on the back. You are not going to get room-filling music out of the i-Elegance. What you do get is a superior sound output with a credible bass, for personal use. For room filling volume in a small package, I recommend the iPig. (Please see my other review.)

The design of the battery compartment is one of the best I have seen. The 4 AA batteries slide in their slots individually either head first or tail first. Slide on the attached compartment lid and you are ready to go. You can also use the 100 to 240 volt transformer, adaptable to electrical grids all over the world. The i-Elegance is clearly designed for portable use, but it has no handle. Moving it around on location is an awkward proposition. There are carrying pouches for the speaker and the transformer, but they are for long distance travels. For that, I gave the i-Elegance a 4 star rating instead of a 5.

Sharp i-Elegance Music System for iPod and MP3 Players (High Gloss White/Black)

Welcome to the new world!

i have been an audiophile for over forty years, and have seen many things come and go.
this product is the most highly defined and practical system ever.
it has both real bass and high definition sound.
simply awesome!

I was disapointed to discover the iPod comatability port was on the BACK. I was expecting a port on the face and for that reason I almost returned it. But When I talked to my install guy he said he could set it up for easy iPod concetion. He did a wonderful job and the sterio works great with my iPod. It keeps the same great iPod quality sound. Also, my Saab has hign end speakers so that helps too. This sterio is not an install it yourself product Perhaps it worth it pay a little more at a retail store where they will install it for free.

The clock doesn’t keep good time and the remote doesn’t work. I expected better out of that name brand.

The Mythos 3 is competent mid-level center speaker with no discernible shortcomings. After weeks of researching, I settled on Definitive Technology’s Mythos line of speakers. Despite most of them being released several years ago, they still have a modern look. However, the main attraction is value. Many of the silver-finish Mythos speakers are easy to find on sale for over 50% off. Even at full MSRP, they perform very well for their price. My configuration is: 2x Definitive Technology Mythos 1 Tower Speaker (Single, Silver) fronts, 1x Definitive Technology Mythos 3 Center Speaker (Single, Silver) center, 2x Definitive Technology Mythos Gem Satellite Speakers (Pair, Black) surrounds, 1x Epik Sentinel subwoofer (Def Tech supercubes are slick and good for their size, but overpriced). My receiver is a Denon AVR2310CI 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver with 1080p HDMI Connectivity (aka Denon 890). It has more than engouh power for me, I usually listen at -20 to -30 db.

The Mythos 3 lends a clear and vibrant voice to TV shows and fills the soundstage with impressive realism. The size is pretty significant; if you’re considering the Mythos 3, you might want to consider upgrading to the Definitive Technology Mythos 9 Aluminum Speaker (Single, Silver) for a truly crystal clear sound with only a slightly bigger footprint. Of course, you’ll be spending almost twice as much for a Mythos 9. I believe the Mythos 8 (slimmer) is also recommended for pairing with Mythos 1 fronts, however the 9 in silver is almost the same price. On the slighlty cheaper side, there is the Mythos 7; but I preferred the fuller sound of the Mythos 3.

Overall, the Mythos 3 is an amazing performer for the price and will be the best center for many looking to get great 5.1 performance on a $2000-$2500 budget.

UPDATE: It looks like mythos silver speakers are practically sold out everywhere. While the Mythos line are still great speakers even at the higher price for the black cabinets, they will require a 5.1 budget of $4000.