SRS iWOW 3D Audio Enhancing Adapter For iOS Devices – ‘Book Mystique Review

One of the knocks against digital music made by analog recording aficionados has long been the digital medium’s shortcomings in fidelity. For most users, the convenience of digital storage and playback far outweighs a consequential diminishment of the high-fidelity so prized by audiophiles, but there are ways to enhance the plebeian digital audio experience.

One is the SRS iWOW 3D audio enhancing adapter dongle that plugs into the iPhone, iPod, or iPad, and even the iPad nano via the 30 pin Apple connector on these devices, and whose other end features a female 3.5 mm audio jack to plug in headphones or earbuds.

Once the iWOW’s free supporting software is downloaded and installed, the touch of an on-screen button enables the iWOW 3D to deliver what SRS claims will be much richer and more immersive sound with music, videos, movies, podcasts, and games, supporting both Mac and Windows PC users over headphones, desktop, laptop or monitor speakers and promising to take the entertainment experience to another level. But does it deliver?

The top-of-the-line iWOW 3-D HF package that I tested contains the iWOW 3D audio adapter, a set of high quality earbuds, five assorted color faceplate inserts for the audio adapter module, and mirabile dictu in this day and age, even a very nice little hard copy user’s manual with full-color illustrations. That’s more documentation than came with my new iPad 2.

I liked the light aqua blue faceplate insert. The inserts pop in or out easily, but are still quite secure when snapped into place.

There is also a lower-priced base iWOW 3D model that comes with just the basic black iWOW 3-D audio adapter.

SRS, which has a more than 20 year track record in the digital audio field, says the iWOW 3D utilizes patented proprietary technologies to restore audio cues that are buried in the original source material, thereby allowing users to experience greater clarity and detail in the music playback, although the technical details of how this is achieved are not elucidated.

Using the iWOW 3-D is transparently simple. The iWOW 3D adapter plugs into any Apple device with a 30 pin connector. Plug the headphones into the audio jack pigtail on the iWOW adapter and you’re essentially good to go. When you first connect, you’ll be prompted to download the free SRS iWow app from the App Store (more on this below). The software is not absolutely required, but getting it anyway is a good idea.

Press the iWOW adapter’s single white center button to turn SRS iWOW processing on and off. The button is illuminated when iWOW is on. When processing is off, audio is passed through to the headphones and bypasses any iWOW processing.

To further enhance the listening experience and support settings customization, you’ll want to download the SRS iWOW app, free on the iTunes App Store. Once the iWOW app is launched, you will have access to custom settings for speaker configurations as well as enhancements for bass, treble, and a widened surround sound stage.

On the iWOW modes screen, you can select speaker modes for headphones, external speaker (featuring boosted lower registers), or car stereo (in which the highs are boosted to better suit on-the-road acoustics). Click the Advanced Settings button to pull up the Advanced Settings Menu, from which you can further customize and tune the audio settings of your favorite tracks, toggling Wide Surround (gives the effect of being more in the middle of the music, rather than out in the audience), Deep Bass, and High Treble. Simply tap the appropriate button.

I have to admit that I was skeptical going in, but this thing really works. You only have to spend a short time switching the iWOW processing on and off while listening to a piece of music to be convinced that the difference is substantial, with punchier, less “muddy” base, crisper higher registers, and an overall brighter sound. The effect is most dramatic with low bit-rate MP3s, other lower-quality digital recordings, YouTube videos and movie sound tracks in which you’ll be able to hear stuff in the audio that you couldn’t hear (at least clearly) before. Especially if your music library is mostly in lower-fidelity digital formats, once you’ve experienced the enhanced effect, it will be hard to go back. On the other hand, if you have mostly higher-fidelity stuff, you’ll see less potential benefit, and on some recordings an introduced background hiss is audible when enhancement is on, and sibilance (hissing “S” word endings) can be annoyingly accentuated in some recordings such as choral vocals). In a nutshell, the more modest and pedestrian your recordings collection and audio hardware are, the more value and benefit you’ll probably derive from the iWOW 3D.

It would also be more desirable if the support software interface included graphic equalizer style slider adjustments instead of just simple all-or-nothing on/off alternatives.

I’m giving the SRS iWOW 3D a 4 out of five rating, with the caveat that even at the currently discounted price of $79.95, it’s a bit pricey for this sort of accessory, but it’s still a lot cheaper that buying a high-end audio setup.

System Requirements:
• iPhone, iPad, iPad II or iPod (featuring a 30-pin Apple connector)
• Standard headphones or earbuds
• Internet connectivity to the iTunes Apps Store to download the SRS iWOW App
• Note: iWOW 3D will work with any 30-pin Apple connector, even the iPod nano which does not have connectivity to the iTunes App Store, however, the user will not have the added function afforded by the SRS iWOW App.
• SRS iWOW App is only available on devices running iOS 3.1.x or higher

The iWOW 3D Deluxe for iPod, iPhone & iPad has a MSRP of $99.99, and is currently available from the STS Website for the discounted price of $79.99.

The base no frills iWOW 3D for iPod, iPhone & iPad’s MSRP is $69.99, and it’s currently available from the STS Website for the discounted price of $59.99.

Licensing now available for use on 3 different devices for $39.99.

For more information, visit:
https://www.srslabs.com/store/store/comersus_index.asp
and
http://www.srslabs.com/store/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=18

SRS Labs Sponsors the 3D Entertainment Summit During CE Week in NYC

By the way, SRS Labs, Inc. has announced that it will be participating in several events at this year’s CE Week, taking place the week of June 20th in New York City. SRS Labs is also sponsoring the 3D Entertainment Summit, from June 22 to 23, where Alan Kraemer, SRS’ Chief Technology Officer, will be participating in a key panel discussion titled, “Refining the Home Entertainment 3D Ecosystem and Consumer Reaction to 3D Capable Displays.”

Where to find SRS Labs during CE Week 2011:
• June 21, 2011, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm ET – Holiday Gift Guide Show – Table 73
• June 21, 2011, 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm ET – GDGT Live – Table 3
• June 22 – 23, 2011, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm ET – CEA Line Shows – Table T46
• June 23, 2011, 11:40 am to 12:10 pm ET – 3D Entertainment Summit – Panel Discussion

At the Holiday Gift Guide Show, SRS will be displaying multiple SRS-branded consumer products, including the complete family of award-winning SRS iWOW 3D audio enhancement adaptors and SRS MyVolume volume levelling adaptor. Additionally, SRS will also be showcasing various OEM consumer electronics products featuring built-in SRS audio enhancement solutions.