iHome is back with another Star Wars Bluetooth speaker. This time, we have the Imperial Star Destroyer.
iHome has been on a roll with Star Wars memorabilia recently. You may remember last Christmas when we reviewed the TIE Fighter. While it wasn’t the best Bluetooth speaker in the world, there’s something about its charm that captivated us. The Star Destroyer doesn’t exactly bring anything new to the table… but it’s a frickin’ Star Destroyer!
If you’re not a Star Wars fan, we’ll give you a bit of backstory. The Star Destroyer is the pride of the Imperial fleet (now known in The Force Awakens as the First Order). It’s a battleship that measures 1,600 meters from front to back, carrying a bunch of weapons including 60 ion cannons and a tractor beam for pulling in pesky rebel ships. This scale model is pretty authentic in design, coming in a sturdy plastic body that includes a transparent stand. Taking it out of the box, the first thing we found was how difficult it is to remove from said box. iHome has secured the Star Destroyer pretty tight, making it almost impossible to remove. Once you’ve got past the secure straps, you’ll need to unscrew it from the box itself.
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Getting in on the desk, it’s every bit what you’d expect for a Star Wars toy. Turning it on will also illuminate the ship in a subtle white glow, which makes it just as good as a desk ornament. Using it as a speaker, the sound quality is actually slightly better than on the TIE. The main rear engine is where the speaker driver sits on the Star Destroyer, pumping out sound while also propelling the craft into hyperspace. We don’t know if it’s due to the size differences, but the Star Destroyer is noticeably clearer and louder than its TIE brethren. There’s still an absence of bass but overall, it has a clear, punchy sound that doesn’t distort or feel harsh to the ear. Bluetooth Pairing was easy, with my HTC 10 picking up the device instantly and connecting without any fuss.
If you’d prefer to connect with a cable, iHome has also provided an AUX port conveniently places in another one of the engines. Perhaps the coolest feature of the Star Destroyer is its ability to play the Star Wars theme when you press one of the right engines, which is sure to get the office singing along.
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Verdict
It’s not the best sounding Bluetooth speaker in the world but it’s still better than the majority of cheaper ones we’ve heard. Even so, we don’t really care because it’s a Star Destroyer! Whether you use it as a speaker or not, just having it on the desk is enough to bring a smile to our faces. An excellent gift for the kids.