Sure, you’ve probably seen every type of Bluetooth speaker imaginable. There’s the wedge shaped one, the one that looks like a little red solo cup, the one that clips on anything… You get the idea. One type of Bluetooth speaker we think has been sorely ignored is the Bluetooth speaker you can sit on. (Or put your feet on, or use for a cat bed…) Introducing the ION Sound Lounge.
Overview
The ION Sound Lounge is a plush ottoman with built-in speakers and subwoofer. It consists of a nice, reasonably comfortable cushion on top of a pair of side mounted speakers, and a ported subwoofer. It also includes RCA AUX inputs and outputs, which ION says allows you to connect up to four Sound Lounges to really rock out. (They only sent us one, and we didn’t want to push it, so we didn’t get to test this feature.)
The Sound Lounge also contains on-speaker controls for volume and bass, as well as an On/Off Switch.
The ION Sound Lounge’s Features Include:
- Streams music wirelessly via Bluetooth
- Plush padding & sturdy build enhance your living room, bedroom, or dorm
- Ported subwoofer delivers deep, defined bass
- Connect up to four Sound Lounges via aux inputs & outputs for immersive sound
- Speakers are located on the ottoman sides for multidimensional sound projection
Inside the Box You’ll Find:
- Sound Lounge
- Power Adapter
- RCA-to-3.5mm Stereo Cable
- Quickstart Guide
- Safety & Warranty Guide
We were pleasantly surprised when we took the Sound Lounge out of the box. The design is clean, and should fit into most living room or game room layouts. Maybe not the formal living room, but that all depends on your personal decorating tastes. As for myself, it goes great with my beanbags and camping chairs. (Note: At this point, my wife would like me to point out that we actually have a lovely living room, furnished with grown-up furniture, tables, and other accoutrements of that sort. -Ed.)
The Sound Lounge easily paired with my iPhone. I simply turned it on, and looked for the Sound Lounge in my Bluetooth devices list. A quick tap, and in a few moments the Sound Lounge and my iPhone were paired. The Sound Lounge even announces in a pleasant feminine voice that the pairing is complete.
A quick side note here, if you have a cat who likes to claim any new piece of furniture as his own, you might want to wait to pair the Sound Lounge with your device until your cat gets settled in. I swear, I did not know my cat could jump that high!
I tried sitting on the Sound Lounge and found it to be comfortable, and surprisingly sturdy. I come in around a biscuit shy of 280 pounds, and the Sound Lounge held up very well under my bulk.
Once paired, I played a number of my favorite tunes – which range from Rat Pack type smoothies, all the way up to Steel Panther – and found the ION Sound Lounge did a great job in reproducing the music. The music came through loud and clear, and I truly enjoyed the sound. While the bass isn’t earth shaking, the subwoofer still delivered enough bass to enjoy it, without getting us evicted from our apartment.
I can see the Sound Lounge as a perfect solution for rooms, or even apartments where space is at a premium. Its Bluetooth/RCA cable connections would allow a user to enjoy music from any Bluetooth capable device, along with connecting their television or other sound source via the AUX input. Plus, you get to put your feet up on it, and have an extra place for people to sit when you throw a party.
Verdict
The ION Sound Lounge is a great, if somewhat unusual, Bluetooth speaker. Listeners looking for great sound reproduction for their Bluetooth connected entertainment devices, along with the flexibility of also offering AUX inputs and outputs would do well to consider the ION Sound Lounge. Besides, how many speakers can you name that can comfortably seat one person, or provide a cushy place to rest your feet?
I would highly recommend the Sound Lounge for apartment dwellers, or dorm residents, it does a great job giving a big sound in a compact space. Plus… an extra seat!
Rating: 4.0/5.0[rating:4.0]
Price: $99.99 MSRP – Available at the ION website, or Amazon.com.
Pros:
- Great sound from a relatively small size.
- Works with Bluetooth, or AUX connections.
- Did I mention it can serve as an extra seat?
Cons:
- Scares the cat when it connects via Bluetooth. Wait… Should that have went under “Pros”?
