i2i Stream April 2009
i2i Stream portable audio streaming
Which? takes a look at the i2i Stream portable audio streamer. It's incredibly compact, but is it up to the task of beaming music wirelessly between your devices? We put it to the test.
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This article, i2i Stream, was last updated on 13 April 2009 and is now out of date and held in our online archive for reference. Explore our latest Technology articles.
- Cost: £75 for a pair
- Available from: Expansys
The diminutive i2i Stream lets you send music wirelessly from any source (such as your iPod) to an output (such as headphones) up to 10m away. It’s available in a handy two pack, and either device can be used to send or receive music. We gave the i2i Stream a first look review, and these are our first impressions of this gadget.
We found it easy to connect one i2i Stream unit to an iPod then pair it with the other unit – connected to something such as headphones, a hi-fi or powered portable speakers – by simply picking a transmission channel on both devices. The transmitted sound quality was good, though slightly worse than the original.
If you have more i2i Streams, you can transmit to more than one device – handy for letting your friends listen in on your music. And the units are impressively compact – they'll easily slip into your pocket when not in use.
It's a neat device with one main downside – the battery. It only lasts for around five to six hours, and will take about the same time to recharge via the supplied USB cable. Using a mains charger should be quicker, but you'll have to buy one separately.
This means it’s not ideal as a permanent connection – say for playing the music on the PC in your home office through the hi-fi in your living room – as you'd have to stop listening regularly to recharge the i2i Streams. However, it would be perfect for wireless listening on the train or at the beach.
Pros: Compact and easy to use
Cons: Limited by battery life and recharge time
