However, each could be improved with superior case compatibility, and DS1155вЂ™s clock and night light features are middling at best theyвЂ™re barely good enough to justify their inclusion. DS1155вЂ™s shape and possibly its rear USB port will make it appealing to many users, and DS3205вЂ™s stronger audio performance for only a $10 premium will win it fans, as well. Overall, DS1155 and DS3205 are good budget speakers-their prices are attractive, as as their designs, and their sonic performance with Lightning devices is solid enough to justify either purchase even without considering other frills. Power is supplied to the DS1155 solely via an included wall adapter, and thereвЂ™s no battery or battery compartment here. The back has no 3.5mm audio-in port, but does include a USB port with 0.5-Amp power-enough for full-speed iPod and half-speed iPhone charging, versus the 1-Amp full-speed iPhone and iPod Lightning port on top. The only people who will like these features will be extremely light-sensitive users Philips really could have done better with them.ДS1155 also has the ability to act as a charger for a second device, assuming you self-supply a USB cable. Similarly, the amber undercarriage night light shifts between three settings: either off, super dim, or not particularly bright. ItвЂ™s also so small and low to the surface of a table that youвЂ™ll likely only spot it when youвЂ™re on eye level with it-assuming itвЂ™s on a nightstand. First, the clock face is a dim brown, rather than rich amber, and even at the brightest of its three dimming levels is difficult to see in anything other than weak ambient light. The DS1155вЂ™s most distinctive features are arguably its iOS self-setting clock and soft night light, though each is notably less impressive than what might be assumed from PhilipsвЂ™ packaging and marketing materials. This is particularly interesting given that OnBeat Micro costs more than both of its rivals.Д«ut there are other factors that may lead you to consider one speaker over the others.

If the only reason to prefer one of these speakers over the others was sound, the DS3205 would be the top pick, with the DS1155 coming in second, and the OnBeat Micro rating third. While the DS1155 has less bass than the DS3205, it still manages to sound warmer and a bit more balanced than the OnBeat Micro. With each speaker at safe near-field listening volumes, theyвЂ™re all very similar in clarity to one another, but DS3205 has the best overall sound: while it skews towards bass with a little less treble than OnBeat Micro and DS1155, the extra richness is solid, and gives tracks a lifelike warmth that we enjoyed. Volume isnвЂ™t the key factor we look for in speaker systems, though: clarity and sonic balance are typically more important to us. OnBeat Micro canвЂ™t fill a small room, but DS1155 comes a little closer, and DS3205 has enough power to pull off that feat, though the peak volume level is a bit distorted-no surprise given the low price points here. Each unit is built with two small speakers that are capable of performing modestly separated stereo sound OnBeat Micro has four watts of amplification to DS1155вЂ™s six watts and DS3205вЂ™s ten, numbers that hint at the actual amplitude differences between them.

The DS1155 and DS3205 are in the same basic performance category as one another and JBLвЂ™s similarly-priced OnBeat Micro. SpeckвЂ™s CandyShell Flip for iPhone 5 is a noteworthy exception, but given that the Lightning-equipped docks on multiple speakers have similar issues, itвЂ™s becoming obvious that either Lightning supports or most case designs will need to change to guarantee future compatibility with one another. Moreover, because the docks use the least case-friendly hard plastic supports weвЂ™ve yet seen for the new Lightning connector, they are also incompatible with almost every iPhone and iPod case weвЂ™ve seen for AppleвЂ™s latest devices. Due to the curves around their Lightning docks, neither system is physically compatible with the iPad mini or fourth-generation iPad. It needs to be noted that these speakers are, for now at least, solely for iPhone 5, iPod nano 7G, and iPod touch 5G owners-Philips actually marks each unitвЂ™s package with вЂњfor iPhone 5вЂќ in large letters, while using smaller print to indicate iPod compatibility as well.

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