Singing Machine ISM1030BT Review

Are you looking for a karaoke machine that can play your collection of karaoke CDs? The Singing Machine iSM1030BT can do just that and more. Aside from having its own LCD display to show the lyrics, you can also choose to connect it directly to your TV.

Surely you can play your karaoke CD with your home theater and just plug in a microphone, but this model is specifically designed for singing. It has features that your home theater could not have.

Read on as we discuss its features and benefits. By the time you’re done reading this review article, you’ll have a better understanding if this is the right karaoke system for you.

Singing Machine iSM1030BT Review

Like other karaoke players on the market, iSM1030BT includes a microphone and speakers. It can play your songs from a variety of ways. You will easily recognize this model because of its tower speakers and pedestal structure.

It is full of features that are very helpful for singers including echo controls, pitch or key adjustments, and a voice recorder. The unique design and its features are what made us include iSM1030BT in KaraokeHQ’s list of professional karaoke systems this year.

However, this model has its limitations too. In the next sections, we will be expanding on these to help you decide if they’re something that you can just shrug off.

Music Sources

There’s a variety of ways to play your songs with this system but first, you need to know that it does not have any songs included. However, we believe it is an advantage since your song choices are not limited.

With its Bluetooth connectivity, you can stream your own songs from your playlist to the machine. In fact, you can stream karaoke songs from YouTube, which to date has the highest number of songs available.

In case you already have karaoke CDs, you can load them and have the lyrics display on the screen. It plays both regular music CD and CD+G types. This is also a great option if you don’t want to stream music from your smartphone.

Lastly, it has a USB port as well. You can save your MP3s and MP3+Gs on your USB device and play it. The lyrics and video output from MP3+G format can be displayed on the built-in screen.

Music Output

The unit comes with two tower speakers, 10 watts each. We personally like this design better than having a built-in speaker.

Singing Machine iSM1030BT has a built-in 7” LCD screen to display lyrics from your MP3+G song format and from your karaoke CDs as well. If you find that the texts are too small for you to read, you can always connect the unit to your TV using RCA cables.

It is important to take note that if you’re going to play your songs from YouTube, the video will not show up on the built-in LCD screen. This screen will only display graphics from the MP3+G format or from CD+G karaoke discs.

Microphone

This Singing Machine karaoke model can accommodate up to 2 microphones. It actually includes 2 mics with cords at around 10 feet long. This is great for a duet.

In case you want to use more, you can always plug in a wireless mic receiver and use as many wireless mics as the receiver will allow.

Sound Quality

The 10-watt speakers provide a good sound output as long as you’re in a small to medium room. This is the model of choice if you’re going to use it at home only.

However, if you’re planning to use this for big events with outdoor or large room venues, it would be better to pick a more appropriate unit like the Alphasonik 28000W.

If you already have a surround system, you can opt to connect Singing Machine iSM1030BT to your external speakers or home theater to amplify the quality.

Additional Features

iSM1030BT is packed with features geared toward making you sound better when singing. You can adjust the echo and enable its Auto Voice Control capability to reduce the sound of the original vocals. You can sing with the original background instrumental instead of the generic midi-type.

If you find the high-notes of your favorite song too hard to reach, you can use the Digital Key Controller to raise or lower the key/pitch.

An FM radio is a great addition, as well as a recorder. This karaoke allows you to record your performance via USB, making you an instant recording artist.

Setting Up

Assembling the unit is very easy. Basically, you’ll have to put the pedestal together with screws, insert the base on top, then connect the microphone and speaker cords. The instruction manual explains this in detail.

The easiest way to use Singing Machine iSM1030BT is to load your karaoke CD or insert your USB loaded with MP3+G format songs. You’ll see the lyrics on the built-in LCD screen.

If what you want is to see the lyrics on your TV screen, just follow these simple steps in setting it up:

1. Connect the tablet via screen mirror or set-top box to your TV.
2. The TV should now show what’s on your tablet’s screen, which is the lyrics.
3. Plug in the RCA cables on the TV’s audio out and into iSM1030BT’s audio in.
4. The song will be heard through the karaoke’s tower speakers, together with your voice using its mic.

Dimension

The main unit’s dimension, including the pedestal, is 17.9 x 18.7 x 37.9 inches (L x W x H). So it’s a little more than 3 feet tall, which is about waist high for most people.

The tower speakers are nearly as tall but are not as wide. The entire product weighs around 18.5 lbs. If you’re quite tall and find the pedestal too small for you, sadly, the height is not adjustable at all.

Consumer Ratings

Customers from Amazon gave this product a fairly high rating. This is also one of the most sought-after models in the market. However, it still has its own fair share of bad reviews. Most of these are from customers who received a faulty unit.

If you end up getting this model, our advice is to use it as early as possible within 30 days. That way you remain covered by Amazon’s customer service. We recommend that you check other Amazon customer reviews to help you decide even better.

Final Words

If you have been collecting karaoke CDs lately and was just playing it from your home theater, then the Singing Machine iSM1030BT is one of the best upgrades you can get. The speaker output and quality should be more than enough for home use. You’ll definitely love how it makes you feel like a pro singer with this model.