Digital Home Thoughts: Vaja IR-21 iRiver iHP-140 Case Review

What’s in the Box


Figure 1: The Box.


Figure 2: What you get inside.

The packaging is excellent, not at all comparable to the horrible molded plastic casing that the iRiver iHP 140 itself came in. The packing reminds me of something Apple would send. And of course, as soon as you open it, you can immediately smell that awesome aroma of real leather. There is a manual, a small how-to that tells you what not to do with your case, and a booklet of other Vaja products. Very nicely done, I am impressed.

The IR-21


Figure 3: The Vaja IR21 and the iRiver iHP-140 side-by-side.

The IR21 is a beautiful case made from genuine leather, and you can tell right away by the look, feel, and smell. It is extremely light and is available in a multitude of colors. It is available in embossed and non-embossed forms, with or without a belt clip. My review case is all black, which goes quite well with the color of the iRiver iHP. What I like most is the extremely clear pastic that covers the display. One often finds that the display covers are dirty or scratched; that is not the case here.


Figure 4: A snug fit, but it looks good.

The case fits snugly over the iRiver and protects the device quite well. The case does not at all feel slippery.


Figure 5: Left view of the iRiver + case.

The left side of the case has a large opening to accomodate the microphone as well as the record button (that activates the microphone).


Figure 6: Right view of the iRiver + case.

The right side has a perforation for the Hold button and another large opening (like the left side) for the play/pause, stop and A/B buttons. I am glad there aren't individual perforations because that can often make those buttons hard to operate as they get too recessed.


Figure 7: Back view, the clasp and the perforations for USB and power.

There is a button on the back of the case that clips the case close. It fits perfectly so I did not have to struggle with the MP3 player or the case. The jog dial is perfectly accessible and so are the audio outputs on the top and the charge & USB slots at the bottom. Very nicely done.