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Review of Whitmor Large 15 section drawer box and organizer for portable IEM/CIEM/DAP/DAC storage.
Available for Sale on Amazon for $24.99.
I have been searching high and low for a storage box with large partition sections to organize my earphones and various audio gear accessories. Sounds like an easy task, but turned out to be quite an adventure. I found various organizer boxes in hardware stores, hobby shops, and office supply places with small fixed partitions to accommodate arts and crafts, nuts and bolts, jewelry, and other small items. I also found a number of organizer boxes with adjustable partitions to customize sections, though it was limited to narrow spaces and flimsy walls.
During a daily commute with a single pair of average size earphones you can get away with just an individual clam shell zippered case. If you have bulky aftermarket cable and large multi-driver IEM/CIEM – Pelican 1010 micro case will do the job. But at home with a vast collection of in-ear monitors, cables, and adapters, I need a clear and easy way to organize, to view, and to access these without opening multiple cases, shuffling multiple boxes, or pulling out multiple mini drawers.
I almost gave up until my wife pointed me in a direction of clothes drawer organizers which led me to Whitmor Large 15 section drawer box. It looked great on paper, exactly what I was looking for, but wasn’t available in any of my local stores to preview, and I also noticed limited quantities on Amazon. After visiting their website, I quickly realized that it’s not just the only "source" of what I was looking for, but also a quality "source" from a company with a specific focus on products to organize everything in your house. After reaching out to them, I was kindly provided with a review sample of their drawer box which I’m going to share about in this review.
I'm so used to small organizer boxes that at first glance was a bit surprised how big this one looked. With dimensions of about 19.38” x 13” x 3.58” it’s far from being portable, and instead more appropriate for storage/display at home or maybe showcasing your gear at head-fi audio meets, as an example. The box was partitioned into 15 evenly spaced sections, each approximately 3.6” x 3.9”. This is more than enough room even for large CIEMs with multi-core braided cables and bulky plugs and chin sliders. You can also group your other petite IEMs/CIEMs since there is plenty of room to arrange 2-3 pairs in each section. Furthermore, you can place a few clam shell cases in each section.
What I did like especially about the box is its durable resin construction. The section dividers are molded into the box, very sturdy, and no flex. You also get a sturdy cover lid which latches securely in place, seals the content tight to keep dust and moisture away, and allows multiple boxes to be stacked on top of each other. I noticed that divider walls inside of the case don’t go all the way up to the top edge which gives enough clearance for a recessed cover lid. Between short stand-off legs on the bottom of the box and a recessed lid, stacking them up keeps boxes from sliding off.
Many of my multi-BA driver and hybrid IEMs/CIEMs don't fit inside of a basic small clamshell case when I use custom cables with bulky connectors or balanced to SE adapters. Using Pelican cases helps, but they take a lot of room, and I still have to go through opening each one to get to the pair I'm looking for. With Whitmor box I place earphones in their corresponding sections and have a clear view of everything at a glance. The only dilemma now is which pair gets it's own "private cell" and which one has to roommate with another set.
Also, you can store and organize your various eartips, separate cables (audio and digital), adapters, etc. Plus, you can use these 15 sections to showcase your DAPs and portable amps. With an exception of a few smaller size DAPs and usb-DAC/amps, majority of my portable sources will be sticking out, preventing box cover from being closed. But regardless of that, it makes a fantastic display to organize these devices, to make them visible in semi-upright position, and to have an easy access to each one. The resin material of the box is smooth and shouldn’t scratch any bare surface or protective case. And if you want to, you can also put multiple DAPs/DACs/amps inside of each section.
Conclusion.
Call me crazy for being excited about $24.99 storage box with 15 roomy sections intended for storage of your rolled socks and underwear. But I finally found a storage solution to organize, to display, and to protect my collection of TOTL IEMs/CIEMs, DAPs/DACs/amps, and fancy headphone cables. In this hobby, either if you are collecting or reviewing, you want to take care of your investment and to be able to organize and to protect it. And if you really think about it, for many audio enthusiasts starting a new day is no different than going to a drawer to pick a pair of fresh socks and underwear after a shower, where now you can also go to another drawer to pick a favorite combo of DAP/IEM/cable for a day. This particular Whitmor organizer box can help you in either case since you have everything in front of you in a clear view.
