I've bought a number of the Cambridge Soundworks units, both for myself and for friends and relatives. I think they're a very good value and have been extremely reliable.
One of my friends bought a Bose Wave radio but was very unhappy with both the FM reception and the sound from CDs. She sent it back, bought one of the Cambridge units and was much happier with it.
I think the Tivoli units look great and sound pretty good but have always thought they were a little overpriced for the sound quality. |
the original Tivoli radio sounds fantastic, it captures some of the resonance of instruments and has a nice balanced tone.
I cannot vouch for the newer models which look the same but are a different design - I think they came out after the passing of Henry Kloss. |
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Buy a Squeezebox internet radio. You can stream your itunes plus access tons of web music/talk/sports content. There are even stations dedicated to soothing sounds that may benefit the new born. |
If you are computer literate up for something new and different, and inexpensive, and have an Android tablet device and a computer already to start, download Squeezeplayer application to the tablet for $5 and Logitech Media Server to your computer for free for access to a myriad of internet stations, including Pandora and various childrens stations from around the world. The server also integrates with itunes to be able to play source material using that without having to use the actual ipod. Way better value than broadcast radio these days in most radio markets! Not as simple though. The sound on my Visio tablet ($250 from Amazon) using this is actually quite good!
Otherwise, I have Sangean table radio that is quite good, compact, nicely styled and cost less than $100 on AMazon when I bought it a few years back, a relative bargain especially compared to Bose Waveradio. The sensitivity and ability to tune in remote stations is perhaps the best I recall ever with a table radio, save perhaps somevery old vintage tube am radios I recall from many years ago. |
Hey Grimace, I think it's been proven that anything less than a McIntosh Integrated with electrostatic speakers and top DAC can be dangerous for a child's development.
Don't let her hear Bose in this delicate time in her life or we may have no choice but to seek the help of CPS. |
Tivoli.. Nice tonal balance and very pleasant sounding overall. |
Well, I make the assumption that she'll graduate to a flea watt 300b for her 4th birthday.
Anyone else on the Tivoli? I will check out the Sangean though. Thanks! |
I'm using a couple of Model One (plain mono radio), few Model Three (mono radio + clock) at home, and one with ipod dock and cdp stereo system for office. Very happy with their sound and reliability--had the first two units for over 10yrs without a glitch. |
I have a tivoli in my kitchen and the first thing I do every night when I get home is go turn off that damn thing. I can't stand it. My wife and kids seem to think it is OK, but it is painful to me. I bought a nice logitech (better sounding) but my wife liked the "regular" radio better. Go figure. |
I suggest the Boston Acoustics Duo-i AM/FM Radio with iPhone iPod doc priced at $249.99.
The Duo-i plus AM/FM Stereo Radio with iPhone iPod dock delivers big-system performance in a stylish compact package. See
http://www.bostonacoustics.com/Duo-i-plus-AMFM-Stereo-Radio-with-iPhone-iPod-Dock-P393.aspx
http://www.bostonacoustics.com/Radios-C50.aspx
Please see their web site for other options. |
Please see the Crutchfield web stie below for many options for Clock & Table Radios. SEE:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-BJhUWP8876M/g_84400/Clock-Table-Radios.html |
Of you want to spend the money and think your daughter won't destroy it, McIntosh makes a 'table top radio' of sorts. I've heard it, and it definitely has the Mac sound, looks and build quality. Even has tubes for the preamp stage.
It's the MXA-60. Not sure about price, but Mac doesn't make cheap stuff! If I had the money to easily afford one, I'd have one in my room and one in my 16 month old daughter's room. 'Til then, the $10 iPod dock with crap speakers that her aunt bought her will suffice.
I was thinking B&W Zeppelin Mini when when my wife was pregnant. Then I realized how much her bedroom set, day care, clothes, diapers and other misc. stuff costs. |
I looked up the Mac MXA-60 for fun, looks awesome. $7500 |
"Even has tubes for the preamp stage".
Seriously, I like the idea of exposing an infant to the inherent warmth and friendly distortion characteristics of tube sound! Might help babies develop an inherent love of music I suspect?
Not bad for the parents either.
Tough decision. Mac or diapers...... |
I have a Tivoli in my bedroom and a NAD (I wanna say C15, IIRC) CD/Tuner/Integrated Amp in a guest room that I sometimes work in. The Tivoli looks great and sounds pretty decent for a table radio.
The NAD looks, well...... not as great, but sounds as good as the speakers you decide to hang off of it. In my case, these are an old pair of Red Rose Ribbon Monitors. A lot more expensive way to go, but the performance level reflects that. And, you don't want your daughter to be constantly bothered by limited stage depth and a lack of dynamics in the lower registers, do you?
Marty
PS Congrats on the new addition! |
Have both the Cambridge and the Tivoli. Chose the Cambridge over the Bose, doesn't have those strange Bose acoustics.
Better yet is the Gini ipod based system that is on EBay for $99. |
Thanks for all the great answers. Apparently I've been told that - based on looks alone - I'm buying the Tivoli.
Yes dear. |
Looks is all you will get with the tivoli. |
Did you show her a picture of the Mac? My wife asked me why I didn't buy Mac stuff (I own Bryston). Then she saw the price tag. I figure, if your's doesn't, it may be a go. |
I am very surprised about all the negative comments regarding the Tivoli radio.
The new ones must not sound as good as the original (which is the model I own) which is terrific for a little box radio.
Sometimes I listen to it instead of my Sansui 919 vintage tuner/ NAD 326BEE/ Sound Dynamics 300ti speakers (which sounds very good) but I do not miss it too much with the Tivoli. |
I have the Model 3 and it would be at least 5 years old. I plug it in to the HiFi as a tuner and it is quite good. Through the speaker they probably EQ it but it is very analog sounding. Place against a wall or in a corner and you might be amazed. I am still suprised at how it can fill a room.
The older models (original One, Stereo, and 3) were discrete as I recall, hopefully they have not gone to ic's as they did with the newer designs.
Good Luck,
Robert
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Grimace, I think you'd be quite pleased with Tivoli..
Tending more towards the British/bbc sound--they have always reminded me somewhat the musicality of mini Tannoys, Roger LSs of yore (on reduced scale of course).
They'd reap benefit from care of placement--rear wall/corner reinforcement and siting them on solid surfaces will have them sounding fuller/more solid--or otherwise, could sound a little hollow.
And for as long as volume is properly minded, imo its hard to beat their ways with tonal (surprisingly organic and natural--for the price). Plus, you get great look as bonus--love the various natural wood and color options. |
So after upgrading my amp to a Classe' CA-2200, which is fed by a Classe' CP-500, I again connect the Tivoli Model 3 to the preamp and marveled at the quality. Listening to the low power KTSU Jazz station one can tell they are not using the low quality MP3's that they had tried for a while. High end clarity was of course not as good as one of my other sources but was acceptable. It is also easy to tell they are applying a smile curve or at least boosting the bottom end. Despite the EQ'ing the midrange was nice.
So again, unless the current units are different, the original style (One, Two, Three) Tivoli's are a bargain.
Y'all be cool,
Robert |
I've had a Tivoli model 1 for about 10 years. Its tone is very smooth, and it is great for casual/background listening. It is limited in its frequency range, although corner placement can help that somewhat. Has been absolutely rock solid and has very good reception.
Have also played with the Bose wave radio. It has more bottom end and really is not as bad as people often say. In the end, I sold the Bose for a tidy profit and kept the Tivoli. Will probably never get rid of it. |
Just to follow up - I wound up getting the Tivoli Music System. For what we're looking for its actually quite good. It's a little rolled off in the highs, but it has good clarity and doesn't have any obvious rough spots. The CD loaded fine. It seems like its nicely made, and certainly more substantial that the cheap plastic Bose radios. Is it a set of tubed separates? of course not, but for a baby's room? Its fine. |
