Table Radios: Reviews

Updated December 2010

Table radios have come a long way, baby. Some offer amazing audio quality, the ability to listen to music from your iPod or other media player, and even let you tap into content from the Internet. ConsumerSearch looks at the choices, with an eye toward terrific performance and value as identified by reviewers and owners, to find the very best ones.

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Best table radio

Boston Acoustics Duo-i plus

*Est. $200 Compare Prices

Though you can certainly find more expensive table radios, experts and users say finding one with as well balanced a blend of sound quality, features and value as the Boston Acoustics Duo-i plus will be a challenge. Sound… expandquality is top shelf, aided by a tuner that's a champ in pulling in signals even from distant locales. You won't find a CD player, but in its place is a full-featured iPod dock that accommodates most recent players (fourth generation and newer) including the iPhone (with shielding so you won't need to use it in airplane mode). There's even a video output so you can send iPod videos on to a TV. Ease of use is terrific, with a control layout that experts say is logical and intuitive for everything from tuning the radio to tailoring the sound quality to setting the alarms, and a small remote control is included as well. The impossible-to-miss, radio-circling snooze bar is another plus. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

CNET: CNET reviewer Jeff Bakalar gives a good overview of the features on the Boston Acoustics Duo-i plus which, he says, is nearly identical to the Duo-i but the plus model has iPhone support.

iLounge.com: Reviewer Jeremy Horwitz gives a very detailed account, including photos, of the features and functionality of the original Boston Duo-i.

Macworld: Macworld reviewer Dan Frakes also looks at the original Boston Acoustics Duo-i.

HubPages.com: HubPages.com blogger Will James gives a short but informative review of the Boston Acoustics Duo-i which he says, for the price, "doesn't get any better than this". He says the table radio produces full-bodied sound, adding "its sound performance is probably beyond most people's home stereos." James also has high praise for the iPod docking functionality which includes video-streaming capability for video-enabled iPods.

Amazon.com: More than 20 owners give the gloss black version of the Boston Acoustics Duo-i plus an overall rating of 4 out of 5, while the white version gets less feedback but an even higher rating.

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Luxury table radio

Tivoli Audio Model Two

*Est. $300 Compare Prices

If you are looking for excellent sound quality and classic design, the Model Two is an excellent albeit pricy choice. Unlike most table radios, true stereo separation can be achieved via a separate high-quality speaker… expandthat can be placed up to 15 feet from the radio itself. Styling is retro but updated, with a rich wood cabinet and a large analog tuning dial. The tuner is powerful, able to pull in stations that others miss, but tuner drift is noted so some tweaking might be needed from time to time for best listening with weak stations. A coordinating CD player and subwoofer are available as options. If your budget is tighter and you don't need a stereo table radio, the mono Tivoli Audio Model One (*Est. $150) is otherwise identical. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Amazon.com: More than 60 owners review the Tivoli Audio Model Two at Amazon.com, where it gets a near-perfect overall rating.

Geek.com: In this follow-up to a January 2001 article, Nick Triano rates the new (at the time) Tivoli Audio Model Two radio, saying "It's the best sound you'll find short of a full blown stereo."

EnjoyTheMusic.com: This in-depth review of the Tivoli Model Two Radio and Tivoli Model CD Player includes historical background about the Tivoli Company.

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Buy from
Amazon

for $279.99

Budget table radio

Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Radio

*Est. $120 Compare Prices

The retro-style Sangean WR-2 ranks high with reviewers for sound quality and FM reception. Many say that even hard to tune stations come in clearly on the WR-2. The WR-2 has digital AM/FM tuning with 10 station presets… expandand a large, easy-to-read LCD screen. Reviewers like the dedicated bass and treble controls, something not often found on radios in this price range. The included remote control is another plus. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Softpedia.com: This blog-style review gives the Sangean WR-2 an overall rating of "very good" and praises the radio for its excellent sound and cool, retro look.

Herculodge: A blogger on Herculodge.com gives a short but somewhat detailed review of his experience with the Sangean WR-2.

Amazon.com: The Sangean WR-2 receives an overall rating of 4 stars out of 5 from nearly 100 owners posting opinions on Amazon.com.

Epinions.com: There are only a handful of owner reviews on this site but some are quite detailed and a few give comparisons to other makes and models including Bose and Tivoli.

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Buy from Amazon for $142.78
eBay for $148.14	J&R Music and Computer World for $116.88

Cambridge SoundWorks i765 *Est. $250

5 picks by top review sites.

Polk Audio I-Sonic ES2 *Est. $300

3 picks by top review sites.

Bose Wave Music System *Est. $500

2 picks by top review sites.

Sangean WR-11 *Est. $70

2 picks by top review sites.

Tivoli Model One *Est. $150

1 pick by top review sites.


	Bose Wave Music System - Graphite Gray In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	SANGEAN WR-11 AM/FM Table Top Radio In Stock. Average Customer Review: