Table Radio Information

While you can plug components into these radios - including a CD player, iPod or speakers - reviews caution that they aren't good substitutes for stereo systems. These radios are meant for small rooms -- they can't achieve the volume and wattage levels that some folks look for in a full-size stereo.

If you mainly want to play music from your iPod and don't need radio or CD playback, see our companion report on iPod speakers.

The Buzz

HD radio is still catching on, and while most say the quality is excellent, it is often hard to pull in an HD signal. Right now, not many stations are broadcast in HD. In contrast to satellite radio, HD radio is free to anyone with a compatible receiver. One model that received a good write-up is the Cambridge SoundWorks Radio 820HD %%price%%. You can also pull in HD signals on the Polk Audio I-Sonic. It's hard to know whether HD radio will really catch on at this point.

The audio and electronics reviewers cited in our All Reviews section are the best places to check for updates and reviews on new models.

Manufacturers' websites are also good sources of information for specific models:

Bose

Boston Acoustics

Cambridge SoundWorks

iLuv

Polk Audio

Sangean

Tivoli Audio