TEAC SR-L280i Hi-Fi Table with CD and Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this to use primarily as a clock/alarm clock for my bedroom, and have had to return it because it is useless in this capacity. When the radio is off, the clock lcd backlight turns off, meaning no display of the time. I have read the manual thoroughly, and yes, that is how it is supposed to work. No display of the time when the machine is off. WTF? Also, the machine MUST be off for the alarm to work, so thus you can't just keep the machine on all the time so you can see the time.
As a table radio it's pretty good. The sound is better than my old Sony, but not as good as my Boston Acoustics Duo-I Plus. It has decent bass for the size. The FM radio reception was good too. I love that it has CD, Ipod and USB, but the lack of a useful alarm clock means I packed it up and shipped it back :(
Note: I am waiting for the Yahama TSX-140 I ordered to arrive. It is much more expensive, but it has everything I need (CD, Ipod and Alarm Clock). Hopefully it will work out better than this TEAC.


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Yamaha PDX-60BL Speaker Dock for iPod and iPhone, 1 Each (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the next generation of iPod sound docks! I own a Logitech and a Bose sound dock. They both have their good and bad points, but neither of them offers the capability of this product...namely, the ability to have complete control of all iPod functions, using the iPod itself, at a remote distance from the sound box. The remote controls on all other units serve mainly as volume controllers, with the user having to approach the sound box to see what's going on on the iPod's screen. And though this is obviously anecdotal, I would testify that the Yamaha's sound quality outstrips both my Bose Sound Dock II, which has the typical Bose "muffled," soft, basey, quality, and my Logitech PureFi II, which has very good crisp sound at low levels but rapidly loses quality as the volume goes up (and has other well-documented issues as well). The Yamaha appears to have a wide frequency range and the ability to hold the sound quality with increased volume. The Yamaha also offers you the option to plug your iPod directly into the sound box itself, as you do with other brands, and use the separate, included hand-held to control the functions if you prefer. All is not perfect. If I am not mistaken, the hand-held transmitter, which hold your iPod, is RF (radio frequency) operated, but responds in a line-of-site manner, akin to an infrared system. If you block the transmitter with an obstruction, even your own body, the sound will be disrupted. Still, this is a minor limitation, considering the complete control available. This was a gift purchase for my spouse, but it is so impressive I wouldn't be surprised to see one appearing for my own use in the future. Kudos Yamaha! (note that this product is only compatible with later generation iPod models which use USB connectors)

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The Yamaha PDX-60 is a powered speaker dock that virtually every iPhone or iPod fan who wants to enjoy a higher sound quality with a powerful output needs to have! The PDX-30 is certified as a "works with iPhone" product, and comes with a card-type remote control for additional convenience.

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Sound Freaq SFQ-01R Sound Platform (Red) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was looking for a dock for my wife's iPhone4 and my Blackberry. I had 2 mandatory requirements other than good sound quality:
1. It should work with an iPhone 4 in a bumper case.
2: I should be able to use it with non-Apple devices using the AUX input.
I first purchased the Philips Fidelio DS8500 Speaker Dock with Remote for iPod/iPhone (White/Silver) (Note: I have posted of review there as well) based on the good reviews on Amazon but returned it because it wouldn't allow the iPhone4 to dock with the bumper case and there was an omnipresent hum when I used the AUX input. The sound quality however was excellent. I then purchased the Soundfreaq and was able able to compare it with the Phillips before I shipped the Phillips. Here are my conclusions:
1. Sound: Phillips wins hands down. The bass is fuller and it can be played at a higher volume. Having said that, the Soundfreaq is no laggard. The bass isn't as deep but the sound over all is excellent. My wife listens mostly to older Indian songs and podcasts, neither of which requires big thumping bass. Both genres are more vocal oriented and the Soundfreaq does a good job. I have a different system for my periodic dose of classic rock/metal and any sound dock in this price range will most likely not do the trick anyways.
2. Connectivity and convenience: The Soundfreaq is the outright winner. The iPhone4 connects without any adapters even with the bumper case. No problems! Even better, I don't even need to actually mount the iPhone on the dock because of Bluetooth connectivity. It took 5 - 7 minutes from the moment I signed the UPS receipt for the box to having a song from the iPhone 4 playing through this dock via bluetooth. It works like a charm. Setup is a breeze and the convenience of Bluetooth is a HUGE plus. Similarly, I was able to connect my Blackberry via Bluetooth, so I no longer need to use the AUX input for my BB. The device can stay in your pocket or you can do something else on it while the music plays through the dock. Also, the AUX input works perfectly with no background hum like the Phillips.
3. FM radio: Works fine on the Soundfreaq. Not present on the Phillips. This isn't a very big differentiator but since I'm spending more for the Soundfreaq, its nice to get more too.
4. Looks/aesthetics: both systems look pretty good. I liked the Phillips but the retro, vacuum-tube radio like design of the Soundfreaq is very nice.
5. iPhone app: Phillips' app is buggy, clunky and is more of a hindrance. Soundfreq app does what it is supposed to and stays out of the way. Neither app needs to be used but the Soundfreq app doesn't irritate like the Phillips.
Conclusions:
1. If you want deeper bass and all round richer sound, go with the Phillips. I am however very satisfied with the Soundfreaq in this department.
2. The convenience of the Soundfreaq cannot be matched by the Phillips. I really like the fact that I can switch on bluetooth on my phone (I don't have it running all the time to conserve battery), connect and I'm in business from anywhere in the room. No wires. No need to even get close to the actual dock.
3. Soundfreaq is more expensive, and more than what I was planning to spend but I think I'm getting decent value for the extra money.
I'm happy with my purchase of the Soundfreaq and more important, the wife loves it. I'm keeping it and will ship back the Phillips.

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Native Union MM03i Moshi Moshi Curve Bluetooth Wireless Handset and iPhone Dock (High-Gloss White) Review

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(More customer reviews)I like this product. It increases the sound quality of my iphone significantly. Like others, I agree it is hard to tell head from tail. I have put a small mark on one end to fix this. The blinking lights don't bother me.
This is really for someone that uses their mobile phone as their main phone....
The product is very sleek and feels well built and elegant.

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JBL On Time 400IHD High-Performance Speaker Dock with HD Digital Radio for iPod (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had bought this for my bedroom, but there are a couple things I don't like about it there. First, the screen is very bright and there is no way to turn it off or really dim it. Second, the lowest volume settings is still a bit loud when falling asleep. It is a digital control, so you cannot manually tweak it.
Otherwise, for a different room it would be a great product, and good sound, and is pretty easy to use.

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iHome iP1 Studio Series Speaker System for iPod and iPhone (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I think this system is one of the best, if not the best, sound systems available for iPhone/iPod considering its cost and sound quality. A similar Bose system cost about $400. Yet, IP1 fails in few areas, mainly some basic design areas and secondly sound fine tuning. Good:
-Cost is lesser than similar Bose
-Good sized remote easily controls iPhones or iPod.
-Sound quality is not bad, actually very clean.
-iPhone or iTouch, once docked, lays its back to the device, getting a good support from IP1s plexi-glass surface, preventing accidental breaking of the connection. Bose does not have this advantage.
-Design is appealing to some as it is a bit different (based on personal preference), some likes boxy, minimalist design, like my self.
Bad:
-Yes it sounds nice, but no matter how much you lower the treble, it still sounds high on treble, even with the extra bass.
-No, it does not sound high enough to tremble the room, the volume is in lower end, may be this is good to prevent over load on the speakers.
-The infamous "power brick", which is separate piece than the system is almost three time bigger than an average laptop power brick. It requires extra attention to place into a proper location so it won't be visible. iHome should have designed better brick, AppleTV has some lessons on this area.
-Design is a bit un-minimalistic for my taste. System's design makes it difficult to safely place it or carry it around. You may need to place this in place and leave it there. To much curves/corners. iHome would better box this into a nice quality plastic container for practical purposes.
Conclusion:
- Yes, I would recommend this system to anyone who is looking for a moderately quality sound system with good price. It is well worth to pay around $230 for this system. However, do not expect miracles, and forget about being mobile with this, even in the house.
-I congratulate iHome folks to initiate this type of system, I am hoping they will improve on this in design and sound area. They are almost there. With an inclusion wi-fi radio system, iHome may come up a better product that may crush all the other new music systems out there.
TIPS:
1- You can install the "Shoutcast" app to your iPhone and stream thousands internet radios just like a wi-fi radio, now, you have a wi-fi radio as well.
2- Or, better, you can buy an Airport Express for $99.
Connect it to music system with its 3.5mm connection,
Configure it to connect to your Mac or PC's iTunes application
Play the music you like on your Mac or PC with iTunes application to have the music streamed into the Air port Express which puts it to any sound system.
3- Even, better, (yes it gets better ) you can also install "Remote" application from app store into your iPhone or Touch which controls your iTunes player on your Mac or PC.
In turn, wherever you are in your house, you control your music with iPhone via Remote app (like a remote control, but seeing entire iTunes library on your iPhone/Touch) through wi-fi network, streaming the music into the any stereo via AirPort Express.
Would that work for you?


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Bring studio-quality sound home with iHome's new iP1 Studio Series audio system. Boasting cutting-edge digital audio reproduction and industrial design, the iP1's highly efficient 4-channel amplifier is complemented by the patented Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Station technology. It delivers audio the way the artist intended it to sound, through its 4-inch honeycomb woofers and 1-inch silk dome tweeters. Enjoy restored harmonics, increased clarity, and deep bass. The iP1 also supports component/composite video-out so you can watch iPod/iPhone movies on your TV.


Studio-quality sound for your home.
Push the Button, Hear the Difference--DPS by Bongiovi Acoustics Inside the iHome Studio Series is a complex chip-based algorithm that is custom-tuned to maximize its performance. Developed by Bongiovi Acoustics. Engineers with over 40 years of experience in the music recording industry, the Digital Power Station represents the first active digital signal processor to reside on a consumer electronics product.
With the "B" button activated, the Digital Power Station, or DPS, constantly scans the program material and provides accurate boosts to compensate for any deficiencies across the frequency curve. The result is a restoration of once-missing harmonics, brightness, clarity, and presence. It also delivers a deeper, more resonant bass and miraculously extends audio bandwidth, adding peak output to the signal.
Pure Performance The Studio Series iP1 features 100 watts of power to fill your room with stunning sound. A Class-D digital amplifier delivers stereo sound through two 4-inch woofers with custom glass-fiber diaphragms and two 1-inch silk-dome tweeters. An advanced chassis construction further adds to the robust, high-power acoustic performance, and a digital active crossover means you get the most out of each speaker.
iPod Adept The iP1's universal dock with adjustable back support fits any docking iPod model, so you can enjoy your tunes while your iPod charges. An IR remote control is included and features full iPod menu navigation.
The iP1 will also make your iPod/iPhone video content come alive on any TV, with both component and composite video outputs. Enjoy your favorite clips on the big screen.
Plug and Play Use the 3.5-mm stereo auxiliary input to listen back to any portable device with a headphone output.
The iHome Studio Series Bring studio-quality sound home with iHome's new Studio Series audio systems. iHome's Studio Series products represent the cutting edge in digital audio reproduction and industrial design that is complemented by the patented Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Station technology. Studio Series speakers supply audio the way that the artist originally intended it to sound.
What's in the Box iHome iP1 Speaker System for iPhone/iPod, remote control, AC adapter, and detachable speaker grilles.

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iHome App-Enhanced Alarm Clock with Bluetooth and FM Radio for iPad, iPhone and iPod Review

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(More customer reviews)Warning: Most of the truly worthwhile features for this alarm clock are only functional through the iPhone / iPad App ("iHome+Sleep" App on iTunes store). Without the app, it's merely an expensive speaker system with a clock (and not a very accurate one, either). I have had the iA100 for over two months now and unfortunately, the app is extremely buggy and erratic and the direct support from iHome has been completely useless and unresponsive. This makes the iA100 less useful and less worthy of its $[...] price tag.
I recommend you refer to the following support threads on iHome's own support forums before considering this item:
[..]
Do a search for more on the iA100 topic and you'll find similar issues with similar concerns. You'll notice that these and other postings have almost zero responses from iHome support except for one (which was not specific or helpful in any way). Direct emails to their tech support (I've sent three over the past two months over the same issues posted) go ignored. I intend to call directly, however I read a customer's posting that the phone support lacks adequate knowledge about the product, software app or remedies, and were advised to post their question on the iHome support forums for better response. This tells me that they have a limited staff and relies solely on their support forums for communicating with customers.
Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with this purchase considering it's a pretty expensive, high-end alarm clock that is customized to work with your iPad / iPhone. People on the forums have complained that their iA100s are unreliable for daily use. I simply can't rely on mine either due to the problems noted in the forum postings. I'm assuming people are merely using the iA100 as a $[...] speaker system for now. I personally wouldn't mind the time needed to gradually improve their iHome App, but it would be appropriate (and for $200, they should be obligated) to respond to customers with some kind of confirmation, remedy, workaround, or timeline to the fixes posted on the iHome support forum.
I'll be happy to update this post when iHome promptly responds to these and other support postings regarding similar issues regarding the app.
In the meantime, purchase this at your own risk!

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Pioneer Electronics Audition Series XW_NAS3-K Docking Station for iPod (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)THE GOOD: Charges Ipod/Iphone when on or off. Unobtrusive styling. Dedicated volume controls. Remote control.
Component video out to play videos from your Ipod/Iphone on a television or monitor. Video looks great on HD tv's. Audio in jack for non-ipod music players. Bluetooth adapter to play music remotely. Rich, full sound with a nice sub-woofer (even works for larger rooms).

THE BAD: Larger than many Ipod docks (such as JBL On Stage). Remote control only works when pointed directly at the front of the dock with 30' range. Bluetooth must be manually connected each time. No dedicated Bass/Treble controls (must be performed on the Ipod/Iphone).
BOTTOM LINE: Pioneer's Audition Dock for Ipod/Iphone provides rich, full, room filling sound with great extras like Bluetooth connectivity and video playback on your television.Full Review:
DESIGN:
Sleek black plastic case with dock on top for the Ipod/Iphone and a dedicated sub-woofer underneath.
Although somewhat large in size (about the same as a large loaf of bread), the dock has clean lines and a smooth surface which should blend in well in just about any room.
Power and volume control buttons are on the top and can also be controlled with the included remote control.
Input button switches between the dock, video output, Bluetooth, and aux input. The input button blinks a certain number of times to tell you which mode you are in. Usually, I end up just pressing it until the sound comes out. There are lights on the front of the dock which glow faintly red also telling you which mode you are in (Bluetooth is on the left and slowly blinks telling you to connect).
CONNECTIVITY:
Comes with a large array of connectivity options.
Located at the rear of the dock are connections for Component video out, video out, auxiliary input, and an input for the optional Bluetooth adapter.
All connections are clearly marked and color coded to prevent connection errors.
FEATURES AND PERFORMANCE:
Has 2.1 channel sound which means two speakers and a sub-woofer.
The speakers deliver rich, clear sound with excellent bass and filled a 30'x 30' room sounding much better at high volume than any other Ipod/Iphone dock that I have used. Some speakers sound "buzzy" at high volumes but this one maintained perfect audio fidelity even when turned up all the way.
The music sounded great with a wide variety of music from Van Halen's Eruption to Sheryl Crow's First Cut is the Deepest, or Tribe Called Quest's Award tour. When docked, you can play music from apps like Pandora or Slacker as long as you have WiFi or 3G coverage.
The remote control controls volume, input, and skip/play/pause. The remote control range is 30 feet. Interestingly, the remote only works when pointed directly at the front of the dock. You can be literally right next to the dock and the remote won't work until you point it at the front.
The Bluetooth adapter works well and gives you the ability to play music (including Pandora or Slacker or any other music app) from around 30 feet away. You control the volume with your remote and switch the songs with your Ipod/Iphone. Connecting to the player takes around 10 seconds. Well worth the money for the added flexibility.
The video function works surprisingly well. I tried both the video and component video options with my TV and played movies and TV shows from my Iphone which looked fantastic. Picture quality is as good as regular TV and the sound comes from the Dock (not your TV). I could see this being useful on trips/ travelling or if you have a large collection of videos on your Iphone/Ipod.
The auxiliary input works as expected with other music players including my wife's Blackberry. Doesn't sound as good as when the players are physically docked.BOTTOM LINE:
With the Audition Series XW_NAS3-K Docking Station for iPod (Black) Pioneer Electronics have created a superb Ipod/Iphone dock that delivers rich full sound and delivers the versatility of excellent Bluetooth and video playback. It's well worth the money for its performance, features and build quality.

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High-performance audio in an elegant, compact design. With rich 2.1-channel sound (with a separate dedicated subwoofer) tuned by Pioneer's EX Speaker Engineering team, and a double-isolated enclosure to eliminate resonance at high volume, the Pioneer XW-NAS3 redefines what's possible in audio quality from an iPod dock.

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Beats by Dr. Dre Beatbox iPod® Dock High Performance iPod® Dock Review

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(More customer reviews)I spent many weeks researching high-end iPod speakers, including Monster/Beats, Bose, Kicker, B&W, Chestnut Hill, Polk, Audyssey, Cambridge Soundworks, Boston Acoustics, Sonos, and Altec Lansing. When I started the process, I had a simple goal: find the best sounding iPhone/iPod speaker available, with the best quality, for the lowest price possible. I had been warned that many of the more expensive systems justify the extra cost by adding a bunch of rarely-used features (video out, alarm clocks, HD radio, instrument jacks, internet radio, etc.) instead of better speaker quality. Sure enough, when I started looking at the different models, I was quickly overwhelmed by a bunch of features that had absolutely nothing to do with how good the thing actually sounds. So I spent some time asking a few friends, vendors, and online forums about all of these new capabilities. In the end, I learned that sound quality is (by far) the most important buying criteria, and other than that, there are really only two other features you need to care about. They are (a) Battery capability and (b) Bluetooth. And those two features only matter in specific cases. Here they are:
1) Battery - if you spend a lot of time at the beach, camping, or at a park and want to be able to play your music there, you'll need something with a battery. If you plan on listening to this at home or on your deck, the battery really doesn't matter.
2) Bluetooth - if you use an iPhone to store and play music and you also like to keep your phone in your hands for texting, e-mail, apps, or calls, OR if you change your music a lot (skip songs, change artists, etc.) then you'll want something with Bluetooth. This allows you to keep your iPhone in your hand (for texting, skipping songs, changing artists, etc.) and wirelessly stream music to the speaker. Bluetooth also gives you more possibilities for music storage devices (iPod & iPad & Zune & laptop, etc.)...not just an iPod. The downside of connecting with Bluetooth is that since you are not docked, your iPhone isn't charging. This could cause battery issues if you are playing music for a long period of time without being docked.
Other than those two features...ignore everything else that comes with these things. You already have an alarm clock, your iPhone already has Pandora and internet radio, you have other A/V gear in your house for watching/downloading TV, your phone already has a speakerphone, and you can probably get your favorite AM/FM radio station content over the internet anyway. It's also worth noting that if you're looking for something that could double as a sound system for your TV, you're actually better off getting a good TV surround sound system for the same price and buying a cheaper iPod speaker. You'll get a better speaker system for the TV, you won't have a big speaker sitting on your TV set, and you won't have the hassle of reconnecting/disconnecting a big iPod speaker every time you want to use it in another room.
Okay - now that we have that out of the way, that leaves the main criteria, sound quality. If you read enough reviews and talk to enough audiophiles, you'll learn that there is general agreement that the four best iPod speakers out there now for sound quality are:
1) B&W Zeppelin
2) Beats by Dre Beatbox
3) Bose SoundDock Portable (NOT SoundDock Series II!)
4) Audyssey Audio Dock
If you ask people who handle audio for a living, they'll say that the B&W Zeppelin has the best sound/sonics. Unfortunately, it isn't as loud as others in this category, costs a ton of money, and unless you're an audio engineer, you won't really notice a difference between the Zeppelin sound and the three others. Add the fact that many people have reported quality issues and poor customer service...and you quickly realize that the Zeppelin isn't worth the money. So we take that off the list as too expense without much additional value. That leaves us with the Beatbox, the SoundDock, and the Audyssey Audio Dock. Here's how to pick between them.
- If you don't care about bluetooth or battery, get the Beats by Dre Beatbox. It's the best sounding (and loudest) system of the three and the quality is fantastic. But it doesn't have bluetooth or a battery. It's just a REALLY good speaker.
- If you want a battery, get the Bose SoundDock Portable. It sounds great and the battery works well (buy an extra battery if you can!)
- If you want bluetooth, get the Audyssey Audio Dock. It sounds incredible (almost as good as the beatbox) and the bluetooth capability works perfect.
In the end I realized I don't care about Bluetooth or a Battery, so I bought the beatbox by Dre....and I couldn't be happier. This thing really sounds unbelievable with rap, classical and everything in between...and an incredible sounding speaker is really all I was looking for in the first place.
I should also note...if you get this far and decide this is just too much to spend, then buy either the Logitech S715i or the Altec Lansing iM600. Those are both great systems for the price.

Hope this helps others!

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