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Tivoli audio legit?

R

Ruahrc

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
451
It's not exactly computer audio per say, but I thought I would ask here.

Anyone have any experience with the Tivoli Audio products? Specifically the model(s) one, two, three. Been looking to upgrade the old alarm clock with red display I have that is probably from the 80s or before. And to get something I can hook my iPod and/or future idevices/electronic players to. Or, have something in the kitchen I can listen to radio/music with.

I have to admit I am drawn to the styling and simplicity of operation (not interested in having many bells and whistles) of the Tivoli products, and from what I understand these things actually have pretty good FM reception (I listen to FM every day in the morning as my alarm, so that's a plus). Also, having a separate line-in with iPod dock accessory makes it a little more future proof in terms of connectivity (for example say I get an iPhone with the new lightning connector, any integrated dock/charger/speaker system I would get now would be obsolete for that... with a separate dock I can just replace the dock)

"Reviews on the internet" say that the audio quality is great, but is it another Bose (i.e. respectable quality but overhyped/overpriced), or does it actually have some chops?
 
I wanted something similar a while back, and I looked into Tivoli.

The unit itself is beautiful, and its FM works rather well. Sound quality wise, it all depends on what you want. It has a warm sound which some claim is good for radio, but if you want more than just casual background listening you may be disappointed.

In terms of a good-looking tabletop clock/FM radio, though, it is one of the better options for sound quality. (That said, there aren't many of these as it is.)

Also, depending on the model and unless things have changed, there have been some reported oddities with the alarm functionality.

Honestly, it all depends on what you want, and how highly you would rate radio (along with what sound you want out of radio, e.g. will the "past-present" approach be for you?) compared to other functionality.

It is not the best alarm clock, and it is certainly not the best speaker. It is also, most definitely, priced for a niche product. Whether it is overpriced or not is up to an individual to decide, but I will say this: You could buy a very good alarm clock along with a more than decent compact sound system, or you could get the Tivoli and have a mix of functionality (all in one attractive package which does count in its favor), with no one part being the best there is.
 
You're buying for the name and the looks, primarily, when you buy Tivoli. Whether that's something you're comfortable with is up to you. They're certainly legit in the sense that they're good products overall, but the comparison to Bose has merit.
 
Not quite as overpriced as Bose, but other than that, pretty comparable as to lack of hard specs and any true ability to reproduce quality sound. They'll impress the hell out of grandma, but will make anyone that's into really good audio reproduction cringe. Definitely on the warm/bass heavy side - and typically no way to adjust the treble or bass sound signature. Clean design with an emphasis on analog controls, mono sound on many units and simplicity. But... I'd buy Tivoli before I'd buy Bose simply on principle alone. :p.
 
Thanks for the input. I certainly don't expect studio reference audio quality, nor am I really looking for such. Basically the thing will primarily play NPR every morning when I wake up, possibly some podcasts from time to time, and even more rarely, music.

The criticisms about the Model Three's alarm clock do give me pause, as alarm functionality is one of the things I am looking for. I would also be interested in the bluetooth model, but unfortunately they don't offer a model that has both BT and an alarm clock. However, an alternative is to get one of the Model 1/2 units as a kitchen radio and then maybe another solution for my bedroom.

Sounds like while you do pay for the name and the looks, at least there's reasonable sound quality there as well.

I guess I could ask- what alternatives are there in terms of alarm clock radios that sound good, are built nicely, and don't look like ass? Aux in/ipod charging/bluetooth is a very nice bonus, good FM reception is a must.
 
With FM radio you're never going to get anywhere near 'studio' anyway. The Tivoli products are great for radio - but as with all non-digital radio channels, it's not really for serious listening anyway.

I wouldn't buy one - but then again I never listen to radio either. Even on car trips I plug in my active noise canceling earbuds to my iphone.
 
Sangean makes a few radios which are similar. Their look is more digital and less analog, however, and I am not sure how their build quality compares. My feeling is that the Sangean should be close, and their sound will likely be similar.

http://www.amazon.com/Sangean-WR-2-Digital-Tabletop-Walnut/dp/B0009ZAA4M

I would not call it a better solution, but it is a cheaper option.

As with the Tivoli, however, these are more radios with alarm clock functionality than true alarm clocks. So the alarm will likely be rather basic.
 
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