Tivoli Audio iPAL Portable Audio Laboratory AM/FM Radio, Silver/White
by Tivoli Audio
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List Price: Our Price: $219.00 You Save: $0.99 (0%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Tivoli Audio iPAL Portable Audio Laboratory AM/FM Radio, Silver/White
Customer Review: sounds very good for it's size
Summary: 5 Stars
Great sound! I haven't experienced the infamous Tivoli analog station drift on this iPAL. I own a Model One and it has station drift. I like the size of the iPAL - it is so small it fits into an empty 8-count poptart box. I do wish Tivoli came out with a larger, single speaker-ed, digitally-tuned, portable model comparable to the iPAL, that is NOT the Songbook! I also own a Songbook, not the best work from Tivoli Audio. The iPAL sounds twice as good as the Songbook. I like the simplicity of the analog tuning, but I would welcome a digital version so I could quickly change stations when idiotic commercials are played. I mostly listen to FM, so I can't comment on AM reception. FM reception is excellent. The batteries are good. I like the nice, grippy rubbery footies on the iPAL. I use the iPAL every day. On another note, I like radios that ARE radios. I don't need satellite, internet, wifi, blah blah blah on a radio. I do want a high quality Tivoli AM and FM radio that has an integral 32 or 64 GB storage system that will play MP3s and WMAs and radio. That may never happen, but maybe the power of the Herculodge can help that evolve. hmmmm.
I give the iPAL the 5 star rating it deserves. It does everything it has been designed for perfectly. Build quality feels good. Time will tell if it gets station drift. but for now, this iPAL is as solid as expected from Tivoli. :)
By the way, as usual, Amazon quickly took my order and processed it efficiently. I trust Amazon. I've been purchasing from Amazon even way back when they did just books. Amazon has integrity.
Customer Review: Great Little Radio
Summary: 5 Stars
We share the enthusiasm of the others for this Tivoli Audio iPAL. Our location is such that it's been tough finding any radio that can dependably receive the 2 stations that we wish to listen to at the beginning and ending of the day. In addition, we have no receptacle where we want the radio positioned. The boom box we WERE using was a royal pain with size and performance problems and we spent a small fortune on 'D' cells.
THIS radio picks up our target stations perfectly with no dropout, easy tuning and no drift pretty much ANYWHERE in the house. We just finally ran it down after at least 2 weeks of listening for a total of about 1 hour/day PLUS one whole night. (The first night, my wife didn't see how to turn it off even tho it's obvious, so she just turned the volume all the way down.) When it finally ran down, it didn't act funny... It just stopped. It made absolutely the most use of the available power. A charge and it's back in business and should run more than a couple of weeks before the next charge is required. OR, we'll probably set a certain morning each week to charge it so that it never runs down.
There's no presets on this radio, but if that's important to you, just "preset it" with a piece(s) of tape and a pencil mark(s).
The radio is surprisingly small, but it fills the bathroom just fine, and I can hear more detail (I'm 66 years old and have lost some hearing) with it than with any of the assorted other radios and boom boxes we've used. We're thoroughly impressed and are glad we made this purchase.
Customer Review: Ranks high among the small portable speakers
Summary: 3 Stars
I have been using iPAL eversince I got my first iPod in Jun 2004. Haven't faced any issues and have been quite happy. Three stars because I expected much more volume.
The strongest points of iPAL are:
+ miniature, compact, and portable design
+ rechargable battery that lasts for more than 10 hours
+ AM/FM tuner with very clear reception
+ simple interface and ease of use
+ clear, crisp sound - especially if used in a small room
+ reliable
Not so good points:
- Not suited for a big room
- Not suited for very high volumes
- Not suited for outdoor
- Pricey (AM/FM lovers may not say that) - you get better sounding JBL speakers for $99
Features:
Back Side:
> miniplug port for audio input
> headphone output
> port for connecting the charger (included)
> FM antenna (can be hidden or stretched)
Front Side:
> Off/AM/FM switch - for AM/FM to be active, there should be nothing inserted into the audio input port
> tuner knob
> volume control
> LED indicator that glows green when iPAL is on and blinks when the battery is low
I have been watching all the iPod speakers but haven't found a compact speaker that competes with the sleek design of iPAL.
During the initial days, iPAL was my primary speaker for iPod. Later I got a home theatre system for the living room and shifted iPAL into the bedroom to play morning tunes.
Customer Review: indispensable!
Summary: 4 Stars
In a word, the Tivoli PAL is indispensable. It functions for us chiefly as a kitchen radio and certainly within that function it far surpasses anything else we've ever owned. We spend quite a bit of time in our little kitchen and enjoy catching NPR programs (we're lucky enough to live near a vibrant and diverse public radio station). This radio and its little speaker sound very close to as good as our BOSE wave radio in our living room. A wonderful added bonus is the ability to plug in our ipod and listen to hours of great music as well. It has in such a regular way become part of our life.
The PAL really shines, however, through its fantastic portability. When gardening, having friends over in the back yard, or vacationing to the beach or the mountains, the PAL follows us around reliably and provides a much clearer and less awkward source of great music. We no longer have to open windows; we no longer have to rely on laptops or TVs to be makeshift ipod speakers; we no longer have to settle for the crummy radio at a beach house or a hotel.
I should not that I did consider the Songbook, but seemed dubious of it's taller (and thus less stable) size, it's higher cost (we got a great deal on our PAL), and its multitude of features that we would probably end up neglecting to use.
I have recommended these little radios to many friends since purchase and simply can't imagine a situation where they would not get regular use.
Customer Review: Nice Product, A Bit Overrated, Marginal Value
Summary: 4 Stars
The sound quality in published reviews is overrated. That the sound quality is generally considered "excellent" is more a testimony to how bad are other similar products. It is NOT a mini Bose Wave Radio, not even close, the Bose being extraordinary for its size. If you have room (space), that's the best choice. The "bass" in this Tivoli is muddled or missing, the mid-range is boomy or overly resonant within the plastic cabinet, and the treble is not crisp & well-defined. (My 80's era Proton 320 is better.) There are no tone controls. A quarter (coin) size additional tweeter would be a nice addition along with some acoustical damping material inside the "cabinet" to suppress the boomy resonance.
The Tivoli iPal is overpriced. It is a $95 radio, tops. Therefore it is not a good value. It was purchased discounted to its current price because it is white and was the only radio of its small'ish upright size to match the kitchen counter, cabinets, & appliances, etc., and that had an integral telescoping antenna. It would be good if it could be tilted up a bit.
The tuner in this unit, though the markings are imprecise and small (hard-to-see), seems excellent and does a good job pulling-in weaker FM stations. The "feel" of the knobs is good. It would be good if a tuning LED-light was added. The built-in antenna is good, as is its portability, though it's not travel sized.
At a lower price, this review would be better.