Pros: Portable, iPod dock, great radio reception, rugged, sounds good, remote stereo speaker.
Cons: Expensive. Would be nice if rechargeable batteries were included.
The Bottom Line: Expensive, but worth every penny. If you spend time in hotel rooms, it will be your new best friend. Great for the deck, beach, or anywhere.
J_McNew's Full Review: Tivoli iSongBook Stand, Docking Station, FM Transm...
First, let me say that I am a big fan of the Tivoli Audio line of products, and am the proud owner of a Model 1, Model 2, Model CD, and PAL.
The first time I saw a Tivoli SongBook in the store, I couldn't quite figure out who it was for. It is essentially a PAL that is wider, flatter, and has a digital radio instead of the now famous Tivoli analog tuner. I figured it was aimed at the executive traveler who wants to be able to listen to a decent clock/radio in a hotel room, and still be able to pack it into a suitcase or briefcase. It didn't interest me at all.
Fast forward to the present. Every year, a bunch of friends and I head off to the Virgin Islands and rent a sailboat for a week. We always have a good time, but one thing that is sorely lacking is a good stereo system. Of course, the boat will have a built-in radio, but they are pretty pathetic, and don't have an easy way to plug in any of our various iPods that we inevitably bring along with us.
I was almost ready to bring my Tivoli PAL along with me this year. The PAL sounds good, but only has one speaker, so no stereo sound. Also, this would require that I bring a patch cable and my iPod charger, as well as the PAL's cord for charging its battery.
Suddenly it occurred to me that the iSongBook would be the perfect solution! What is the iSongbook? Good question. The original SongBook is about the size of a hardcover book, incorporates a single speaker (just like the PAL), and a digital AM/FM radio. There is a line-in jack for connecting an iPod or other source. It can be run off of a set of rechargeable batteries or with a cord. Sounds okay, right? Well, Tivoli made some real improvements when they came out with the iSongBook (the "i" is the important part).
At first glance, the iSongBook looks like a SongBook with another speaker stuck on the side. This not only makes it stereo, but the second speaker can detach for a wider soundstage. The additional speaker has a reel built in with six feet of cable. Cool, huh? That's not the only difference! On the other side of the iSongBook, there is a hidden iPod dock! You can attach any iPod that has a docking port, because the iSongBook has a standard Apple Universal Dock, which accepts adapters to fit any iPod, including future models. There are seven adapters included, and all new iPods come with their own adapter. The third upgrade is a remote control. You can adjust the volume, switch tracks, switch albums, change radio stations, turn the unit off, and more... from 30 feet away!
The iSongBook still has a sleep function, so you can drift to sleep to the sound of the radio or iPod, and it will shut itself off in 20 minutes. The alarm clock is still there, too. You can wake to AM, FM, iPod, or beeps. I would have trashed my old alarm clock, but the iSongBook only has one wake time, and no snooze button -- two things I cannot do without on my every-day alarm clock. More than enough for vacations, though.
When plugged into a wall outlet, the iSongBook will charge your iPod, as well as the internal batteries, if they are rechargeable. You can use regular alkaline AA batteries, but you will get the most benefit out of a set of NiMH rechargeables. Batteries not included.
For those of you who listen to AM radio, the reception is great. It is even better than the analog tuner in the PAL or Model 1/2. FM reception is about the same, possibly a little inferior to the PAL, but much better than your average portable radio.
Sound quality is what you would expect from Tivoli. There is no subwoofer, but you get a low of sound out of the two 2.5" drivers. Go into a store, plug in your iPod, and listen to it. If you travel a lot, you won't want to leave it at home!
There is still an AUX input, so you can use a non iPod MP3 player or other audio source. The power input is 12V, so you can also get a cigarette lighter plug for charging it up on the go.
The unit is water resistant, just like the PAL. This makes it ideal for taking to the beach, campground, or back yard... or boat! Back to that sailing trip -- The iSongBook is exactly what I've been looking for! We can listen to the local radio stations, or anyone can pop in their iPod and listen to some good tunes. Not only that, but it will charge up all of our iPods, which reduces the amount of junk we need to pack with us. Add the fact that I don't have to bring an alarm clock, since the iSongBook will wake me up for those times I want to get under sail early in the day. Add it all up, an the iSongBook is a real winner for anyone who travels!
NOTE: I don't know why the desription on epinions says "FM transmitter" in the title. It is an FM radio, among other things, but there is no FM transmitter, nor is there a need for one.
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