Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)First off - the radio is beautifully simple, and sounds remarkably good for what it is. I have really enjoyed listening to it, and it's total lack of any "harsh edges" means you can listen for hours. It also looks just fantastic, and is quite compact.
But there are a few minor issues. As others have mentioned, the tuning dial is rather difficult to see in low light due to inadquate contrast between the brown background and gray numbers. That's not that big a deal, but it's a slight annoyance.
Reception on FM is at least as good as any component tuner that I have tried, maybe better, even with the little monopole antenna supplied, or even with nothing/internal antennna. With a real external antenna, I'm quite sure that if the station was there, you'd hear it.
Reception on AM, however, is nothing to write home about, and with no external antenna input it's a little difficult to correct. I got a Terk AM Advantage loop antenna and used it in "inductive coupling" mode, and that helps somewhat. But some stations are still very marginal. I'm close to opening it up and adding an external antenna input. I am in the process of making a very large loop antenna (hiding it by building it into a picture frame!) and that should solve it. But I suspect even a simple antenna, directly feeding the radio, would work better.
Tuning is like the good old days, of course - turn the dial until you hear it best. It also has the modern equivalent of the "tuning neon lamp" on old tube tuners - an LED that indicates "tune". Analog is the right way to go.The knob is geared down 5:1 so you can really move it without overdoing it. But I have noticed that sometimes the LED is "rate-sensitive". If you turn the knob quickly, you can really get it bright, but if you turn it slow, you can never get it as bright no matter what you do. Must be AC-coupled. This is just a minor irritation. A slightly more difficult issue is that there seems to be a lot of "slop" in the gear mechanism. Turn it one way until you go past peak, then back, and it takes a fair amount of turning the opposite way until it moves at all. It *feels* great.
I have been running it back-to-back with my real stereo, and of course it has some limitations. What do you expect for $159 and 3-inch speakers? My real system is probably 20-30 times the cost. Somewhat surprisingly, the biggest practical limitations seem to be on the high frequency end. The low end, even without the accessory subwoofer, seems plenty good enough for real music. It's very slightly boomy at the very bottom of it's range, but nothing overly objectionable. I can't imagine needing the subwoofer.
You definitely give up something on the high end, however, This can actually be good in some cases - listing to the local jazz station on a real hi-fi reveals the limitations of old reel-to-reel recording from the 50's in the form of tape hiss. It can really get on your nerves after a while. The Tivoli filters this out and has a very listenable, if not perfectly accurate, sound. There are no tone controls, but that's not a problem, and most high-end hi-fi preamps don't have tone controls, either. It gets more than loud enough, BTW.
The case (cherry wood) is beautifully made and really adds to the "retro" look. The whole system has a very solid and substantial feel.
It's not obvious, but there's are several external line-level inputs with which you can add external sources. For example, you can use the radio as your computer speaker, and it will mix the radio with the computer sounds. Or us the auxiliary input and add something else - like a portable CD player.
I have listened extensively to the Bose Wave (the obvious competitor for expensive table radios), and there's NO comparison in terms of sound quality. The Tivoli is MUCH better, in my opinion. Given that it's also far less expensive, if that's the alternative, buy two Tivolis.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase. If it had a way to add an external AM antenna, it would be close to perfect.
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Tivoli Audio Model Two AM/FM Table Radio with Stereo Speaker, Cherry/Metallic TaupeThe Tivoli Henry Kloss Model Two Radio with companion speaker, the Tivoli Model Subwoofer and the Tivoli Model CD are designed to be used together as part of a complete compact stereo system but are sold separately from each other.
All the elements of the component system have classic styling that makes Tivoli products so distinctive. Simplicity and elegance are engineered into all three components and, for the most part, we came away impressed with what this little system could do in terms of sound quality, as well as its ease of use. It's worth noting here that all three components sport separate ports for AC and DC power, making them a great choice for boating or RV use.
Henry Kloss Model Two The Model Two serves as the base unit for the Tivoli component system. It is very similar to the Model Three clock radio, without the alarm clock section. Like other Tivoli radios, the Model Two is just over 8 inches wide, 4.5 inches high, and 5.25 inches deep--about the size of a toaster turned on its side. The unit also ships with a companion speaker which, unlike the monaural Henry Kloss Model One, gives the system full stereo separation.
The Model Two has a single rotary dial that handles tuning for both AM and FM stations. The dial is designed to move between stations at a speed that's a bit slower than the speed at which the user turns the knob--a five-to-one ratio, to be exact. This ratio dialing technique makes it far easier to tune stations accurately and quickly. It's a nice touch that sets the unit apart from other desktop radios. The tuner band selection and volume dials are easy to control, and they're well designed for hands of all sizes. A small LED power indicator, as well as an LED that helps determine signal strength, are positioned between the dials. We did have one gripe about the Model Two controls, though--the same gripe we had about the Model Three. Unlike the high-contrast labeling we found on the Platinum Series Model One radio, the Model Two's blue-gray lettering atop a taupe background is difficult to read, especially in low-light situations.
The Model Two's 3-inch driver is housed next to the tuning dial and is protected by a handsome metal speaker cover. The companion speaker contains the same driver in a form factor that is the same size and construction as the Model Two's main unit. A 15-foot RCA speaker cord attached to the companion speaker allows you to set the speakers well apart in a room--great for getting optimal stereo separation. There's a small balance dial on the rear of the main unit as well as a mono-stereo switch.
A coaxial antenna jack for the included FM antenna wire is provided, although the Model Two also has an internal FM antenna. Tivoli recommends using the supplied external antenna for tricky tuning in locales with a lot of closely spaced stations. There's a handy switch for alternating between the internal and external antennae, as well. A standard 3.5-millimeter headphone jack is also provided, as is a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary line-in port for plugging in the Model CD. For the really techno-savvy, there's also a 3.5-millimeter mixing input that permits audio from your computer to be mixed in with the radio. A preamp-out jack is provided for the Model Subwoofer, and if you want to use the Model Two as a component tuner--not a bad idea given the overall quality and accuracy of the tuning circuitry--Tivoli has provided a 3.5-millimeter output port.
Model Subwoofer At 6.5 inches high, 9.5 inches wide, and 6.1 inches deep, the Model Subwoofer is a bit larger than the other components in the Tivoli component system. While a 5.25-inch bass driver dominates the front of the unit, there's also a deep front port for added bass response. A bass-level dial lets you decide how much of the low end you want to hear. The on-off switch has a sensor that automatically activates the subwoofer when a signal is detected. With 20 watts of power, the Model Subwoofer is an impressive little box with the capability of dramatically extending the fullness and richness of the Model Two sound.
Model CD With its cherry wood casing, Tivoli's component CD player matches the Model Two perfectly while offering equally simple operation. We really liked the elegant slot-loading mechanism; it felt solid and reliable. Basic functions like play, stop, and track selection can be controlled on the unit. There's also a tiny little remote that adds shuffle, direct track selection, repeat, and intro-scanning functions. True to form, the remote is simple and easy to use. The Model CD's display is bright and crisp with the look of a high-end audiophile-class component. We played a number of CDs, including CD-R discs with nary a hitch. Tivoli says that the Model CD will not play CD-RW discs, however.
A 3.5-millimeter headset jack is provided on the back of the unit, as are RCA outputs and an AC power port that connects to a supplied brick-style AC adapter. The unit is also capable of running on DC power.
All Together Now Setting up the component system was fairly straightforward. All of the inputs and outputs are clearly marked, and each component ships with everything you need to make the right connections. Although it might be too much to ask for, it would be great if the Model Two main unit had an AC power input for plugging in at least one of the components. This is admittedly a minor quibble, and it might not be feasible in such a small device.
Just like our experiences with other Tivoli products, sound was impressive--full of clear highs and mids and rich, room-filling lows. The Model Two tuning feature felt less accurate than the Model One, but we still were able to dial in stations quickly and easily. Overall, we recommend the Model Two as a high-quality mini-component system, because systems this size rarely sound this good. Even without the subwoofer engaged, the sound was rich and resonant. As soon as we plugged in the subwoofer, though, we were transported to near sonic bliss. It's a must-have accessory for the Model Two.--Joshua Gunn
Pros
Simple, stylish construction on all the component parts
Great sound from such a compact system; good tuning accuracy
Subwoofer option adds exceptional dynamic range
Cons
Tuner is slightly less accurate than the Model One
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