Eton Sound 100 iPod Dock, White Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Sound 100 iPod Dock is the latest in Eton's product family. As a stand-alone radio this device is average. With the iPod dock this unit is a cut above and one you must consider.
They do sell this device without the iPod dock, and it ranges from being $30 to $50 less than this model. I don't believe it's worth getting this unit without the iPod dock.
Eton Sound 100 AM/FM Radio, Silver
There are many iPod radios and alarm clocks on the market which may be able to compete against the Sound 100 iPod on price. The iHome and iLive models come to mind.
iHome iH6 Clock Radio for iPod (White)
iHome iH5 Clock Radio for iPod (Black)
iLive ICR6307DT iPod Docking System with Digital Tune AM/FM Stereo Dual Alarm Clock Radio with Remote Control in White
The competition does not come close on engineering. The remote allows you to completely control your iPod! That means menu control and navigation in addition to the standard FF, RW, PLAY, STOP, and PAUSE funcitons. This is so simple, yet few devices have this ability. The Line-in and auxiliary jacks can connect other MP3 players (Creative, Zune) sans the menu control.
The speaker is monaural, but optimized to prevent distortion. At the highest volume the sound gets tinny but doesn't hiss. If you like modern design, the Eton is one of the best looking. It is sleek, COMPACT and light.
But there are shortcomings. The internal AM antenna is below average. The device lets you use an external one, and most users will need to.
The features could be better. There are only 10 programmable station presets. The RDS broadcast data is only 8 characters at a time. The screen is hard to read; you have to be right in front of it. There are no external RCA, speaker or subwoofer jacks, only line out. There is no EQ, treble or bass control and no way to adjust the backlight.
This radio came out in January 2007, well into the HD radio era. Only 10 presets? Why no speaker or subwoofer jacks? Why didn't they add Short Wave or HD capability?
If you only need an alarm clock radio, there are better options. This unit is above average on FM but below average on AM. Competing products by Sangean, BA and Sony have higher ratings at this price.
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, Black
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White
Boston Acoustics Receptor Clock Radio (Platinum)
Sony XDR-S3HD HD Radio
If you are VERY picky about sound and want a nice compact iPod radio alarm clock, this unit is worth a look. Enjoy!
Pros
+ Remote control functions are very well integrated with the iPod!
+ Very nice iPod serial interface for digital sound quality
+ Line-in and auxiliary jacks for MP3 players and other devices
+ Good speaker sound with surprising bass
+ Shielding protects the radio from interference
+ Battery backup possible for power outages
+ Nice alarm clock function
+ Nice looking design in a small and LIGHT form factor
Cons
- No equalizer; no treble or bass control
- Requires external antenae for good radio reception
- No RCA jacks or stereo connections for external speakers
- No Subwoofer connector - only standard stereo line out
- RDS only displays 8 characters at a time
- Backlight is not adjustable; you must be close to it to read it


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Do most iPod speaker systems look a little too modern (read: stale) for your decor? Turn to the Eton Sound 100 system, which pays tribute to the retro glamour of radios past with swooping, curved lines and a stylish front control panel. The radio is designed expressly for iPods, with an external docking station that holds and charges all iPods with 30-pin dock connectors, including the iPod 3G, iPod 4G, iPod photo, iPod video, iPod nano 1G and 2G, and iPod mini. Simply plop your iPod into the dock and you can enjoy all your favorite tunes and playlists within seconds--no additional connections required.
Eton is recognized internationally for the quality of its radios, which is why the company added a high-sensitivity digital Phased-Locked-Loop (PLL) AM/FM tuner to the Sound 100. The advanced circuitry not only searches instinctively for the strongest station, but also locks in the frequency once it finds the signal to guarantee superior clarity. As a result, the radio's reception is crystal clear whether you're listening to the ballgame, catching up on the news, or kicking back to some classic jazz. To make tuning quicker and easier, the radio also includes five AM and five FM station presets.
Audio-wise, the Sound 100 is equipped with a 3-inch, full-range, front-firing speaker that produces distortion-free, room-filling sound with a wide range of frequencies (80 Hz to 20 kHz). The 16-character, two-line LCD display, meanwhile, offers a viewing area of 2.4 by 0.98 inches (W x H), with a gentle blue backlight that won't keep you awake during the midnight hours. And despite the display's relatively small size, it still shows quite a bit of data, including the time, selected station, alarm status, sleep status, band, and preset information.
Unlike many iPod speaker systems, the Sound 100 also handily replaces your bedside clock radio, with alarm, sleep, and snooze controls. Among the options are 12- and 24-hour formats, an alarm that wakes to either the radio or a buzzer, a programmable sleep timer (between 15 and 90 minutes), and a 5-minute snooze duration. And even though the Sound 100 is designed for iPods, it also includes a 3.5 mm auxiliary input for connecting a separate MP3 player or personal CD player, along with a 3.5 mm auxiliary line out.
Additional features include an encoder volume control, a headphone jack for private listening, a battery backup function (requires two AA batteries), a remote control, a 360-degree pigtail FM antenna, a built-in external loop AM antenna, and rubber feet on the bottom to prevent scratching and movement. The Eton Sound 100 measures 8.27 by 4.53 by 5.1 inches (W x H x D), weighs 2.82 pounds, and carries a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box Eton Sound 100 iPod system, external iPod docking station, pigtail FM antenna, infrared remote control, pigtail FM antenna, AC adapter, user's manual.

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