Cambridge SoundWorks i525 AM/FM Table Radio with iPod Dock Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I understand this radio sold for as high as $200 and at that price, one might be disappointed. Not because the sound isn't phenomenal for it's size, but because most $200 table top radios will have a sub-woofer, which the i525 does not.
But for $99, this radio exceeded my expectations. (and frankly, as a bedside music system, I'm not looking for a high volume performer. Don't get me wrong, the sound quality on this radio is very full. I'm never thinking, "wish it had a sub-woofer")
Three things set this radio apart: 1.) ipod interface is great. (my iPod is 32 GB 3rd gen touch) The i525 produces the kind of impressively rich, clean audio from an iPod one typically expects from much more expensive audio systems w/o frills! CSW attributes this superior iPod sound reproduction to something they call X-Fi Crystalizer technology, "restoring the crisp treble and bass punch erased by audio compressor processing employed to create MP3..." . All I know is "Marky likes it, and it enhances FM too".
2.) CSW has developed a reputation for audio systems with impossibly good sound given their small footprints, and i525 is no exception. Certainly, audio preference has a subjective element, yet no one should be able to quibble with tonal clarity through out the range. One is startled by the lack of any mushiness, and taut bass reproduction. As a bedside music system, it produces clear bass, mid-range and treble far beyond most clock radios. 3.) FM reception is the best I've experienced! FM reception is clean, clear and distortion free. I recently returned the AR Art1, possessing a much larger external antenna, however the reception fidelity was no where near the i525.
What about the alarm clock function? Well, to be honest, I've not set the alarm. However, even if the alarm function is "behind the curve" as some professional and reviews on this site have said, my demands are not great in this area. I simply need an alarm to wake me up reliably. HOWEVER, I will complain about no battery back-up. There's an internal power cell storing 10 mins of power, saving settings---well, for 10 mins of power interruption. That's not good enough. Battery backup should be " de rigueur" for clock radios.

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Cambridge SoundWorks - SoundWorks i525 iPod/AM/FM Clock Radio System

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Bose Wave Music System - Titanium Silver Review

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(More customer reviews)I have enjoyed my Bose Wave music system for just over a month and I am very pleased with its performance. This is the second or third generation of the iconic Bose one-piece tabletop sound system that is intended to make you think you are listening to a much more complicated and professional component system. And, to a great extent, it does just that--or at least, it is closer to a stereo component sound than to a stand-alone run-of-the-mill radio sound. It certainly features a deeper range of bass sounds than any other one-piece radio I have ever encountered.
Bose has pioneered its spectacular sound machines which seem highly defined by their innovative speaker systems which they refer to as "waveguide speaker technology". This one-piece system produces a clear, natural, room-filling sound without the need of external speakers. It has a very innovative physical design with a small unintrusive footprint that sits well on a night stand or in the kitchen. I particulrly appreciate the Titanium Silver color which seems appropriate for any area of the home. It is simple to install right out of the box and has the FM/AM radio, CD player, and clock/alarm built in. There is an auxiliary input for an MP3 player or other alternate sound source.

I especially appreciate the alarm system that opens softly and gently rises in volume as you awake. It comes with a credit card size remote control; however, I purchased the larger backlit remote with a dedicated cradle that I use instead. All in all, this is an effective and very impressive one-piece tabletop sound system that I enjoy daily. It is a bit pricy, but ultimately, you get what you pay for.


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The acclaimed Wave music system still sets the standard for quality audio and ease of use among one-piece, table top radios and bookshelf stereos. Its award-winning design adds a touch of distinction to almost any room. It's no surprise so many people use it as their main home entertainment system for music listening.Unique Bose innovations account for this compact Wave system's hearty sound. Proprietary waveguide speaker technology combines with other Bose technologies to deliver performance well beyond the speakers' size.The Wave music system was engineered for easy enjoyment, right out of the box. No setup required: just plug it in and you're ready to go. The FM/AM radio and CD player are built in. There's an auxiliary input for your MP3 or other portable player, and a headphone jack for keeping the music to yourself.The system's sleek appearance is uninterrupted by buttons, with all controls on a handy, slim remote. The large display panel is brightly lit and easy to read, prominently displaying the artist, title and album names of your MP3 CDs.

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Bose Wave Music System - Graphite Gray Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had my Bose for about two years. I'm very glad to have received it as a present because, despite some of its fine features, it certainly does not merit the hefty, comparable-to-a-small-home-stereo price tag.
I like its design and its sound.
I don't like the following "features":
1) It is the most sensitive CD player I have. It will not properly play a number of CDs, especially CD-Rs. If a disc is slightly thin, the unit will either not accept it (you have to give it a push) or not eject it (you have to open up the unit, turn it on, hit "eject," and pull the disc out). This is especially annoying when my $70 boombox plays them without a problem. Refurbishing by Bose did nothing to change my unit's sensitivity.
2) It is not programmable! It doesn't program songs at all. The best it can do is "shuffle," "shuffle repeat," "repeat track," and "repeat disc." The cheapest boombox these days is programmable.
3) The lack of buttons is annoying: I found I had to order a second remote ($10) and keep it by the box. When I called Bose about this problem, the tech suggested getting the second remote and added that a lot of people had done that. My boombox is more user-friendly (it has buttons as well as a remote).
One can argue about the merits of elegance vs. user-friendliness. But the lack of programmability and the oversensitivity of this box make it a poor buy, in my opinion.

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CD music system

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VTech IS9181 WiFi Internet Radio with Access to Online Content Review

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(More customer reviews)Imagine playing music directly from Japan while eating sushi in your dining room. Or playing Hawaiian music from Hawaii at your next luau. With this WiFi internet radio you can listen to music from all over the world and save your favorites with just a push of the "favorites" button. Then the next time you want to listen you can go directly the the "My Stations" list and choose one of your favorites. I have a classical station in Italy, an oldies station in France, a Celtic station in Ireland and some radio stations in the midwest that I grew up listening to in my favorites list. I also have a French news talk station to keep up on my French. In my video I'll show you how to make some of the internet radio selections and find your own favorite stations.
One of the other options is to listen to music from your computer on this device. The included manual gives simple instructions, with some photos, for setting up your computer so that you can connect via WiFi with this internet radio and play your favorite mp3's, WMA's, Real audio, MP4 and M4A files. There are instructions included for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS 10.4 and 10.5. I've listened to music from both my Windows and Mac computers without any problem. And the good news is that it's easy to set up, even for a non geeky person. The internet radio is also simple to set up. When you turn it on for the first time it asks you if you want to set the time, weather setting (your zip code) and wireless settings. It looks for your WiFi network and asks you to enter your password. I used both the little dial on the top of the radio and the remote to make entering it faster.
I mentioned in my video review that you can use the RCA connectors on the back of the unit to connect to other speakers, such as your stereo speakers. The RCA connector cord isn't included with the radio. There is an auxiliary audio cable included to connect another device such as an mp3 player to this radio (audio in). If you wanted to connect earphones, like the type from an mp3 player I think an adapter like this would work 2 x RCA Male / 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Female, Y-Cable, 6 inch
The sound on the video is limited not only by the camera, but by the compression into a video small enough to show here. It sounds so much better in person. But I hope the video gives you an idea of the different menus and features.

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WiFi Streaming Music Device with Access to Online Content

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Cambridge SoundWorks Radio 720-High Performance AM/FM Table Radio with iPod Dock - Onyx Review

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(More customer reviews)I've always been a big fan of Bose products for their incredible audio quality - I've also had an issue with how expensive their products are. Cambridge Soundworks' products match that quality at 1/5th the price. Also, CS products don't have the aggravating proprietary cables that Bose insists on using, so you can pair the components with most other audio equipment. This particular radio has a marvelous, rich sound, clean highs, and beefy low-end that you wouldn't expect from a radio of this size. I get consistent, strong FM reception by using the included dipolar antenna. The included ipod dock matches the clean sound and makes this radio a great choice for a bookshelf audio system. The radio also has an auxiliary 1/8" input so you can plug in your CD player, turntable, 8-track, reel-to-reel, whatever. Both the radio and the dock have their own separate wireless remotes.
Oh, and it works great as a clock radio too - it has 2 alarms, weekday settings, tone alarm, favorite station memory, time and date, and wake to music from your ipod.
Truly a great value for the money.
***Update 08/06/10***
I would agree with the other reviewers that a volume control on the tone alarm would be nice . . .There's certainly no problem with being awakened by it. Also, the new Ipod touch (2nd & 3rd generations) do not charge while on the dock. They sound great, but it's a bit annoying that it drains the battery power.
One other cool feature of the dock is that you can run a video out to your TV and watch movies from your ipod with the CS radio as the sound system. I haven't done this yet, so I can't speak to the actual video quality, but it's a nice option to have.
I still stand behind my assertion that you can't find a better sounding audio unit at this price point. While the product has a few quirky design issues, the sound coming from this radio is incredible.
***Update 9/24/10***
While the dock works to transmit the audio signal for the new generations IPOD touch, it does not charge. A little irritating, but I think I know why this is such a good price. It works beautifully with the IPOD clasic - charging and transmitting.
Still sounds marvelous. I have it in my office on top of a bookshelf and people think it's a professionally installed sound system :). Radio reception with the dipolar antenna has been flawless, and my office is at the back of a very old brick building.


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The SoundWorks Radio 720 is an elegant, high performance AM/FM table radio, which offers the rich, full-range sound that made the Cambridge SoundWorks family of table radios famous. The SoundWorks Radio 720 features state-of-the-art, all-digital AM and FM tuner performance so you will enjoy the clearest possible station reception.

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Wave Connect Kit for iPod? Review

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(More customer reviews)I feel duped by the connect kit. All the connect kit does is give a lineout from the Ipod over the proprietary Ipod connector. It uses an oversized AC adapter just to do the same job as those small cell phone connector that charges over USB.
The remote is even more horrible since all it can do is play, fastforward and rewind. There is no ipod menu controls so it is impossible to navigate the ipod with the remote. (The playlist controls are useless and yes i know how they work)
Save your money and just get a 3.5mm jack connector from the ipod to the aux in of bose wave system. If you seriously want a dock then stick to apple's

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Just what you need to play your iPod through a Wave? music system or Wave? radio II. The connect kit includes a docking station that charges your iPod and a custom remote that controls both iPod and Wave? system. The kit is compatible with most iPod models, including iPod touch? and any iPod featuring a click wheel. It also plays music from iPhone. In the event of audio interference, set iPhone to Airplane Mode. What's in the box:- Bose? dock/charger with adapter insert - Upgraded remote control - Mini audio cable for connecting iPod to system - One-piece, easy-to-connect power cord- Illustrated owner's guide

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Cambridge Soundworks Radio I765 Blk with A/V Entertainment Review

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(More customer reviews)I compared various radio/CD/iPod dock products based on features, price and customer reviews and decided to try Cambridge Soundworks and compare to Bose Wave radio/CD. Originally, I looked at CD 745i, but they had special for i765 so decided to give it a try. I have put i765 next to new Bose Wave radio/CD and listened to various music, CDs and radio stations. Here is brief summary of winning device by category:
Features: CS i765 - has integrated iPod dock, can play DVDS, can adjust bass, treble, etc.
Sound: Bose Wave radio/CD - its sound is clearer, sounds closer to real performance, has less unwanted interference/resonance
CD: Bose - better sounds almost across the board - more natural and crisp sound across musical genres - jazz, pop, classical, perhaps for some hard rock fans, CS could sound better
Radio: Bose - better reception, out of the box and with antennas
iPod: CS i765 - iPod dock integrated and included.
In summary, both of these are solid performers, with Bose having better sound, but Cambridge Soundworks more features and almost half the price. I have not yet decided which one I will return.
I hope that CS improves the sound more and that Bose starts to offer integrated iPod dock at more competitive pricing - after all there are number of other players now in the market: Denon, Polk, Boston Acoustics, Onkyo, etc.


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The Cambridge SoundWorks® i765 all-in-one music system is the ideal tabletop radio with integrated iPod dock from our award-winning SoundWorks® table radio line. The SoundWorks i765 is designed with precision speakers to produce natural sounding midrange, crystal-clear highs and includes a built-in subwoofer for deep, rich bass, resulting in outstanding audio fidelity -- producing such precise, room-filling sound it's hard to believe it's coming from this compact, all-in-one system. Equally amazing is that it's LESS THAN HALF THE PRICE of our well-known competitors'' comparable all-in-one music system. Choosing the SoundWorks i765 will give you all of the phenomenal sound and quality that made Cambridge SoundWorks famous -- for HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS LESS!















The SoundWorks i765 is a Complete All-in-One Music System featuring an integrated iPod dock that you can control from our lightweight, compact remote (competitors'' system requires a stand-alone dock and a cable), precise room-filling sound from iPod, CDs, FM/AM radio and DVDs, dual-alarm clock feature allows you to wake to music from your iPod, CD, or radio, and compatible with most iPod models.

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Bose Wave Radio - Clock radio - graphite gray Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the original, the first of its kind. Then came the copies. This radio from Bose may look pricey to you but once you know all you can do with this it is very useful and you don't mind the price anymore and think your money was spent well. The sound of this radio is VERY clear, you get every little detail in music, and it is lifelike and spacious too. I have seen this rado used in big stores, they just put one radio on one corner and the other on the farther opposite one, and the sound is amazing. Deep bass, clear sound, just like if there were a lot of speakers placed around the store. The FM Antenna is integrated into the electric cord and it can pick a lot more stations than any other conventional system, as much stations as a car. It's very sad to see people criticize this system instead of appreciate it. It has enough bass and it is always deep, except in RARE cases of songs that have too much bass and it doesn't go down deep enough to hit those notes. Just make sure to place the radio close to a wall, especially right in a corner, to boost bass by a lot! This radio makes FM sound like CDs and CDs sound even better than they should. You even have one RCA Input to connect something like your computer or DVD Player and enjoy great crystal clear bassy sound for movies and MP3s in your computer or games too. For movies you don't feel the surround effects as if they were behind you but they sound very spacious and clear, away from you, getting the feeling of almost surround sound, as long as you are close to the radio. Also if the radio is right in front of you the bass is way deeper, so if you will use it in your computer there's no problem since you'll have it in your desk in front of you. It is built from quality, and the speakers dont distort even at loud volumes. The only thing is if you go over 95 in volume the bass isn't as strong, but you'll never have to go over 75 or 80 for sure. This system is great even outdoors or at parties too. It's great to wake up to GREAT sound and it's very nice how the alarm starts quietly and gets louder slowly and also how the display dims depending on how much light there's in your room. This is a product you have to place well and use well, and you will enjoy it for years. I suggest the Bose Wave Radio Series 1 over a Bose Companion 3 and Bose Mediamates for your computer, mainly for even better sound quality then them and more surround soundish effects. The Wave Radio/CD Series 2 or Bose Wave Music System (new name for Wave Radio/CD2) just came out, and it wasn't over 3 months since I bought my Wave Radio for $350, so I was able to exchange it for the latest one for $500 with CD, even deeper bass, even more clear sound, louder volumes, same shape and size but it looks A LOT more cooler! It kills the first series by a lot in bass(it feels like a big subwoofer and all songs get bass no matter what), adds extra volume, sound is even more lifelike and has better imaging, especially for movies. It's worth the extra $150! Bose is the best in sound. Those who don't like Bose either bash them for the sake of it, bash them because of not doing thorough testing with their products, bash them by believing what "audiophiles" say in reviews, bash them with opinions more than facts and probably haven't even heard the Bose Product they are bashing. Get the Wave radio or even better the New Wave Music System and you will be happy forever with your system! It will surely become the main system in your house.(I have on my computer Bose Mediamates with a Klipsch sub, for my movies a Bose Freestyle with an RCA 650 watt receiver, for portability Bose headphones and CD Player and since I bought the Wave radio and then the Wave Music System, I've been using it more than the others, by the way it is great to wake up to a CD, thats another feature you get with the new Radio!) Bose is about making lifelike sound. If youd rather have fake sound with way too much treble, or fake bass that goes way past the levels of real bass(I am talking about insane deafning bass) then dont call that kind of sound lifelike please! Many radios may get close to the original Bose Wave Radio and Wave Radio/CD but none beat the newest Bose Wave Music system.

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Fourteen years of research by Bose Corporation bring you the benefits of patented acousticwaveguide speaker technology, which was named "Invention of the Year" by the IntellectualProperty Owners association.Using this technology, a tube efficiently transfers energy from a small loudspeaker to theoutside air over a whole range of bass notes. And there is a 34-inch long waveguide foldedinside the Wave radio, enabling this tabletop radio to produce room-filling sound with full, richbass.Your Wave radio also includes:? Integrated system design for acoustic quality without inconvenient adjustments? A high performance stereo tuner - offers up to 6 AM and 6 FM station presets? Two independent alarms, with battery backup power to remember settings? A credit card-size infrared remote control with mounting strip provided? Inputs for an additional sound source, such as a CD or tape playerPlease take the time to follow this owner's guide carefully. It helps you set up and operateyour radio and enjoy all of its features and high-fidelity sound

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Bose Wave Radio II - Platinum White Review

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(More customer reviews)The Bose Wave Radio II is easy to use, has top-of-the-line speakers and has a high-quality build. I use mine as a TV stereo speaker. The auxiliary input works for that function and what I like is that it doesn't take up a lot of space next to the TV. Indeed, incredible sound for the size of the speakers. So why only four stars, not five? Because the Bose, for all the money it costs, is not a top radio performer. It has only average AM reception with its internal ferrite antenna and worse its FM relies on the power cord for what is truly a lame "antenna." So as a speaker, the Bose is great but as a radio it is well below par. For hooking up to your TV, the Bose is outstanding. But as a bedside radio? No way. You would be better off buying a 120-dollar Sangean WR-2, a 100-dollar Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo, or a 100-dollar Tivoli Songbook for your bedside. But if you're integrating the Bose into your TV home entertainment system and you don't mind spending the money and you're not fastidious about your FM reception, then you will enjoy the Bose.

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The Wave radio II delivers deeper tones and crisper, more accurate audio performance than the original. The key to the improved sound is the new dual tapered waveguide technology, exclusively from Bose. Engineers re-sculpted the interior of the Wave radio II to accommodate not one, but two 26" folded waveguides. These dual waveguides amplify the low-frequency output, reproducing musical notes a full one-half octave lower than the original Wave radio. The result: Instruments like kettle drums and bass guitars have a more natural presence. With such accurate sound reproduction, you can appreciate more of the intricate nuances of many instruments, including the human voice. You may even hear details in music that you've never heard before. There's also a new equalization feature for talk radio. It automatically compensates for the artificially boosted low frequencies found in some talk radio programs so announcers sound more natural. The Wave radio II is simple to use. Instead of buttons on the unit, everything is conveniently controlled with a well-organized credit card-sized remote. And setup is easy too. The digital FM/AM tuner, amplifiers and speakers are all built into the unit. Just unpack it and plug it in to enjoy Bose quality sound. The display panel is large and bright, with big, bold text that's easier to read from across the room. It displays more information now too. Radio station, current time and alarm setting are all shown simultaneously. You can also use your Wave radio II to enjoy lifelike sound with your TV, VCR, DVD player or computer, thanks to the auxiliary input jack. Or plug your headphones into the convenient headphone jack for private listening. You can even place the Wave radio II near your TV or computer monitor because the speakers are magnetically shielded to avoid interference with the picture image.SPECIAL OFFER: Receive a free premium backlit remote when you purchase by 3/31/09.

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