Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Pros:
-Dual alarms
-Progressively increasing volume of radio alarm
-Good overall sound quality
-Easy to use basic features by touch
-Informative LCD screen
Cons:
-Overdone styling
-Complicated menus/setup
-LCD screen is small and hard to read
Well, I've been living with this for about 3 weeks now, and I'm pleased with the purchase. I needed to replace an 8 year old Philips CD-radio with dual alarms mostly because the sound quality was like listening to AM radio through a drive-through restaurant speaker.
One of my top priorities, other than sound quality, was a dual alarm. I can't tell you how helpful these are if your schedule changes day to day. Not only does the JBL have dual alarms, it does it better than any other system I've seen. It has a separate on/off button for each alarm AND you have the option to have each alarm set to go off on weekdays only, weekends only, or all 7 days. This is also the first alarm I have had with a progressively increasing volume on alarm. It will start playing the music fairly soft and gradually increase the volume over the next 30 seconds or more. This is much gentler than the jarring way most alarms go off (or worse, the dreaded BEEP). Be sure, though, that if you do not respond to the alarm, it continues to get louder and should be enough to wake up even heavy sleepers. If that's not sufficient, it does have the obligitory BEEP alarm, too.
As far as sound quality goes, it's as good as your average, similarly priced "boom box." It gets plenty loud, has decent bass, and the highs are clear. It won't hold a candle to a good home theater/stereo system, but it's more than adequate for a bedroom. It's the best clock/radio I've ever heard and is easily the best iPod-specific speaker system I've tested out (though I have not listened to the Altec Lansing inMotion 7). It's not good enough to allow a sharp-eared listener to really notice the compression artifacts of the MP3s being played through your iPod.
Other nice touches include an LCD screen that is able to display a good amount of useful information. It can display Radio Data Sytem (RDS) information, though no RDS stations exist in my area so I couldn't test this out. Similarly, the LCD has an autoadjusting brightness based on ambient light (which can also be manually adjusted instead, if desired). The clock can be autoset by scanning through radio stations (assuming, of course, the station has their own clock set correctly), and a battery backup will rescue you in case of a brief power outage in the night (though the manual doesn't say if it will allow the alarm to go off if power remains out). Finally, the unit has the world's easiest-to-find snooze button. It's the big circle on the very top of the unit that looks like part of the speaker grill.
On the down side, I personally miss having a built-in CD player. I hate having to remember to take my iPod out of it and put it back in the car every day. A CD player would be a useful feature.
The LCD screen is relatively small and is angled away from you towards the ceiling in such a way that trying to read it from bed is difficult due to contrast issues (blue numbers on a slightly less bright blue background). You can adjust the contrast, but it makes it that much more difficult to read when you are standing (e.g., getting dressed). Some people may also be put off by the brightness of the LCD. If you require absolute darkness, you will not appreciate the little blue alien spacecraft sitting on your nightstand staring at you all night. To make it worse, there's a little blue LED light in the top of the circle facing down, which reflects off the unit's base in interesting ways. I would suggest that the black unit if either of these light issues are a concern.
Next up, the buttons. All of the immediate functions (volume, source select, snooze) are easy to use, even with your eyes closed, mostly because there are only a few buttons and they are distinctly laid out. However, if you have difficulty programming a VCR, you will hate trying to configure this JBL. The relatively limited number of buttons means that all the settings of the system, and there are quite a few, are buried in a hard to use interface. It consists of a series of nested menus, most of which don't make a lot of sense. It may hold an iPod, but it's nowhere near as easy to use as one. Unless you're very comfortable with obfuscated menus, or are willing to take the time to learn, you'd be better off getting something else.
I know it has garnered raves for its styling, but in reality, it doesn't really work. Sure, it's beautiful sitting on a laboratory table, but unless you're George Jetson, the unit will not match your bedroom decor. The unit stands out like a zebra in a herd of horses. It is also bigger than you think judging from the pictures, and it takes up a fair amount of nightstand real estate. I'd suggest checking out the measurements before jumping in.
Overall, I find that the positives outweigh the negatives. I'm glad the price has come down considerably from it's initial [...] to the current sub [...] range. It's the best-of-breed for iPod alarm/clock radios and makes a fine stand-alone unit even without the iPod functionality. Now I've just got to get another iPod to leave docked permanently.
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JBL Time Machine Alarm Clock/Dock for iPod (Black)Rise and shine every morning to your favorite music stored on your iPod instead of fuzzy radio stations with the uniquely designed JBL Time Machine Alarm Clock/Dock. The speakers are encased in an O-shaped bridge above the dome-shaped dock with digital clock. In addition to the iPod dock, it includes a radio, clock and dual alarm. Its two Phoenix aluminum-domed full-range transducers are driven by powerful neodymium magnets. The Ridge tweeter provides accurate high frequencies. This two-way design provides a full, rich frequency response from the lowest bass to the highest highs.
Features:
Compatibility: JBL On Time incorporates the Apple iPod Universal Dock adapter and is compatible with most docking versions of the iPod, including nano and 5G versions. A stereo mini jack connection allows you to enjoy high-quality audio from a variety of other devices, including the iPod shuffle, MP3 and CD players, desktop and laptop computers (all platforms), and satellite radio.
Easy-to-Use Music and Navigation Controls: Just a touch increases or decreases the volume; another touch allows you to choose iPod, radio or auxiliary as your source. The five FM and five AM radio channel presets are simple to program. And JBL On Time remembers your source and the last volume setting, even after your music source is turned off.
Time and Alarm Features: Wake up to a favorite song youÕve stored on your iPod. The intuitive user interface allows for all functions to be programmed easily using navigation buttons that provide instant access to the menus. Change settings such as language, alarms and snooze. The automatic time-set feature provides one-button time setting.
Display: The large backlit LCD is easy to read, making menu navigation a snap. Automatic dimming provides the correct brightness level in any environment. A dome light provides a glow for your iPod; lighted buttons are easy to find in the dark.
Halo Acoustics: The horizontal acoustic level optimization, or Halo acoustics, design provides a full, rich sound field from any direction. The upward-firing tweeter and horizontal low and midrange transducers provide a 360-degree sound field.
OnePoint Design: The OnePoint iPod connectors provide the connection to your computer. Connect the standard iPod cable to the rear of JBL On Time and, every time you dock your iPod, youÕll have a connection for synchronizing.
Evercharge Topology: Provides power to charge your iPod, even when itÕs not connected to the computer, or the system is off.
Backup Battery: The unit's memory is kept by a backup battery. Even with the power out, JBL On Time will provide the alarm function.
TimeCrawler: You can set the clock automatically from any local radio station that transmits the time in its signal.
OCT (Optimized Compression Topology): JBL On Time utilizes a proprietary compression technology to ensure clean, accurate sound at high output levels.
Power Output: 6 Watts per channel (left, right, tweeter)
Dimensions: 10 by 10 inches (WxH)
iPod Compatibility iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Clickwheel), iPod Color, iPod 5G/5.5G Video
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