Customer Reviews

Cambridge SoundWorks 730 Radio (Ivory)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I considered the Bose, Tivoli, Boston Acoustics radios featured in a recent Consumer Reports feature and I decided on the Cambridge for several reasons. The Cambridge appeared to have the best features and was modestly priced. After enjoying the Cambridge for a week, these are the things I like about the radio: 1) Powerful and clean sound with a great low end (you won't need any more bass for a small office); 2) The display is clear and easy to read; 3) The radio is small and takes up very little desk space and the remote is also tiny and has many features; 4) Set up took ten minutes, just open the box, read the instructions, plug in and play; 5) Easy to use with great features. The presets for radio stations are very convenient and the controls are intuiative.
Things that could be improved: 1) Radio reception. I work in a twelve story building and the radio reception is bad. I have a ten dollar Sony clock radio that brings in a particular FM station better than the Cambridge. The AM reception is about the same as the Sony (I was hoping for better). I hooked up the FM and AM antennae that came with the Cambridge and the results were the same. It could very well be that the building I work in makes it difficult to get any FM or AM stations. To be fair, I have not tried the Cambridge radio reception anywhere else other than at work. I really wanted to avoid having to spend an additional [amount] on an external antennae but it looks like I have to if I want to listen to certain stations. These are all local stations that come in perfectly in my van. 2) The highs (sound) are ok, but perhaps they could be improved for a little more clarity. The bass is great and maybe this takes away a little from the highs being able to sparkle as they should. (This is with the tone controls at neutral with loudness off).
I hooked up my eleven year old Sony portable CD player and the sound is great.
I am a regular person who enjoys listening to music and some sporting events. This radio is great for my needs as it can crank out the sound if needed, takes up very little space, is reasonably priced, has a remote, and looks sturdy and well designed. Cambridge is coming out with a built in CD player for more money, but I would recommend buying this model, using a decent portable CD player, and save your money to buy an external antennae if you work in a building like mine). I hope this helps!

I've been itching for years to get the "famous" Bose Wave Radio. I waited and waited for the price to drop. It *never* has. So much for the prices of Tabletop radios being like computers! At any rate, rather than finding a discount Bose, I've found a radio more inexpensive than the Bose...and BETTER SOUNDING! The Cambridge Soundworks Model 730 BLOWS me away. It has incredibly rich sound, and the bass is literally AMAZING. Rather than using Acoustic Tubing wrapped around the inside of the case, Cambridge Soundworks has actually mounted a *Real* subwoofer inside of this radio. And it really does pack an extra punch! In addition, this radio has Radio Data System (RDS), a feature extremely (and unfortunately) RARE in the United States. People in Europe know and love RDS on their radios, why oh WHY more US Manufacturers don't support it is beyond me. It's a GREAT feature and would make you think you are using XM Radio with the Song Titles displayed for you...for free!

Cambridge Soundworks got it right, blowing away Bose and Tivoli. Seriously, save yourself $100 and get this radio. You'll enjoy the extra features and most certainly think your ears are deceiving you!

I live in a small apartment, and I needed something over which to play classical radio (FM) and my iPod. While I don't have too much to add to what most people have said, I'd like to mention a few things to people who might be considering purchasing this radio.

I'd have to say that CNET's very positive review of this radio (and a Bose/Cambridge Soundworks comparo)was my primary reason for choosing Cambridge Soundworks. Those CNET people are seriously picky!! Search that website and read for yourself.

I don't see the necessity for the iPod version of this radio... i got the 730 and plugged my 5th gen 60GB into the front aux port. There's also a rear aux port if you want to plug something in more permanently and don't care to have access to the plug itself. If you use the equalizer settings on your iPod, make sure you turn those OFF when you pipe music from the iPod to the radio. I forgot that I had the equalizer settings changed in my iPod and was initially very disappointed, because I had the iPod equalizer set to sound good in my Honda. After a brief panic, I figured out that turning the equalizer OFF solved the problem entirely... I've never been so happy to learn that the problem was with the moron behind the remote control, and not the radio itself! :-)

This radio was purchased during a pre-Christmas sale, and cost $150 (and free shipping!!). A steal and a half. Keep your eyes peeled for sales... Cambridge DOES have sales, and savings are impressive.

I listened to this head-to-head with my grandmother's Bose Wave radio. The Bose Wave II radio costs $350 directly from Bose. The Bose sounded DIFFERENT from this radio... posssssssibly better, but you could definitely hear a difference. If you've got seriously golden ears, and are a die-hard audiophile, you may want to listen to these side by side and determine for yourself which you would prefer. I use the Bose Quiet Comfort II earphones, and I'm a fan of Bose.

I have good ears... I've played in a symphony, I listen to music a LOT. I appreciate good sound... but I know there are more discerning ears than mine. For everyone else, especially anyone who thinks the price tag difference is significant enough to affect your choice, there isn't another radio on the market that combines this quality with such great value.

Congratulations on reading the reviews... I hope you enjoy your radio as much as I am already enjoying mine!

It simply isn't clear to me if the 730 is actually the old Model 88 with a new skin, or if they are completely unrelated. I don't have a Model 88 to which to listen, and am therefore unable to make a conclusion. However, considering Henry Kloss' emphasis on a natural musical sound, it seems likely to me that the 730 is NOT a Kloss design. Let me explain.

I own a Kloss-designed Model 1. It is a sweet and musical radio, quite an engineering marvel. It is an extremely satisfying radio to own and listen to. Then I heard that the Kloss out-did himself with the Model 88, mainly with extensions of the lower frequencies below 200 Hz. I had to get one, but was told that the Model 88 is now the 730, so the 730 is what I got.

After 2 months of daily listening, I have been sadly dissatisfied with the 730. While the tiny Kloss Model 1 was warm and musical (with a rich bass, mind you), the 730 is, simply put, uneven. Instead of a flat frequency response throughout its range, there is a significant hump somewhere below 200 Hz. (Too lazy to bring out the sound meter to check the exact frequency). When the music happens to have a compenent in that particular frequency, the apparent bass is artificially boosted and overwhelms the listener. Worse yet, it muddies up the frequencies around that hump when the hump is hit, and a lot of musical information is completely lost.

When listening to an orchestra, this effect is most pronounced when the timpani comes in. One particular kettle will set off the radio's artifical bass boost, and any following passages from the timpani is lost for the next 1-2 seconds until the rogue frequency damps away.

Perhaps this radio was designed for listening to electronic music, I don't know. It is too uneven for listening to classical music (or anything that needs to sound natural). The folks who glow about the 730's bass sound aren't looking for music in the bass, I fear. They are just looking for a lot of something that sounds like bass. Psychoacoustics at work again [big sigh].

My hunt for the real Model 88 continues, I guess ....

First off - must admit that I am a huge Cambridge soundworks fan. everything they make is the best bang for your buck. I own the older version of this radio, Model 88 by Henry Kloss - and use it in my kitchen. When I heard that Cambridge had a new radio I had to see if it could beat my Model 88 - and it does.
I bought this at one of their stores in Boston, and I could not wait to set it up in my home office. When I took it out of the box, I was immeadiately stunned by the weight of it. this baby is solid. Needed 2 hands to hold it. Not like other lightweights out there. This radio has serious "guts" on the inside.

As promised, it truly sounds like a stereo. I could not believe the bass and HUGE sound coming from this. It KICKS! I plugged in my portable CD player to the front of it and was blown away. I also really like the new features- like RDS. So cool. I can see what song is playing now and up next after a commercial break. The artist and the album. Sometimes technology is great..
I know that there are other more expensive radios out there - but I wouldn't trade the Soundworks for them , even if they were half the price.
I plan on getting my Mom and Dad one for Mother/Father's day.
The only downside is that it does not have a CD player - but the guys at the store tell me one is in the works.
If you are looking for a easy, out of the box way to add awesome sound to office, kitchen, bedroom - this is the radio to end all radios. No joke- you will not be dissapointed. I am glad to see that eveything in this world is not turning to cheap plastic. When you buy this, you are getting a classic. Something you should have for the next 20 years - easily.

I had to return my SoundWorks radio the day after Christmas for what was (hopefully) a problem with quality control and not the radio in general. There seemed to be a flaw in the speaker and I got serious distortion whenever certain notes were played. From all the other glowing reviews I've read, I must conclude a bad one slipped past, but at this price I feel no bad ones should get past. However . . .

I left this on my night stand for one night and discovered an issue that would be a major annoyance to me if I had kept the radio. The display automatically dims when the room goes dark, but if you have the alarm set, a very bright blue LED shines directly toward your face. Set both alarms and it gets very bright, indeed. Furthermore, the display light sensor is located between both LEDs, so they cause the display to brighten. If you like a dark bedroom, this may give you pause. (As an aside, I've had --and returned-- many clocks which lit up my bedroom like Times Square. Red LEDs don't do this, but they seem passe. All I can figure is engineers must sleep with the lights on.)

Otherwise, I found the controls and features to be excellent, and I especially like the rotating volume control. Overall, it seems like a good product, but the issues I've mentioned keep me from giving it more than three stars.

I bought this radio for my wife about 6 months ago, and it has exceeded our expectations. Among the features I considered before buying it were price, easy-to-read clock display, self-dimming background lighting, remote volume control to allow you to roll-over and sleep without getting up to mash a reset button, enhanced bass through a subwoofer, and ability to hook up an extra sound source, such as a small CD or MP3 player with RCA cables. I already own a Bose CD-2000 Acoustic Wave radio, which is a marvel in its own right, but the Bose lacks a clock (why can't they include such a simple item?) and also costs 4 times as much! I have only 2 minor complaints about the Model 730: 1) the reception is only average, so you need to keep it near a window or use an external antenna, and 2) even with the Bass de-emphasized, it tends to be a little heavier than it needs to be. However, this is still a great-sounding radio and a Best Buy when you compare the performance to the price, especially if you're willing to save even more money by buying a refurbished model!

I've been itching for years to get the "famous" Bose Wave Radio. I waited and waited for the price to drop. It *never* has. So much for the prices of Tabletop radios being like computers! At any rate, rather than finding a discount Bose, I've found a radio more inexpensive than the Bose...and BETTER SOUNDING! The Cambridge Soundworks Model 730 BLOWS me away. It has incredibly rich sound, and the bass is literally AMAZING. Rather than using Acoustic Tubing wrapped around the inside of the case, Cambridge Soundworks has actually mounted a *Real* subwoofer inside of this radio. And it really does pack an extra punch! In addition, this radio has Radio Data System (RDS), a feature extremely (and unfortunately) RARE in the United States. People in Europe know and love RDS on their radios, why oh WHY more US Manufacturers don't support it is beyond me. It's a GREAT feature and would make you think you are using XM Radio with the Song Titles displayed for you...for free!

Cambridge Soundworks got it right, blowing away Bose and Tivoli. Seriously, save yourself $100 and get this radio. You'll enjoy the extra features and most certainly think your ears are deceiving you!

There is no way that you will want to buy any other radio after hearing this one. this has to be the best sounding radio that I have ever heard. When you play it, it's almost like you have a subwoofer hidden somewhere in the room - the sound is that good. I played the radio for a friend and he said it sounded better than his stereo system. I'd recommend this to ANYONE.

I first heard Cambridge speakers at a friend's house, and they were rocking even though they didn't cost that much. When I heard they came out with a radio, I figured I'd check it out, especially since it was so much cheaper than the Bose. I'm really glad I gave it a shot. It sounds a *lot* better than my friend's Wave, and it gets great reception. I can actually get a station I used to listen to in my home town, that I haven't heard since I moved. It's awesome.