Customer Reviews

Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock, Black

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Sound 100 iPod Dock comes in black and white. The radio only version adds other colors including silver, blue and red. I've had the white one for a while and I've been pretty happy with it. This Black Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock is very similar, but loses points for the non-black speaker face. As a stand-alone radio this device is average. But the stellar iPod dock integration makes this unit a cut above and one you must consider.

Without the iPod dock the unit ranges from being $30 to $50 less than this model. I don't believe it's worth getting this unit without the iPod dock. Still, they have been having periodic sales for the stand-alone model in the $30 range, which is very hard to pass up.
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 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 functions. 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 won't hiss. If you like modern design, the Eton is one of the best looking. It is sleek, COMPACT and light. Wish this guy was all-black, but I can live with the silver toned speaker.

Most of the shortcomings are from the radio aspect of this device. The internal AM antenna is below average. You can 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

At the present time, there is also a larger 2 speaker version which will be widely released within a month. Some may opt to get that one, but on sale this is still a great unit to own.



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
- Standard pricing means you should only be looking to get this on sale
- Many newer alternatives coming to market for those seeking the alarm clock feature
- Display light may be too bright for some when used as a bedroom alarm clock radio
- No equalizer; no treble or bass control
- Requires external antennae 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

If you are VERY picky about sound and want a nice compact iPod radio alarm clock, this unit is worth a look. Enjoy!

Pros:
- Warm easy-listening sound, perfect for speech
- Good FM performance with RDS
- Compact, internal AM antenna (option to switch to external AM antenna if you have one)
- iPod integration

Cons:
- Mono speaker
- Sound lacks clarity
- Bright LCD backlight cannot be turned down/off
- Turning off the unit does not turn off iPod
- Big power brick
- Cost

The sound quality is what I was looking for, with a radio and iPod dock. I like the remote, nice and lightweight and doesn't hit the floor very hard when it falls off the bed. Where this gadget falls short is on the clock radio features. I can't hardly read the clock from even a short distance away. If I take my glasses off, which I often do when I sleep, I literally have to stick my face within about 3 inches of the clock to read it. When the radio alarm goes off, the time display changes to the radio station, so you need to turn the alarm off or snooze it to see what time it is. If they could make this product with comparable features to a $20 alarm clock, it would be excellent. I'm currently in the market for a small digital clock that matches the radio so I have all the usable features I need.

I gotta say reading other reviews on this item I was afraid to purchase this speaker docking system. But I went ahead and purchased it. Well, I have to say the reviews are wrong. This is one great iPod docking / speaker system. The sound quality, I was impressed by it. Really great sound quality. I purchased this unit to use outdoors and in the garage while I am outdoors working on the car or work around the house. Having this iPod system is great. Now I can enjoy listening to my music anytime I want to. Do no hesitate to buy this product. It is a great product. Highly Recommend!

If you listen to AM 1000, good job, that is the only station that comes in no matter where this black box is positioned. This Radio is 100% a P.O.S. I regreat buying this as an office radio and use it as a box clock and nothing more.

Plays fairly good, but don't waste your money on a sound system that has no memory for radio presets or time when it is unplugged.