Customer Reviews

Tivoli Audio Model Two AM / FM Radio, Black/Silver Finish

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Lets be frank, the BOSE system is definitely an overpriced product. It is OK product that performs so so... it is also $500. If you really would like a system that sounds 100 times better and costs slightly less, I would look into the Tivoli Model 2 with the Tivoli subwoofer addition. I have tried both, and was only satisfied when I got my Tivoli Model Two. The Tivoli Model Two is definitely going to be classic and a system people talk about for years... mark my words. It was designed by Henry Kloss, one of the most important sound engineers of our time. I have the newest ipod dock with remote hooked up to it and it sounds amazing! Keep in mind that this is a system for people who like to LISTEN to music. True Hi-Fi... not another boomy window shaker system. The Tivoli system has incredible sound separation a really impressive sound stage. Oh and did I mention that it is really cool looking? It has real wood cabinets, minimal solid design+ it does not have the look of a bedside alarm clock!

Hopefully I have just saved some of you true music connoisseurs the headache of having to return their BOSE products... or not. Yours faithfully, Sonic Boom.

I bought this stereo to listen at work. The sound is clear, mixes come through clean, and the features are perfect. Favorite feature is the "mixing" input, which lets you have your computer sound come out through the stereo along with any selected source. The FM Tuner is fantastic, AM reception is alright. Having a built-in AM antenna is nice (most micro-stereos don't have one) so I can listen to AM, but I can't get the stations I want. FM reception is clear, and the sound reproduction from the FM Tuner is very good, as good as FM gets. FM reception is much better on this stereo than anything else I own, including Yamaha home stereos, Panasonic and Sony mini systems. The Model Two is very well built, and performs as expected.

The speakers don't blow you away, but rather sound very "nice". There are no obvious dips and peaks in the frequency response, like so many other small systems. Listening for hours on end to many different types of music is not fatiguing. The stereo separation is amazing, especially if you spread the speakers out.

This stereo works great with my iPod. I use the dock, and an 1/8" to 1/8" connecting cable. You can use the headphone jack, but the dock's line out sounds much better to discerning ears.

There is a subwoofer output, very handy. The subwoofer output is really a "pre-amp" output, controlled by the volume control and both the left and right channels appear discreetly. This raises a couple of issues, the sub-output is not filtered, meaning it contains all the audio frequencies, secondly, it is not buffered, which means if you plug in a mono cable, or combine the outputs using a Y cable, the sound from the main speakers will be adversely affected. Just make sure your subwoofer has separate left and right line-level inputs, and preferably a cross-over adjustment. Note: Avoid the Tivoli Model Subwoofer, it is underwhelming, sounds sloppy and makes very little bass. I use a KLH subwoofer that I purchased for the same price and that works much better.

It is also interesting to note that this stereo can be powered by 12 volts DC, making it an idea candidate for an area where you may need to use alternate power, such as solar, rv, or an AC adapter for Europe.

In summary, there are a variety of inputs and outputs to interface with all of your stuff. The mixing input for computer sound is really cool, and FM tuning is fantastic.

I've owned the Model Two radio with the Sub-woofer accessory for five years now. Initially, I wasn't happy with the cost until I listened to it the first time & then the cost didn't matter. Sounds better than my Harmon-Kardon AVR with Bose surround-sound speaker system.

Pro's: Simple to use; Nice warm "vacuum-tube radio" sound like I remember hearing from my Grandfathers radios as a small child (I half expect to see the soft orange glow of the vacuum tubes peaking from behind the grill); Compact, sturdy & solid design; Very, very high quality components made of steel, wood and aluminum rather than plastic, plastic and more plastic; Does only a few things, but does them extremely well.

Con's: Limited cabinet and face-plate finishes and color choices; No surround sound option (two speakers sound so good,four would be amazing); Sub-woofer adds some to the sound, but should do more for the cost; No remote control (ipod dock with remote plugged into the auxiliary input is something of a substitute).

If only it had (in order of importance): Network connectivity to computer music files & related online and satellite radio subscriptions; Small usable remote control; Surround-sound capability.

I just recently purchased this Model Two, but it is my second one. I've had the other one since 2002 and I love it. I really like these for certain uses: I bought my new one to use in my office at home for use with my second television/computer. I have a small LCD display, and the sound out of it is inadequate. These speakers are perfect and provide a great sound. The other Model Two I have at work.

This radio is on par or better in fidelity to other more expensive table type radios, but with the real plus of speaker separation.

Highly recommended.

I love the size, the sound quality and the way it works with my iPod. I wanted to buy this last year and I waited until the depths of the recession when the price dropped to an unbelievable $159. I made out like a bandit but you know what? I would have paid $300+ for it and been happy. It's that good.

so far every single review of this radio is 5 stars. i completely agree with this. sounds AMAZING very easy and fun to use. aux jack so u can plug your ipod into it. AM/FM radio also works great. if you are looking to by a good quality radio that sounds great and it easy to use THIS IS TH ONE. bass sounds great aswell as treble. weighted dial for precision tuning feels great in the hand. i think that it looks great but if you dont check out other henry kloss radios/ speakers they all are great. this is the right choice and amazon is the place to get it! enjoy! peace.

i purchased this because the tivoli one radio i had was fine, sounded great, but was underpowered for the room it was in and lacking stereo. problem solved. for small to medium-sized rooms, this is a great-sounding, great-looking yet unobtrusive way to get high-quality music.

the strengths of this table radio/stereo are the sound quality, FM receiver strength, and the appearance. the sound that comes out of these two small boxes is clean, resonant, full, and completely satisfying - it's really hard to believe how good it is given how small these things are. there are a number of table radios that generate quality sound. for example, cambridge soundworks, bose, polk audio all make very fine all-in-one units that all have surprisingly robust, full, high-quality sound. None of them can duplicate the stereo separation you get with the tivoli two. it makes a huge difference in the sound quality. Whether I use this to enhance the sound from a TV or for music, i'm amazed that i'm listening to a small table stereo, not a component system. does it have the depth and power of a component system? nope, but none of the music options in this size/price category do. if you are looking for a stronger low end, you might want the matching sub-woofer, which costs extra. i haven't even considered it and don't know how it affects the sound. compared to a cambridge soundworks 88 we own, which has a substantial built-in bass speaker, i think this system has better sound overall, but the cambridge does have a somewhat stronger low.

The FM receiver is excellent, better if you use a half-decent external antenna. unlike digital systems, it's easier to find smaller stations because the dial tuning allows small incremental adjustments.

if you care about appearance, this is head and shoulders better than comparably-priced systems - all of which cost more and are made of plastic. the two speaker boxes are solid, made of real wood, and have a simple, retro look - dials and knobs, not digital.

the features are good but not a completist's dream - this clearly cannot serve as an awesome-sounding alarm clock/table radio like many of its one-box competitors. on the other hand, it sounds substantially better than most more-expensive tabletop systems that have separate speakers.

It has FM, AM, auxiliary input and subwoofer output, and it can mix in music if you run your computer audio through it; a separate (and pricy) matching CD player; it can run on DC power, which means you could take it on a boat or extended foreign travel. It does not have a remote control, an ipod dock, a built-in CD player, a clock, an alarm clock, or a built-in bass speaker. if you need to have remote control capability but like this sound, you can either get an apple infrared dock and remove, so you can stop the music and control volume via remote, or you can network it to your computer and play music wirelessly, via an Apple Airport. These simple work-arounds could be for any music system.

I ordered the Tivoli Model Two for my parents who still enjoy listening to the radio and prefer 'dial tuning' rather than modern digital tuners. Unfortunately, after getting it set up after Christmas, I discovered no sound was coming from the speaker on the main unit. What a disappointment.

I'm sure I'll give this a further review after Amazon sends me a replacement, as I have heard many good things about Tivoli. In the meantime:

My initial observations:

- It's made in China. Figures that it was dead on arrival. Tivoli, If you're going to pride yourself in being based in Boston, MA, why can't you have your products manufactured where care and precision are taken in the manufacturing process? Especially considering how they charge so much.

- Cheap plastic rear housing. I couldn't believe that the Model Two had plastic rear panels. Again, this kind of quality is something I would expect on a $100 unit.

- Frequency Dial. The dial has a nice smooth feel, but the circular indication plate (behind the dial itself) isn't mounted flush on the unit. There was a sizable gap on the FM side, while the part of the dial on the AM side actually contacts the faceplate and rubs it as it turns. What poor manufacturing.

- Packaging. The packaging should have clued me in on the quality of the radio itself. Almost no clearance was given between the tuning dial and the box, so if any pressure on the side of the box would put undue stress on the sensitive tuning dial. So dumb. They should leave more clearance or at least turn the main unit so it faces inward, not outward.

- Finish. At least the finish on the wood is nice.

- Sound. The sound coming from the secondary speaker sounded pretty good, but I'll wait to get a replacement before judging the overall sound quality.

Summary:

I'm disappointed so far. Even if my replacement unit sounds great, I doubt I'll increase my final rating beyond three stars. This thing is not worth the $300 price at all. It might be worth $175 to $200.

This classic radio is a gem. There's a reason there are all five-star reviews for the Model Two, and that is because it is perfection in a small package.

First of all, the solid wood case puts out beautiful sound, much more so than you would expect from such a small unit. Second, the tuner dial turns smoothly but with enough resistance to let you stop exactly where you need to be to get your station as clear as possible. Third, the mp3 jack is a wonderful modern touch. Fourth, the size lets you put it on any shelf anywhere - you really need very little space for it. You can even spread out the two speakers for great surround sound. Lastly, it's freakin' gorgeous. Get it.

The Tivoli makes the Bose that it replaces sound like a tin can. We chose this product after reading other customer reviews (where can you go to actually LISTEN any more?), and couldn't be happier. Key points:
* Design and ergonomics are elegant and efficient - no gee-gaws, unnecessary LEDs, useless knobs, etc.
* No FM drift; you tune it, it locks in, and that's it.
* Set-up was, well, non-existent. Basically, the instructions are: 1) Remove from box, 2) Attach remote speaker and/or supplied FM antenna wire if desired, 3) Plug in, 4) Turn on.