Tivoli Audio Portable Audio Laboratory - Portable radio - white, chrome

by Tivoli Audio

Product Details

• ASIN: B0002GOH6A
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #204,218 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description New electronics that resemble old electronics are all the rage these days. With a case that looks like it belongs in a mad scientist's laboratory, the Tivoli iPal is on the vanguard of retro style. In fact, the "Pal" stands for Portable Audio Laboratory--a cheeky reference to the unit's obvious Geiger counter-inspired design. Fortunately, the iPal does more than just look cool. When paired with an MP3 player such as the iPod or with a laptop, the iPal is a versatile companion that musters much better sound than we expected from a single-speaker unit. Tivoli is known for engineering small components with surprisingly good sound, such as the Henry Kloss Model One radio. The iPal proved to be no exception.

Its compact size makes the iPal an excellent MP3 player companion.

Design
While the iPal is functionally identical to Tivoli's multicolored line of Pal-powered speakers (offered on Amazon.com in Electric Blue, Pearl White, Sunset Red, Basic Black, Neon Yellow and Spring Green), its white and silver casing is designed to complement the iPod MP3 player. At 6.25 inches high and just under 4 inches wide and deep, the 3.5-pound unit is small enough to slip into a backpack, but it's a little hefty for a briefcase.

The iPal's single rotary dial handles tuning for both AM and FM stations. Testers didn't expect to have much to say about something as mundane as a radio tuning dial, but the iPal's is truly unique. The dial is designed to move between stations at a speed that's a bit slower than the speed at which the user turns the knob. We found that this ratio dialing technique makes it far easier to tune stations accurately and quickly. Little touches like this really set Tivoli products apart.

The iPal's radio tuning ratio dial is smooth and accurate.

The tuner band selection and volume dials are easy to control, although their conical shape could make them a little pesky to operate for those with larger hands. A small LED power indicator blinks when the battery is running low. Meanwhile, the iPal's single, 2.5-inch magnetically shielded driver is protected by a handsome metal speaker cover.

The back of the unit sports a telescoping antenna that has the solid, metal construction reminiscent of older transistor radio antennae. A standard 3.5-millimeter headphone jack is provided here, as is a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary line-in port for plugging in your iPod or other music device. A port for AC/DC power and battery charging is also present. All the ports feature handy, attached rubber plugs that keep out the elements when they're not in use.

The base of the iPal houses a rechargeable nickel metal hydride battery pack that, when fully charged, delivered a respectable four hours of listening at moderate volume levels. The iPal's rechargeable batteries give it a leg up on many other portable speaker solutions; gone are the days of hauling around an armada of disposables. Tivoli claims that the battery pack does not suffer from the dreaded memory effects that afflict other types of rechargeable batteries. The batteries are environmentally friendly, too.

Listening Pleasure
At first, we were skeptical about the performance of a small, one-speaker unit that offers only monaural sound. The reality is that most small, portable two-speaker systems don't allow you to place the speakers very far apart anyway, and the iPal's rich, resonant sound more than made up for its lack of true stereo separation. Plus, the iPal is an elegant box with no cumbersome speaker cords to fuss with when you're entertaining on the go.

We plugged the iPal into the kinds of audio devices folks tend to use these days--an iPod, a laptop, and a portable CD player. We came away impressed with the iPal's performance with all three. Highs were crisp and clean while mids and lows were accurate, with a fullness that surprised us. "Could this kind of sound really be coming from this little box?" we asked. When we really pumped up the volume, there was noticeable distortion, but at normal to high volume levels, the iPal excelled. For casual listening, indoors or out, the iPal is a great way to let others hear that iPod library you've been slaving away to build.

We were also pleased by the iPal's tuning accuracy. Tivoli says this is the result of the unit's automatic frequency control (AFC) technology. Whatever witchcraft is behind this tuner, we were impressed. Tivoli adds that the iPal can be used as a component tuner via the headphone-out port--not a bad idea given its quality and accuracy. --Joshua Gunn

Pros

• Small and portable with great rechargeable batteries
• Simple, elegant design
• Great sound

Cons

• One of the more expensive portable speaker solutions
• Cone-shaped tuner and volume dials might be challenging for larger hands

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb External Speaker for the iPod, August 5, 2004

By 

P. Fillion "A Maine music enthusiast" (Freeport, ME USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tivoli Audio Portable Audio Laboratory - Portable radio - white, chrome (Electronics)

I truly believe the iPAL is currently the best option available as a viable portable speaker system for the iPod, or for any mp3 player/discman, for that matter...
The build quality is exceptional, as is true of all Tivoli products, and the elegant "retro" looks of the PAL have been tailored, in this case, to complement all generations
(including the new 4G's) of the iPod.
Connection to the iPod is achieved via an auxiliary input and an included "iPod white" minijack cable that utilizes either the headphone jack or the line out of the iPod dock. (A cleaner, highly attenuated and more dynamic connection can be achieved by purchasing a SiK imp, thereby utilizing the 3G/4G iPod's proprietary dock connector)
The iPAL is powered by an environmentally friendly rechargeable battery that lasts up to 15 hours at modest volume levels.
There is also a superb AM/FM tuner section on board, controlled by a smooth, 5:1 ratio tuning dial that also serves to aesthetically balance the speaker grille.
The iPAL's sound quality is rich, warm and detailed, with convincing instrument timbres. Some elements of the music, especially percussion and acoustic guitars, seem to "bloom" outside the confines of the cabinet, providing a lively soundstage that belies the iPAL's monaural output. The bass response is impressive for a single 2-1/2" speaker, and the unit can achieve sufficient clean volume levels to fill modest spaces with quality sound.
Forget about those "oh-so-cute" inMotion speakers. The iPAL is your best option for serious, near-audiophile sound reproduction in an elegant, portable package that will complement, if not upstage, your iPod while externalizing your digital music collection.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elegant design and satisfying sound, January 13, 2005

By 

Philip Lipton (Ketchum, Idaho United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tivoli Audio Portable Audio Laboratory - Portable radio - white, chrome (Electronics)

After six months of listening to the iPAL, it is as satisfying as the day I bought it. The looks match the iPod. The controls are simple to use. The AM/FM tuner is very good at tuning in stations. The rechargeable battery works well for me. It is very easy to play an iPod or other music source by inserting a cable into the plug in the back.

Several people have commented on the very compact size of the iPAL unit. That is either the good news or the bad news. This is not a boom box or a portable stereo to fill a room with sound. It is a personal listening device. At least that is how I use it. It has a great sound for such a small package and that is why it is so convenient. The speaker is quite the marvel of engineering. Some small speakers can be tiring to listen to after a while. This mono speaker rises above that short coming with a depth of sound and a fullness of tone. It is particularly good at playing human voices clearly and music sounds balanced at modest levels.

My iPAL sees a lot of use in the bedroom. I can plug in my iPod or listen to the local news while I get dressed. The sound carries into the bathroom and as I move around the room, it can be heard clearly in a non critical listening situation. It is handy to slide the power plug out of the back and carry the unit around the house so I have my music while doing other chores.

A word about price. Good things do not come cheap. Tivoli makes quality products. I appreciate the fact that the speaker has not blown out over time and lost its good sound, the switches work smoothly and have not failed and the power supply did not go up in smoke at the first power surge. I first saw and listened to this unit in the Apple store. They thought it was good enough to offer. You will not be sorry if you have the right expectations.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ranks high among the small portable speakers, March 20, 2005

By 

H. P. Ramesh "HPR" (Cupertino, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tivoli Audio Portable Audio Laboratory - Portable radio - white, chrome (Electronics)

I have been using iPAL eversince I got my first iPod in Jun 2004. Haven't faced any issues and have been quite happy. Four stars because I expected much more volume.

The strongest points of iPAL are:

+ miniature, compact, and portable design
+ rechargable battery that lasts for more than 10 hours
+ AM/FM tuner with very clear reception
+ simple interface and ease of use
+ clear, crisp sound - especially if used in a small room
+ reliable

Not so good points:

- Not suited for a big room
- Not suited for very high volumes
- Not suited for outdoor
- Pricey (AM/FM lovers may not say that) - you get better sounding JBL speakers for $99

Features:

Back Side:
> miniplug port for audio input
> headphone output
> port for connecting the charger (included)
> FM antenna (can be hidden or stretched)
Front Side:
> Off/AM/FM switch - for AM/FM to be active, there should be nothing inserted into the audio input port
> tuner knob
> volume control
> LED indicator that glows green when iPAL is on and blinks when the battery is low

I have been watching all the iPod speakers but haven't found a compact speaker that competes with the sleek design of iPAL.

During the initial days, iPAL was my primary speaker for iPod. Later I got a home theatre system for the living room and shifted iPAL into the bedroom to play morning tunes.