Customer Reviews

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

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

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I bought my iPAL two years ago to take with me when I travel (particularly airplane travel). I can throw this in my suitcase without it taking up very much room, and then, when I am in a hotel room, I have great sounding audio from my iPod or from my MacBook Pro laptop. I researched and tested many other portable units to use with the iPod and this one by far had the best sound. Sure it doesn't fill a concert hall with sound, but it sure sounds better that any of the other portable units I tried. Even though it isn't stereo it's sound is still crisper and more even. With most portable stereo units I tried you really couldn't tell you were getting stereo once you got a few feet away from it anyway. As far as volume, this unit is great for what it is meant for. If you want a lot of volume you should buy one of the Bose or Logitek systems (both much larger and more expensive). For both portability and quality of sound this one gets my vote.

I'm about to return my Tivoli iPAL. I am not a fan. I fell in love with the design but that's not enough reason for me to justify the cost of what is essentially a speaker for my iPod. The radio component (both AM and FM) gets lousy reception. I can't even get one AM station on the dial! FM stations play over eachother if they even come in.

It's too bad because I want to like it. It looks cool in my office, but I cannot sacrifice functionality for aesthetics.

Caveat emptor!