I bought this as a gift for my husband. HE LOVES IT!!!!!! It was as if I gave him the fastest, most desirable car available. He even surprised me that he loved it so much.
Of course, because of the cost, I wanted him to look it over and hear it before I plunked down all that money. So I took him for his surprise, and he hasn't stopped listening to it since we brought it home. The sound is so full, it has a wonderful bass and such a pure clear sound 360 degrees around, so it doesn't matter where you stand in relation to where the speaker sits. Yes, it works even past the 150 foot range it states, works through walls, and even around corners. We tested it, we have a very large property.
The built in carry handle is perfect to bring this in from back yard to front yard to enjoy your music almost as if you were in person at the concert. ALL WIRELESS TO THE REMOTE, we choose to plug in the speaker, rather than use batteries. The extra bass booster, (included with just a press of a button) really increases the enjoyment of this unit. We have it hooked up to our Pioneer system using the multi magazine cd holder that randomly plays 12-21 songs on 6 cd's. Randomly listening to our favorites now, and the oldies we never tire of, just can't get any better, especially for outdoor listening, and the music sounds just so wonderful.
Forget about tin sounding radios, or having to wear headsets to hear the words and music clearly. It is weather resistant, we were told we could leave it out in the rain, but we choose not to do that and just pick it up when not in use. Same as if you were bringing in a drink from outside, why leave it out. We do leave it on the front porch, or the lanai (back porch) when not using. This is definitely the one to choose for outside listening.
I highly recommend this unit. It is lightweight, stylish with a smooth white sleek finish, and a joy to have around. Great for parties, around the pool, or just relaxing in the hammock. I haven't tried the battery option, we didn't have a need to do so, so I can't evaluate that part. My guess is, the battery might be costly to use, not sure if you can use re-chargeables, I didn't read that anywhere, so I don't know. You have 60 days via Brookstone store to return it, as long as you have all the original packing etc (per their receipt). That gives you plenty of time to evaluate it for yourself. I bet you won't even think of returning it.
I would RUN - not walk- to the nearest BROOKSTONE store, they have a $15.00 coupon in effect right now until July 31. Just to clear the air, I am not an employee of any store, nor a representative of this product. It is just for once I found a product I can HIGHLY recommend to others.
ENJOY!!!!!