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Tivoli Audio The SongBook incorporates a highly sensitive digital AM/FM tuner for clear and precise reception, as well as an adjustable, telescoping FM antenna and built-in AM antenna. Stations may be tuned manually or via five favorite station preset buttons; and for travelers who may not know what local stations are available, the radio also features a 'seek' function to automatically search for signals in any country around the world. lts weather-resistant cabinet is perfect for outdoor use.

Review:
Tivoli Audio has made waves in the audio field with the retro look of models such as the Model 0ne Henry Kloss Table Radio and the iPod-inspired iPAL Portable Audio Laboratory AM/FM Radio. The SongBook AM/FM Radio breaks that mold slightly, opting for a simple, yet fun, look and feel. And like all Tivoli Audio products, the SongBook deserves accolades for the surprisingly rich sound it is able to produce despite its compact size.

The Tivoli Design
The first thing that called our attention was the SongBook's brilliant color and unique texture. This is a radio clearly designed to make you feel happy by just looking at it and holding it. With the options of several, bright elementary colors (Black, Blue, Red, Silver, White, Green, Yellow) that make you want to reach for your crayons, the SongBook truly makes a statement. lt's a radio that you'll definitely want to take to the beach, and it's a radio that makes you long for summer days all year around.

But Tivoli Audio knows that good design involves far more than color. The radio is coated with a unique, rubberized texture, and the dials and displays are all sealed so that a sudden rain shower or a little sand won't interfere with performance. We're not suggesting that you surf the waves with your SongBook, or bury it in the walls of your sand castle, but a little of Mother Nature here and there won't bother this baby.

Weighing in at three-and-a-half pounds, and with dimensions slightly smaller than that of a hardcover book, the SongBook is designed with portability in mind. The minimalist front-face design -- a round, metal mesh covering the (surprisingly robust) 2.5-inch driver, and several rubberized button and knobs are the only elements in view -- harkens back to early portable radio designs. Five presets, two tuning buttons, a rotary volume control, a function knob (0FF/AM/FM/AUX), and buttons for the alarm, sleep, time set, and back light functions are all clearly and conveniently laid out. The radio's LCD (with an on-demand blue back light) sits directly above the speaker. Meanwhile, three standard 3.5-millimeter inputs are set on the radio's side -- an auxiliary line-in port for plugging in your iPod or other music device, a port for AC/DC power, and a headphone input. All the ports feature strong, attached rubber plugs that keep out the elements when they're not in use. A rear keyhole cut-out for wall hanging is set into the back, and a single telescopic metal antenna is set into its own groove on top of the radio.

Because the SongBook is designed for the elements, the battery compartment is tightly sealed and requires a coin or screwdriver to open. 0nce opened, you can easily access the two switches (alkaline/rechargeable and 9k/10k) that offer options for the battery source. You can also choose U.S. or international AM reception here. The only design element missing is a handle, but Tivoli offers an optional, color coordinated SongBook Carry Bag to make up for that.

Giving it a Listen
As with other Tivoli products we've reviewed, the sound of the SongBook is remarkably strong for such a small unit. Granted, you don't get stereo sound, but competing designs that offer stereo speakers in a small package don't offer that much stereo separation anyway. Reception came in loud and clear on all the area AM and FM stations, with both AC and DC power. The only glitch, which we were able to repeat in two separate locations, was occasional outside interference that broke up broadcasts with a brief screech. All in all, though, we were happy with the sound of every genre of music we listened to, as well as talk radio. The auxiliary input was great, too, for listening to MP3s from a portable music source.

ln addition to good sound quality, we found the presets, time set, alarm, and tuning/search functions impeccable. Everything was so intuitive that we barely needed to consult the manual. Another bonus we liked: The SongBook comes with a handy internal recharger, so you have the option of using rechargeable batteries without the inconvenience of having to carry around a separate recharger.

Tivoli clearly decided early on not to reinvent the wheel with respect to portable radios. lnstead, they put their energies into making an easy-to-use, rugged, yet playful, radio. Audiophiles, beach-goers, and general radio listeners of the world should unite in praise.

Pros

• Rugged yet playful and colorful design
• Simple, intuitive functionality

Cons

• lt's a radio with the price-tag of a much more advanced device
• Lack of a handle somewhat limits its portability

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Some more accessories for this product for you:

• Rayovac NM715-8 Rechargeable NiMH AA Batteries, 8-Count Package

Piece Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

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Buyer's feedback: - * Excellent Tone ...
Tivoli Audio SongBook AM / FM Alarm Clock Travel Radio, Blue

This is a radio to love. It looks just sounds, looks and feels great. Around the house or anywhere outside (yard, camping, boating) it's a trusty, exceptionally well-designed companion. The AUX input is a real plus for amplifying a laptop or iPod. And the stereo headphone jack and built-in recharging circuit are welcome features. If you will be outside with it, I recommend a darker color (not white) as the rubberized coating picks up dirt.

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Buyer's feedback: - good, with two exceptions
this is a beautiful radio with great sound. it's a simple and lovely object. however, there are two big issues in my mind: there's no snooze (an alarm clock with no snooze??) and the backlight on the time/station dial is not permanently on as you would assume from the pictures (there's a button to press so that the backlight goes on for 10 seconds, but there's no way to keep it on, so if you wake up in the middle of the night and want to know what time it is, you're out of luck). one other smaller issue is that the ac adaptor plug could be designed better so that it doesn't stick straight out of the side (a flat input plug would be more streamlined--this is a small thing that i noticed only because the rest of the product is so beautifully designed). in the end i decided to use my songbook in the living room, not as a bedroom alarm clock as i'd planned, because of these issues. still, it seems like a great product and i would buy tivoli in the future.

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Buyer's feedback: - * GREAT RADIO BUT BAD SELLER ...
I ORDERED A BLACK RADIO,BUT THE SELLER CHEATED ME AND IS SENDING A BLUE ONE INSTEAD...IM SUPPOSSE TO SHIP IT TO MY BROTHER IN FRANCE,HE IS GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED !

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Buyer's feedback: - A great AM radio
I listen to AM talk shows. This radio is wonderful. It is better than the CC Crane radio I bought to listed to AM radio. The FM is nice too; but AM is the hard one for a radio to receive clearly.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Beautiful music from a great radio ...
After years of good sound from a portable GE radio, it was time to upgrade. We own several Tivoli products, including 2 satellite models, 2 additional speakers, and a CD model. They've been reliable with excellent sound. Also, when we've needed to contact customer service, they've been extremely helpful and understanding. So, we made the decision to purchase the Tivoli Audio Songbook (blue) to replace the old GE radio.

Wow ... what a difference. The radio was easy to set up and use, right out of the box. Instructions are well written and complete. We decided to hang it on the wall, although it stands quite nicely on its own rubber feet. The buttons are very responsive with a light touch or turn. FM is often difficult to reach within the apartment; however, with the Tivoli Songbook, the stations come in very clear with minimal distortion, if any. Since the radio is digital, you can save 5 FM and 5 AM stations and then jump between them simply by choosing the appropriate button on the front panel. The sound (whether music or talk on FM) is fantastic ... rich, sharp, and simply gorgeous. The clock is accurate and very easy to see, even when the radio is turned on. There is a blue, background light for the display, which is activated by pressing a button, and stays on for about 20 secs. Currently, we're using alkaline batteries; however, switching to rechargable batteries seems more efficient, especially since the radio takes 6 AA batteries to operate.

Yes, it's a relatively expensive portable radio. But for what you get (i.e., attractive radio with great sound and ease of use), it's definitely worth the expense. Tivoli Audio lives up to our expectations, once again.