Tivoli Audio Model 10 Clock Table Radio

• Clock Table Radio

Major audio flaw: chk-chk-chk noise (bursts of high frequency noise at approx. 1 second intervals) when in FM mode. Volume of bursts is constant, regardless of the unit's volume setting. Very distracting when radio set at volume level 15 or lower. Tivoli customer support told me that this noise is "normal" but claimed that it should only be audible from very close to the unit. In my experience "very close" would be anywhere within 7 feet of this bedside unit. That said, the high frequencies can be muffled successfully with a pillow.

Minor audio flaw: significant base level hum/noise, regardless of audio input (FM, AM, Aux). Not particularly distracting, but surprising given that none of our other home audio equipment (not even the 40-year old, slightly melted, flea market Heathkit radio in the kitchen) makes noise like this.

Other than the above (and the "gurk" noise it makes when it shuts off, which is really just an aesthetic issue...), I don't have any real complaints about the audio quality. It's completely satisfactory for any non-quiet room like the kitchen or garage.

Major design flaw for bedroom use: the display backlight is very bright. It's adjustable, but even at its lowest setting it is still bright enough to compromise sleeping. The lowest setting is brighter than the brightest setting on the Sony Dream Machine this unit was supposed to replace. The backlight can be turned off entirely, but then the clock is difficult to read in a well-lit room and impossible to read in the dark.

I would mention that setting/adjusting the alarm is a tedious process and requires use of the remote control, but the moral of this story is that the Model 10 is unfit for the bedroom.

It's a shame, really, as it is a handsome unit by itself. But it looks sad on the nightstand with its display dark, sitting next to that second clock you'll need.

I would return this thing to Tivoli in a heartbeat.

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I already have a Tivoli Model One for my kitchen, and while expensive, I appreciate its aesthetic and sound quality. Viewing the pictures of the Model 10 online, I thought it would be a handsome addition to the bedroom but ended up returning it. Indeed, the Model 10 is very good looking in person and the cabinet finish appears top-notch. However, while operating in FM mode, it makes an soft, but distinct intermittent beeping noise. I raised my concern to Tivoli customer service, who informed me (as reflected in other reviews I have read) that this is an inherent characteristic of the radio and related to the processing of the RMS signal, which allows the radio to display information on the song that is currently playing. This feature cannot be turned off nor modified. I found this to be completely unacceptable in a $200 clock radio, most of whose listeners are likely within a short distance of the speaker. I really wanted to love this radio, but just could not live with this noise. Frankly, I am disappointed in the carelessness displayed in the design engineering of this product.

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If you want to decorate your house this one is the model to choose. If you want to listen to music I'd recommend to pick something else. If you want quality that matches the price don't look this way. I've had two of these and the both were pretty much boxes of failure. One of them made constantly annoying low humming and it's clock was faulty. The other kept beeping when ever there was high pitch noises in music and the antenna was very loosely attached to the casing. Not the quality you expect to get with price tag these have.

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My criteria for purchase was;

1) small footprint

2) excellent sound

3) ease of use

4) Aux input

On 3 of these criteria, this unit is 5 stars. It is in the area of of using this as an alarm clock that this unit receives 1 star. If you are considering to purchase this as a radio, with Aux input, clock function, lineout (headphone) and sub out, and not planning to use as an alarm clock, this unit receives 5 stars.

Sound: Excellent warm & clear sound in a bedroom 16' x 18'

Footprint: A small footprint on the night stand & looks fantastic in the natural cherry!

Aux input: You can purchase an optional Ipod dock or simply use the built in AUX input. Sounds excellent with my Itouch & Iphone

"Ease of Use" is the one area lacking in this unit and should be a minus 2 stars!

It comes with a small remote & all programming & setting of the 2 alarms must be done with the remote. I will say you can figure out how to use the unit with the remote without reading any instructions (as long as you have light). The remote is not backlit, therefore not easy to use in a dimly lit bedroom, so you need to turn on a light to do anything. In addition, the remote is so small it is easy to misplace or lose in the bed.

This product is labeled as a clock radio and all controls should at least be accessible on the clock radio itself not only on the small remote, which has small print (get out your glasses and turn on the lights in the room). It appears Tivoli engineers & marketing went for style over function. In addition, to set the alarm time, you must turn on the radio....did you just read what I wrote? So, the engineers at Tivoli require you to have the radio on to set the alarm time, so if your partner falls asleep before you and they depend on you to set the alarm, you mut turn on the radio (which will wake them up). This is a very poor design feature for anyone considering this to be their bedroom alarm clock.

The display is quite bright but there are 2 sliding scale settings (accessed via the remote) to darken the display. The snooze button on the top of the unit is well designed and easy to use. The alarm has settings for weekdays & weekends & there is a battery back-up. For the money, and after research of other units, this is an okay purchase, once you understand the limitations and design flaws as a primary bedroom alarm clock. My other choice was the Acoustic Research Solo. So, you may want to consider that unit.

Here is an additional undocumented feature for those considering this as a bedroom alarm clock:...if you are using the Aux input on the unit to play music from Pandora or a Itunes Playlist (from an Ipod/Itouch/Iphone, etc....) before going to slee, and you fall asleep with the Tivoli unit playing music via the Aux input, and the alarm on the Tivoli clock radio is set to come on in the morning to a radio station, the alarm will not come on. This seems to be an undocumented feature from Tivoli and you only find this out when your alarm fails to wake you after you have fallen asleep listening to a nice playlist one nite and only wake up to your friends/family/work calling your cell phone wondering where you are at. Minus 3 stars for this undocumented feature Tivoli!

Tivoli makes so many other excellent devices which play music in this size and marketing category for use in a den, kitchen, office or even bedroom. One would have thought if they were adding two alarms and a clock to this device they would have segmented this unit for those of us looking for an excellent sounding, asthetically pleasing Alarm Clock Radio and engineered it better than they have done here with this unit. Perhaps, the Model 10.5, so, you might want to wait and see if Tivoli will make any improvements? Good luck with your search if you are looking for an Alarm Clock Radio....

I've had a Model 10 for about three months and I wanted to like it.

Yes, even in the lowest setting, the light is too bright for comfort.

Yes, controls are cumbersome and counter intuitive.

On top of that, the electronic clock of my Model 10 is fast to the tune of SIX (6) minutes a month.

This shouldn't happen with such an expensive radio.