XtremeMac IPD-LUN-00 Luna Alarm Clock Audio System with iPod Dock (Black/Silver)

• Outstanding audio from two full-range speakers and powerful two-channel amplifier
• Two alarms with independent source and volume controls; gradually increasing and decreasing volume options for wake and sleep
• AM/FM stereo with 4 programmable presets
• AUX-IN for connecting other audio devices, including iPod shuffle
• Compatibility: iPod nano (1G and 2G), iPod mini, 4G iPod with click wheel, iPod Color, iPod Video

The FM radio reception has been this device's Achilles heel and has been well-documented in reviews and complaints. The company recently fixed this with the release of their newer builds (unfortunately, you cannot upgrade firmware on the original Luna's). The new ones are firmware 2.12U (original are v2.02). . The only problem is, xtrememac didnt change the packaging up on the new ones and only way to tell is to plug it in and see what firmware it displays on-screen. I dont know if Amazon is selling the old one with terrible FM reception or the fixed versions with 2.12U. Anyone who would be kind of enough to post this info, it would be greatly appreciated. I will buy one but only if the fixed models. I like my FM reception clear.

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Amazon is now shipping the updated 2.12U version of the Luna with the improved radio reception. The improved reception is so-so at best. If radio reception is important to you, I would buy something else. The alarm clock has 4 chrome buttons on top. Each one acts a bit like the click wheel on the ipod. You press it down to access a menu, and then spin the dial. To give you an idea how simple it is to use, the radio doesn't even come with a manual. It comes with a paper overlay that you put over the top of the radio telling you what the buttons do. After a couple of days it is very intuitive.

The display is very good. You can adjust both the brightness and contrast. You can spin the front-right button to adjust the brightness from completely dark to very bright. The display shows the date, the current time, and what time the alarms are set for. To turn one of the two alarms on/off, you press the back button for that alarm. When the alarm goes off in the morning it gradually increases the volume to whatever level you set using the configuration menu. The wake volume is set separately from your listening volume. This means you can go to sleep listening quietly and wake to a radio that gets gradually louder and LOUDER. Nice!

But how does it sound, you ask? It sounds fantastic for such a small unit. Much better then the iHome; I have both. Even at the lowest volume setting there is no hiss or amplifier noise making it good choice for near field listening.

The Luna takes up just the right amount of space on the nightstand. The only thing missing to make it perfect would be better radio reception. This is easily the best ipod alarm clock radio on the market. It looks beautiful and is easy to use.

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My wife and I had been looking for something that would allow us to listen to the ipod in our bedroom. The ideal choice was to replace our alarm clock. After much research I decided on the Xtrememac Luna. Several reviews of this system stated poor or average AM/FM reception. That is something I'll probably never find out as I have never listened to AM/FM on any alarm clock radio I have ever owned.

With that said let me get to my preliminary observations. Out of the box the unit is very sleek looking with its rounded corners and its four knobs/controls on the top of the unit. Whether or not there is suppose to be any manual mine did not come with one. But, there is a placard (to be removed) that gives a brief description of functions for each of the four buttons. After powering the unit up I found it to be very easy to navigate all menus and to set the clock, alarms, etc. Now on to a few of the features I like. First, I like having the day, date, time, and alarm time displayed at the same time, though I believe you can customized this to your liking. You can alternate the contrast and brightness of the display and also switch it from dark background with lighted numbers to light background with dark numbers. With the lights out in the room I found the screen to be a little to bright, but with a quick spin of the front right knob you can instantly adjust the brightness. To me one of the cooler features is the alarm settings. You can set it to beep, buzz, ring, or play the ipod or radio. The alarm feature I have come to love is you can set it to gradually get louder over a given period of time. As far as audio quality I am very pleased. It has, to me, the best sound of all the clock radio/ipod players I've tried. A feature I didn't think I'd use but have begun to enjoy is the remote. I keep mine in the bathroom so in the mornings I can switch songs according to what mood I'm in. One negative on the remote is (maybe I'm blind) I don't see a volume control button on the crazy thing.

Anyway, if your looking for an excellent alarm clock/ipod player I would recommend you give this one a try.

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Based on the good reviews I purchased a Luna clock radio with my new 160GB iPod Classic. My first impressions were good. The Luna is nicely designed, with a large bright clock display, and very easy-to-use menu system for setting the alarms, and controlling the iPod.

Unfortunately, even with the latest 2.12U Luna firmware, and the latest iPod Classic firmware, the Luna is unable to wake the iPod Classic from deep sleep (overnight) to play the alarm. (It had no problem with my older 5G 60GB iPod.) A call and an email to XtremeMac tech support were unable to resolve the issue, only noting that my problem had been forwarded to their technical team.

In the end, I returned the Luna, and took a gamble on the brand new Sony ICF-C1iP iPod clock radio. What a difference! The Sony works perfectly with my iPod Classic, and even includes instructions for using it with the iPhone. Sound from the Sony is much better quality than the Luna, with full bass and even midtones. And the radio reception is no comparison even with the 2.12U firmware, the Luna's radio is pretty poor.

As a nice touch, Sony includes a remote that completely controls the iPod menus as if you were using the click wheel. And, the Sony unit sits behind and supports the iPod with an adjustable rest, which in my opinion is a much better design. And, the Sony is $20 cheaper.

As an iPod alarm clock, the Luna is great. The only thing missing is the ability to wake to a certain playlist, though I don't know of ANY iPod alarm clock that has that capability.

Pros:

-Adjustable dimmer from completely black to blinding.

-Inverted white-on-black display is easier on the eyes

-Design is top notch

-Scroll wheels offer a good way to navigate the menu system

-Presets for radio stations

-Two completely separate alarms with customizable alarm sources (iPod, Radio, Buzzer)

-Audio fade in/out for alarms/sleep.

Cons:

-FM antenna is weak (I attached mine backwards with the loop around the pin just to get it to sound decent).

-Scroll wheels are sometimes slow to respond/not-precise

-Minimum audio level for alarm is 5, which can be a bit loud for the iPod.

Overall, I am very happy with this iPod alarm clock. After researching all the options at the time (Dec. 2006), it had the best design, best feature set, and best fit for my expectations for the money.