My friends dad wants one of those BOSE clock radios...Is there something better?????? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Guidry]

What is a good mini system that can be used a clock radio for 500 or less. He wants one of the bose ones but he doesnt know better. Are they all about the same or is there one that is better than the rest? Any input would great!

Thanks
Mark

 

[Jed M]

Cambridge Soundworks makes a clone of the Bose for cheaper and it has been said that it sounds better or at least equal.

 

[Mike Veroukis]

I've seen that Bose "clock" radio and it is but UGLY!!! It looks like a cheapo digital clock radio you'd get from Wolco back in the 80s. I can't believe people would pay big bucks for something like that.

Hopefully no one here owns one, otherwise sorry if I offended....

All these companies make mini systems worth checking out:
JVC, Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo and of course Nakamichi. Even Sharp has a nice one out I'd take over the Bose. There are many alternatives if you want something other then that ugly Bose.

- Mike

 

[Saurav]

Kloss makes a clock radio that's supposed to be pretty good too.

 

[Mike Knapp]

Actually the Bose "wave" radio sound very good for what it is. Whether it is worth the money is another topic.

Mike

 

[Paul Pan]

Check out the Nakamichi Soundspace 3 - pretty full featured with dual units each with clock display for each side of the bed + sub:
http://www.nakamichi.com/soundspace/SS3/SS3.HTM

 

[KeithH]

Buy anything, but don't buy Bose.

 

[Camp]

If you want a $500 radio the Bose is very good. I agree with Mike though, it may not be worth that much.

 

[Victor.W]

i, too, am looking for a clock radio, any other suggestions?



Vic

 

[matthew_rm]

Well micro systems look way cooler, (smaller then minisystems) and allways have a retro look to them. JVC and Onkyo, Yamaha. They all look cool, and will piss all over the bose!

 

[Yee-Ming]

Marantz also have a new micro (maybe mini?) system that looks really good, and given their reputation for music, if any of that translates over into the micro/mini, it should be worth checking out.

 

[Ken Garrison]

Bose is WAY overpriced. Kinda stupid. I prefer having speakers all over the living room and complicated stuff than having that one unit that's the size of a suit case. Also, that one unit Bose sells that offers a DVD player, 2 speakers, and a sub is just plain dumb. No way you can get 5.1 like audio from just 2 speakers. You gotta have a sweet spot for that. And know what? You can get a very decent REAL 5.1 surround system a lot cheaper than that POS. If I go shopping for a theater in a box system, I'm gonna try to go for Sony.

 

[Phil Mays]

After hearing the bose clock/radio, and knowing the price, I would rather tape a timex to a yorx clock.

Sorry, I'm being too brutal
I simply cannot get over the price for sound issue.
Onkyo, jvc, etc, etc, all have a system that I think would sound better AND they all look a lot better.
Phil

 

[Philip Hamm]

Ken Garrison, is your post on topic? Did you even read the thread?
I've heard that the Cambridge unit is very nice for a fraction of the price, that's what I'd recommend. The Bose Wave Radio is a nice $200 clock radio that they charge $500 for.

 

[John_Bilbrey]

I am by no means a BOSE fan, but....My folks have one in their kitchen. It sounds good for it's size, although I'll second the above-mentioned fact about the price issue....Plus, it sits on the counter and takes up less space than a loaf of bread.

 

[Bill_D]

I have had the Bose Wave clock/radio for several years now
next to my bed and it sounds wonderful.

....when did they increase the price to $500? I think
I paid a couple hundred and definitely less than $250.

I also heard a unit by Henry Kloss that sounds pretty
good but I don't remember the price or if it can used
as a clock/radio.

 

[Michael Marklund]

Don't know if it's still available, but I bought a JBL clock radio w/ single slide-out cd. Have had it for about 2 years now. Cost about $350.00. Sounds great and looks 1000x better than Bose.
MM

 

[JerryW]

The Wave radio sounds great for a little sucker and if it were

 

[Clay Autery]

My wife bought a Wave w/ CD player... Yeah, I'm not much of a Bose fan either and it was over-priced... But she likes it, and if that buys me some room to get MY toys... so be it.
BTW, it does sound pretty darned good for its size. We have it hooked up to our bedroom Sony 27" Tv to avoid using the rattling Sony onboard "speakers", and it is a definite improvement... Not HT by ANY stretch, but good enough for broadcast TV in the bedroom...
The thing I like about it the best is that the alarms can be independently programmed to wake you with radio or a CD track. You can set the max alarm level to suit you. AND when the alarm "gose off", it is not at "instant heart attack" levels. It starts out at zero and incrementally increases up to the max level you set depending on how long you allow it to run. My wife and I have gotten to the point now that we are awake, up and turning it off before it is barely audible... Weird that it works that way, as with our old unit, I could sleep through max volume forever.
It's the best alarm clock I have ever seen...

 

[Jerry St.Marie]

Just take a look at the model 88CD table radio by John Kloss sold by Cambridge Soundworks at hifi.com. To me it sounds better than the Bose and it's cheaper at $350.00. A remote control is included and it will also play a CD or they have a cheaper model without the CD player. I think it also looks a lot better.