Sound quality

[USER1999]

Looking to replace a Bose sound dock for something with a built in DAB. Mrs wants it in the kitchen, so the Bose can go into the lounge.
Don't want to spend silly money, but it needs to sound ok (similar to Bose).
Drop into John Lewis, where they have a variety of stuff, from £100 to about £700 (silly money). Staff know zip, really apart from recommending one m/c in a wooden case. It might be great, but I have a b/w kitchen.
No ipods / cds around to demonstrate anything.

Drop into Sony shop, where they have something around £130. Put in a cd. It sounds crap. Terrible. Ok, it's Phil Collins, so it is never going to be great, but heck, tinny isn't the word.

Drop into Comet / Currys. No ipods, no cds, no way of demonstrating anything. Idiot I ask for help can barely read the labels, and clearly knows nothing.

Amazon? I look at the reviews for the Sony I demo'ed. People love it, and say it sounds great. It flippin doesn't, so now I can't trust any reviews on other items.

Why is it so hard to buy something which sounds ok?

More to the point, why don't Bose make one? If Bose did make one, why can't it be a sensible price? (it would be £600+)

Denon do a nice DAB, but no ipod dock. Why not?

What is the point of any of the manufacturers putting stuff out there which sounds so bad? It can't be that hard to make something reasonable, it isn't like I'm a hifi buff or something.

Annoyed of Watford.

 

[fundy]

For the price the sound I think the sound quality on this is excellent

http://www.robertsradio.co.uk/Products/DAB_radios/SOUND_53/index.htm

 

[viscount17]

haven't been there for ages but richersounds used to get good reviews - and there's one in watford.

 

[USER1999]

For the price the sound I think the sound quality on this is excellent

http://www.robertsradio.co.uk/Products/DAB_radios/SOUND_53/index.htm

What hifi gives that one 4 stars. It might come to that one yet.

Saw it in JL, but didn't want to commit to it if I hadn't heard it. Not at that money anyway.

 

[haplesshacker]

As you might recall Murph. I was looking for an ipod / iphone speaker dock a couple of months ago. Didn't really want to pay over a ton for it. You suggested the Bose Sounddock, and I duly went into Best Buys to try them out.

Sound was pretty good, price wasn't!

So I tried everything in my price range, and even a little above as one does. Without exception, they all sounded awful. To this day, I've still not bought anything.

I can't stand tinny, washed out music, though the wife can't tell the difference between my Marantz / Missions combo and the bedside alarm clock radio! She says it must be my hearing that's wrong. Ehh!!!

Though I will always take some of my own music along if testing out any speakers, docks, etc.

 

[USER1999]

I now have my ipod in the car, ready to go out testing again on Wednesday.

I bought a Panasonic unit last year, which is not far off the Bose in terms of sound quality, but the latest stuff from them is no where near. Wish I had bought two last year.

 

[DelB]

I've not long bought a 'Kitsound Boomdock'. Doesn't have DAB, I'm afraid, but it has FM and AM and sounds awesome as a result of it's built-in down-firing subwoofer. 'What Hi-Fi' magazine gave it five stars last month.

 

[medwayjon]

Bang & Olufsen?

 

[The_LHC]

Bang & Olufsen?

He said he didn't want to spend silly money.

Murph, if you've already been to the WHF website try asking the question in their forum, the staff are always there and will help you out.

Just don't tell them I sent you...

 

[medwayjon]

How about TEAC?

A pal of mine has a futuristic looking thing in his office, not sure if it has DAB or not but worth a look as great sound.

 

[The_LHC]

It will largely depend on how much you're willing to spend, which is stating the blindingly obvious I know...

 

[USER1999]

Went to Comet (I know) with my ipod. Had two test tracks, AC/DC Hells Bells and Mozart requiem Lacrimosa. Fair spread I thought.
Played these on every thing in sight. Could almost convince myself that some m/c sounded ok. Then put it on the Bose as a comparison. Ummmm, no.
To be fair to Comet, they left me alone to do what ever I wanted. No spotty teenagers looking for a sale. One guy walked past, asked if I was ok, and when I said yep, just left me alone.

Probably the best was the Roberts 43, but it was too quiet (hard to tell in a warehouse I accept), and they didn't have the 53, as recommended above.

So, I have taken a punt on the Roberts 53. £214 off Amazon. More than I wanted to spend, but heck, the rest are junk. Can't believe any one parts with the cash for some of the stuff. Some of the Sony was so tinny and empty, even at the £250 level. Sony used to make good stuff.

If I don't like it, I can always send it back. And buy the Mrs something else. Soap, or moisturiser, or a new ironing board. Can you get them in black?

 

[bigslice]

Looking to replace a Bose sound dock for something with a built in DAB. Mrs wants it in the kitchen, so the Bose can go into the lounge.
Don't want to spend silly money, but it needs to sound ok (similar to Bose).
Drop into John Lewis, where they have a variety of stuff, from £100 to about £700 (silly money). Staff know zip, really apart from recommending one m/c in a wooden case. It might be great, but I have a b/w kitchen.
No ipods / cds around to demonstrate anything.

Drop into Sony shop, where they have something around £130. Put in a cd. It sounds crap. Terrible. Ok, it's Phil Collins, so it is never going to be great, but heck, tinny isn't the word.

Drop into Comet / Currys. No ipods, no cds, no way of demonstrating anything. Idiot I ask for help can barely read the labels, and clearly knows nothing.

Amazon? I look at the reviews for the Sony I demo'ed. People love it, and say it sounds great. It flippin doesn't, so now I can't trust any reviews on other items.

Why is it so hard to buy something which sounds ok?

More to the point, why don't Bose make one? If Bose did make one, why can't it be a sensible price? (it would be £600+)

Denon do a nice DAB, but no ipod dock. Why not?

What is the point of any of the manufacturers putting stuff out there which sounds so bad? It can't be that hard to make something reasonable, it isn't like I'm a hifi buff or something.

Annoyed of Watford.

thought bose do one with a dab adapter.