Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I say medium because this thing is a little bit bigger than some iPod docking stations I've seen, but it has so much to offer. Great sound quality as far as my ears can tell once you turn DBB on. Comes with a radio which is a bonus for me because I wasn't really looking for one with a radio, but I have used it, and the quality is great and I pick up every station I pick up in my car. Also allows you to have up to six preset stations which is nice if you do use the radio a lot.
It works great with my iPod (80GB Classic), and I'm sure it works fine with any other iPod. One of the things I like is that if you turn the player off, for whatever reason, the next time you turn it on, it takes about 1-2 seconds to load up and starts up exactly where you left off. Heck, it takes me longer to resume my song with the iPod manually than it takes this thing to resume. Also, the buttons on the stereo work great with iPod. Very easy to navigate the menu's with it, though if you have alot of songs it might take a while to get from A to Z, though you can still use your wheel if you need to get that far. Also has buttons that you can use to turn shuffle on/off, as well as turning repeat on/off for the current song, or the current playlist.
Let's see...the volume on this thing can actually get very loud too. I keep it on about 10 when I'm listening to it, and if I put it on 15-20 I can hear it fine in another room...and it goes all the way up to 32, which I haven't even tried yet. I can't imagine how loud it would be. It also has DBB which, to be honest, without it the audio is terrible, but turn it on and it's like a miracle, though it's like that with any stereo with DBB really. Comes with different covers for the dock so you can use it with a Nano, Classic, Touch, or other popular iPod's. Also comes with an auxiliary cable so you can plug in another MP3 player if you don't have an iPod.
Now, one of my favorite features...a USB port. Simply plug in any USB flash drive with music on it and listen away. I have used four different USB flash drives on it so far, one 1GB drive, two 4GB drives, and an 8GB drive. All of them work seamlessly and takes less than a second to load up and play...even if it is filled up with songs. Had 5GB's+ of music on my 8GB drive, and all I did was change the source to USB and the player started playing in less than a second...it's that fast. Using USB also has the ability to turn shuffle on/off, or turn repeat on/off, again for the current playlist (which in this case would be every song on the drive) or for the song currently playing. The auxiliary option obviously doesn't provide these options as you're simply transferring the audio to play out of the speakers, but you can still turn repeat/shuffle on via your device.
All in all, this is a great stereo, with great features. Sound is perfect and loud, and also create's a nice home for my iPod to keep it when I'm not using it, and charge it at the same time. And it's nice to have because before I was having to plug my iPod into my PC and listen to music off my iPod through my computer (using SharePod), and it was getting kind of annoying, so this thing is great for me. Also accepts C batteries so you can carry it with you and listen to your tunes with ease wherever you go. Would make a great portable player if you want to go outside by the pool, go to the park, or something similar...even has a nice handle.
It's true, what the other reviewer said, the plastic probably isn't the best in the world, but as long as you aren't throwing it off balconies it really shouldn't break. Really, I think any stereo that you drop is probably going to be a bad thing...not just this one. And I've actually knocked it over twice now, with my iPod inside, and it kept playing and wasn't damaged at all...and it kept the cover closed with my iPod secured inside, so I'm glad about that.
Also plan on taking some pictures and adding them later so check for those.
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Philips DC185 Sound Machine with iPod Dock (Black)Enjoy your favorite music no matter where you're headed with the Philips DC185. With two channels of 2W sound, USB direct support, and a universal iPod dock, it's sure to liven up your party or picnic. Take it with you or just take in the sound at home.
Play and Charge Your iPod The DC185 features a universal iPod dock for playing and charging your iPod. Your iPod keeps charging even as it plays, so when it's time to grab it and go, it'll be ready.
USB Direct for MP3/WMA Music Playback With the USB Direct mode, you can simply insert a USB device with your favorite WMA or MP3 files and enjoy hours of music.
Take it Anywhere While you're at home, use the DC185's AC adapter. On the go, just pop in six C batteries (not included) and head out the door.
Digital FM Radio When you need to tune into the news or a favorite radio show, just switch to the DC185's FM radio. Add your favorite stations to the 20 presets for quick access.
Auxiliary Input The DC185 also features a 3.5-mm auxiliary input for connecting external devices like MP3 players.
Dynamic Bass Boost for Deep and Dramatic Sound Dynamic Bass Boost maximizes your music enjoyment by emphasizing the bass content of the music throughout the range of volume settings--from low to high--at the touch of a button. Bottom-end bass frequencies usually get lost when the volume is set at a low level. To counteract this, Dynamic Bass Boost can be switched on to boost bass levels, so you can enjoy consistent sound even when you turn down the volume.
What's in the Box Philips DC185, AC Power Cord, 3.5-mm stereo line-in cable, User Manual, Warranty certificate
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