Tabletop radio offers better sound for less money

May 27, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Q. In the past, you have written about a tabletop radio that sounds as good or better than the $500 Bose radio but is much less expensive. I find myself in need of such a radio now and can’t find your article. Is it still available and what is the cost?

P.S., Cranberry Twp., Pa.

A. The radios you are referring to are the Cambridge SoundWorks i755 Table Top Radio and the Cambridge SoundWorks i765 Music System. Both sound the same and include an integrated iPod dock. The i765 differs with its slot-loading CD/DVD player with a video output for use with a television. Though they are much less expensive than the Bose offerings, even taking the price out of the equation I definitely prefer the i755 and i765. The sound is warm and clear, and bass is strong and dynamic by virtue of the built-in powered subwoofer. Better sound for less money is always a big winner in my book.

Both radios are sold factory direct at www.cambridgesoundworks.com. The i755 has a regular MSRP of $289 and the i765 is $379. Both are great values at the asking prices, but now they are a particularly good buy as Cambridge SoundWorks is running a 20 percent-off sale for graduation season. Just enter the code fbgrad20 to get 20 percent off.

Q. I purchased the Marantz NR 1402 receiver you recommended and could not be happier. I used the built-in automatic setup program and supplied microphone to set up my listening room with my Klipsch speakers. Myself and many of my friends and relatives say they have never heard a better sounding “truly surround” system. Many note that their system lacks the spatial effect of my system, probably because theirs are not set up properly. In a recent article, you discussed setting the sound up manually. Do you think by setting up manually I can improve upon the “automatically set” fantastic sound I already have achieved?

M.K., Coon Rapids, Minn.

A. First of all, I am pleased that you are so satisfied with the results you are getting and that you are happy with your purchase. Though I have obtained better results setting up the Marantz NR1402 manually than automatically, it could be in your room with your speakers the auto setup really nailed it and you are graced with a wonderful sounding system.

You can try setting it up manually according to the directions in my previous column and comparing, but given your level of satisfaction you may want to consider the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” My gut feeling is you should not mess with it and simply enjoy the wonderful sound. Almost any audiophile can tell you stories about the “upgrade that wasn’t an upgrade” when an expensive, highly anticipated purchase didn’t pan out quite the way he or she thought it would. In your case, it won’t cost you anything to compare the two, but you could be opening yourself up to a lot of time and frustration tweaking and comparing the two.

Contact Don Lindich at www.soundadviceblog.com and use the “submit question” link on that site.

2012, McClatchy-Tribune News Service