Tivoli Audio PAL portable radio

• 
• 
• 

• Expert Rating

  4.00 / 5

• User Rating

  Be first to review

• Price

  $ 399.00 (AUD)

Campbell Simpson Good Gear Guide 26/11/09 Follow @pcworldau

Pros

• Great tuner, good sound quality and precise adjustment

Cons

• Expensive

Bottom Line

The Tivoli Audio PAL is a portable radio that has a great tuner, a weather-resistant shell and good sound quality. Designed for audiophiles on the go, it fills a very specific niche in the market.

Would you buy it?

• Yes 1
• No 0

Own this? Write a review

It's a weatherproof radio, so it's a good choice for a picnic or beach visit, and the sound is clear and musical.

The Tivoli Audio PAL has a similar design and control scheme to the Model One. A single full-range, 2.5in speaker driver sits at the bottom of the cabinet, accompanied by a volume control, AM/FM switch and geared tuning dial. Our test unit came in a rubberised matte blue finish but the PAL is available in a wide variety of colours, ranging from chrome to pink to lime green.

The Tivoli Audio PAL is weather-sealed, and its 16 hour battery life means it will survive an extra-long picnic lunch at the beach. It's well constructed and sturdy, so we think it will stand up to a bit of rough treatment if necessary. The rear connectors — a DC power jack, headphone port and line in — are surrounded by rubber caps to guarantee protection from the elements.

Once tuned into a station, FM radio is utterly static- and distortion-free. It's some of the clearest FM reception we've heard.

Sound quality is a step down from the Model One, but that's to be expected given the portable nature of the Tivoli Audio PAL. The 2.5in driver handles mid-range notes wonderfully, with great detail audible at moderate volume levels. Treble is also clear, but there's an early roll-off in higher frequencies that can sometimes leave audio feeling muffled. There's a very small amount of mid-bass accompaniment at higher volume levels — this adds a warm, room-filling element to the Tivoli Audio PAL's sound. Stay up to date with the latest reviews. Sign up to GoodGearGuide’s Gear Daily newsletters

Follow GoodGearGuide on Twitter: @Goodgearguide