Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius Satellite Radio Portable Boombox for SIR-PNP2 Receiver

Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius Satellite Radio Portable Boombox for SIR-PNP2 Receiver

Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius Satellite Radio Portable Boombox for SIR-PNP2 Receiver

Product Description
Amazon.com Review
Now you can bring Sirius satellite radio to any room in the house or any outdoor gathering with the Audiovox SIR-BB1 boombox. We tested the boombox with the Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius satellite radio receiver, which is required for use and not included--the SIR-BB1 boombox on its own produces no sound. With the receiver locked in place, however (as pictured), you'll enjoy the full breadth of exciting music and talk radio encompassed by the Sirius digital radio service. (A Sirius subscription is required, $12.95 per month or a one-time fee of $499.99).

Setup for the system is amazingly simple: snap the receiver into its bay, plug in the AC/DC power adapter, attach the supplied 20-foot Sirius radio antenna, position the antenna near a window, fire up the boombox, and select one of the service's 100-plus stations. There's a volume/on/off knob and a switch to engage the unit's auxiliary audio input--and that's it for controls. Plug in headphones or an audio "Y" adapter cable (not included) to channel sound to your integrated amplifier or surround receiver for listening through external loudspeakers.

For their part, the 2 speakers built into the SIR-BB1 are pretty decent. They're not strong in the bass department, but we wouldn't call their sound thin, either. Overall the unit's sound is even-keeled and extremely listenable, much better than the sound from systems that try to squeeze more bass out of their speakers than the electronics can credibly handle. To that end, we were impressed with how loudly the boombox plays, and with minimal distortion--even on a seemingly meager 5 watts per channel (x 2).

Use of the headphone jack disables the speakers, but an auxiliary audio output would have permitted integrating the boombox with a powered subwoofer. At this price, though, it's hard to justify a complaint about the absence of an output.

You'll need to position the boombox in a place where it can readily lock to a satellite transmission, which we found easily. Several spots worked fine, and even a west-facing window obstructed by a large cherry tree proved sufficient.

When reception gets hazy due to weather conditions or satellite positions, the audio program mutes briefly rather than getting fuzzy or more distant-sounding, as it would with an analog FM-radio signal. This can prove annoying, but in our lengthy evaluation, brief lost-signal mutes were infrequent at most (to the tune of 1 or fewer mutes per hour).

There's no remote control for the boombox. The receiver comes with one, but it doesn't control audio level, so while you can still change stations and browse genres from the receiver's remote, you can't turn the boombox volume up or down. For additional Sirius radio and subscription details, please visit www.sirius.com. --Michael Mikesell

Pros:

Cons:

What's in the Box
SIR-BB1 portable boombox, high-gain antenna with 20-foot cable, AC power cord, and printed instruction booklet

Product Description:
Take your car stereo to the next level with Sirius Satellite Radio. You'll never want to leave your car again. Audiovox commander and receiver modules are designed to interface with your vehicles existing radio to access satellite broadcasts.PRODUCT FEATURES: AUX Input, Headphone Output, AC Adapter, and Antenna; Works with 8 D-Cell Batteries or Supplied AC Adapter; LED Indicator for Power On, and Low Battery Notification; Rotary Volume, On/Off Knob; Aux Input Allows For Hookup Of An External MP3, CD or Any Other Source.

Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius Satellite Radio Portable Boombox for SIR-PNP2 Receiver
Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius Satellite Radio Portable Boombox for SIR-PNP2 Receiver
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Some problems with heat and sound clarity
  • Audiovox customer service
  • Goto XM, Serious is junk
  • Great
  • Antenna broke twice
 Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius Satellite Radio Portable Boombox for SIR-PNP2 Receiver

Manufacturer: Sirius
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

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Similar Items:
  1. Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius Satellite Radio Receiver
  2. Audiovox SIRHK1 Sirius Satellite Radio Home Dock
  3. Audiovox SIRCK2 Sirius Satellite Radio Car Kit with RCA Audio Outputs
  4. Terk SIR-EXT50 Indoor/Outdoor Extension Kit (Sirius)

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Product Features:
  • Listen to Sirius digital radio indoors or out; runs on supplied AC/DC adapter or 8 D batteries (not included)
  • Designed for use exclusively with the Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius satellite radio receiver; Sirius satellite radio subscription needed
  • Auxiliary input lets you hook up a CD player, MP3 player, cassette deck, or other audio device
  • Simple setup and operation; headphone jack provides private listening or hookup with an external amplifier/speaker system
  • Measures 19.1 x 7.75 x 6.8 inches (W x H x D)

ASIN: B0001DDKQM

Product Description

Take your car stereo to the next level with Sirius Satellite Radio. You'll never want to leave your car again. Audiovox commander and receiver modules are designed to interface with your vehicles existing radio to access satellite broadcasts.PRODUCT FEATURES: AUX Input, Headphone Output, AC Adapter, and Antenna; Works with 8 D-Cell Batteries or Supplied AC Adapter; LED Indicator for Power On, and Low Battery Notification; Rotary Volume, On/Off Knob; Aux Input Allows For Hookup Of An External MP3, CD or Any Other Source.

Amazon.com Review

Now you can bring Sirius satellite radio to any room in the house or any outdoor gathering with the Audiovox SIR-BB1 boombox. We tested the boombox with the Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius satellite radio receiver, which is required for use and not included--the SIR-BB1 boombox on its own produces no sound. With the receiver locked in place, however (as pictured), you'll enjoy the full breadth of exciting music and talk radio encompassed by the Sirius digital radio service. (A Sirius subscription is required, $12.95 per month or a one-time fee of $499.99).

Setup for the system is amazingly simple: snap the receiver into its bay, plug in the AC/DC power adapter, attach the supplied 20-foot Sirius radio antenna, position the antenna near a window, fire up the boombox, and select one of the service's 100-plus stations. There's a volume/on/off knob and a switch to engage the unit's auxiliary audio input--and that's it for controls. Plug in headphones or an audio "Y" adapter cable (not included) to channel sound to your integrated amplifier or surround receiver for listening through external loudspeakers.

For their part, the 2 speakers built into the SIR-BB1 are pretty decent. They're not strong in the bass department, but we wouldn't call their sound thin, either. Overall the unit's sound is even-keeled and extremely listenable, much better than the sound from systems that try to squeeze more bass out of their speakers than the electronics can credibly handle. To that end, we were impressed with how loudly the boombox plays, and with minimal distortion--even on a seemingly meager 5 watts per channel (x 2).

Use of the headphone jack disables the speakers, but an auxiliary audio output would have permitted integrating the boombox with a powered subwoofer. At this price, though, it's hard to justify a complaint about the absence of an output.

You'll need to position the boombox in a place where it can readily lock to a satellite transmission, which we found easily. Several spots worked fine, and even a west-facing window obstructed by a large cherry tree proved sufficient.

When reception gets hazy due to weather conditions or satellite positions, the audio program mutes briefly rather than getting fuzzy or more distant-sounding, as it would with an analog FM-radio signal. This can prove annoying, but in our lengthy evaluation, brief lost-signal mutes were infrequent at most (to the tune of 1 or fewer mutes per hour).

There's no remote control for the boombox. The receiver comes with one, but it doesn't control audio level, so while you can still change stations and browse genres from the receiver's remote, you can't turn the boombox volume up or down. For additional Sirius radio and subscription details, please visit www.sirius.com. --Michael Mikesell

Pros:

Cons:

What's in the Box
SIR-BB1 portable boombox, high-gain antenna with 20-foot cable, AC power cord, and printed instruction booklet

Amazon.com Product Description

Take your Sirius satellite radio wherever you roam with this convenient boombox adapter, which is compatible with the Audiovox SIRPNP2 Sirius radio tuner. It features a headphone jack, auxiliary audio jack (to connect to another stereo), 4-inch full-range speakers, an enhanced bass response system, and a rotary volume knob. It's powered by an included AC power adapter or 8 D batteries (not included).

The top-mounted high-gain antenna provides interior and exterior mounting options, and it has a hinged base for flexible positioning.

Sirius satellite radio is a subscription service that provides up to 100 channels of programming, from digital-quality music to news, talk, and sports.

What's in the Box
Sirius SIRBB1 portable boombox, high-gain antenna with 20-foot cable, AC power cord, and printed instruction booklet.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Some problems with heat and sound clarity.......2005-12-30

I was in the hunt for a shuttle to link my AudioVox plug-&-play receiver into that didn't look as "cluttery" as the home dock (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C04HU) and junky computer speakers I was using. Fortunately, I caught a pretty good deal on this boom box, which, while a bit plain-looking, is a fair deal more aesthetically pleasing than my old home dock. It also helps that I only need to plug one electrical cord into my wall socket, rather than two. The boom box is also compatible with all of the antennas I have. Speaking of which: built into the unit is a link-up for the included antenna to rest on; if you aim the boom box in the right direction so's the antenna gets max reception. You don't have to worry about running the antenna out to a separate location and risk having someone trip over the wire.

Sadly, the boom box has several downsides, including inferior sound from the built-in speakers; I got slightly better sound from the computer speakers my home dock is connected to. I've owned cheaper Radio/CD boom boxes that put out slightly better audio. Even through several pairs of earphones I've tried out, the sound is rather ordinary.

I've also discovered that the factory antenna that came with the boom box is the same as the one I got with my home unit... and it behaves in pretty much the same way. In other words: it usually picks up a strong signal, but on some occasions the signal is intermittent or almost nonexistent. And you may as well forget about picking up a good beam in heavy rain. Fortunately, I've made this little problem moot by acquiring a great outdoor antenna (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000167KPQ).

Also a potential problem is the design of the recession the receiver unit fits into. The receiver's heat vents aren't quite a free to breathe as they are in the other shuttles I own. Of course, my other shuttles don't cover over the top and sides of the receiver as much as the boom box does, so the heat dissipates a lot more quickly. Every time I touch the edges of the receiver after it's been playing for a fairly long time in the boom box, it almost feels like it came straight outta the microwave!

Another problem with the boom box's interface design is the parts that link the receiver with the boom box and hold it in place. I really have to push the receiver into place, some times even force it, to get it fully connected; needless to say, I worry about doing permanent damage to the receiver's connector pins. Then there's the little problem I have removing the receiver from the player; the release button on the top of the boom box has to really be pushed down hard and held down to get it to relinquish its grasp.

On one upside: ever since I started using the boom box, I've been using the receiver's remote control clicker more often to change channels and bands, memo songs, and all sorts of other functions. Sadly, the only thing the remote control can't change is the volume, which I can adjust with... a knob on the boom box that also turns the unit off and on. Well, that's a bit quaint. At the least, AudioVox could've designed the remote control so it'd be programmable for use with the boom box's volume control... if it wasn't in knob form that is.

`Late

1 out of 5 stars Audiovox customer service.......2005-04-04

Beware of Audiovox customer service. My unit has been inoperable for 6 months. I have sent in in twice (Paid for shipping)and got an inoperable unit back both times. They are now asking me to send it in again (on my dime). I am cutting my loose and running as fast as I can.

1 out of 5 stars Goto XM, Serious is junk.......2005-03-12

Here are the negatives:
-worst customer service of any business I purchased something through (and I also work in a customer service job, so I know). They cannot help you with equipment problems, instead they tell you to call Audiovox, who still can't help and will not try.
- Signal on boom box rarely comes in. Fades in and out worst than any AM/FM radio station. If it doesn't work when and were you want, then what is the advantage over regular radio?
-Receiver heats up big time!
-I hope your office window faces the right direction!
-No CD player? With today's technology integration, you gotta be kidding!

Positives
-If they have a talk show on you can't get on the internet, them maybe it is worth it if you can stand the crappy equipment.
-If work does not allow you to use i-net for streaming audio, and you don't want X-M, then buy this soon-to-be antique.

4 out of 5 stars Great.......2005-03-04

Sirius radio is the best thing since PBJ's. I have the boom box and the car adapter and could not do without either one. The sound is super and commerical free. It would be nice if you could adjust the bass and tenor on the boom box plus the 8 D batteries do not last very long. After having both and using them I could never see myself going back to regular radio. I bought the year's worth of service, you get one month free but when it ends I am going to the life plan of 499.99. Thats a whole lot more attractive than month or year fee.

1 out of 5 stars Antenna broke twice.......2005-02-08

I really like Sirius, but bought both this boombox and a car unit last year and the tiny piece at the end of the antenna where it plugs into the unit has broken off twice. It's a very small, but vital part of the system so I can't use any of the system without it. Audiovox wants me to have the original receipt (bought many months ago) along with the broken unit or else they will charge $25.95 for the replacement.

The whole system is only as good as its weakest part and there's no way to replace this part for a reasonable price. This part needs to either be improved or there needs to be some cheap way to splice a new one on when it breaks.

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