SOUNDBRIDGE RADIO
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Nathaniel Wilkins. Edited by: David Carnoy. Reviewed on: 03/22/2006
The Roku SoundBridge Radio is the first hi-fi AM/FM clock radio that's also a full-featured digital audio receiver that's capable of wirelessly streaming music from networked PCs and from the Internet. Offering stereo sound augmented by a built-in minisubwoofer, the SoundBridge Radio is a totally self-contained box that delivers vast access to network music while at the same time functioning as a stand-alone clock radio that won't go down with your Internet connection. If Roku had somehow been able to throw in a few bonuses such as satellite-radio capabilities, an integrated CD player, or at the very least, an audio input for iPods and other portable music devices, it would be the ultimate tabletop radio. As it stands, it's still a very good one, but its price tag will limit its appeal.Measuring 6 by 11 by 6.5 inches (HWD), the Roku SoundBridge Radio is smaller than the competing Bose Wave Music System in all dimensions except for its height. It will easily fit on a typical bedside table or office desk and delivers stereo output through two 1.65-inch drivers powered by 20 watts per channel RMS. An integrated 2.36-inch integrated sub driver ratchets up the bass with its 30 watts of allotted juice.
Engadget
by Peter Rojas, posted Sep 19th 2005 at 9:35AM
It's been a few months since we last heard a peep out of Roku Labs, but they're back in effect and going straight after Bose and Cambridge SoundWorks with their new SoundBridge Radio, a WiFi-enabled Internet tabletop radio which they're hoping will replace that clock radio by your bed (note the nice and large snooze button). $399 ain't cheap for a fancified alarm clock, but the SoundBridge does all the usual stuff you'd expect from a regular SoundBridge, like stream music from your PC over your home network (it supports playback of WMA, AAC, MP3, WAV, and AIFF audio files) and tune into Internet radio stations (it comes preprogrammed with a directory of about 50 stations and you can manually add stations yourself). Also comes with an AM/FM tuner if you can't quite complete the transition to Internet radio, and you can set the preset buttons for any combination of AM, FM, or Internet radio stations (you can also program one of the presets to automatically play a specific iTunes playlist stored on your PC). Should hit stores in early November.
Macworld
All-in-one wireless music box offers good sound and more listening options than you can shake a stick at.
by Dan Frakes, Playlist Magazine
Roku’s new $400 SoundBridge Radio is the first product we’ve seen that combines these two product categories: The SoundBridge Radio puts the functionality of Roku’s SoundBridge players, along with an AM/FM radio and dual-alarm clock, into an 11" by 6" by 6.5" cabinet that includes left and right stereo speakers as well as a small lower-frequency speaker in the rear. The system is compact enough to fit on a desk, a kitchen counter, or even a nightstand, but gives you the functionality of a standalone wireless player combined with a separate speaker system. Included with the SoundBridge radio is a wireless remote control, power cable, FM wire antenna, AM antenna, and AM antenna adapter (to be used with AM antennas that connect via two wires rather than the Radio’s 1/8" minijack).
Mp3.com
Editor's Review By CNET Staff Mar 23, 2006
The Roku SoundBridge Radio successfully combines a high-end AM/FM clock radio and a wireless digital audio receiver, but we'd like to see a few more extras at this price.
The Roku SoundBridge Radio is the first hi-fi AM/FM clock radio that's also a full-featured digital audio receiver that's capable of wirelessly streaming music from networked PCs and from the Internet. Offering stereo sound augmented by a built-in minisubwoofer, the SoundBridge Radio is a totally self-contained box that delivers vast access to network music while at the same time functioning as a stand-alone clock radio that won't go down with your Internet connection. If Roku had somehow been able to throw in a few bonuses such as satellite-radio capabilities, an integrated CD player, or at the very least, an audio input for iPods and other portable music devices, it would be the ultimate tabletop radio. As it stands, it's still a very good one, but its price tag will limit its appeal.
PCMAG.COM
By Mike Kobrin
The Roku SoundBridge Radio ($399 list) may not look like much on the outside, but it works surprisingly well. It's a one-piece 2.1-speaker system that can grab music from your PC via Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), as well as play AM/FM radio and Internet radio. Music software support is very broad, and the sound quality is impressive for such a small box, reminding me somewhat of the Bose Wave system. Setup can be a bit tricky depending on how your wireless network is configured, and the device doesn't currently support WPA security. The SoundBridge Radio won't replace a multispeaker stereo system, but it's certainly a viable solution for a den, bedroom, or kitchen.
PCWorld
Monday, September 19, 2005 10:23 PM PT Posted by Harry McCracken
I'm in Huntington Beach, California for DEMOfall--a neat little conference that's a launching pad for new tech products of all sorts. I'll reporting on the good, the bad, the intriguing, and the ugly over the next couple of days. (Full disclosure: The show is put on by a sister company of PC World.)
So far, the show is young and I've only seen one product--Roku's SoundBridge Radio. It's a spinoff of the SoundBridge, one of the nicest music-streaming devices, and as its name suggests, it's a radio. A clock radio, actually--one that does AM, FM, music off your PC's hard drive, and Internet radio stations.
he SoundBridge Radio aims to compete in the class of compact, upscale table radios that also includes products such as Bose's Wave Radio II, Tivoli Audio's Henry Kloss Model One, and Boston Acoustics' Recepter. Like those radios, the SoundBridge is meant to live unobtrusively in crowded places (think a bedroom dresser or a kitchen counter), it's low-key and purposeful rather than flashy, and it has an emphasis on good sound from a small box. It has a sizable display that's reminsicent of the other SoundBridge models. (This one autodims at night--nice touch.)
USA Today
Wi-Fi SoundBridge Radio sings you awake with Net radio, digital tunes
Posted 7/5/2006 9:41 PM ET by Edward C. Baig
The lowly clock radio may be the least-respected tech product in the house. You probably have an inexpensive radio beside your bed, possibly a model with a CD or, gosh, cassette.
How archaic compared with the impressive — if imperfect — SoundBridge Radio from Roku I woke up to the other morning. In addition to AM and FM, SoundBridge can bring you to life with Internet radio stations, delivered without a computer and with the volume gradually ramped up.
It also streams tracks from Apple iTunes, RealNetworks' Rhapsody or other digital libraries on your PC or Mac, provided the computer is connected to your wireless (Wi-Fi) network.