Worth the money
Pros:
Excellent sound quality, good distant FM reception, convenient remote operation
Cons:
Expensive--but cheaper than the price listed here on Epinions.com
The Bottom Line:
If you can afford it (and with Bose's 12-month interest-free financing, it's easy), you will not be disappointed.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
First of all, the price of $499 listed for this product on epinions.com is about $150 more than it actually costs to order it directly from Bose on their Website (http://www.bose.com). I just received mine this week, and it cost $349, plus only $10(!) for overnight shipping by FedEx. I'm paying $29/month for 12 months on an interest-free finance plan. That said, it's still a lot of money for what is essentially a clock-radio. Is it worth it? I think so. Here's why:
1) As advertised, the sound quality is fantastic. I'm hearing nuances in familiar songs that I had never noticed before, even at low volumes. The stereo separation is remarkable for such a small box. The bass response is amazing. I hate to turn it off to go to sleep!
2) The reception of distant or weak FM stations, even with the built-in line cord antenna, is very good, better than my Henry Kloss Model One radio with an external antenna. The Henry Kloss has often been rated better than the Bose on this characteristic, but in my location in the mountains of rural Virginia, that is not the case. I'm getting clear, multipath-free stereo reception of stations from Richmond and Washington, DC, both of which are over 100 miles away.
3) The digital tuning is very good at preventing strong stations from overlapping weaker stations on adjacent frequencies--again, better than my Henry Kloss Model One.
4) Although it's not a small radio, it's smaller than it looks in most pictures. It fits easily on my nightstand. I ordered the graphite gray color, and it's not at all obtrusive in my traditionally-decorated room.
In sum, I've read the reviews in the audiophile press saying that the Bose Wave Radio is too expensive and doesn't perform any better than some lower-priced radios such as the Henry Kloss. All I can say is that these reviewers must not have tested the radios in challenging reception conditions, like where I live surrounded by mountains. I'm so pleased with my Bose that I've relegated my Henry Kloss to my office. Strongly recommended.
