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

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

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

• 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)

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, .95 per month or a one-time fee of 9.99).

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:

• Simple setup and operation
• Good sound
• Plays loud with minimal distortion
• Front-panel auxiliary input grants access for CD, MP3, cassette, or other audio sources
• Headphone jack permits private listening or hookup with an integrated amplifier and external speakers

Cons:

• Occasional signal dropouts
• No tone controls
• Limited bass response

What's in the Box
SIR-BB1 portable boombox, high-gain antenna with 20-foot cable, AC power cord, and printed instruction booklet Portable Boom Box docking kit for Audiovox SIRPNP1 or SIRPNP2 Sirius tuners.