Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Tivoli Audio reimagines its SongBook as two retro-style boomboxes

By
Tivoli Audio SongBook in cream/brown.
Tivoli Audio SongBook in cream/brown Tivoli Audio

In 2004, Tivoli Audio sold a pint-sized portable AM/FM clock radio known as the SongBook. It was discontinued in 2010, but not forgotten: the 2.2-pound backpack-friendly radio has been reborn as two new Bluetooth-powered portables — the SongBook and SongBook Max.

However, these behemoths look more like what you’d get if a mad scientist genetically modified the original SongBook with DNA from a 1980s boombox, parts from Tivoli Audio’s Model One Radio, and just a hint of Dieter Rams. Available in a cream/brown combo, as well as a deeply retro avocado shade of green, the new SongBook is $449 and the SongBook Max is $599. They can be preordered starting September 26, with shipping expected in November.

With integrated carry handles and IPX4 splash resistance, these Bluetooth 5.3 portables could make for great poolside pals, but don’t expect to want to carry them far — the SongBook weighs a hefty 6.7 pounds, while the Max is a shoulder-wrenching 11.5 pounds.

Recommended Videos

The new SongBooks stick with Tivoli’s passion for mono sound. Despite the balanced sizes of the two main driver grilles, these aren’t stereo speakers. The SongBook uses a 3.5-inch full-range driver and a 3.5-inch woofer, each driven by a 40-watt amp. The SongBook Max has a 4-inch subwoofer, a 4-inch midrange driver, and a .75-inch tweeter powered by two 50-watt amps.

Both portables are designed to work as amps, which is an unusual feature — the 1/4-inch analog input on the front of the speakers can be toggled between line-in and amp modes, with the latter providing preamp functionality for turntables or even electric guitars. Another unusual feature is the three-band set of manual EQ sliders.

Inside the portables lies a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that’s rated for 10 hours of use. It charges via the USB-C port on the back of the speakers, and it’s compatible with USB-C PD charging at 5, 9, and 15 volts.

Tivoli Audio SongBook Max in green.
Tivoli Audio SongBook Max in green Tivoli Audio

Where the two models really differ (other than size, weight, and power) is the SongBook Max’s FM radio (and DAB+ radio if you live in a market that has this service). Despite the fact that the Max incorporates the same oversized tuning knob from Tivoli’s classic Model One Radio, it’s tied to a digital tuner. While not quite as satisfying as knowing you’re making tiny adjustments by hand, this does let the Max include five radio presets and a scan button on its top panel. You’ll also note that the Max has a stowaway extendable antenna on its back.

SongBook Max

SongBook

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
The LG C4 OLED TV has a $700 discount during 4th of July sales
LG C4 OLED

It’s tough to find markdowns on some of the highest reviewed TVs, to the point where we’re often scrounging for TV deals on last year’s models. But if you’re the kind of person who needs your hardware to belong to the current calendar year (we don’t blame you), we dug up a fantastic LG discount. As part of the brand’s 4th of July TV sales, you’ll be able to purchase the LG 77-inch C4 OLED for only $3,000. We say “only” because this TV usually costs $3,700, so you’ll be able to pocket $700. Put it toward a new soundbar or stereo.

Why you should buy the LG 77-inch C4 OLED
When it comes to colors, contrast, black levels, and even peak brightness, LG OLEDs consistently rank as some of the best big TVs you can buy. In the case of the 77-inch C4, you’ll be working with a 4K panel that delivers a max refresh rate of 144Hz. And the best part about OLED: each individual pixel is self-emissive. This means that when there’s no picture info to display, a pixel can literally be turned off; unlike a traditional LED-LCD TV, which simply dims the pixel as much as possible.

Read more
Grab a new dorm room TV for $118 in Walmart’s 4th of July Sale
The Philips 32-inch HD TV's Roku home screen.

In the Walmart 4th of July sale, the Philips 32-inch HD TV is down to just $118, $50 lower than the $168 it usually is. There's nothing super flashy about this TV -- the selling point is the price. Throw it in the kid's playroom, your dorm, stuff it in the motorhome or camper, do whatever you want with it because a TV isn't getting much cheaper than this. We can (and will) go on more about what this TV is good for below, but be sure to tap the button immediately below this message to check out the TV for yourself. Over 200 copies of this TV are in people's carts as this is being written, so if you wait, supplies may dwindle.

Why you should buy the Philips 32-inch HD TV
The Philips 32-inch HD TV is a small Roku TV that displays in 720p HD. It is by no means a super-powered TV, but it gets the job done. This is the TV that's a little bit grainy but actually fits in your dorm or camper, that lets you talk and chat with the lads and make memories just as much as you focus on watching it. A bit of spilled beer or, if you put this in a child's playroom, a cupcake-icing fingerprint aren't going to sour the mood or make things awkward with a TV at this price level, either. That's the real charm of this TV. It's for small places and times where the memories are worth more than the content.

Read more
The 77-inch LG C3 OLED TV has a $1,500 discount for the 4th of July
LG C3 OLED

One of our favorite LG TVs, and a customer favorite, has a big 4th of July deal going on right now. It's the large, 77 inch version of the LG C3 OLED TV, and right now you can get it for just $1,997, down over $1,500 from its usual $3,500 price point. It's one of the best 4th of July TV deals going on right now and it can be yours if you tap the button below. Or, keep reading to see why you should pick up this TV, as well as why both reviewers and average customers like it.

Why you should buy the 77-inch LG C3 OLED TV
The LG C3 OLED TV is a powerful TV with the powerful a9 AI Processor Gen6 for optimized settings with minimal personal input. This TV is ready for casual viewing, intense movie watching with Dolby Vision and Filmmaker Mode, and gaming with its 0.1ms response time and 120Hz refresh rate.

Read more