I have two young children who love music - take after their Mum, I'm sure. I want to help Santa chose an MP3 and docking station for up to £150 for each one but am lost. Most of the docking stations I see have the 30 pin apple connector - not sure I want to faf around with Aux leads. If I go for an ipod nano the latest gen have the lighting connector which then means any decent budget speakers - such as Logitech s715 isn't easily compatible. Any suggested combinations that will placate my wife that we're not spending too much money on a 6 and 8 year old to play some music on!!!!!
Father Christmas is stuck - MP3 and speaker confusion
- Thread starter jcshutts
- Start date
chebby
Well-known member
£560 for a 6 and 8 eight year-old to play some music? What the... ?!!!!
Your wife is absolutely right.
Your wife is absolutely right.
my maths or yours. £150 for both the mp3 and speaker combination... Thats just £300 - I have rehersed that speech a number of times already this evening with the wife 
Chebby - I made the same mistake at first - £150 for each of the MP3 player and system. Not each child!
If you go Bluetooth you'll negate the whole dock connector issue. The new Nano has Bluetooth, so there's the first part sorted.
Then get a Bluetooth enabled 'system' or buy a separate adapter for £20-30 and connect it to a normal one. In the former category try the Roth DBT-0003 at £140. It's essentially a table top radio but is very nice. I've just reviewd it (literally, 30 mins ago!) for a small publication and was very surprised at the value for money. It looks like a Vita Audio R2i and sounds very similar to the Tivoli Model One. The Bluetooth version of the Tivoli is very nice as well but slightly over budget at £199. For young children I'd probably go for the Roth to be honest.
There are probably other Bluetooth options available as well; look through the WHF news section as there have been quite a few announcements recently. A Bluetooth speaker (ie no radios or CD player) should be fine for your needs, so you aren't spending money on things you don't need. On an operational front every Bluetooth device I've tried so far has been easy to connect. But then I bet your 6 and 8 year olds are more accomplished at that sort of thing than you anyway?!
If you go Bluetooth you'll negate the whole dock connector issue. The new Nano has Bluetooth, so there's the first part sorted.
Then get a Bluetooth enabled 'system' or buy a separate adapter for £20-30 and connect it to a normal one. In the former category try the Roth DBT-0003 at £140. It's essentially a table top radio but is very nice. I've just reviewd it (literally, 30 mins ago!) for a small publication and was very surprised at the value for money. It looks like a Vita Audio R2i and sounds very similar to the Tivoli Model One. The Bluetooth version of the Tivoli is very nice as well but slightly over budget at £199. For young children I'd probably go for the Roth to be honest.
There are probably other Bluetooth options available as well; look through the WHF news section as there have been quite a few announcements recently. A Bluetooth speaker (ie no radios or CD player) should be fine for your needs, so you aren't spending money on things you don't need. On an operational front every Bluetooth device I've tried so far has been easy to connect. But then I bet your 6 and 8 year olds are more accomplished at that sort of thing than you anyway?!
no actually you were right first time - I need to stop writing as I think, as clearly it comes out jumbled - sorry - I meant the combo needs to be up to £150 for each child. Therefore it probably puts me out of the market for an apple product other than the 2gb version. Unless I can find a cheap speaker option.
Sorry for confusion. Looking to spend £150 on each of the children to buy the player and the speaker.
Sorry for confusion. Looking to spend £150 on each of the children to buy the player and the speaker.
Just thinking about the 'business case' to your wife. Is whatever you buy going to be in bedrooms, or elsewhere in the house? If the latter then given she loves music as well I'd go for the 'it's for you as well as the kids' angle. And ask for £400, that way £300 is more likely. Well Ok being a true anorak I'd put a 1 on the front of the price!
Good luck (I'd say Merry Christmas but it's still only the middle of November)
Edit - written before I saw the previous post, so basically I'm talking rubbish (plus ca change)
Good luck (I'd say Merry Christmas but it's still only the middle of November)
Edit - written before I saw the previous post, so basically I'm talking rubbish (plus ca change)
Joking aside I'm about to review the slightly lower cost Roth DBT-001, which is £99. I've just unboxed it and switched it on. First impression is very positive, and it looks great in white. I'll report back.
It's also got Bluetooth, but as you say you won't get a Bluetooth MP3 for under £50 so aux input is probably the only option for the time being.
It's also got Bluetooth, but as you say you won't get a Bluetooth MP3 for under £50 so aux input is probably the only option for the time being.
ok. interested to hear how you get on with the £99 Roth review. Is Bluetooth effective or does it lose sound - given it isn't high end audio. Only the Philips GoGear Ariaz does have Bluetooth and maybe coming in at around £60. Thoughts?
I'm still listening to the DBT-001 and liking it more and more. It's very similar to the Tivoli iPal in sound; the Roth has a slightly bigger speaker so has a bit more depth to the sound. Conversely the Tivoli is a smidge more detailed and the mid range is more lifelike. We are talking minor differences here though; I could happily live with both, and I know the Tivoli sound well having had a PAL for over a decade (which sounds the same as the iPal, I've tested them side to side). Oh and the Tivoli iPal BT is £240, versus £99 for the Roth. Game over unless you need the portability of the Tivoli.
Bluetooth does impact the sound slightly, to the same degree as all the other devices I've listened to in the last month. On radio FM is best, then wired Internet radio (with sound taken out of the dock connector, not the headphone socket), then Bluetooth Internet radio. Not significant enough to worry about though, which tends to be the WHF conclusion when they review Bluetooth gear.
The above is me being picky, for your kids it should all be completely irrelevant. And besides, encourage their love of music, don't nurture one for hi-fi!
Hope this helps
Bluetooth does impact the sound slightly, to the same degree as all the other devices I've listened to in the last month. On radio FM is best, then wired Internet radio (with sound taken out of the dock connector, not the headphone socket), then Bluetooth Internet radio. Not significant enough to worry about though, which tends to be the WHF conclusion when they review Bluetooth gear.
The above is me being picky, for your kids it should all be completely irrelevant. And besides, encourage their love of music, don't nurture one for hi-fi!
Hope this helps
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