Product Description
Take your car stereo to the next level with Sirius Satellite Radio. You'll never want to leave your car again. Audiovox commander and receiver modules are designed to interface with your vehicles existing radio to access satellite broadcasts.PRODUCT FEATURES: AUX Input, Headphone Output, AC Adapter, and Antenna; Works with 8 D-Cell Batteries or Supplied AC Adapter; LED Indicator for Power On, and Low Battery Notification; Rotary Volume, On/Off Knob; Aux Input Allows For Hookup Of An External MP3, CD or Any Other Source.
Amazon.com Review
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, $12.95 per month or a one-time fee of $499.99).
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
Amazon.com Product Description
Take your Sirius satellite radio wherever you roam with this convenient boombox adapter, which is compatible with the Audiovox SIRPNP2 Sirius radio tuner. It features a headphone jack, auxiliary audio jack (to connect to another stereo), 4-inch full-range speakers, an enhanced bass response system, and a rotary volume knob. It's powered by an included AC power adapter or 8 D batteries (not included).
The top-mounted high-gain antenna provides interior and exterior mounting options, and it has a hinged base for flexible positioning.
Sirius satellite radio is a subscription service that provides up to 100 channels of programming, from digital-quality music to news, talk, and sports.
What's in the Box
Sirius SIRBB1 portable boombox, high-gain antenna with 20-foot cable, AC power cord, and printed instruction booklet.
Customer Reviews:
Some problems with heat and sound clarity.......2005-12-30
I was in the hunt for a shuttle to link my AudioVox plug-&-play receiver into that didn't look as "cluttery" as the home dock (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C04HU) and junky computer speakers I was using. Fortunately, I caught a pretty good deal on this boom box, which, while a bit plain-looking, is a fair deal more aesthetically pleasing than my old home dock. It also helps that I only need to plug one electrical cord into my wall socket, rather than two. The boom box is also compatible with all of the antennas I have. Speaking of which: built into the unit is a link-up for the included antenna to rest on; if you aim the boom box in the right direction so's the antenna gets max reception. You don't have to worry about running the antenna out to a separate location and risk having someone trip over the wire.
Sadly, the boom box has several downsides, including inferior sound from the built-in speakers; I got slightly better sound from the computer speakers my home dock is connected to. I've owned cheaper Radio/CD boom boxes that put out slightly better audio. Even through several pairs of earphones I've tried out, the sound is rather ordinary.
I've also discovered that the factory antenna that came with the boom box is the same as the one I got with my home unit... and it behaves in pretty much the same way. In other words: it usually picks up a strong signal, but on some occasions the signal is intermittent or almost nonexistent. And you may as well forget about picking up a good beam in heavy rain. Fortunately, I've made this little problem moot by acquiring a great outdoor antenna (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000167KPQ).
Also a potential problem is the design of the recession the receiver unit fits into. The receiver's heat vents aren't quite a free to breathe as they are in the other shuttles I own. Of course, my other shuttles don't cover over the top and sides of the receiver as much as the boom box does, so the heat dissipates a lot more quickly. Every time I touch the edges of the receiver after it's been playing for a fairly long time in the boom box, it almost feels like it came straight outta the microwave!
Another problem with the boom box's interface design is the parts that link the receiver with the boom box and hold it in place. I really have to push the receiver into place, some times even force it, to get it fully connected; needless to say, I worry about doing permanent damage to the receiver's connector pins. Then there's the little problem I have removing the receiver from the player; the release button on the top of the boom box has to really be pushed down hard and held down to get it to relinquish its grasp.
On one upside: ever since I started using the boom box, I've been using the receiver's remote control clicker more often to change channels and bands, memo songs, and all sorts of other functions. Sadly, the only thing the remote control can't change is the volume, which I can adjust with... a knob on the boom box that also turns the unit off and on. Well, that's a bit quaint. At the least, AudioVox could've designed the remote control so it'd be programmable for use with the boom box's volume control... if it wasn't in knob form that is.
`Late
Audiovox customer service.......2005-04-04
Beware of Audiovox customer service. My unit has been inoperable for 6 months. I have sent in in twice (Paid for shipping)and got an inoperable unit back both times. They are now asking me to send it in again (on my dime). I am cutting my loose and running as fast as I can.
Goto XM, Serious is junk.......2005-03-12
Here are the negatives:
-worst customer service of any business I purchased something through (and I also work in a customer service job, so I know). They cannot help you with equipment problems, instead they tell you to call Audiovox, who still can't help and will not try.
- Signal on boom box rarely comes in. Fades in and out worst than any AM/FM radio station. If it doesn't work when and were you want, then what is the advantage over regular radio?
-Receiver heats up big time!
-I hope your office window faces the right direction!
-No CD player? With today's technology integration, you gotta be kidding!
Positives
-If they have a talk show on you can't get on the internet, them maybe it is worth it if you can stand the crappy equipment.
-If work does not allow you to use i-net for streaming audio, and you don't want X-M, then buy this soon-to-be antique.
Great.......2005-03-04
Sirius radio is the best thing since PBJ's. I have the boom box and the car adapter and could not do without either one. The sound is super and commerical free. It would be nice if you could adjust the bass and tenor on the boom box plus the 8 D batteries do not last very long. After having both and using them I could never see myself going back to regular radio. I bought the year's worth of service, you get one month free but when it ends I am going to the life plan of 499.99. Thats a whole lot more attractive than month or year fee.
Antenna broke twice.......2005-02-08
I really like Sirius, but bought both this boombox and a car unit last year and the tiny piece at the end of the antenna where it plugs into the unit has broken off twice. It's a very small, but vital part of the system so I can't use any of the system without it. Audiovox wants me to have the original receipt (bought many months ago) along with the broken unit or else they will charge $25.95 for the replacement.
The whole system is only as good as its weakest part and there's no way to replace this part for a reasonable price. This part needs to either be improved or there needs to be some cheap way to splice a new one on when it breaks.
Product Description
Take your car stereo to the next level with Sirius Satellite Radio. You'll never want to leave your car again. Audiovox commander and receiver modules are designed to interface with your vehicles existing radio to access satellite broadcasts.PRODUCT FEATURES:Large LCD Display with Multiple Display Options;Easy to use Scroll/Tune Feature Allows Quick Access to the 100+ Streams;30 Presets with Preset Tuning;Unique Memory Capture Function Stores 20 Of Your Favorite Songs and Can Search All Incoming Streams;Listing and Search Ahead Capabilities By Stream or Artist Nane or Song Title;Time Based Functions Including an On Screen Clock, Alarm, Sleep Timer, and Program Alert;Wireless Remote Control.
Amazon.com Review
Here to bring you commercial-free music, sports, and news listening in a wealth of genre-based satellite streams is the Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius radio receiver. Use of the receiver requires activation of a subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio ($12.95 per month or a one-time fee of $499.99). You'll also need a portable, home, or car docking apparatus. The receiver pulls in the signal, while a docking station provides traditional features like speakers, headphone jacks, and antennas, depending on the accessory. The receiver will produce no audio without an ancillary listening device.
We tested the receiver in 2 different systems: the Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius satellite radio portable boombox and the Audiovox SIR-CK1 sirius satellite radio shuttle car kit. Using the receiver under different circumstances--both stationary and mobile--gave a rounded portrait of both the Sirius service and the performance of this particular receiver. As a paid alternative to traditional FM and AM radio, the Sirius service definitely has its benefits. Tons of stations and no commercials--it's hard to beat that. With Sirius, great music is always easy to find.
With traditional radio, the audio signals ride "carrier frequencies" (modulated waves of air) that a receiver subtracts before rendering a wave as audio. With digital radio, frequencies carry data rather than audio. A receiver simply performs the step of turning the numeric transmission back to audio, much as the decoder chips and analog stage of a CD player turns its digital data into sound. This means you'll hear no static, fuzz, or spurious background noises from Sirius radio. The end result is clear and clean. It also means, however, that when reception gets hazy your audio program mutes briefly rather than getting fuzzy or slightly more distant-sounding. This can prove disconcerting or downright irritating if you're not listening in an area with perfect reception.
When you're not moving, reception tends to be better, though still potentially imperfect, depending on the location of Sirius' satellites. (Owners of digital cable or satellite television will know exactly what they're in for.) But by and large our stationary testing proved seamless, letting us enjoy the many stations included in the Sirius package.
Setup and operation of the receiver is a breeze. There are 30 channel presets (a group of 10 buttons with selectable A, B, and C bands) and an intuitive scroll wheel with push selection for menu navigation.
Lovers of pop and rock music fare the best, but there's a little something for everyone. If you're starved for underplayed classic rock, you'll revel in a channel known as The Vault ("deeper classic rock"), and '80s fans can take their pick of Big '80s, Hair Nation, and First Wave ("classic alternative"). Parents and kids--we checked--will relish the Sirius children's channel, especially in the car.
Unexpectedly rich are the news offerings, which include everything from the major cable TV networks to radio staples like NPR and the BBC, as well as 7 sports networks and a host of "entertainment" channels (including Court TV). The lion's share of the channels in the dance/electronica group falls to the dance category, leaving it to the lone Chill station to weave a blend of electronica and other hip but mellow (i.e., nondanceable) music. There are only 3 classical-music channels, and for those with short attention spans one of them plays movements of larger works rather than complete pieces straight through.
Beyond the reception issue, the only other major drawback is sound quality, which some may find subpar. Sirius describes its sound as "digital quality," a euphemism for "digital audio with a bitrate so low that we don't want to scare people by revealing what it is." Whatever it is, its character is very close to what you'd hear from 96 kbps MP3--clear and listenable, but lacking depth, fullness, high-frequency extension, and dynamic range (though radio's always been super compressed). Your awareness of these shortcomings will depend to some degree on the caliber of your playback system. We noted that the classical stations seem to have better sound than the rock/pop stations.
Overall, we found the sound quality to be better than AM radio, nearly or equally as good as analog FM stations, but worse than 128 kbps MP3 and inferior to high-quality analog cassette tapes (though there's no tape hiss with Sirius). But for broadcast music programming, the Sirius lineup is hard to beat and nothing short of a joy to listen to. For additional subscription details, please visit www.sirius.com. --Michael Mikesell
Pros:
- Simple setup
- Intuitive operation
- Easy to find great music
- No commercials
- Rich news selection
- 30 station presets
- Modular construction fits a host of docking devices
- Display is highly legible in both bright and dim environs
Cons:
- Periodic lost-signal mutes in transit
- Substandard sound quality
- No new-age channel
- Limited jazz, classical, and world-music offerings
What's in the Box
Receiver (shuttle) unit, remote control (P/N1363539), 2 AA remote batteries, and a user's manual.
Amazon.com Product Description
Listen to the future of radio today with the plug-and-play Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius satellite radio receiver. The SIR-PNP2 decodes the incoming Sirius digital-quality radio program information from over 100 music, news, and sports channels and delivers an audio signal to your radio or other audio output equipment. It's easily transportable, and enables you to listen to satellite radio programs in your home or car.
The SIR-PNP2 lets you enter your desired channel stream number directly, or search for programming by scrolling through the category list. You can program up to 30 presets of your favorite streams, as well as search by stream, artist name, song title, or category. You can also store up to 20 artist/song title combinations, and the SIR-PNP2 can search the incoming Sirius signal and alert you if it matches the artist/song title stored in memory. The Look Ahead feature allows you to stay on and listen to the current radio stream while browsing other streams to see what's playing. Time-based functions include an alarm, sleep timer, and program alert that allows the SIR-PNP2 to switch to a preprogrammed stream at a selected time.
The SIR-PNP2 has a 6-line amber monochrome display featuring artist name and song title. Two information bands at the top and bottom of the display show stream channel number and name, signal strength, clock, and category name. The multiline display can be configured into a larger display that will scroll artist, title, stream name, and number. It has a 10-level brightness/contrast control, and an autodimming feature that adjusts brightness control for day and night driving conditions.
The SIR-PNP2 Sirius satellite receiver must be used with one of the following adapter kits:
- Audiovox SIRHK1 home kit
- Audiovox SIRCK1 vehicle kit (with wireless FM transmitter)
- Audiovox SIRCK2 vehicle kit (without wireless FM transmitter)
Sirius satellite radio is a subscription service that provides up to 100 channels of programming, from digital-quality music to news, talk, and sports. It is available only in the lower 48 states--not available in Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories.
What's in the Box
Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius satellite receiver shuttle unit, remote control (P/N1363539), and 2 AA batteries.
Customer Reviews:
Audiovox Sirius Radio.......2007-12-03
This Satellite Radio Receiver only has 5 frequencies that you can use to tune into on your car stereo. The area in which we live,(Eastern PanHandle of WV), those frequencies already have something on them that causes interference, so we are forever switching freguencies. We can use this radio on our home stereo though. It's big and bulky, and it gets hot setting on the dash of the car, but other then these problems we like the radio. We also have the Sirius Sportster Satellite radio that works better in the car because you can use any freguency and is a smaller radio.
Just about the Audiovox SIR-PNP2.......2006-10-20
I've owned this 'brick' about 2 1/2 years and have been reasonably satisfied. It does run hot, but it seems to be able to function well regardless. I have not had a problem with the unit. Reception is good in most areas, and when it isn't, usually there is a reason - trees, bridges, etc - or strong signals from terrestrial stations on the same FM band. Switching to other bands (there are 4 settings in the car docking station) sometimes improves the signal reception over FM. I also have the boom box, and it works well as long as you position the antenna to pick up the satellite. That sometimes can be difficult. Overall, I have to recommend this product. It has not failed me in 2 1/2 years and continues to work well. Mounting the unit in the car cradle takes some practice and care. I have managed not to damage my unit even though the way the radio plugs into the cradle seems somewhat fragile. I read reviews of some of the newer units, and considering what problems many people encountered with those units, I'd buy another one of this model if I was in the market. Oh, why do I call it a 'brick'? Doesn't it resemble a brick? It does to me! It's not the most attractive satellite radio unit on the market, but it gets the job done pretty well for me.
Good Features. Watch out for quality and support........2006-03-10
This review focuses on the SIR-PNP2 hardware. Search the Web for commentary on Sirius content.
I've owned the Audiovix SIR-PNP2 for over a year now. I use it in my car and at home.
Positives:
*Excellent display (title, artist, channel, contrast, readability, night driving and day driving.)
*Good user interface.
Negatives: I've had multiple problems with the hardware and Audiovox service
*Runs ridiculously hot.
*Poorly designed dock connectors. They don't align very well during docking and eventually bend or crush themselves, even with careful use.
*My first unit developed a high-pitched "whine" after about 4 months of use.
*My second unit (warranty replacement) doesn't whine but has water stains on the *inside* of the display window, gets decidedly worse reception, doesn't sound as good, and has connectors that bent and crushed not too long after the warranty expired.
Audiovix Service: If you send in a return, you get a letter touting world class support. But is really just self-congratulatory wishful thinking. The policy as I experienced is is more like "Deny Everything, Blame the Customer." If you persist and send in your radio twice, (at about a month per shot) they send you a replacement with similarly bad (but different) problems.
All things considered........2006-01-05
Why does XM have millions more subscribers than Sirius? There's a reason.
I've owned the Audiovox PnP2 receiver since it first came out.
You've already heard that the Audiovox PnP2 receiver runs really HOT. This is true. The orange display is easy to read. The push buttons are fairly small. The remote has a goofy button pattern. The receiver has no rewind capability. The boom box accessory has poor speakers but replacing those speakers with car door speakers from Wal-Mart is an easy fix.
If you want no holds barred raunch talk on your satellite receiver then Sirius is the best choice for you. There are no channel lock out features in the PnP2 receiver. I wish I had picked XM but I have a Sirius' "lifetime of the radio" subscription so I'm pretty well stuck. Sirius paid multi-millions to get Howard Stern and now can't afford to keep FOX News in their line up. There are still Sirius sound quality issues. In the early days Sirius had great music fidelity and poor voice fidelity. After adding a bunch of Canadian channels, traffic channels and experimental video the Sirius music fidelity has greatly suffered. Music fidelity today is at or below AM quality. So-so bass and treble. Talk channel fidelity remains also so-so.
Sirius has fairly good sports coverage but will be losing NHL and doesn't have MLB. Both Sirius and XM have never offered an instrumental only easy listening channel but that's for another discussion.
miss leading ads and bad customer care.......2006-01-03
Fist you should know that while sirius advertises you get 120 commercial free music channels
65 talk channels
sports including all NFL
free online listening for subscribers
what they dont tell you the online listening is only of the music channels even though they print it too look like you can get all the services online they don't broadcast any sports or talk online.
also while they don't have commerials thyte still have DJ's that come on EVERY 2 or 3 songs and talk about nothing to do with the music usualy to tell you about another channel or another show (which in my oppinion is still a commercial just for their own service) not a whole lot more music than fm
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