Where performance and simplicity are paramount but space is sparse, the Model One table radio fits the bill. With just three knobs, it is the antithesis of today's ever more complex electronic products. The Model One gets more stations than other radios because of its state of the art, Henry Kloss designed discrete-component FM tuner using technology originally developed for cellular telephones. This technology gives better FM reception and increased clarity on closely spaced stations. Features include a furniture-grade, handmade walnut wood cabinet that doubles as an acoustically inert housing and a heavy-magnet, long-throw 3-inch speaker which provides musically accurate tonal balance and bass response. Its large analog tuning knob with geared-down 5:1 tuning ratio permits easy and accurate tuning. The amber tuning indicator lets you know when you've achieved proper tuning. Built-in AM and FM antennas provide satisfying reception, while a rear 75-ohm jack allows connection of an external FM antenna in difficult reception areas. Also provided is a headphone jack, auxiliary input to connect an iPod, MP3 player or portable CD player, and a record output for recording, or to use the Model One as a high-quality outboard tuner.

High-performance table radio with simple design and superior sound reproduction

Attractive, furniture-grade, handmade wood cabinet doubles as acoustically inert housing

3-inch long-throw driver ensures accurate tonal balance and bass response

State-of-the-art discrete component FM tuner improves reception and increases clarity

Measures 8.375 x 4.5 x 5.25 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty

Average Customer Review: ( 166 customer reviews )
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I don't have the space for a big boom box, nor do I care to blast the sound real loud in my home office. I also don't need flashing lights, a graphic equalizer, or the numerous other features you seem to find on most other radios these days.

The Tivoli Audio Henry Kloss Model One table radio was exactly what I was looking for. It's unobtrusive on even a crowded desk like mine, yet it puts out sound that belies the small size. I also really liked the simplicity of design -- just three knobs (power, volume, and tuning) and a couple of indicator lamps (power on and signal strength). It has a retro look that's simple and very clean.

The FM tuning knob with 5:1 gear ratio allows you to really "ease into" a station, and a corresponding LED glows brightest when the signal is strongest. I actually find it to be easier to use than a digital tuner, and much more precise. I found that I didn't even miss not having presets. I've been able to tune in stations clearly with this radio that I cannot get on any other radio I own.

The speaker is small (3"), but puts out very clean sound, with a nice bass boost from the port in the bottom of the case.

The real hardwood case is a nice departure from the particle board and plastic that most electronic products are made from today.

The unit weighs about 4 lbs., and feels substantial in your hands when you hold it.

Do I wish it had a tone control? I don't miss it at all. The sound is so nicely balanced without it, and adding another knob would take away from it's simplicity of design and operation.

At around a hundred bucks, you can certainly pay less for a radio, but I think you'd have a tough time finding a unit that is so compact, simple, and great-sounding at any price. I'm planning on having this around for a long time.

I think a lot of young people may feel that this radio doesn't have enough bells and whistles, but I'll bet there's a lot of middle-aged businessmen like me that would love to receive this radio as a gift. I think it's something that would be truly appreciated, and used daily for many years. What more could you ask for for a hundred bucks?

58 of 60 found the following review helpful:

Great music. Poor voiceFeb 01, 2005
By Tooner
I was looking for a radio that would look good on my kitchen counter and receive a variety of non-commercial FM radio stations.

This radio does both very well. I bought the white/silver color and it looks good in the kitchen. Except for one small FM station, the reception has exceeded my expectations. The music sounds great. It's a little too "bassy", but with the volume turned up, the sound from one small single speaker radio is amazing and fills the room with a rich sound. I also like the fact that you can plug in a real antenna.

My frustration is when someone is talking on the radio. In addition to music, I like to listen to news (mainly NPR) and sports. There is way too much bass when someone is speaking. As other reviewers have said, it would have been great to have a bass and treble control.

So the bottom line for me is great for music and reception, but poor for someone speaking (news, talk radio and sports).

53 of 56 found the following review helpful:

Oh, go splurge on spareness.Apr 19, 2005
By Samuel Chell
My wife tends to ride me a bit about my expensive tastes in relatively high-end audio equipment. She thought her $20 GE radio was plenty adequate, even for an NPR junkie like herself. Seeing that the Kloss Model One is the radio sold by NPR at its website store, I gave her one as a gift. Now she claims that the prospect of waking up to its warm, rich sound is enough to make her look forward to getting up in the morning. In fact, she's beginning to agitate for two more identical radios for additional rooms in the house.

My own feelings about the radio are a bit more toned down but positive. In most similar radios "stereo" is an exuse to use cheap speakers. This monaural unit, on the other hand, features one carefully tuned and balanced speaker (the weight of the magnet itself testifies to its superior quality), reminding some of us that the "improvement" of stereo over monaural "hi fi" can be illusory at best. The sound is full, rich, and complete over the entire sonic spectrum. Moreover, the absence of tone controls encourages the listener to trust the engineers' judgment rather than waste time on equalizer switches. (I'll confess that personally I miss the ability to increase the treble and roll back the bass, which is too strong even without the gratuitous add-on "subwoofer.") Finally, the tuning knob is the smoothest and most accurate, not to mention the most finger friendly, that I've used.

Pure functionality, elegant simplicity, and noticeable attention to quality (especially the wood cabinet) make this the one to own. Add a CD player, and you have a mini-component system built around a sensitive, responsive tuner and carefully tuned speaker. Add another speaker, and you've got a stereo system (a supplement that, according to Consumers' Reports, makes this a better-sounding radio than the Bose, Boston Acoustics, or Cambridge competitors)--but at the expense of some of the compactness and economy which is undeniably a big part of this item's understated appeal.

29 of 29 found the following review helpful:

One terrific radio.Mar 02, 2003
By Mojo
FM reception had always been lousy at my home. Topography, nearby tall buildings, and high-voltage wires near my building all conspired against me. When I saw Tivoli's ads touting the reception of its Model One radio, I thought I'd give it a try. I'm an old-fart audiophile who remembers Henry Kloss's radios at KLH and Advent, but I was still skeptical.

My doubts disappeared within five minutes of plugging in the little radio. Stations that were problematic before, even with pricey component tuners and amplified antennas, came in clearly on the Model One. I even discovered several stations I didn't know existed. The retro-looking analog tuning dial is a welcome departure from the usual push-button digital routine.

The Model One's sound is exceptional, too; richer, deeper, and more expansive than anyone would reasonably expect from a single three-inch speaker. Any and all material sounds good through the Model One, but jazz trios and chamber music really show off its detail and clarity. When called upon, it can still deliver rock and pop with authority.

The radio looks good, too. Mine is the "Classic", with walnut sides and an off-white face. The little thing is surprisingly hefty, four or five pounds. The wood and weight are for more than aesthetics (they keep the cabinet rigid and non-resonant), but it's nice to see a moderately-priced piece of consumer electronics that doesn't look like cheap plastic.

For those who just can't help fiddling with audio gear, the Model One has jacks on the back for headphones, "record-out", and an auxiliary input for a portable CD player or PC. A nice touch, but once you're through playing with them initially, you'll go back to using the Model One for its primary purpose, listening to FM broadcasts.

For that, there's no other radio I know of that works as well, for anything like the price. I also have a Tivoli RadioCombo, which consists of the stereo Model Two radio, the Model CD, and Model Subwoofer. Along with that, I have a system of older, but high-end, separate components. Neither diminishes my enthusiasm for the Model One. I've invested a lot of money in audio gear over the years, but the Model One radio is the best, and most fun, hundred bucks I've spent in a long time.

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