Acoustic Research ARIR200 Internet Radio user reviews

4.0 stars

"Overall I'm Impressed" on August 14, 2009 by clanceylufkin

Pros: Surprisingly good sound for such a small package
Not exclusive to this product but remote internet radio access is a lovely thing
Portability

Cons: Very bright accent lights annoying for darkened bedroom
Reverse menu navigation
Can not have more then one radio set up on a single e-mail account

Summary: What most impressed me about this radio was the quality of sound from such a small plastic box. Don't get me wrong - this isn't by any means audiophile quality and don't be expecting any deep bass response. That said the quality of the sound is way beyond your standard clock radio. It is clear and well defined (station dependent) and definitely exceeds what you would expect from such a small package.

Two things I don't like about the unit is there are very bright blue accent lights on it which I have completely taped over with black masking tape but still some light leaks out. One of these lights is on the power button when the unit is turned of and one surrounds the main navigation button and comes on when changing settings for about 30 seconds. Fine in a bight room but if you share a bedroom with a partner as I do and like to listen late at night with headphones as I do then you'll want to tape the stupid things over.

The other thing that annoys me a bit is that when navigating to new stations if you hit the back button twice it doesn't take you back two steps but all the way back to the root menu. This can be very frustrating if you are searching by region which is definitely the most productive and interesting search approach.

Bottom line though...I liked this little radio enough that I bought a seconded one.

1.5 stars

"Disappointing" on December 6, 2009 by dlstrong

Pros: Great radio stations

Cons: Loses WiFi signal constantly and has to be re-set; it makes a weird hissing noise all the time. The controls are difficult to figure out and use. Lately it has started making a beeping alarm at 1:30 a.m. when no alarm has been set. Not impressed!

Summary: Overall I dislike the product and if I could return it to the store, I would (wish I had done so when I first bought it). I have had it for 8 months now and am going to have to replace it. Not the life-span I would have expected from a clock radio costing well over $100. Am currently awaiting a response from the company regarding the warranty.

Updated on Dec 16, 2009

Since my previous posting, my radio continued to deteriorate. A 5:30 a.m. alarm began sounding and then radio stations I normally listen to started having all kinds of weird background noises. After unsuccessful communication with Audiovox regarding the problems with my radio, which was still under warranty (they wanted to replace it with a refurbished unit and I was not satisfied with that option), I returned it to the store where I purchased it. Thankfully they were gracious enough to grant me a store credit after learning just how disappointed I was with the product. Never again!!! I have to say that the radio had potential to be a great product -- that's why I persevered with it for 6 months -- but in the end it was a massive disappointment.

3.0 stars

"Not bad for the price!" on July 27, 2009 by mj_reardon

Pros: 1. Slacker support!!
2. Steady WIFI connectivity
3. Wide selection of Internet radio sites plus ability to add new stations
4. Weatherbug implementation

Cons: 1. Sound for bedroom only; bass is mild to non-existent and hiss at lower volume.
2. 'Can't turn off 'Heart' light when either Slacker or Favorite stations are on. Makes it hard to sleep but black sharpie works wonders!
3. AM/FM reception so/so

Summary: I was looking for a Slacker compatible bedroom receiver to replace my XM radio subscription - increase charges per music royalty settlement combined with the demise of the programming (such as the canx'ng of Fine Tuning!!) led me to Slacker. Looked around for alternatives - loved the Squeezebox Boom but the price was way too hi. Found this unit and it had everything i wanted but at 1/3rd the price. Of course the sound difference is drastic - if you're looking for flexibility and great sound then head to the the Boom. If you want a good everyday internet radio w/ slacker and can live with sound that's perfect for a bedroom, then this is for you.

4.0 stars

"Good quality internet radio" on November 23, 2011 by wms-guy

Pros: Does what it says, and has a usb port. I have a HSTi wireless media stick, and I can stream all my mp3s off of my NAS device to this radio.. The wireless media stick complements this radio perfectly.
I also have it plugged into speakers.

Cons: Have to go to a website to add/remove stations

Needs a remote

Summary: Good Internet radio, couple with the Wireless Media Stick, and I have a perfect audio solution for my desk. I can access all my files (thousands) on my server through the radio interface. cool