Philips SBD7500
Starting at: $69.50
CNET Editors' Review
CNET Editors' Rating
- Reviewed by: Donald Bell
- Released on:
- Reviewed on:
The good: The Philips SBD 7500 is a simple and elegant portable speaker that is compatible with the iPod or iPhone and offers beefy sound for its price.
The bad: The speaker is light on features, lacking extras such as FM radio, remote control, and Bluetooth.
The bottom line: If you're looking for a basic, portable iPod and iPhone speaker that is exceptionally easy to use, the Philips SBD 7500 is a solid choice for less than $100.
The Philips SBD7500 is a portable iPod and iPhone speaker that appeals to our sense of utility. Like many of the portable audio gadgets we've seen from Philips, the SBD7500 deftly navigates the middle ground, balancing price ($99), design, and performance in an easy-to-use (somewhat boring) product.
From a design perspective, the SBD7500 is understated--a black tie alternative to the daring look of the Altec Lansing inMotion Classic. The rounded back and edges of the speaker are made of a high-gloss black plastic that shows fingerprints but succeeds at looking classy. A series of chrome ... Expand full review
The Philips SBD7500 is a portable iPod and iPhone speaker that appeals to our sense of utility. Like many of the portable audio gadgets we've seen from Philips, the SBD7500 deftly navigates the middle ground, balancing price ($99), design, and performance in an easy-to-use (somewhat boring) product.
From a design perspective, the SBD7500 is understated--a black tie alternative to the daring look of the Altec Lansing inMotion Classic. The rounded back and edges of the speaker are made of a high-gloss black plastic that shows fingerprints but succeeds at looking classy. A series of chrome buttons dots the top edge of the speaker, controlling volume, power, and a bass boost feature.
The front of the SBD7500 is covered with a stretched black nylon fabric, concealing the speaker's twin 1.5-inch speakers and a sealed bass reflex diaphragm. A piece of chromed plastic accents the lower half of the speaker grille, drawing your eye to the iPod- and iPhone-compatible dock connection.
The back of the speaker is relatively mundane, with easily accessible connections for aux input and a power adapter (included). An integrated kickstand hinges out from the lower half, which also conceals a battery compartment for four AA batteries.
Altogether, the SBD7500 is a lightweight (9.6 ounces) and compact speaker measuring 4.3 inches tall by 12.2 inches wide by 1.6 inches thick. Fitting the speaker into a backpack or carry-on bag shouldn't prove a problem, but Philips provides a fitted neoprene bag just in case you want to take it solo.
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Compare selected Donald Bell is CNET's senior editor for tablets and portable media players. He's also a musician, a hardware hacker, and a collector of vintage audio gadgetry. He appears every week on CNET's Crave video podcast. His band, Aloha Screwdriver, plays regularly around the Bay Area.
User Reviews
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"Great sound." By buyquality
Pros: Good loud sound for this pricepoint. Simple to use. Very portable. Compatable with all apple ipods and iphones we have. Charges devices when plugged in using AC cable). Uses AA batteries.
Cons: Must remove batteries if storing.There is some drain to them even when power button is off. Disclaimer: I haven't tested the drain problem because I knew about it before I purchased it, so it may have been corrected.
Summary: Perfect for travel, camping, a desk in the office, etc. I cannot stand cheap speakers. If the sound isn't full or you cannot turn up the volume for that favorite song, then It's worthless to me. This unit balances size, portability, simplicity, sound, and price very well. Comes ... Expand full review
Specifications
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- Speaker type: Portable speakers with digital player dock
- Connectivity Technology: Wired
- Amplification Type: Active
