OTHER TECH

ONKYO CBX-300

The CBX-300 puts an interesting twist on the iPod dock scene, since it contains a feature that many people will find invaluable, and some will find utterly useless. But first, what exactly is the CBX-300? Without intending to insult its designers,

I would put it squarely in the clock-radio category. Sorry, but the snooze button is a dead giveaway - not to mention the four programmable timers and the sleep timer.

Of course, the Onkyo does more than just wake you up. It has an AM/FM tuner with 30 presets, preset naming, and an FM auto preset. And, oh yeah, there's also an iPod dock, perched on top. Oddly, the docking connector is placed under a plastic cover that simply lifts off - no hinge or anything. Two well inserts were provided with my review unit. You can control track skip and fast-forward/reverse. Even when the CBX-300 is turned off, it will charge your docked iPod.

And that interesting twist? There's a front-loading CD player, which can handle both WMA and MP3 files. Unfortunately, you can't rip files or otherwise move data from a CD to the iPod. Bummer. Some users will certainly appreciate having the CD player as another source. But for those who've already loaded their complete music library onto their iPod, it's a nonfeature.

The unit's rear panel provides a stereo line input, a mini headphone jack, a composite-video output, and connectors for FM and AM antennas. Also, there's a curved handle; since the Onkyo isn't really a portable (at least, it doesn't run on batteries), that seems like an odd feature. The remote has lots of buttons, probably more than most people will need. But things like alphanumeric keys are essential for accessing tracks and station presets, as well as entering station names. And the remote also controls snooze.

The CBX-300's two full-range drivers provided satisfactory sound. The cabinet is designed to supply some upper bass, and the Onkyo delivered it with solid drum hits. But there certainly wasn't any deep bass, nor was there any remarkable high-frequency extension. In the midrange, however, sound was natural on vocals and instruments. (There are three preset equalizer modes that might tune the sound for your room and your taste.) There's not much physical separation between the speakers, so the stereo panorama I heard was small, but left/right was clearly discernible. When cranked up to maximum volume, the output was reasonably loud, but there was some cabinet resonance and audible distortion.

The Onkyo CBX-300 won't blow away some other iPod docks. But it will blow away your clock radio. For bedroom, office, or den duties, it will do a fine job. Give your old CD radio to your kid sister, and upgrade to a CD radio with iPod.