Yamaha’s TSX-70 is a very compact speaker system that has covered bases, with all the requisites of a music system. It comes with a number of options and offers radio, dock features for iPod and iPhone, remote control and many other features that make it an attractive buy for someone who likes to play music loud.

Design & Features

As stated earlier, the design is very compact in comparison with the other music systems available in these dimensions. It has a metal enclosure, very handy and perfect for placing it on a kitchen counter table or a nightstand. The detachable power adapter splits in two, a 6 foot long thin adapter cable that runs from the speaker to the power grid, and a separate foot stretch of standard power cable that runs from the grid to the wall. That makes a total of 12 foot long power supply, which sometimes is pretty difficult to manage given the targeted surroundings. Furthermore, AM/FM also may require antenna wires, which sometimes make quite a mess.

TSX-70 enlists a lots of impressive features which include AM and FM radio, remote control which works perfectly well, alarm clock, sleep timers, five station presets for favorite radio stations, a dock compatible with Apple devices like iPhone and iPod. Many similar devices in the market usually are dependent on an iPod for alarm functions, but this is not the case with Yamaha TSX-70, available within $200 price range which is particularly high though.

It also has alarm features, the snooze is located on the top of the black metal clad box, TSX-70 has some really petite buttons and features miniature labels, which is good in functionality but given the surroundings like using Yamaha as a bedside clock, it is sometimes a pain to manage.

Performance

The highlight of the Yamaha TSX-70 is undoubtedly the output. With 2 1.5 inch speaker upfront and a down firing 1.5 inch on the bottom, the TSX features the all new, Yamaha’s unique swing radiator bass technology which makes a surprisingly loud and full sound. The frequency range is amazing, similar to the award winning Logitech 715i, especially in terms of low end oomph.

The back of TSX-70 is pretty similar to a home receiver design, which completely hides the power input, the FM antenna and AM antenna inputs, Aux input, tone modification handle and controls for setting the alarm clock. However, there is always a need to conceal the separate antenna of AM/FM radio. As without the antenna for the FM and AM, the reception is quite poor. And one actually needs separate antenna for quality reception, which however makes a 12 foot long cable mess up.

That said, TSX-70 is undoubtedly best for those who seek powerful compact speakers for a desk top with its metallic black control panel serving as a center for tuning up with the surroundings.