Stand Alone Receivers
What you need to know about stand-alone receivers
Satellite radio in the home is possible for those who do not have a full stereo system—and are not in the market to get one—but want something a little more aesthetically pleasing than a small portable receiver with a home docking station. Stand alone receivers are on the market and are a viable option for those on a budget.
Easy to Install Satellite Radio
Stand alone satellite radios are combined satellite radio tuners and receivers. This means that the radio itself receives the signal, with the help of an indoor or outdoor satellite antenna, and can change channels to bring you what you want to hear. This option is perfect for retirees or elderly parents in retirement homes looking to catch every game of their favorite sports team, for example. Regardless of your situation or stage in life, however, stand alone radios are a perfect solution for those who want satellite radio exclusively in their home at a fair price.
What’s on the Market?
Tivoli Audio is a decade-old company that, in a short amount of time, has become renowned for its sound-making prowess. Tivoli teamed up with Sirius to create the first-ever stand alone satellite radio, adding the Sirius capability to its already-famous Model One. A sleek, simple box radio in beautiful cherry wood, the radio includes a functions knob that now turns from Auxiliary to AM to FM to Sirius. A bright LCD display allows you to scroll through the channels and types of channels with the oversized analogue tuning knob, or with the included remote. Tivoli radio units only have one speaker, which creates surprisingly full sound, but for full stereo sound, extra speakers and subwoofers are available. For under $300, this is a great unit.
For XM customers, Delphi radio units have home-based systems, but they are docking-style players, meaning a portable device fuels the stereo. This is not exactly stand-alone, but it is a cheaper option than a new XM-ready stereo receiver.
Tabletop satellite radios are a good option for people who only want satellite radio at home. They are cheaper than building a home stereo system, yet sleeker and more mature-looking than a docking-style receiver. There are lots of models with different providers, so read as many standalone product reviews as you can and do your homework.
