SYS Rock purchased today.

[Davesbuildtips]

Straight off it is made in China and the bag it lives in is made in Vietnam. It is not digital. No built in battery. I guess that covers all the complaints I have heard about it?
So now on to why I bought it.
The speaker does not distort the sound when punched to full volume.
It is small and light, my DeWalt radio is massive.
Bluetooth works well but at a reduced volume from FM Radio.
It will display RDS if the FM station is equipped to broadcast it. (Up to 62 characters scrolling across the bottom of the screen to tell me the name of the song etc.)
Up to 4 stations on instant recall via the green buttons.
TRIPOD SOCKET! to me this is huge. I can set it up as a mini PA via bluetooth or 3.5mm jack direct jack or through a wireless connection and 3.5mm jack and believe me, it will fill a large room!
I have the capacity to get a second unit and use the pair as left and right speakers through a splitter from an external source such as my television or mobile phone.
This next one is not a big one for me but....Bluetoothed to my phone and I can answer calls by hitting the 1 button and using the SYS ROCK built in mic.
One quick addition to the post. I have found that sometimes, you need to double click the source button to advance to the next source, ie. FM radio, double click the source button to 3.5mm jack, then double click to go to bluetooth. To turn the unit of, press the power button down and hold for 2 seconds. Still love it!

 

[Kev]

Glad it meets your specific needs.

On the down side I'd also add cost .. There's so many good DAB + Bluetooth compact units available that you'd have to place a high value on a non DAB, rugged, no battery unit.

Using is as a PA on a tripod is a very unique use case [big grin]

 

[Davesbuildtips]

Love it, works brilliantly as a small PA speaker mounted on a tripod. Will buy one of those Bluetooth ear pieces that people use with their mobile phones. Will let you know how that goes. ps. make sure you push the battery in to the hilt, otherwise it will slide out onto the floor below,  [embarassed]

 

[six-point socket II]

I, too got it only a couple of days ago and I'm very happy with it. Connectivity is excellent, sound is good (for what it is!), neat design - I like it, happy that I bought it. And now, with the DWC, batteries and charger in hand, seeing how long the SysRock lasts with a 18V 5.2 Ah - I'm gonna get an extra battery just for the SysRock.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[carlb40]

When i first got my sysrock earlier this year. I started using it with my 15v batteries and was getting about 4 to 4.5 days from one battery

 

[Davesbuildtips]

In Australia we have a heap of FM stations to choose from, maybe why these things are walking out the door at the store I work part time in?

 

[Kev]

In Australia we have a heap of FM stations to choose from, maybe why these things are walking out the door at the store I work part time in?

I'm really surprised they're moving to be honest. I would have thought the lack of DAB would have been a show stopper for many people.

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi [member=13058]Kev[/member] ,

Is DAB really such a big thing in Australia? It's an interesting topic!

In Germany, in my home "state" I could get 22 Programs on DAB+, and not one of them is of any real interest to me and I could always tune in on FM if I really wanted to listen to something, at least for most of them.

My home stereo & multiroom system are connected to the internet, a NAS, and feature AirPlay (Mac/Apple user here...). The SysRock has Bluetooth.  - I haven't listened to any somewhat "local" radio stations in years. I have an AppleMusic subscription and I have a subscription to a web radio broadcaster from Germany who is kinda specialized in Smooth Jazz, Dinner & Bar tunes and the like - and when subscribed it's completely free of any advertising or silly moderation/news...

Even in my car I have my iPhone or iPad connected...

Personally I certainly know more people that stream to their stereo from computers/smartphone/tablets or have a stereo that has an internet connection than people who use/listen to "radio" FM or DAB+.

That said - of course DAB+ is a standard now and it might have been nice for some if it was included in the SysRock.

So is Australia different?

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Michael Kellough]

In Australia we have a heap of FM stations to choose from, maybe why these things are walking out the door at the store I work part time in?

I'm really surprised they're moving to be honest. I would have thought the lack of DAB would have been a show stopper for many people.

You don't like it 'cause it can't dance?

Maybe you should offer an alternative definition of DAB...

 

[Kev]

Hi [member=13058]Kev[/member] ,

Is DAB really such a big thing in Australia? It's an interesting topic!

In Germany, in my home "state" I could get 22 Programs on DAB+, and not one of them is of any real interest to me and I could always tune in on FM if I really wanted to listen to something, at least for most of them.

My home stereo & multiroom system are connected to the internet, a NAS, and feature AirPlay (Mac/Apple user here...). The SysRock has Bluetooth.  - I haven't listened to any somewhat "local" radio stations in years. I have an AppleMusic subscription and I have a subscription to a web radio broadcaster from Germany who is kinda specialized in Smooth Jazz, Dinner & Bar tunes and the like - and when subscribed it's completely free of any advertising or silly moderation/news...

Even in my car I have my iPhone or iPad connected...

Personally I certainly know more people that stream to their stereo from computers/smartphone/tablets or have a stereo that has an internet connection than people who use/listen to "radio" FM or DAB+.

That said - of course DAB+ is a standard now and it might have been nice for some if it was included in the SysRock.

So is Australia different?

Kind regards,
Oliver

[member=61712]six-point socket II[/member] based on David's comment, I'm probably the one at odds.

I have a few favorite DAB stations I'll always tune to in the car. Round home it's typically my local media or Deezer. If I worked "on site" and didn't have network access I'd get something like a Goodmans Go (my current portable DAB is a retro Bush).

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi Kev,

Thanks! Well I understand that you miss it when you use it. To me DAB is a little bit like SACD or DVD-A, niche market. I have means to play both because they were thought to be the next big thing when I invested in my home stereo - but they never got the attention they would have needed to really succeed.

Personally I think that classic radio is dead anyway. Back when I was still listening from time to time the broadcasters that played what I listen to would play a song or two and then have moderators talk for 5 minutes, a couple of jingles, moderators talking again, and then back to a song or two. Add the half-hourly news-flash, larger news every hour... And what those moderators would "discuss" - lets just say, not my world...

Only reason you won't find me without a FM radio ever, is because if SHTF it might be the only source for news/announcements. But like I said, haven't played any radio here in years...

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Davesbuildtips]

Well here's the thing. In my car and also in the house I listen to Pandora. No adds, just great music that I choose by era or style. I always bluetooth from my phone to the sound systems available. The SYSROCK has become the latest go anywhere bluetooth device I own, small and runs on the festool batteries I already have. For me it is a no brainer. I have never seen the reason for digital radio when internet radio is brilliant. FM is an option I rarely use due to too much talk and adds.

 

[VW mick]

I'm looking at one of these they seem quite reasonably priced

Does anyone know if it would fit in a systainer maybe with a sys light

Could be a handy kit to take on site

 

[Kev]

I'm looking at one of these they seem quite reasonably priced

Does anyone know if it would fit in a systainer maybe with a sys light

Could be a handy kit to take on site

[member=32795]VW MICK[/member] you can't fit 4 of them in a Sys 1 in their pouches [big grin]

 

[Kev]

Hi Kev,

Thanks! Well I understand that you miss it when you use it. To me DAB is a little bit like SACD or DVD-A, niche market. I have means to play both because they were thought to be the next big thing when I invested in my home stereo - but they never got the attention they would have needed to really succeed.

Personally I think that classic radio is dead anyway. Back when I was still listening from time to time the broadcasters that played what I listen to would play a song or two and then have moderators talk for 5 minutes, a couple of jingles, moderators talking again, and then back to a song or two. Add the half-hourly news-flash, larger news every hour... And what those moderators would "discuss" - lets just say, not my world...

Only reason you won't find me without a FM radio ever, is because if SHTF it might be the only source for news/announcements. But like I said, haven't played any radio here in years...

Kind regards,
Oliver

Hi Oliver,

If I'm totally honest, my music situation is incredibly complex - but it doesn't relate to Sysrock/not-Sysrock. I have a massive vinyl collection that I like to listen to through a Thorens TD125 Mk2 / Shure 3009 tone arm, V15 h/e stylus setup .. through some very old Denon amps and Jamo CBR speakers.

I've got a Synology NAS backbone that's in the 60TB region, playing through multiple Sonos and Apple zones as well as various multimedia services and my paid music subscriptions would probably keep a small nation out of poverty.

Right now I'm streaming Joe Cocker from Apple Music through the the 6 Sonos configuration in the Lounge room and my wife is dancing to "you can leave your hat on" .. This may be my last post for the evening here.

Kev.

 

[six-point socket II]

[member=13058]Kev[/member]  [eek] [eek] [eek] [eek] 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) Enjoy! 

My situation is similar, although no vinyl. My "stereo" is a Tag Mclaren Player/Surround Processor-PreAmp/Monoblocks combination, and some added components + B&W speakers. I won't go into more details publicly, but back in the day when I was heavily interested in home cinema and still very, very young I had to deliver a lot of newspapers to be able to buy it - that's why to this day I haven't ditched it and given it's discrete/separate, analog inputs it can still be of use even with the current sound codecs. But I'm not really into it anymore - that's why it is more of a stereo to me nowadays.

Then there is the Apple stuff and of course Sonos.

Speaking of Joe Cocker, may he Rest In Peace, the first album I bought from him was "Respect Yourself" and it falls right into that time, through that I came to Eric Bibb, Keb' Mo' ... And is basically responsible for my taste of music, especially for the music I listen to on that stereo with a whisky and cigar...

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[mkasdin]

How is the sound compared to an Amazon Echo or Tap. I use the Tap as a job site speaker, it's fine for what it does, nothing special.  I looked for the sysrock online but it doesn't look like they sell it here in the US?

 

[Cheese]

I have a massive vinyl collection that I like to listen to through a Thorens TD125 Mk2 / Shure 3009 tone arm, V15 h/e stylus setup ..

Not one to hijack a thread... [bite tongue], but [member=13058]Kev[/member] do you know if new belts are still available for that Thorens TT?

 

[Kev]

I have a massive vinyl collection that I like to listen to through a Thorens TD125 Mk2 / Shure 3009 tone arm, V15 h/e stylus setup ..

Not one to hijack a thread... [bite tongue], but [member=13058]Kev[/member] do you know if new belts are still available for that Thorens TT?

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] I worry a little about that every time I use it [sad]

There seems to be a healthy supply of parts, including allegedly compatible belts, from Europe via eBay - so I haven't been too concerned ... but ordering one and testing it could be a good move.

 

[Freddystool]

I had a similar 'no DAB' hesitation when deciding whether to get 1 or not too. In the end, the compatibility with my growing number of 18v batteries tools, compact size, and of course the allure of the Festool Green logo swung it for me! I had previously had a Makita DAB site radio, but it was a bulky beast, and with no machete tools to speak of, i had to rely on the power chord, which eventually broke and forced me into making the decision to either get a new power chord and/or machete battery and charger, or get the SYS ROCK. Couldn't be happier with it now though, and you don't even really miss the DAB function as the FM signal in London is pretty decent.