CHOICE verdict
The Tivoli Revive looks like a product aimed at the hotel industry, with the consumer market being something of a secondary concern – and it shows. All of the features are fine, which is enough for a short-term hotel stay. But the shortcomings become a bit more difficult to bear day in and day out, especially when you could buy a lamp and decent Bluetooth speaker for less than the Revive.
Price: $399
Contact: tivoliaudio.com.au
Tivoli's Audio Revive is an attractive retro all-in-one bedside unit that looks like it's been plucked out of a 60s hotel in Downtown LA. It has an upward facing light, Bluetooth speaker and wireless phone charger, wrapped in a rather charming retro wood finish.
Convenience is the name of the game, but while it's handy to have all these features at arm's length, the Revive doesn't particularly excel in any field. It's very much a jack of all trades, master of none.
Speaker quality
This obviously won't replace your home hi-fi, but it's decent as far as Bluetooth speakers go. Music is clear and crisp, particularly in the midrange (vocals, piano etc.) so it can handle all but the most extreme genres. It also has AUX support for non-wireless devices.
However, there's little warmth and reverb to the bass, which turns the low-end and lots of percussion into a dull, punchy sound. Similarly, the high-ends can get a bit harsh at times, and everything seems rather flat. The music is definitely listenable, akin to a Bluetooth speaker that costs less than $100.
It also seems to suffer from interference, as it's always quietly humming away. Though it's not loud enough to impact music, light sleepers may find it irritating.
That said, you'll probably only use it to wake up in the morning, or as an external speaker if you're watching videos on your phone making it perfectly functional for this sort of task.
Audio quality is fine, but nothing to write home about.
The LED lamp
The upwards facing LED lamp has four brightness settings, with a frosted cover that provides a nice, soft glow. It gently fills out the room, which is perfect if you like ambient light while you're watching TV or something on your laptop.
But the light isn't strong enough for reading, as the glow has far less luminance than a downward facing sidelamp. While it may work with an e-reader, books and magazines are difficult and uncomfortable to read.
Wireless charging is available if your phone supports it.
Charging capabilities
The Revive has two charging options:
- A wireless charging pad for phones that support this feature.
- USB-A output (5V 1A) for phones and other devices.
The 5-volt output has enough juice to charge slightly more power-hungry devices, such as tablets, and it can charge two devices at once. But the wireless charge plate is quite slow, so use the USB output if time is a factor.
The Tivoli app
Tvioli has released an optional audio app, but it's not necessary unless you own multiple Tivoli speakers. It gives you the option to:
- manage your Tivoli speaker network via Wi-Fi
- play different music in different rooms, from the same source
- manage all your music options in one location, such as streaming services and content streamed from other networked devices like your laptop or NAS drive
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
