For more than forty years, table radios enjoyed a favored spot in America's kitchens and living rooms. But the stereo component revolution of the '60s and '70s banished this lowly appliance to garage shelves and yard sale tables. Then, in 1993, Amar G. Bose introduced the Wave Radio and single-handedly resurrected a product thought decades dead.

The Bose Wave

With an advertising blitz directed at the credit-happy middle class, Bose created an army of drooling buyers, eager to scribble down his 800 number. Cutting out profit-sucking retailers, Bose sold the Wave directly to consumers. With a relentless barrage of ads in magazines and on TV, the Wave was presented as a natural addition to the well-appointed suburban home. For *only* US$350, you got your own Yuppie ear candy dispenser (available in tasteful "pearl white" or "graphite gray" only).

Fellow acoustics guru and legendary table radio designer in his own right, Henry Kloss, had been watching the success of the Wave and it must have brought back fond memories. In the early '60s, as FM was first taking hold in America, Kloss had designed a tube-driven high-fidelity FM radio for KLH, one of his companies. They called it the Model 8. By '62, he'd dumped the tubes and gone solid state. KLH called this version the Model 21. In the '70s, cheap Asian electronics and a slumping economy helped pull the plug on expensive American-made high tech audio.

The Koss Model 88

Fast forward to the gotta-have-it-all '90s where Kloss once again found home audio pay dirt. With Bose having whetted our appetites for primo tabletop sound, Kloss is now serving up a tasty dish of top grade audio with his new Model 88. Taking advantage of his place as second into this new market, Kloss capitalized on the few shortcomings of The Wave in addition to adding his own touches. The Model 88 delivers sound equal to the Bose, in a package as convenient, at a more affordable price. Selling for $200, the Model 88 (made in the good ol' US of A) is available in "Ivory" or "Slate Grey". Are we sensing a trend here?

The Great Granddaddy of the table radio is a name most Americans recognize (Zenith), though precious little under that brand is actually made in the US. Zenith specialized in the production of radios in the 1930's and '40s and crafted some of the best audio, in the most beautiful cases, of the period. Slipping and sliding into the '50s, '60s and '70s, Zenith table radios got cheaper and less attractive.

Dazzled by the design of the Bose Wave, Zenith began promoting their version, called the model Z213. You might have done a double take if you saw this product in a discount electronics superstore because it's a visual clone of the Wave. From the overall shape to the topside control panel, many consumers will have trouble distinguishing the two products. That is, until you plug in the Z213 and turn it on. The Zenith is not a high performance piece of audio gear. Perhaps sensing this shortfall, Zenith designers added a full roster of features not found on the big players and cut the price down to half that of the Kloss and less than a third that of the Wave.

In addition to featuring AM and FM tuning, the Z213 also tunes the VHF-TV audio band (channels 2-13) as well as all the Weather Radio frequencies currently used in North America. Somehow, while the Bose and Kloss could only find six AM and FM station presets, Zenith gives you ten for AM, FM, TV and seven in the Weather Band. A total of thirty-seven presets. The Chinese-made Z213 sells for around $100 and is available in white or black.

These three radios have a lot in common and offer a variety of features. If you're looking for a low-price, full-featured clock radio with passable audio, the Zenith has your name all over it. If you're looking for uncompromising sound, and you don't mind spending a few bucks, you'll have to choose between the Bose Wave and the Kloss Model 88.

As you look closer at the two, subtle differences emerge. One problem with the Bose is that if you live out of range of the primary stereo signal of a station, you'll have to endure the FM hiss of a mono signal trying to go stereo. The Kloss lets you switch to mono reception which kills the hiss entirely for a clean signal. Between the stereo and the mono switches, the Model 88 also has a "wide" switch which magically expands the aural presence of the two speakers, actually casting a wider audio image than the width of the radio. On a strong, high quality FM station, the sound is extraordinary.

Under identical conditions, both radios demonstrated equal reception capabilities. Both allow the addition of an external FM antenna when local signals are scarce. On such an antenna, both performed well, tuning in distant stations with solid separation between closely spaced signals.

The Koss Model 88 allows you twiddle the bass, a big deal these days. There's a small knob on the back with an indent at the middle (factory) setting. Those who like a little more bottom in their hip-hop can give it a boost. If you like mid-range and highs in your Montovani, you can back off the bass. Bose believes you'll take it the way he's designed it and you'll like it.

The Model 88, in addition to 2 RCA inputs, features a 1/8" stereo input jack which makes it perfect for playing the audio from your computer. You can throw away those crappy little satellite speakers you've been using.

Both radios have some real muscle behind their diminutive form factors. I've cranked the volume to the max on both, filling a very large room with sound you couldn't shout over, with no distortion. If they made these radios any more powerful, you'd need a demolition license to operate them!

The two seem to have been designed for distinctively different purposes. The Wave seems to be a genuine clock radio you would have in your bedroom which just happens to have the audio characteristics of a large stereo system. The Model 88, without a clock, seems designed for the desk or countertop where an ability to wake you up at 6:00 am is not necessary, but the need for killer audio is most important. One thing is clear: both remote controls are made by the same company. Identical in size and style, they are credit card-sized, lightweight and well designed. They've been careful not to duplicate the infrared pulses, but the "on" button on the Wave will turn on the Model 88 as well.

OK, the Model 88 doesn't have a clock. So, take the $150 difference between the Kloss and the Bose and spend $20 on a nice digital clock at your local pharmacy. What you do with the other $130 is up to you.

Resources:
Bose Wave: www.bose.com/waveradio
Kloss Model 88: www.hifi.com
The Zenith Z213 is not featured specifically on a website but is available through many consumer electronic stores and by mail order through Comtrad Industries (800-992-2966).

- Ken Reitz [5/26/99]

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