Boston Acoustics HDUOMDNT Horizon Duo Speaker System (Midnight) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I already own two Boston Acoustic Horizon Solos, which I bought on Amazon for about $85. One is in the bedroom and the other is in the workout room. My friend urged me to get the two-speaker Duo, so I finally capitulated and use it in the kitchen. My review will be based on my comparison between the $85 Solo and the $115 Duo.

Speaker Sound: The Duo wins. While I love the Solo's full high-fidelity sound, the Duo speakers really fill the kitchen with ease.

AM Reception: I'd have to give a slight nod to the Duo. In the kitchen I had to rotate the Solo to fine-tune 570AM. I don't have to touch the Duo. This is fortunate because the size and shape of it make it impractical for rotating the radio to maximize AM reception from its internal ferrite antenna.

FM Reception: The Solo wins. Probably they get equal FM, but the stereo speakers on the Duo highlight background static more easily. This is only a problem once in a while when I listen to 89.3 KPCC. I'd still give the Duo an A minus grade on FM.

Remote: The Duo has one and the Solo does not.

Ease of use: The remote on the Duo allows you to bypass the toggle mode switch on the radio. Some people don't like changing the mode by hand. But on the Solo you toggle your presets, whether they're AM or FM, in the same preset mode, so you don't really miss the remote.

Conclusion: These are both great radios for their price point. For a bedside radio, I'd go with the Solo because it takes up less space and you can rotate it easier to optimize AM reception. The Solo is loud enough for big rooms as well and its speaker isn't as prone to static as much as the Duo's.So on balance I think most people will be better served getting the $85 Solo, which I give an A grade. The $115 Duo gets an A minus because of occasional FM static on weak stations.

UPDATE: JULY 14, 2009:

I own two Duos, one bought in September of 2008 and one bought in March of 2009. Both had to be returned because the AM stopped working. This may be due to the intense heat generated by these radios even when the radios are turned off. The replacement radios (I had to pay $20 for shipping) generate the same heat and I fear their AM will fizzle out as well. This is a real shame. While this is the best sounding radio I've ever owned, its heat and AM problem compels me to tell consumers to stay away from the Duo.

In contrast, the smaller version, the BA Horizon Solo is great. I own two and in the last year and a half I've had no problems. Get the cheaper Solo. Great mono speaker sound and better reliability than the Duo.

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Product Description:
Horizon duo midnight speaker system with dual high-performance 3.5-Inch full-range speakers.

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