Thrift Store Find: iLive Mini Bookshelf Stereo

This little Bookshelf Stereo was made by iLive. They make affordable consumer electronics. Typically, you'll find mini stereos and boomboxes that cost less than $100. In the first store, this little stereo was selling for $30.

iLive Mini Bookshelf Stereo

It looks like the stereo real deal with a subwoofer and a pair of 4-ohm speakers. The drawback is that this unit was made for an old school iPod. While that socket might have been convenient at one time, it makes the unit look a bit dated now. More modern devices will have to use a Y-connector cable.

iLive Mini Bookshelf Stereo (front)

The speakers on this unit were pristine.  I'm sure that it has lots of life left in it as a bedrooom stereo in the right home.  It's a compact and sleek looking unit.

iLive Mini Bookshelf Stereo Speaker (grill removed)

I suspect that strength of this little stereo unit lies around the back.  It does have an auxiliary input (Aux Input) and it also has be inputs and outputs needed to be hooked into a video system.  While this truly isn't an audiophile system by any stretch of the imagination, it just might suffice in the average persons bedroom or office.

iLive Mini Bookshelf Stereo (Back)

There are plenty of small, inexpensive, bedroom systems on the market from companies like iLive or GPX.

Of course, many of these little low cost units have their issues. For example while this iLive unit looked good to me, some mini stereos have fake speaker units built in. You'll find that a tweeter or a mid-range driver is actually a non-functional piece of plastic included for "cosmetic" reasons. If you experience that kind of disappointment, a name-brand unit with a great reputation starts to make real sense.  Names like Onkyo, Sony, and Yamaha may be more expensive, but they are also more trusted by consumers.

Dirt Cheap Audio Review: Insignia CD Boombox with AM/FM Radio

This compact radio / CD Player combination from Insignia is the go to sound system in my home office.  According to Best Buy, this is a CD Boombox with AM/FM Radio (Model NS-BBTCD01).  However, it is pretty slick for a boombox.  To me, it looks like a modern table-top radio.  The unit has Bluetooth connectivity, a USB input, and accepts an auxiliary input via a male-to-male 3.5mm AUX connection cable.  The CD player is a top mounted unit that you simply push to open and lay the CD in.  The radio antenna is retractable and easy to access.  Overall, the unit is sleek, provides decent sound, and is a budget-friendly alternative to a Bose radio.

The design of this Insignia product is a strong feature.  It looks like a modern piece of electronics and it fits in with sleek minimalist design principles.  It simply doesn't look like a boombox.  However, it has a carry handle that folds down into the body and is not noticeable for everyday use.  When I flip it over, I see that it has a battery bay for six C-size batteries.  As a "boombox," some Best Buy reviewers find it a little short on bass and boom.  It's really meant for use within a single room or office.  It does have pre-set equalization settings for Flat, Jazz, Pop, Classical, and Rock music.  A sound button on the left just below the bluetooth symbol cycles through them easily.

When considered as a conventional radio, the only drawback to this product is that it isn't designed as a full-fledged alarm clock.  There is no clock functionality.  The LCD display is bright when the unit is turned on and playing a CD and it seems like it would have been a no brainer to add a clock, alarm, and snooze button.

I bought this Insignia radio at a thrift store for about $20.  New, it is still available for $59 at BestBuy online.  Even at that price, I would consider it money well spent.  If you are looking for a nice simple radio and CD player for an older relative, I would also consider this to be a good choice. Another nice Bose alternative might be a bookshelf stereo system. They have been getting smaller and more compact. The Philips FX10 Bookshelf Stereo might be a good option.

Philips FX10 Bookshelf Stereo with CD Player & Bluetooth

As of 2025, the Philips FX10 Bookshelf is a best seller on Amazon. It has an FM Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and a CD Player. You can find it here on Amazon.