Stereo Option - worth it or waste of $?

[Brewman]

Even if my stereo goes south, I don't have a problem with trying to fix it myself.  The speakers seem to be of good quality- the only "weak" point may be the pop up mechanisms.  But so far all is well.  
 As far as quality goes, the radio unit Sundance uses is a really good quality marine grade unit- waterproof face plate.  I've seen that exact unit sold by Overtons (a very large marine supply company) for about $400- so I'm really not worried about that.  
  Have not discovered the speaker maker yet- found the radio/CD unit by accident.

 I suspect that like much else, quality and reliability varies greatly by spa brand or even model.
Sundance uses other types of components on the Sweetwater models.  My buddy got a Bahia a couple years ago, and his speakers are built into the corner pillows.

[Zep]

Brewman....glad to hear because I would really like to have
one but was kind of scared it could be a source of trouble.

I would think it is super convenient to have it right there at your
fingertips all built-in.

I wonder if the tub makers will soon have a built-in plug so that you
can plug an I-pod into the built-in speakers like many of the car makers
have now done?

Have you heard much about the built in TV's?
They kind of scared me too.

[windsurfdog]

Sounds like the retailers would rather not have to bother supporting stereo units and I don't blame'em.  That's enough reason for me no matter what Repeat Offender contends.....

[Richs100]

Got the SpAudio in my 2005 HS Grandee. I have had nothing but trouble with it. It was a large waste of money. I would have been far better to hook up some outdoor rated speakers and just wired it into the house system.
BearBath

Bear:
What kind of trouble have you had?  Is it the original system or the SpAudio II.  I ask because the only area that I anticipate trouble with is the IQ2020 remote.  Mine has been very tempermental.  I tried to find out if a Balboa Dolphin remote would work with a HS, but everyone so far thinks not.

[Repeat_Offender]

From a dealers standpoint I would have to agree, just another nuisance item and not something they have expertise in. The topic question was asked I believe, from a consumer standpoint and that is what I based my response on. Definitely not a necessity but nice to have.

[Brewman]

Brewman....glad to hear because I would really like to have
one but was kind of scared it could be a source of trouble.

I would think it is super convenient to have it right there at your
fingertips all built-in.

I wonder if the tub makers will soon have a built-in plug so that you
can plug an I-pod into the built-in speakers like many of the car makers
have now done?

Have you heard much about the built in TV's?
They kind of scared me too.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if there were already ipod plug in's either out there or in the works- but I'm WAY behind the curve on Ipod's and don't know all that much about them.  

The stereo is very convenient- which was my main reason for getting it.  At the time of purchase I did think the cost was a bit excessive, but that feeling is long gone.  
 So far I don't consider it a waste of money.  

 I'd personally shy away from spa TV's.
They were only just starting to appear when I went spa shopping- I know Sundance didn't offer them at the time- maybe they do now.  Regardless, I think I'd have passed on that if there were available.  I've got enough TV's inside the house!  
  
  But to those who want that type of thing- I say it's your spa- go for it.  

Same for pretty much all other "Options".  Do what makes you happy.  

You forget about the cost of this stuff very shortly after you make the purchase.  It's not like the money I spent on the spa stereo sent me to the poorhouse, or anything.  What's the point of it all if you can't splurge on goodies every so often?

[Bonibelle]

Rich does your remote control your sound system inside of your house? I am not familiar with HS system, but the dolphin relies on a kind of signal reflector device to send the IR signal from your system to the remote, I believe as an RF signal (help Mendo...isn't that right?). If that is your problem, I may be able to help.

[Zep]

re:"I'm WAY behind the curve on Ipod's and don't know all that much about them"

Brewman....so was I until Christmas.

Being a huge music fan I can't believe in less than a month of
Ipod ownership I can already see the day when I am giving
away all of my CD's.

I think buying music from a retail "brick and mortar" store will
for the most part be a thing of the past in the not too distant
future.

It is incredible the amount of music you can carry around
in this tiny unit!

This tiny little new Ipod holds like 4000 songs!

You can take it in your car, take it jogging, take it on a plane,
plug it into your home speakers, take it in a hotel room...
can you imagine trying to lug that many CD's around everywhere?

The sound is crystal clear.....no scratches or lost jewel cases like with CD's.

I am already just in two weeks a huge fan of the Ipod!

[Brewman]

My son got himself one of those not too long ago- he sure likes it.  We even got him an ipod docking alarm clock for Christmas- his idea, I didn't know such a thing existed.

Out of curiousity, how much do songs cost?  

[Repeat_Offender]

re:"I'm WAY behind the curve on Ipod's and don't know all that much about them"

Brewman....so was I until Christmas.

Being a huge music fan I can't believe in less than a month of
Ipod ownership I can already see the day when I am giving
away all of my CD's.

I think buying music from a retail "brick and mortar" store will
for the most part be a thing of the past in the not too distant
future.

It is incredible the amount of music you can carry around
in this tiny unit!

This tiny little new Ipod holds like 4000 songs!

You can take it in your car, take it jogging, take it on a plane,
plug it into your home speakers, take it in a hotel room...
can you imagine trying to lug that many CD's around everywhere?

The sound is crystal clear.....no scratches or lost jewel cases like with CD's.

I am already just in two weeks a huge fan of the Ipod!

If you think it sounds good with the headphones, treat yourself to one of those Bose docking stations in the picture...amazing sound.

[Zep]

Brewman.....the songs cost 99 cents each from I-tunes.

So actually it is about the same as buying an album as far as
cost and this way it lasts forever....never gets scratched...ect.....

I suppose it is actually less money because there are songs
on an album you may decide to not purchase.

I am not that computer literate but I already love the thing.

Those alarm clock and different docking stations are awesome
and not that expensive.

I have a small little docking station that allowed me to play
my new I-pod over my home stereo Bose speakers for my
New Year's Eve Party.......it was great.

[drewstar]

re:"I'm WAY behind the curve on Ipod's and don't know all that much about them"

Brewman....so was I until Christmas.

Being a huge music fan I can't believe in less than a month of
Ipod ownership I can already see the day when I am giving
away all of my CD's.

I think buying music from a retail "brick and mortar" store will
for the most part be a thing of the past in the not too distant
future.

It is incredible the amount of music you can carry around
in this tiny unit!

This tiny little new Ipod holds like 4000 songs!

You can take it in your car, take it jogging, take it on a plane,
plug it into your home speakers, take it in a hotel room...
can you imagine trying to lug that many CD's around everywhere?

The sound is crystal clear.....no scratches or lost jewel cases like with CD's.

I am already just in two weeks a huge fan of the Ipod!

I am one of the loosers who still hasn't gotten on the IPOD bandwagon yet.  :-?

 I don't care too much for music when driving...I'm more a news/talk radio guy and at home, I like picking out certain music for specific occasions. (load up the CD player with 5 discs of music that fit the occasion and hit shuffle).

How are the ipods for finding, and selecting certain music? I was told that on the Nano you had no control...it was 100% random.  Do some ipods allow me to automaticly randomly play and shuffle specific selections? My poker club music is differnt than my backyard bar-b-que, as it's differnt than my formal dinner party music.....? I;d like to keep my Ozzy seperate from my Pachabel.  ie: I'd like to have a "Sub librabriaes that hold maybe 100 songs that I could quickly say "Shuffle and play these 100 only".  Then the next night be able to do it with another group of songs.


It would be great to have my whole music library in such a small package, and I really like the idea of buying just the songs I want. - although I am torn about this, many of my favorit songs are lesser know songs that I never would have heard off, unless they were sandwich between other songs on a cd.....

[LtDan]

I am one of the loosers who still hasn't gotten on the IPOD bandwagon yet.  :-?

 I don't care too much for music when driving...I'm more a news/talk radio guy and at home, I like picking out certain music for specific occasions. (load up the CD player with 5 discs of music that fit the occasion and hit shuffle).

How are the ipods for finding, and selecting certain music? I was told that on the Nano you had no control...it was 100% random.  Do some ipods allow me to automaticly randomly play and shuffle specific selections? My poker club music is differnt than my backyard bar-b-que, as it's differnt than my formal dinner party music.....?


It would be great to have my whole music library in such a small package, and I really like the idea of buying just the songs I want. - although I am torn about this, many of my favorit songs are lesser know songs that I never would have heard off, unless they were sandwich between other songs on a cd.....
 

I bought my daughter one for christmas, after playing with hers went and got my own. You have a main music library in Itunes, from there you can create folders or playlists and drag/drop songs from the library to the folders. I have one for running, one for drinking, accoustical, etc...

They are very easy, I'm not much of a computer person (still haven't figured out how to secure my wireless network) but I found the Ipod easy to manage.

I do believe if you press shuffle, it does so from the main music library though, not a specific folder.

[loosenupspas]

If you gotta ask....you can't afford it......God Bless America and GO GATORS

[Repeat_Offender]

Drewstar,
The Nano is controllable just like the full size I-pod, it's the Shuffle model that is random.