OTHER TECH

Except for the XTR1 Stream Jockey, which has a headphone jack, all of these radios are really just tuners that require connection to an audio system of some sort to produce sound. And each of them now can boast at least one boombox-type portable that mates with it to create a complete carry-around system. I tried two of them.

The Cambridge SoundWorks PlayDock XM ($200) for the Delphi Roady2 is a hefty 14 pounds of sound system, including amplifiers for its built-in three-piece speaker system (dual tweeters and a common 5 1/4-inch woofer) and a rechargeable battery that Cambridge says will run the system for up to 10 hours. A handle on the back makes it easy to tote. The Roady2 fits snugly into a rubber "glove" on top and plugs into audio and power leads located there; the antenna attaches directly. Besides the controls on the radio, the PlayDock XM adds volume up/down and mute buttons, plus another that switches a stereo-enhancement mode on and off. This last button had the effect of very modestly widening the perceived stereo image.

Sound from the Roady2/PlayDock XM combination was smooth, clean, and articulate with strong bass. But the added oomph wasn't overbearing, and it actually sounds better when used outdoors where there's no room reinforcement to boost the bottom end. XACT XS025 portable speakers ($90) for the Stream Jockey tuner.

On the Sirius side, I checked out the XACT XS025 ($90) for the XACT XTR1 Stream Jockey. Though radically different from the PlayDock XM in appearance, the XS025 is similar in concept. An XTR1 slips securely into a rubber-lined receptacle at the front of its central module, and all electrical connections are made from a plug in that sleeve to the socket on the radio's bottom. On top are a rotary volume control/power switch, a headphone minijack, and a reach-through hand grip; a receptacle at the back provides antenna storage. Speaker enclosures with 4-inch full-range drivers protrude from either side. Power is supplied by an external AC adapter or D-cell batteries loaded four-apiece into the backs of the speaker enclosures. (The XS025 is very light without batteries and is still lighter than the PlayDock XM when they're in.) Sound from the boombox was respectably clear and even, though without pretense to any sort of deep bass. The XS025 won't knock your socks off, but it's easy on the ears - and wallet.