LED desklamps at IKEA are $12-$15, so taken in that context, an extra $5 to make it a speaker isn't bad.
This is my first purchase in months.
In other news, I just watched Phantom of the Opera, and have come to the conclusion that the Phantom is much like that friend we all have who's in a band, and gets all emo when nobody wants to listen to his stuff. Listen, dude, nobody cares about your "music of the night", okay?
@editorkid I've had to contact them about the square bt speakers that were sold on Meh a long while back, as well as the 100% useless sunrise speaker I recently got. It won't even tell the time now, won't allow setting the clock. The touch controls are so sensitive they turn themselves on/off, it's a horrible product.
@michaelahess… I also have the cube BEM bluetooth speaker (orange) that I got here many moons ago. I have to say, I quite like it. Loud volume and it sounds better than any other small speaker I've ever had. (Note: I don't consider myself an audiophile.)
@haydesigner the sound quality is OK for its size. The problem is using multiple devices with it. Very poor support for that.
You either have to unpair from one phone to pair a second, or disable Bluetooth on the first for the duration the second is being used. That causes many unforseen issues when Bluetooth keyboard/mouse, headset, or security devices are also in use.
My Echo for example does not have this issue and sounds better to boot!
The item itself has been buggy and awful. I contacted Bem for warranty replacement.
They told me to contact meh instead, even though the warranty was through Bem.
I contacted meh. And meh punted me back to Bem. Thanks, meh.
Bem wanted me to send the item back to them on my own dime,
I am currently still talking with Bem about my horrible purchase, and while I shall postpone my own personal judgement., I cannot recommend buying ANYTHING from Bem unless you KNOW that their return policy requires you shipping your crap back to them with your own money.
@Ayanami I don't think asking someone to ship a product back for repair or replacement is uncommon or unfair. Shipping things costs money. Some companies even want you to pay shipping both ways. Others want to charge you money for a repair, even under warranty. It happens.
I don't think asking someone to ship a product back for repair or replacement is uncommon or unfair. Shipping things costs money.
Uh huh. Sure. That's within their rights to do so. It's also within my own rights to tell everyone else that their product is junk and that they do not stand by it.
Others want to charge you money for a repair, even under warranty. It happens.
Uh huh. Sure. Meanwhile, I've been shipped a piece of crap; Bem and meh are playing hot potato with it; I am out $27; and I still don't have a reliable alarm clock. I really DON'T think it's wrong of me to warn others of Bem's "warranty" policy. Do YOU think it's OK to just sink money into electronics that do not work?
@Ayanami Meh tries to put you in contact with the warranty company first, because that's the only way for you to get a replacement. All meh can do is RMA. Since you tried working with the warranty company and are unhappy with the result, write into meh.com/support again and see where they can go from here. They can't really deal with this issue in the forums.
@Ayanami While we all know that it's common to charge for shipping on warranty repairs, it doesn't sit right with me, either. If the policy were, "you pay to ship it in, if it's broken, we'll pay you back; if it's not, you eat the shipping costs" - I'd be good with that. But if you're putting out a product, it should work. If it doesn't, the cost to transport for warranty repair shouldn't be passed onto the consumer.
@Ayanami@Thumperchick we've all seen it - making you pay to ship the item back, especially for inexpensive items is code for "yah, legally we can claim we're offering a ## day warranty but you and we all know the warranty ain't worth squat or the rice paper on which it is printed in carcinogenic ink."
For more expensive items, it might be reasonable that each party pays shipping one way... unless the item lasts less than 30-days or is DOA. In that case it seems any classy outfit should provide a prepaid return label. (Whether they be the seller or the manufacturer. )
@RedOak Rice paper? That must have been some really fancy shit.
A long while back at a toy store, I saw some cheap stuffed toys and on the US mandated tag, "Fill: paper by-products." BY-PRODUCTS?!? A kid's toy is stuffed with stuff that couldn't even be used for newspaper or cardboard?
Warranty Customer Handling I should add that even for small stuff (like $10-25) it has been our experience that if we do a credible (honest and detailed) job of explaining the defect, the classy businesses are often willing to simply send a replacement and tell us to toss the defective item.
That's the kind of customer service that earns walk-on-fire loyalty, friend referrals, and repeat business. RAVPower for example - I wouldn't hesitate recommending their portable batteries.
@Thumperchick Not really looking to solve my issue through the forums. Rather, I just wanted to warn anyone buying Bem products that 1) their warranty policy will cost you money if you need replacement and 2) meh won't help you with that even if you've had the product for less than 30 days.
It may have come off as a little ranty because I was drinking at the time. (I'm a grad student, please just allow me this!)
I am currently in private contact with Bem, who have been less than useful. I will be contacting meh next in an attempt to cut my losses and get a refund before hemorrhaging more money for a repair/replacement. We'll see how that goes
@Ayanami I don't really think it's fair to say that meh won't help you. You started there, and they sent you to the warranty holder - which is what they're supposed to do. If you contact them after an unsatisfactory experience with the warranty company and still feel that meh didn't help you - then it's fair to say that they "won't" help you. I'm confident that meh CS will get you taken care of on Monday (maybe Tuesday.)
@Thumperchick I really do hope you are right. I want to believe. Maybe my experiences with Amazon have just spoiled me. With them, I don't usually have to send them more than one message to fix something. I currently stand at 5 messages now for this item.
@Ayanami Amazon does set a different standard - but you also don't get the deals there that you get here. Part of why Amazon can do what they do is that they charge retail pricing. Meh staffers do care and do take care of their customers - but if you want Amazon CS, you'll pay their prices. They'll get you covered, Ayanami.
@Thumperchick Amazon only charges retail prices? Color me surprised. There are multiple items I buy from Amazon specifically BECAUSE they are cheaper online than going to a physical store.
(Aside: My dear UPS guy: I'm really, really sorry that Amazon sells 50 lb bags of my favorite cat litter that are cheaper than PetCo AND have free shipping. Remember to lift with your legs and not with your back!)
You know if I had bought this item from a brick and mortar store, even Walmart would have accepted the return without asking questions, especially since I'm cool with store credit.
I guess if I really want to ruffle meh-fanboy/girl feathers, I could mention that I've had multiple woot.com returns that have gone smoother than this. Even though they apparently employ monkeys as CSRs, judging from their reading comprehension skills.
@Ayanami The current Amazon price for this item is $65 w/prime, $56.48 from another seller. I'd say that's higher than what meh charged. So yes, there is a trade off. Woot is woot - they're owned by Amazon now. Their prices are generally higher than meh as well. But you know that, which is why you spent your cash here for this, instead of paying more somewhere else. I'm not saying it's cool to be stuck with a bunk product. I agree that any warranty that charges shipping for repairs on a busted out of the box item is bullshit. I am saying that you read the deal going in and you're dealing with what it takes to get it handled if something goes wrong - which can and will happen from time to time. I can't convince you that meh will take care of you the best they can, but you will see for yourself come Monday. We can keep talking about it if you want, but we're running in circles and I don't think it's making your lamp/speaker any less annoyingly dead.
I got my lamp yesterday and it's pretty sweet! I'm using it as a bedside lamp and the light is great for that, especially since it's dimmable. The sound is also a little better than most Bluetooth speakers that I've used.
@thismyusername The Academia arrived today, and it would probably be more fair to compare it to the OnBeat Micro than the OnBeat Mini. The Micro has a higher overall volume and a little better low-end. Still better than your typical AM/FM clock radio.
Oh, it does sound better than the Damson Jet, but that's no surprise.
I got this yesterday, and it's pretty awesome! it's replaced my phone stand, phone charger plug & lamp as well as added a nice desk radio. My desk is maybe 10% more zen. or 11%. I'm bad at zen calculations.
Only thing I'm not into is the light color. The white is blinding. Makes me feel like I'm about to undergo surgery. I think I'll get some amber signal repair tape and tint the light.
@lulubelle Too late to cancel, unfortunately. I've missed a few products because I took the time to read reviews - but I'd rather miss a few than get stuck with utter crap. :/
If this were stereo, because it has an aux? i would consider it.. but the number of bluetooth speakers and keyboards in the world (and in my house) is way too excessive.
For a moment, one wonders what those included "4 exchangeable frames" mentioned on the above linked BEM page are? But then again, perhaps it is not an earth-shaking matter. Especially since they are not mentioned here on the Meh page.
I expected it to be battery powered because they called it a "Wireless Bluetooth Desk Lamp and Speaker". Apparently they were just explaining that the bluetooth here is not the wired kind.
My only complaint is the USB ports aren't very accessible. Lamp is great, sound is ok. NFC bluetooth pairing is great bonus. I have it on the computer desk where the ceiling light is behind me which causes my body to cast a shadow on the workspace.
It’s total crap. There’s no second aux port for microphone out, leaving the mic useless unless paired with a phone. There’s no fast-switching between auxiliary and bluetooth audio sources without unplugging the aux cable. Bluetooth pairing mode is triggered by holding the power button from the powered-off state: what!?
It’s alright bedside; mine’s currently sitting on its box and another, throwing light over my desktop display, which, like @medz, casts shadow on the workspace thanks to the ceiling-light.
They have wireless Bluetooth now?
It's a desk lamp, mostly, but one with a speaker.
LED desklamps at IKEA are $12-$15, so taken in that context, an extra $5 to make it a speaker isn't bad.
This is my first purchase in months.
In other news, I just watched Phantom of the Opera, and have come to the conclusion that the Phantom is much like that friend we all have who's in a band, and gets all emo when nobody wants to listen to his stuff. Listen, dude, nobody cares about your "music of the night", okay?
@Crixus and the USB charging ports (especially the 2.1 amper) add another $3-5 of value.
@RedOak And the single 1-star review at Amazon, um... I have no idea how to price-normalize this one.
Well it has swappable covers. So if you want a less black, black look you can swap in the cheery gray! So there's that.
I want the Ouchy Plant.
@heartny Strange, seems a dorm-ready grow light would be used for a different plant.
@stinks I thought the same thing myself. Everyone grows African Violets in their dorm rooms ;-)
It's a floor wax and a dessert topping!
Please tell me I'm not the only one whose brain wants to parse that company name as Bug Eyed Monster.
Let's see....its a blue tooth speaker....its a lamp.....and its a charger.....wow! It's almost as good as a bassamatic!
a speaker dock by any other name...
@Lotsofgoats For a minute I thought it was Friday.
What's up ( speaker) dock!
Don't do it! I've come to the realization that bem products are crap. Their support is even worse, verging on non-existent.
@michaelahess Is this the only desk lamp you've needed tech support for?
@editorkid I've had to contact them about the square bt speakers that were sold on Meh a long while back, as well as the 100% useless sunrise speaker I recently got. It won't even tell the time now, won't allow setting the clock. The touch controls are so sensitive they turn themselves on/off, it's a horrible product.
@michaelahess I have a black square BEM speaker I got from costco a few years ago and it's pretty great. No complaints.
@michaelahess… I also have the cube BEM bluetooth speaker (orange) that I got here many moons ago. I have to say, I quite like it. Loud volume and it sounds better than any other small speaker I've ever had. (Note: I don't consider myself an audiophile.)
@haydesigner the sound quality is OK for its size. The problem is using multiple devices with it. Very poor support for that.
You either have to unpair from one phone to pair a second, or disable Bluetooth on the first for the duration the second is being used. That causes many unforseen issues when Bluetooth keyboard/mouse, headset, or security devices are also in use.
My Echo for example does not have this issue and sounds better to boot!
@michaelahess Not that I have any great love for this speaker, but the Echo sells for $180! It had better sound better for that price.
KuoH
@kuoh agreed. I paid a Benjamin for it when it first came out so i tend to forget to factor real world pricing into it.
This looks like a bad 1970s-80s Christmas gift.
Given how much the last BEM offering sucked, f this thing. No thanks!
Shining a light on this speaker - deal that speaks volumes
TLDR: Meh, please give me a refund on my Bem alarm clock.
So I bought an item from Bem through meh. It was horrible (https://meh.com/forum/topics/bm-sunrise-bluetooth-stereo-system-with-alarm search for any comment by Ayanami, as well as all the posts saying that he/she bought a bought a piece of crap).
The item itself has been buggy and awful. I contacted Bem for warranty replacement.
They told me to contact meh instead, even though the warranty was through Bem.
I contacted meh. And meh punted me back to Bem. Thanks, meh.
Bem wanted me to send the item back to them on my own dime,
I am currently still talking with Bem about my horrible purchase, and while I shall postpone my own personal judgement., I cannot recommend buying ANYTHING from Bem unless you KNOW that their return policy requires you shipping your crap back to them with your own money.
@Ayanami I don't think asking someone to ship a product back for repair or replacement is uncommon or unfair. Shipping things costs money. Some companies even want you to pay shipping both ways. Others want to charge you money for a repair, even under warranty. It happens.
@djslack
Uh huh. Sure. That's within their rights to do so. It's also within my own rights to tell everyone else that their product is junk and that they do not stand by it.
Uh huh. Sure. Meanwhile, I've been shipped a piece of crap; Bem and meh are playing hot potato with it; I am out $27; and I still don't have a reliable alarm clock. I really DON'T think it's wrong of me to warn others of Bem's "warranty" policy. Do YOU think it's OK to just sink money into electronics that do not work?
@Ayanami Meh tries to put you in contact with the warranty company first, because that's the only way for you to get a replacement. All meh can do is RMA. Since you tried working with the warranty company and are unhappy with the result, write into meh.com/support again and see where they can go from here. They can't really deal with this issue in the forums.
@Ayanami While we all know that it's common to charge for shipping on warranty repairs, it doesn't sit right with me, either. If the policy were, "you pay to ship it in, if it's broken, we'll pay you back; if it's not, you eat the shipping costs" - I'd be good with that. But if you're putting out a product, it should work. If it doesn't, the cost to transport for warranty repair shouldn't be passed onto the consumer.
@Ayanami @Thumperchick we've all seen it - making you pay to ship the item back, especially for inexpensive items is code for "yah, legally we can claim we're offering a ## day warranty but you and we all know the warranty ain't worth squat or the rice paper on which it is printed in carcinogenic ink."
For more expensive items, it might be reasonable that each party pays shipping one way... unless the item lasts less than 30-days or is DOA. In that case it seems any classy outfit should provide a prepaid return label. (Whether they be the seller or the manufacturer. )
@RedOak Rice paper? That must have been some really fancy shit.
A long while back at a toy store, I saw some cheap stuffed toys and on the US mandated tag, "Fill: paper by-products." BY-PRODUCTS?!? A kid's toy is stuffed with stuff that couldn't even be used for newspaper or cardboard?
Needless to say, I put it back down.
Warranty Customer Handling
I should add that even for small stuff (like $10-25) it has been our experience that if we do a credible (honest and detailed) job of explaining the defect, the classy businesses are often willing to simply send a replacement and tell us to toss the defective item.
That's the kind of customer service that earns walk-on-fire loyalty, friend referrals, and repeat business. RAVPower for example - I wouldn't hesitate recommending their portable batteries.
@Thumperchick Not really looking to solve my issue through the forums. Rather, I just wanted to warn anyone buying Bem products that 1) their warranty policy will cost you money if you need replacement and 2) meh won't help you with that even if you've had the product for less than 30 days.
It may have come off as a little ranty because I was drinking at the time. (I'm a grad student, please just allow me this!)
I am currently in private contact with Bem, who have been less than useful. I will be contacting meh next in an attempt to cut my losses and get a refund before hemorrhaging more money for a repair/replacement. We'll see how that goes
@Ayanami I don't really think it's fair to say that meh won't help you. You started there, and they sent you to the warranty holder - which is what they're supposed to do. If you contact them after an unsatisfactory experience with the warranty company and still feel that meh didn't help you - then it's fair to say that they "won't" help you.
I'm confident that meh CS will get you taken care of on Monday (maybe Tuesday.)
@Thumperchick I really do hope you are right. I want to believe. Maybe my experiences with Amazon have just spoiled me. With them, I don't usually have to send them more than one message to fix something. I currently stand at 5 messages now for this item.
@Ayanami Amazon does set a different standard - but you also don't get the deals there that you get here. Part of why Amazon can do what they do is that they charge retail pricing. Meh staffers do care and do take care of their customers - but if you want Amazon CS, you'll pay their prices. They'll get you covered, Ayanami.
@Thumperchick Amazon only charges retail prices? Color me surprised. There are multiple items I buy from Amazon specifically BECAUSE they are cheaper online than going to a physical store.
(Aside: My dear UPS guy: I'm really, really sorry that Amazon sells 50 lb bags of my favorite cat litter that are cheaper than PetCo AND have free shipping. Remember to lift with your legs and not with your back!)
You know if I had bought this item from a brick and mortar store, even Walmart would have accepted the return without asking questions, especially since I'm cool with store credit.
I guess if I really want to ruffle meh-fanboy/girl feathers, I could mention that I've had multiple woot.com returns that have gone smoother than this. Even though they apparently employ monkeys as CSRs, judging from their reading comprehension skills.
@Ayanami The current Amazon price for this item is $65 w/prime, $56.48 from another seller. I'd say that's higher than what meh charged. So yes, there is a trade off. Woot is woot - they're owned by Amazon now. Their prices are generally higher than meh as well. But you know that, which is why you spent your cash here for this, instead of paying more somewhere else.
I'm not saying it's cool to be stuck with a bunk product. I agree that any warranty that charges shipping for repairs on a busted out of the box item is bullshit.
I am saying that you read the deal going in and you're dealing with what it takes to get it handled if something goes wrong - which can and will happen from time to time. I can't convince you that meh will take care of you the best they can, but you will see for yourself come Monday.
We can keep talking about it if you want, but we're running in circles and I don't think it's making your lamp/speaker any less annoyingly dead.
I got my lamp yesterday and it's pretty sweet! I'm using it as a bedside lamp and the light is great for that, especially since it's dimmable. The sound is also a little better than most Bluetooth speakers that I've used.
@lljk but how does the sound compare to a JBL Mini, the mediocre standard?
@thismyusername Hell if I know. I think this is the closest I'm going to come to buying an actual speaker dock.
@thismyusername The Academia arrived today, and it would probably be more fair to compare it to the OnBeat Micro than the OnBeat Mini. The Micro has a higher overall volume and a little better low-end. Still better than your typical AM/FM clock radio.
Oh, it does sound better than the Damson Jet, but that's no surprise.
@ObliteRon thanks! and yea... no surprise... I almost had the jet's given away, but then they tried them out :(
I got this yesterday, and it's pretty awesome! it's replaced my phone stand, phone charger plug & lamp as well as added a nice desk radio. My desk is maybe 10% more zen. or 11%. I'm bad at zen calculations.
Only thing I'm not into is the light color. The white is blinding. Makes me feel like I'm about to undergo surgery. I think I'll get some amber signal repair tape and tint the light.
@NAFderwin It is pretty darn bright and white, isn't it? I haven't played with the sound yet but the lamp is impressive.
I found this: http://www.amazon.com/BEM-Wireless-Academia-Bluetooth-Speaker/dp/B00LVAVYR6/ref=sr_1_43?srs=9618384011&ie=UTF8&qid=1441598764&sr=8-43
1 bad but not very easy to read review. I do like the Bem speaker I got here a while back though.
@kubiak I kinda like the review. It's got an almost haiku vibe to it.
How do you change the lightbulb when it goes out?
@ntowl24 the rest of the device will be dead long before the led lights quit.
So with the line over the e like that we are supposed to pronounce this "beam" correct?
Burp.
Is it possible to cancel my order for this? I stupidly bought it before I read any reviews and I now deeply regret my decision.
@lulubelle Too late to cancel, unfortunately. I've missed a few products because I took the time to read reviews - but I'd rather miss a few than get stuck with utter crap. :/
@lulubelle How many reviews were there, anyway? The only one I saw linked was a single 1-star review on Amazon.
Specs
Condition: New
Warranty: 90 Day BEM
Estimated Delivery: 9/16 - 9/18
Shipping: $5 or free with VMP
What’s in the Box?
1x Academia Lamp/Speaker
2x Swappable speaker grill covers
1x Power adapter
1x 3.5mm Aux cable
Pictures
Cactus
Retail box
Kinda like a dock
Everything included
Lamp
Lamp extended
Price Comparison
$99 at BEM
Find a relevant price comparison? Please share it in a comment in this thread
Warranty
90 days
Meh... I see your 80 % off... but I still don't think I'd pay $20 without knowing a bit more about the light. Replaceable bulb, ETC...
@sohmageek Its a 5w 12 led lamp.
@sohmageek the rest of the unit will be dead long before the leds quit making light ;)
Back to School at Meh is meh....
A speaker that holds your phone...So a speaker dock...
@rileyper this is technically another bluetooth stand, but it's not Thursday... I'm so confused.... long live Bluetooth Stand Monday?
If this were stereo, because it has an aux? i would consider it.. but the number of bluetooth speakers and keyboards in the world (and in my house) is way too excessive.
if this were stereo and had FM... I'd get it for my dad.
I do like this, but not at $20. @JonT, Bath??
Maybe I can kiss up to @moose? Come on, someone must like me over there!
@conandlibrarian
Well I've spent most of my last paycheck on this site over the past week, so they must love me!
Eh, I went for it. I've been wanting a light for our art/scrapbooking table and the speaker will get good use I'm sure
For a moment, one wonders what those included "4 exchangeable frames" mentioned on the above linked BEM page are? But then again, perhaps it is not an earth-shaking matter. Especially since they are not mentioned here on the Meh page.
based on A'zon reviews it might be a $20 gamble.. if i needed a lamp or speaker i might have played.
이거 겁나좋아요 ㅜㅜ
아마존에서 샀는데 블루투스 고장난거여서
충전기 스탠드로만 쓰고있는 ㅜㅜ..
오랜만에 지르네여
겁나싸네 99달러짜리인데 ㅜㅜ
@exart7 How was light? is bright?
I need Led stand because read a book and homework.
I expected it to be battery powered because they called it a "Wireless Bluetooth Desk Lamp and Speaker". Apparently they were just explaining that the bluetooth here is not the wired kind.
@greenbakz https://meh.com/forum/topics/bem-academia-wireless-bluetooth-desk-lamp-and-speaker#55ed0cfa4c798348056d1f16
My only complaint is the USB ports aren't very accessible. Lamp is great, sound is ok. NFC bluetooth pairing is great bonus. I have it on the computer desk where the ceiling light is behind me which causes my body to cast a shadow on the workspace.
It’s total crap. There’s no second aux port for microphone out, leaving the mic useless unless paired with a phone. There’s no fast-switching between auxiliary and bluetooth audio sources without unplugging the aux cable. Bluetooth pairing mode is triggered by holding the power button from the powered-off state: what!?
It’s alright bedside; mine’s currently sitting on its box and another, throwing light over my desktop display, which, like @medz, casts shadow on the workspace thanks to the ceiling-light.