Sabine Zipbeat Metronome

Feature:
Comes with an earphone for private listening, which would allow you to use it at a gig. The number of beats per minute available is limited because there is only so much space on the dial. The higher up on the dial you go, the more gaps there are in the selection, i.e. at the lower speeds you they are spaced every 4 bpms whereas at higher speeds they are spaced at 8 bpms. So if you are looking to duplicate the rhythm of a song off a CD, or find a beat that "feels" just right for a particular song, you may have to do some compromising, going either a little too fast or a little too slow. But hey, it's $20. It also has selectable down beats (a tock instead of a tick). One drawback is that when you start the metronome using one of the downbeat options, it starts in the middle of the count, not at the beginning. So for example if you choose it to tock every four beats, when you turn it on, it will be starting on the second or third beat. You have to let it cycle through, and then square away in your head which beat you want the tock to be on. A minor inconvenience.

Quality:
Haven't dropped it yet. It looks ok for what it is.

Value:
For $20 and a few minor inconveniences you get a metronome that you can use by yourself, in a PA system for the whole band, or with an earphone at a gig. $20 these days is nothing. How can you go wrong? A good thing for every gig bag to have.

Desirability:
The question is: How would you rate the "sex appeal" of this product? Does it have a compelling appeal as an aesthetic or technical marvel - beyond its practical use (the color, the way it's made, the way it feels to you, the sheer genius of its design or features), that make you lust for this piece of gear even if you could make good music without it? Or is it just a practical addition to your setup? The answer is--geez, it's a little metronome. It's just a practical addition to your setup. But isn't that what you want?

Sound:
The click through the speaker is not loud enough to be heard over a guitar with an amp. When practicing with my partner, I plug a $3 Radio Shack adapter into the earphone plug, and plug the metronome into our PA system. With that mod the sound is terrific.

Support:
No experience.

I don't understand why anyone would pay more money for a metronome. I use this for practicing with my bass. It looks cheap, but I've dropped it on the tile floor dozens of times and it hasn't broken.