GPX R600B Portable AM/FM Radio with Line Input Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
I bought the radio because it had the option to be either Battery or 120v AC operated and because it has a 1/8" audio input. The device automatically detects when a cord is plugged into it's input jack and the sound quality is acceptable. It has a functioning AM and FM radio which seems to have decent reception and the whole thing is lightweight.
Cons:
The first thing I noticed was that the radio is made out of cheap, easily scratched plastic (like something you could buy at a Dollar General for probably less). When I plugged it in to test it out, the second thing I noticed was that the AM/FM switch hardly functions. It gets stuck on AM and you have to play with it a bunch of times to get it to switch to FM. And the Third thing I noticed was that as you scan for stations with the tuner dial, none of the stations seem to come in at the indicated frequency. Not only do stations above 100mhz come in below the indicated "98", but many stations come in at completely random spots on the dial, like a station at 105.1 comes in across a quarter inch of the dial, and below a station at 101.3. And not that it's a huge deal (you can even tell just by looking at the picture online) but it's only Mono.
Notes:
I didn't pay for shipping because of amazon's Super-Saver shipping, and I hate the process of making returns so I'll be keeping this radio and using it for what I had intended to use it for. I just needed an inexpensive AC powered radio that I can also plug my iPhone into while I'm working on projects in the garage. It will be used, I won't care if anything happens to it, and it's extremely easy to take apart in case anything minor does happen to it that I'm able to repair. But I would consider this radio to be worth less than $10. I will be avoiding the GPX brand from now on.

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Sonoro AU3001BL Eklipse Audio System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)It took returning this item 3 times and still not being completely satisfied...but finally realized it is not Amazon's fault and we could have done it 3 more times and the front of the system was still going to have scratches on it. As far as the silver dial on front....I would say that it is not made well..if you push it on one side it looks like it's going to come off, which is why we initially returned the first one. The second one came with scratches all over the front...again...not the fault of Amazon..so by the tine the third one arrived and was also scratched we realized that it was happening during the manufacturing of the item and shame on Sonoro for poor quality control. We decided to keep it anyway...the sound is great!

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Teac R-4INT Wall Mountable Internet Radio with iPod Dock Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have had a lot of fun with this radio! I'm no audiophile, but to this casual listener, the sound is amazing. Out of the box, the audio is just big and round. I have an older BOSE alarm clock/CD player, and this radio sounds much better, if that means anything. There are the usual equalizer settings, so you can customize as you will.
Set up was easy, if a bit tedious. The radio has an Ethernet port, but I easily added it to my hidden wireless network. You select letters and numbers using a wheel on the radio itself or using the arrows on the remote control. You use the same technique for anything you have to enter: search terms, passwords, logins, etc.
The remote control is the most functional one I've received with a radio/alarm clock. It's bigger than most radio remotes I've seen, but it's capable of doing anything you can do on the radio itself. So it's not just a power switch and channel and volume changer like some of the others I've used.
I've used Pandora, the Internet radio, and docked my iPhone 4, and all worked seamlessly. I've had the radio a little over a week, and I've used it several times. One time, I experienced silence for 20 or 30 seconds when it suddenly had to reconnect to my network.
It has the usual alarm clock functions. Each dual alarm can be set to go off once, daily, each weekday, or each weekend day. Ultimately, however, I was unable to use this as a bedside alarm clock. First of all, at one foot wide by eight inches deep, it's footprint is too big for my already-crowded nightstand. Also, my nightstand sits a little higher than my bed. The display (which is too small to read more than a few feet away) is set at about a 45 degree angle, midway between vertical and horizontal. I can't see it lying down. I do wish the display was larger and set more vertically.
Because of these issues, and because I already have most of the radio's functions available to me in my bedroom, I decided to put the radio in my kitchen where I enjoy it immensely while puttering around there. And when I unplugged the radio to move it from the nightstand to the kitchen, it saved all my settings. Because I didn't find a place for a backup battery, I was worried I would have to reconfigure everything. But it just reconnected to my network, reset the date and time, and was ready to go immediately. Bonus!


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Tivoli Audio Model Three AM/FM Clock Radio, Cherry/Metallic Taupe Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased the unit for it's renowned tuner but also for a replacement of my clock radio. The tuner is everything as claimed and nearly as good as a very high end tuner I currently own. The sound quality is also much better than expected. Where this unit falls apart is with the sleep functions. I could not get the snooze function to work as the radio would never come back on. An email to Tivoli revealed that the snooze must be activated within 120 seconds or it simply turns the radio off. This information was NOT in the manual! I know I'm not counting down from 120 seconds the moment the alarm awakes me from a soind sleep... Poor design. I've also discovered that the clock runs from the single AA battery at all times. It should run from the AC and only rely on the battery for back up. Another poorly thought out design. The two most important sleep functions are an afterthought and in my opinion not worth the cost or questionable functionality. If one were to add a second speaker the total would be $250 or $100 more than a model Two. That $100 only gets you a cheap battery operated clock and useless snooze function. Instead, spend your money on the model Two, the $80 sub and a wall timer. That's what I'm doing... You'll have a better system and save a few dollars as well!

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You don't need a degree in rocket science to operate the Tivoli Audio Model Three Clock Radio. Like other Tivoli Audio products, the Model Three is simple to use, so you won't lose sleep wondering if you'll wake up. It includes a 20-minute sleep timer, a snooze button, and a sleek aluminum thumbwheel to set the alarm time, with the option to wake to a buzzer or its great sounding AM/FM radio. The analog clock's fine quartz mechanical movement provides accurate time keeping and compliments the analog tuning dial. The constant gentle illumination makes the clock face visible in low or no light without keeping you awake. Its handsome cherry wood exterior houses a rather high-tech interior. The Model Three uses a Henry Kloss designed tuner with cell phone technology for better FM reception and increased clarity on closely spaced stations, a 5:1 ratio analog tuning dial, and a plethora of inputs and outputs including Stereo Headphone and Record output, stereo auxiliary input, built in AM/FM antennas, a 75 ohm connection for an external FM antenna and a 12 V power input for use in areas without AC power. You can add the optional matching Tivoli Audio Stereo Speaker or Dual Alarm Speaker for stereo sound, or for a complete sound system, add the optional matching Model Subwoofer and Model CD.

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RCA RC140 Dual Alarm Clock Radio (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The alarm has nice big light green colored numbers easy to read from a distance.
I didn't want an alarm with RED numbers. The green is softer looking.
The alarm comes with the BACKUP batteries already installed. The instructions say to plug it in and the time is automatically set, which it is if you don't remove the batteries. However, if the time is off by a few seconds you have to set the clock.
THEN you have to get the instructions out.
The controls for setting time and alarms are on the back/top. If you are older, as I am, you will need your glasses to try and see what to switch.
The radio is not "HI-FI" but is OK for an alarm.
CON:
The only "complaint" I have is with the -time zone- button.
You push the button until you set the correct time zone for where you live. Problem is, it does not display ANYTHING to tell you WHAT time zone you are setting. I guess this is OK, all you do is push the button until the correct HOUR displays.
I would give it -5 stars- except for the time zone setting and the difficult to read SMALL PRINT instructions and switch settings on the back. When you are older it is next to impossible to read these.


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Crosley CR32 CD Cathedral Radio with CD - Paprika Review

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(More customer reviews)My husband is an audiophile, and laughed at me when I said I wanted this CD/radio. Unlike him, I don't really care that much about sound quality. Not that it doesn't matter to me at all--it's just that HE has the big, nice sound system already, so I was happy to get something that would look nice in the living room and could play in the background while I was reading. I don't need or even like to play music very loud, so something small and pleasantly retro like this was just what I wanted.(We don't all care for 15 shelves worth of audio equipment and a gigantic subwoofer.) I was so excited!
As other reviewers have stated, it's a little difficult to tune in the radio. That was disappointing, but my CDs sounded nice enough, and the radio/CD player made me happy even to look at. It just seemed RIGHT to listed to Louis Armstrong through it, as if the beauty of the retro cathedral style cabinet made the sound more authentic. It was lovely! I was even considering getting another Crosley product for a different room, having fun paging through the catalog and anticipating what I would ask for for my birthday. I was SO happy.
... for about 7 months.
Then the right speaker blew. (Sound doesn't come out of the front speaker-looking area, but is stereo from the sides.) That it would blow surprised me, seeing as how I never, never listen to it at top volume, nowhere near. The guarantee that comes with this item is limited, and wouldn't cover the problem. Reasonable person that I am, I still wasn't too upset--I was just disappointed a bit. After all, my husband is an audiophile, as I mentioned, and he could replace the speakers for me if we could get replacements.With that happy thought, he wrote Crosley to find out if they sold replacement speakers, or if they had recommendations for replacements. He never heard back. He wrote twice, responsibly checked his spam folder just in case, but NOTHING.
So... I wrote. This is the third time they had been contacted by us. Keep in mind we were both polite: simply explained what had happened, and asked if there were recommended speakers so we could take care of the problem ourselves. I don't care about sound quality that much as I said, but it is unlistenable with all the static in the blown speaker.
Was the third time the charm? No. I got no response, either. Even if Crosley had no recommendations, it seems to me it would be polite to write back. Is this an indication of the quality of their customer service, or the quality of their product... or both? That is, after having looked for speakers ourselves, we don't seem to be able to locate any that will fit. We can find the correct wattage and so forth; however, there is not much clearance inside the case. Every speaker we looked at--and we have spent considerable time looking--seemed to be too deep to fit. So far as we can tell, the speakers are a proprietary make and substitutions that will fit can't be found elsewhere.
I loved this item while it worked. However, unless you are the type of person that can pay $80 or $100 every few months to get a new one ($80 if you get it on sale), don't buy this product. The quality is apparently so poor, the manufacturer, Crosley, is embarrassed to respond even to polite inquiry. I was their perfect target customer--someone who didn't care so much about perfect sound, but who preferred instead the vintage look with just acceptable sound quality--and I am terribly unhappy with them. I'm so unhappy, I'm wasting a lovely Saturday morning writing this review.
Shame on them. I certainly won't be buying another Crosley product for a different room as I had once fondly planned, and I hope I have saved you the trouble and expense of buying ANY Crosley product.
For shame.


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Sangean PR-D7 AM/FM Digital Rechargeable Portable Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently read analysis of the Sangean PR-D5 vs. the Sangean PR-D7 radios. The reviews missed the point: These two Sangean radios target different market niches and needs. The PR-D5 is essentially a table radio while the PR-D7 targets folks that need a radio for domestic travel. I'm sure the engineers at Sangean see it this way. Why not buy both radios?
The Sangean PR-D7 has a clean crisp sound with very low noise floor on AM and FM bands, a great improvement over Sangean radios of similar size such as the ATS-505 or the ATS-909. BTW, I've tuned in all the major stations in the greater Phoenix area without a problem including the hard to catch 89.5, a classical station.
I have been very surprised at the overall performance of the PR-D7 radio and listen to this radio on a daily basis. The Sangean PR-D7 ($59) does 90 percent of what the Trivoli Songbook does at 25 percent of the Songbook's $200 price tag.
Still, the PR-D7 could use a multi-voltage AC adapter and a lock switch to be a complete global travel radio (like the Sangean ATS-606). Also, when traveling, cloth pouch would be a really nice touch. And while I'm making my wish list, the PR-D7 in a red or yellow case would be neat and easy to spot in a hotel room so you don't leave it behind.
One of the things I like about this radio are the controls, easy to learn and use, plus you can see the frequency and time on the display.
Update September 2008: I just recently purchased Sanyo's Eneloop AA rechargeable batteries for my PR-D7 giving me greater flexibility when enjoying this wonderful portable radio. I highly recommend Sanyo's Eneloop batteries.
Last week, from my greater Phoenix location, I picked KNX 1070 Los Angeles about 10PM in the evening.
Update October 2009: After owning this radio for 2 years, my little PR-D7 fell off a second story balcony and is now in pieces, so I ordered a second PR-D7 this morning. I suffer from cancer and kidney disease, so I've been in and out of the hospital several times this year, each time, my little Sangean PR-D7 went with me.
One of the neatest features of this PR-D7 is the no hassle recharging of the AA batteries, the radio automatically does this for you!!!
BTW, I ordered this radio from Amazon on a Friday morning and received the radio the next Tuesday morning. How's that for service!!!
Update January 2011: I have since purchased a Sangean PR-D9W radio which is now my go 2 radio.

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An ultra-compact AM/FM digital radio, the Sangean PR-D7 weighs just under 1.5 pounds and measures 8 inches long by 4-1/2 inches tall. It features conveniently located and an easily readable display for frequency and current time. It offers excellent sensitivity and selectivity, and will surprise you at its ability to pull in distant stations.

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Jensen JRC-275 AM/FM Dual Alarm Clock Radio with Wave Sensor (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The feature that automatically turns the display completely dark, then
illuminates it when a hand is waved over the device (no need to find a
button in the dark) convinced me to purchase this clock radio. There
would be no possibility to hear "That clock is too bright; I can't get
to sleep."
That works as designed. The problem is the clock beeps when the
display is activated. Want to check the alarm time? Wave your hand
three times: beep... beep...beep! It sounds like the alarm on my
watch, which is intended to catch my attention, but this is louder
than the watch. There is no option to suppress this sound, and it is
not affected by the volume control. This is a fatal flaw when there
is more than one sleeper in the room.
There is no station memory. If you want to tune a different station,
you have to manually turn a wheel to find the desired station. I am
accustomed to have at least half a dozen stations that can be set
once, then selected with a button press. This requirement for manual
tuning is a bother. No possibility of a quick change to hear a
weather or traffic report, then back to music or whatever.
This lack of station presets is especially bad when one wants an alarm
to start the radio instead of just make a noise. A better design
would let the user associate a specific station to be tuned when the
alarm time arrives. With this Jensen unit, if you use sleep mode to
play the radio while you fall asleep, you need to wake up and re-tune
to the station you want to hear at alarm time.
There is another problem this lack of digital station presets produces.
The manual tuning mechanism tends to drift. I found after I turned
off the radio, it would tune a slightly different frequency when
subsequently turned on. Sometimes, the drift would be large enough
that no station would be heard - a problem if the radio is silent when
it is supposed to wake you - a nuisance when you have to frequently
adjust the tuning just to hear the same station.
The volume control does not permit fine adjustment of loudness at low
levels. Perhaps the circuit designer did not consider an audio taper
potentiometer, or a packaging engineer did not realize only one of two
possible orientations for the volume control is correct. Whatever the
reason, I always had a hard time to find a setting between "silent"
and "too loud" in a quiet bedroom environment.
The single picture in the product description shows a silver case with
black display. In fact, most of the case is black plastic; only the
front half-inch or so is silver, the remaining two and one-half inches
is black. Black is not ugly, but it was an unwelcome surprise on my
brown wood table. Additional images that show side and rear views
would be helpful. I would contribute them, except I repacked my unit
in order to return it.
Why two stars with all these problems? The sound from this radio is
natural and better than I expected from a unit with this size and
price.


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Offering a large, easily readable green LED display, the Jensen JRC-275 clock radio also offers an innovative infrared Wave Sensor feature that allows you to activate the snooze function without hitting the device--just wave your hand above the clock. Additionally, the Wave Sensor feature allows you to wave your hand to show the time (when the clock is in power saver mode), show indoor temperature, and show radio frequency (when in radio mode).

The JRC-275 has an AM/FM as well as auxiliary input jack for connecting your iPod, MP3 or other digital audio players. Its dual alarm includes a snooze function as well as weekend cancellation. Other features include high/low dimmer control, calendar, indoor temperature display, sleep to music function, and a power saver mode that turns the display off after 15 seconds. It measures 4-1/4 by 7-3/8 by 3 inches (HxWxD). It also comes with a CR2032 lithium battery for backup should your power go out.

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Teac HD-1 Clock Radio with iPod cradle and AM/FM HD Radio Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this radio for about a month. I purchased it as a replacement for my 25 year-old alarm clock radio, and also to see what HD radio was like. Overall, the workmanship of the radio is fine, and the sound quality is decent, given the size and price. The radio has quite a few features packed in for the money, and from that standpoint, it is a good buy. FM reception is good. AM reception is average.
As I primarily use this as an alarm-clock radio, my review comes from using the radio for that purpose. I don't use the iPod docking function, or use the radio for casual listening. As such, the radio has some short-comings as an alarm-clock radio, and that's why I only gave it three stars. If used the radio primarily for something else, like casual daytime listening or an iPod dock, I could easily see rating it higher. The issues with the alarm clock function are as follows:
1) The display is way too bright for an alarm-clock radio, even on the dimmest setting. Particularly if the radio is sitting on a nightstand next to the bed. There are are three brigthness settings, but very little difference between them. Due to the brightness of the backlight, it is very difficult to glance over and see the time when it is dark if you've been sleeping and have just waken up. Backlit LCD is not the best display technology for an alarm-clock application.
2) When the alarm starts the radio, the time is no longer displayed. You can push a button to display the time, but it reverts back to the radio information. Not exactly convenient if you are laying in bed and need to see what time it is. During the alarm-clock function, a time display is more important than the radio station frequency or other HD information. The radio display function should have a display modes with a large time display that can be permanently selected. Perhaps along the bottom where the HD radio information scrolls by. The Sony radios have this feature.
3) When the radio is used as an alarm, the radio turns off 1 hour after it first goes off. For me, 1 hour is a little short, especially if I hit snooze a couple of times. My old radio used a two hour time period. Ideally, this setting could be adjustable.
4) The snooze is 6 minutes. That's a little short for me. Again, it would be nice if this setting was adjustable.
The last three issues could be fixed with some software changes. The first item would require a hardware change. Maybe I can find some tinted plastic film that could be fitted over the display to tone it down a bit.

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Under Cabinet CD Clock Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My review is based on a refurbished product that I won in an online auction for much lower price. I am very satisfied with the product considering the amount I have paid for it. But, I am giving only 3 stars considering the real price of the product.
It is true that the mounting template that comes with the product is wrong. I had to make my own template. However, the mounting hardware includes three sets of spacers and two sets of screws that you can use in any combination to suit to your cabinet. Mine worked very well and is quite stable. I like the fact that it does not occupy any space on my kitchen counter top.
My wife said that the CD didn't work at one point. Then when I checked it, it was working fine. FM reception is not satisfactory. One of our favorite stations is not picked up. Manual says that the power cable should be stretched (I believe it acts as antenna), but I don't like the cable hanging all over the kitchen counter.
The instruction manual could be improved. Product is much bulkier for the sound it produces. There is a holder for the remote control at the bottom. It is still not clear to me as to how I can place the remote in the holder. (Manual says nothing about this.) The way I have put it now makes the buttons on the remote press against the bottom surface of the product. You must use only the remote control to utilize some of the features such as setting the presets.
Overall, I like the product, but they could have done a much better job.

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CC CWF WiFi Internet Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this radio despite reviews complaining of its reliability. It worked right out of the box and offers, for the price, far more presettable stations than its nearest competitor, a remote and an ethernet connection in addition to its wireless feature. It is also one of the smallest of the table top sets and will sit neatly in a little corner without drawing attention to itself - an appealing feature to those listeners for whom appearance places a far second to content. I found its setup well thought out and mostly intuitive. The front panel offers only three pre-sets so do not lose the remote which replicates all radio controls and has a 100 pre-set capacity. The loudspeaker offers better than average fidelity of table top models.
This radio operates using the reciva internet radio website, which the Grace radio also uses. Registering the radio with that site allows the listener to select using reciva those stations of particular and recurrent interest and save their locations in the actual radio. These stations can then be accessed from a menu labelled MY STATIONS on the radio - a very nice convenience. Of course wifi radio is only as good as your wireless connection and the streaming rate of the actual service providing the signal. In addition, if your wireless network is in use by several computers or other devices while you are using this radio you may experience bits of silence at times - especially noted with broadcasts from foreign stations that are otherwise flawless. Most, but not all, American radio stations use servers providing reliable output to the internet, as do the government supported stations of Europe, Russia, China and Japan. However, if your cup of tea is Upper Volta or the Falkland Islands for example, well, the sometimes large gaps in the sound are not the fault of this radio. Having more than a casual interest in world news and having listened to shortwave broadcasts for many years, I have found that wifi radio offers far, far more foreign stations than shortwave these days without requiring a subscription fee (except, of course, the cost of your internet connection) and seems to be largely replacing shortwave broadcasts to the very well developed world. I found this radio an affordable and, so far, easy to use, trouble-free way of listening to what inhabitants of other parts of earth have to say about themselves and us, without a fade any time of day.

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Grace Wifi Radio with iPod dock GDI-IR3020 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This product is the synthesis of everything I've been looking for! I have long been a radio fan and in recent years subscribed to Sirius Radio, listen to stations on iTunes and love internet radio stations, especially Pandora. This little baby combined all of my interests into one small clock radio. While the sound of the speakers won't blow you away, add a small set of speakers (I am using an extra set of Logitech Computer speakers with sub that only cost me $40) and you have a great sounding system (depending on the station you listen to). The construction is ok, although for over $200 I would have liked it to be a bit sturdier, but it is a clock radio so it isn't going anywhere. This model also has an iPod dock - great for listening, but it won't charge your unit. Overall I am extremely happy - iPod, Sirius (although you have to upgrade your on-line account for $2.99/month to use with this), Pandora and over 16,000 internet radio stations! One of the big advantages of the Grace radio is 99 presets - most other radios I looked at had alot less.
My biggest problems these days is trying to figure out what I want to listen to first!! Highly recommended.

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Coby CX50 Compact AM/FM Radio with Digital Display, silver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)These people giving bad reviews gotta rethink their value system. Just like a micro 10 cent pen won't be as good as a full sized 2 dollar one, the same holds true for radios.
There are only a few useful radios on the market this tiny, with a built in speaker (as opposed to headphone/earbuds - only radios). Out of the ones this tiny I found the CX-50 beat the others of similar size & price.
I bought mine for about 5 bucks, liked it so much, I ordered 3 more as stocking stuffers. For the price & size, I thought it was a good deal.
This isn't a serious performer. It's more like a micro travel radio or travel alarm clock (Yes it has an alarm clock in it).
It's stylish too. A cross between modern & retro, with an all metal face. It solid & heavy compared to most mini radios.
Sound quality is about what one would expect from such a little speaker... you won't get much bass, but the included earbuds sound rich & full.
It sounds better, tunes better, & has better reception than the Katio KA-208, & Coby CX53 (both of which are identical to each other except for the brand name stamped on it) radios. Tuning is tricky, but you get used to it. I've seen worse tuning on most mini & cheap radios.
FM reception was slightly above average for a mini, or cheap radio... Better on FM than the CX53, KA-208, Bell & Howell 9 band world receiver, & the Sony ICF-S10MK2 (other "under 10 dollar" radios).
AM reception was crip & clear, but not as sensitive as larger radios. Usuable, but no serious DXing on AM. I was able to pick up quite a few distant stations in evenings, but not as many or as clear as on the Sony or Bell & Howell radios (the only thing they're good for).
Because the stations take up such a wide space on the radio's AM dial, you do not need to tune it "dead on" the frequency to get the station clearly. The bad part of that is if there's a strong AM station near a desired weaker station, the stronger one will interfere with it unless you turn the radio a little to cancel out the stronger station.
It did reject noise & interference from computers & office machines on both bands better that the other radios I mention here.
It a fun little micro radio, that looks kinda cool. Ideally suited as a travel alarm, or basic ultra mini portable.
The 2 little AAA rechargeable batteries I put in mine have been going strong for over a week's worth of regular daily use without me having to recharge them.
So is it a great radio? No. It's a great radio for it's size, price, & efficiency... with better than average FM reception for a micro radio.
Keep one around for an emergency or because it looks cool too.
It's a couple millimeters thinner than the KA-208 & the CX53. It's also about a millimeter less wide & tall as well. That makes it the smallest radio with a built in speaker that I've ever seen in recent times.
There was one smaller I had in the 70s. AM only, ran on a single AA cell, & sensitivity was pretty bad... strong stations only. But I wish I could find one like that again because it was so tiny, & sounded good.


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Sangean RCR-5 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have nothing but praise for the Sangean RCR-5 clock radio. Specifically, here are the most noteworthy aspects of this truly amazing product:
Display
Here is where the RCR-5 truly shines, as it incorporates a backlit LCD with adjustable intensity: one may adjust the backlight to suit your needs, so you have a perfectly legible, yet not too bright display (at night) which can never be "washed out", even in direct sunlight. The display even has a clever feature whereby it will illuminate to full intensity when any of the buttons are pressed, after which it returns to the user's preset intensity after ten seconds. As you can see from the product photos, the display is of a soft, warm color, most conducive to a good sleeping environment; other clock radios using bright blue or green illumination, IMHO, should be avoided if you want to get any sleep.
Auxiliary Input
Very useful for listening to my podcasts at night; when an external source is attached, the Band button will cycle through AM/FM/AU; when none is attached, only AM/FM are available, thereby eliminating "clutter" for those who do not wish to enable this feature. (Note: I'm old-school, and prefer using this method over a "Dockable" iPod solution, as I prefer to completely run my iPod's battery source to zero before recharging...)
Flexibility in Programming
Only found on more expensive clock radios, this model will allow you to use the "Sleep" feature to listen to a particular station (or podcast with the Auxiliary feature) at night, and then to wake to radio on a different station. In addition, all alarms allow Daily, Mon-Fri, or Single, with the Audible Alarm using a gentle "ramp-up" feature.
Reception and Speaker Quality
The radio's receiver portion of this product is very good, rivaled by only my Sony short wave receiver (a great radio, by the way!); what looks like a 3-inch speaker provides a very warm, intelligible output, very suitable for the spoken word, adequate for music. If you need a strong system for powerful music, I would suggest purchasing an additional desktop speaker setup (such as for a computer) which can be attached to the headphone output by means of a standard mini-jack connection.
Finally, a no-nonsense Sleep function
Sangean has cleverly incorporated the Sleep function into the Power button (which is gently illuminated when the radio's off); to turn the radio on or off, press the button. To use the Sleep feature, press and hold the same button to select up to 120 minutes. Simple, effective, "it just works".
Final Recommendation
Well, what more can I say? This product works for me (and I'm purchasing three more for gifts) and has a lot going for it, including high value (very reasonably priced!). Is there anything that you should be aware of? Yes:
> As described in the previous customer's entry, setting the alarm may require a few extra key-strokes, as this product offers many options when it comes to waking by either the alarm or the radio; if you do not need all of these features, you may wish to consider something of simpler means. That being said, it took me only about 22 seconds to set the alarm; for me, it was relatively intuitive and logical.
> The built-in battery back up feature only works for about ten minutes worth of backup, according to the manual; in my neck of the woods, this is not a big issue, but should be noted if you experience many nighttime blackouts where you are located.
> Even though this model is referred to as an "RCR-5", it should be noted that it does not employ an automatic time synchronization feature as is found on Sangean's higher end clock radios. (Not a big issue for me, and may actually be desirable for those of us who prefer to set our clocks 5, 10, or 15 minutes fast to "keep us on time"!)
I hope this helps you in making the right decision! All the best!

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