Eton Sound 100 AM/FM Radio, White Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Sound 100 is the latest in Eton's product family. As a stand-alone radio this device is average. The model with the iPod dock is a cut above and more worth consideration for only $30 to $50 more.
Eton Sound 100 iPod Dock, White
Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock, Black
The speaker is monaural, but optimized to prevent distortion. At the highest volume the sound gets tinny but doesn't hiss. If you like modern design, the Eton is one of the best looking. It is sleek, COMPACT and light.
But there are shortcomings. The internal AM antenna is below average. You can use an external one, and most users will need to.
There are only 10 programmable station presets. The RDS broadcast data is only 8 characters at a time. The screen is hard to read; you have to be right in front of it. There are no external RCA, speaker or subwoofer jacks, only line out. There is no EQ, treble or bass control and no way to adjust the backlight.
Why only 10 presets? Why no speaker or subwoofer jacks? Why didn't they add Short Wave or HD capability?
If you only need an alarm clock radio, there are other options. This unit is above average on FM but below average on AM. Products by Sangean, BA and others have higher ratings at this price.
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, Black
Sangean WR-3 AM/FM Digital Table Top Radio
Boston Acoustics Receptor Clock Radio (Platinum)
If you are VERY picky about sound and want a nice compact radio alarm clock, this unit will mostly appeal to Eton purists who prefer this design. Definitely compare before you buy. Enjoy!
Pros
+ Very nice iPod serial interface for optional Dock
+ Line-in and auxiliary jacks for MP3 players and other devices
+ Good speaker sound with surprising bass
+ Shielding protects the radio from interference
+ Battery backup possible for power outages
+ Nice alarm clock function
+ Nice looking design in a small and LIGHT form factor
Cons
- No equalizer; no treble or bass control
- Requires external antennae for good radio reception
- No RCA jacks or stereo connections for external speakers
- No Subwoofer connector - only standard stereo line out
- RDS only displays 8 characters at a time
- Backlight is not adjustable; you must be close to it to read it


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Etón has updated the retro glamour of radios past with swooping, curved lines and today's in-demand colors. This little radio packs a wallop, making it ideal for home or office use. Go aheadpick your favorite color.

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Sangean RCR-22 AM/FM Atomic Clock Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was looking for a high-quality alarm clock after about 12 years with an unimpressive Sony Dreammachine. This clock delivered on that front, and unlike most consumer electronics devices I've purchased in the past several years, it is clear that lots of thought was put into this device (and very little into the manual).
PROS:
There are tons of little nuances that the manual does not detail that I've discovered using the clock for a few weeks. For example the display can be dimmed with a dial on the bottom (which on my unit did not take effect until my alarm goes off the first time). The clock remains dimmed at your preset level, but goes to full brightness when the alarm goes off, making the clock easier to find. Combined with the pleasing blue light and the HWS (makes the alarm bell go from soft to loud) it's really nice to wake up to.
Another thoughtful touch is that alarm indicators only light within 24 hours of your alarm. Either alarm can be set to go off on particular days, with any combination of Su-Sa set for each alarm (i.e. alarm1 can be set for Monday, Thursday and Sunday, no weekday/weekend restrictions like some others). The alarm indicators however only light up when your alarm will ring the next morning. Very nice.
Other functions like the snooze, nap timers, etc. all work well. Like most alarms you need some time to figure out how it works, but after a few mornings most functions were intuitive.
The radio functions well, and pulls in way more stations than the Dreammachine. The speaker is fine, that is to say neither exceptionally good or exceptionally poor. If I want the ultimate music experience, I have an expensive stereo for that.
The clock is a true atomic time clock (not just a "preset" clock like many others). I don't know all the nuances of atomic cock synchronization, but the weather and location of the antenna seem to affect the two atomic clocks I have at home. Try moving the antenna towards the window if you have problems.
CONS
It is nicer than average plastic and construction, but still not going to win any design awards. I can't figure out why all alarm clock designs are frozen in 1992.
The manual was clearly written by a bunch of engineers. It is no nonsense, and explains how to set/use everything, but does not mention any of the usability features I noted above. For example if it's Monday and you set an alarm for thursday, You might wonder why the alarm indicators do not all light up. No mention at all in the manual. I thought the clock was broken since the dimmer did not function until the first time an alarm went off. Again, no mention in the manual of what turned out to be a very nice feature, and one I almost returned the clock for!
Another example is the unwieldly "Time Machine" antenna for the atomic clock. It is big and odd looking, but fits nicely to the back of the clock. Again, no mention in the manual save for a single line drawing.
When I initially plugged the clock in, all kinds of crytic numbers flashed on the display while it synced the time, again, no mention of what was happening or why in the manual. The manual does tell you how to DO everything, but does not explain WHY certain things work the way they do, or explain the various nice features someone clearly took time to think through.
Overal a great buy, especially for something you'll likely use every day for 5-15 years. I would like to see a better manual, autodimming of the display (it is BRIGHT when set to max), Sangean using a designer that is somewhat current, and perhaps a user manual rewrite, other than that, this clock works very well and will be on my nightstand for years to come.
I agonized over what to put on my nightstand (everything from Bose to Timex) and am very happy with my choice.

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Sangean's RCR-22 Clock Radio is the atomic clock radio you can set once and forget.It connects to the atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado to set the most accurate time available.Once the clock is set you can program the dual alarms to wake to your favorite AM or FM station.Take advantage of the Humane Waking System that begins with a low volume beep and gradually increases in intensity to slowly wake you instead of receiving a firm jolt that others provide.There is also a handy sleep timer that allows you to fall asleep listening to your favorite radio station from 15 minutes up to 2 hours.You can also connect your iPod or a CD player to the auxiliary input to enjoy your favorite soothing sounds CD or digital music collection to fall asleep.

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Sony ICFC723 AM/FM Memory Clock Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This clock came out in Korea a little over a week ago. I bought it at my favorite Korean store to use in my bedroom. It(sony) is a great American brand I always try to find American things to put in my house. I got this one because i like Sony a lot. I have had a Sony clock beofer this and it lasted for many years. I just got it yesterday and i used it last night. Even though the shape seems a little wierd with the time being to the back of the clock it did not make a very big difference. I think I actually like it better the time being not right in your face, like most other clocks have their screen at the front of their machine. This is a wounderful clock my by one of the best American companies in the WHOLE WORLD.

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The Sony ICF-C723's unique, high-tech design with function controls cleverly set in the base, stands apart from ordinary clock radios because it saves nightstand space, letting you place it almost anywhere. The synthesized tuner with PLL (Phase Locked Loop) provides the most accurate drift-free tuning of AM and FM radio stations. And the five random memory presets offer convenient one-button tuning of your choice of five favorite radio stations. A dual alarm permits you to set two separate wake-up times, especially useful for working couples. And the self-power back-up maintains clock and alarm settings in case of power failure. Leave yourself wake-up messages and personal reminders on the built-in IC chip to remind yourself of that day's business and other appointments. Message will be played at wake up time (before and after alarm) helping to ensure that your message has been noted.

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Sangean RCR-2 Digital Atomic Clock Radio with Dual Alarms Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect alarm clock for my bedroom and, as you can tell, I am still looking. The Sangean RCR-2 certainly has some attractive features like the atomic clock, which took a few hours to set itself, and the nice styling but it fails in so many areas as an alarm clock. First, and most importantly, the display is unreadable. It is very busy with lots of symbols and numbers but using very thin LCD numerals for the time and the off axis viewing angle is very small; you must basically face it head on. Worst of all, however, is the blindingly bright orange backlight with makes is impossible for night adjusted eyes to read the display if you want to check the time in the middle of the night. It is so bright as to cast shadows throughout the room. I keep it across the room but I can't imagine trying to sleep with this minor sun positioned on the nightstand. Sure, you can turn off the backlight but then the clock is invisible at night. Maybe LEDs are not cool but they make a lot more sense for an alarm clock. Also, it takes at least four button presses to turn on the alarm as opposed to one on my old alarm.

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This modern clock radio is a step above the clock radios of the past. For starters, the radio updates its time automatically from the U.S. atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado. While this may force you to work or school on time, the benefits of a constantly updated timepiece are critical in this fast-paced world. The radio even adjusts itself automatically for daylight saving time. The illuminated LCD screen gives you vital information, including: time, date, day of week, sleep, wake times, naptime, and radio information. With the gentle wake option, you can choose for the radio's volume to start low and slowly build over time. The AM/FM radio has fourteen presets for individual programming. The clock radio also features an automatic preset system which scans and memorizes available radio stations. With the two alarms you can set wake-up times on the same or different days of the week. The sleep timer is a nice feature for those who use the radio as a sleep aid. There is a headphone jack for people who want to listen to the radio without bugging the person besides them. The clock radio's color is silver and its styling is modern and sleek.
What's in the Box Clock radio and user's manual.

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Sangean RCR-10 Black AM/FM/RDS Digital Atomic Clock Radio with iPod Dock (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been looking for an ipod dock, radio alarm clock with an atomic clock for sometime.
I have atomic clocks throughout the house and find them very handy - I never have to change or reset their time due to daylight savings or power outage.
I also like having the option to listen to either my ipod or the radio when falling asleep, and as an alarm.
This radio fits all those needs and it works very well. I liked it so much I purchase one for each of my kids.
They both liked how well the unit controlled their ipods - you can use the controls to access anything once the ipod is docked. They also each setup two alarms - one for school days (weekdays) and one for weekend.
All the additional functions including the sleep function, and digital radio with presets were easy to use with a little help from the manual.
The sound quality seemed great to me (but I'm not overly picky) and the radio reception was excellent compared to several other clock radio's I've had over the past several years.
While the price seemed a bit high (especially for the kids' bedrooms), atomic clocks do run higher than standard clocks. And this is the first one I've found that has the atomic clock with an ipod dock (and I've looked).
I would definitely recommend this to anyone seeking this combination of features in a clock radio.


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AM/FM/RDS Digital Atomic Clock Radio with iPod Dock, Byattery Back Up.

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