Showing posts with label electric clock radio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electric clock radio. Show all posts

Nokia 6300 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, Media Player, Stereo Bluetooth, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. V

Nokia 6300 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, Media Player, Stereo Bluetooth, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warrantygreat nokia phone. I travel frequently, and this GSM works in asia, europe perfectly. I don't need a PDA, just a small solid phone with a good battery life. This one fits the bill.

I threw my high tech touch screen against the wall entirely to finicky and 'touchy'!

THIS PHONE IS BASIC, RELIABLE, EASY TO USE! Bogus graphics of a dog but that is irrelevant when it comes to function and reliability.

Buy Nokia 6300 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, Media Player, Stereo Bluetooth, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. V Now

iLive ITP152B Vertical Sound Bar with Play and Charge Dock for iPhone/iPod (Black)

iLive ITP152B Vertical Sound Bar with Play and Charge Dock for iPhone/iPod
  • Made for iPod and iPhone
  • Play and charge your device at the same time
  • 2.1 channel stereo sound
  • Vertical style with a smaller footprint
  • Includes remote control (2 AAA batteries), 5 dock adapters for iPod and iPhone and removable stand

Was looking for a simple iPod/iPhone docking stereo with FM radio for use in an apartment and purchased this in a move of blind faith as it was yet to be reviewed. All in all I am rather pleased with this unit so far. It gets loud enough, the remote is very handy, and the bass has a fair amount of thumpity-thump to it. I'd love to give it five stars but the overall sound quality just doesn't warrant it. It is fair to say that for the price I paid I'm getting exactly what I should in that department but I can't excuse the hollowness and ear piercing pain that occurs from the higher treble range of things, which lends to an inability to listen to this stereo for extended periods of time at a party-appropriate volume. Also fair to say is that that's what happens when listening to compressed MP3 files but alas...I've heard better than this from more expensive systems and I am not one to rate items in the scope of how much they cost me. That said I would most certainly purchase this thing again and would advise my friends shopping for a similar item to do the same.

Buy iLive ITP152B Vertical Sound Bar with Play and Charge Dock for iPhone/iPod (Black) Now

Got this for my mom who is slowly starting to put her CD's onto an iPod. She and my dad were in the process of trying to sell their house and decided to get rid of her gigantic 90's style speakers and ancient stereo system. She really loves to listen to music while cleaning and such so I knew she'd be disappointed not to have something to play music. This was perfect for her. It is tall but sleek and really not distracting in any way. The sound quality is decent and it even comes with a remote. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because the sound isn't amazing. I know that is being picky, but I think five stars should really be for perfect. I would still definitely recommend it, especially for the price.

Read Best Reviews of iLive ITP152B Vertical Sound Bar with Play and Charge Dock for iPhone/iPod (Black) Here

I upgraded to this speaker system from a bulky 8 year old stereo. (Gave that to my son) This is in the living room and provides great sound. I have to set it a bit higher than normal volume, but I think that's because I'm deaf in one ear. But other than that, you can adjust the bass, treble, etc. I can hook my TV up to it and it gives clear sound. It came with multiple iPod/iPhone docs to change out to fit whatever device you may have. I like it and would recommend it.

Want iLive ITP152B Vertical Sound Bar with Play and Charge Dock for iPhone/iPod (Black) Discount?

I ordered the vertical soundbar as a way to listen to my music loaded on my iPhone in my bedroom. The set up was easy(less than 10 minutes) and the sound quality is great for the price. Much better value than the smaller alarm clock size speakers sold at nearby big box chains. The sleek look also makes this a nice addition to any room.

Save 41% Off

This sound tower is great. I love the sound. I like the idea that I can bring it out side on my deck, for out side parties.

iLuv ArtStation Pro 30-Pin Dock Sound System (White)

iLuv ArtStation Pro 30-Pin Dock Sound System
  • Compatible With Ipad/Ipod/Iphone
  • Plays & Charges Ipad/Ipod/Iphone
  • Desktop/Bedside Speaker
  • Rotating arm for portrait or landscape viewing options
  • Charge and play your iPad, iPhone or iPod
  • Sync with iTunes on your Computer when docked
  • Easy to use on unit controls, or use the included remote
  • Made for iPad2, iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, iPhone, iPod touch (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation), iPod Nano (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th generation)

Now, if I were comparing this sound system to my home theater system, one that will nearly rip the flesh off your face, I would have trouble giving the iLuv a single star. But rating it without such a comparison and considering its small, compact size, it deserves a solid 5 stars.

It was easy to hook up and easy to connect to my iPhone4 and my iPad2. That said, if you have an Otter protective case on your cell, you will have to remove it first so the connection fits. I don't know about other phone covers.

The sound is of good quality with a nice deep base. I'm a martial arts teacher and I use it now as my only source of music during my classes.

Great for your office, basement hobby room, or out on your balcony.

Recommended.

Buy iLuv ArtStation Pro 30-Pin Dock Sound System (White) Now

The iLuv ArtStation is the latest addition to the crowded Sounddock craze. The tagline for this item appears to be that it is beautiful with its piano gloss black top and also a great value not being incredibly expensive. Enhanced Sound System is also in the title so my assumption is that it is suppossed to have excellent sound as well.

This item is truly meant to be used with an iPad 2 in my opinion although it is compatible with the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch. The reason I say this is because I have an iPhone 4S, an iPod Nano an iPod Touch and an iPod Classic 4th Generation and the only one that would work with this unit is indeed the iPod Touch. Read the fine print to understand this! My iPhone 4S just flat did not work with this Dock nor did my Nano or Classic when docked.

I moved to the Auxilliary jack which is on the back and all items worked fine but obviously cannot charge unless plugged in separately with an additional cable. I was shocked when I heard the sound. It's just very boxy and tinnish and quite frankly sounds drowned. The sound is so poor for an item of this price point that even my wife commented, "Is there a different setting so this thing sounds better?" Trust me, she is no audiophile.

To be fair I have had nice Sounddocks in the past such as Bose and have the Sonos Play 3 and Play 5 which I have reviews of that are amazing-but also much more expensive than this. I also have iHome units that are much less expensive than this and that is what I would compare this sound to is just better than some of the iHome $100 units.

Where this unit shines is that it is attractive and particularly with an iPad (which I do not have) looks great and probably has great form. Meaning you could have this on your desk, listen to audio through our iPad and watch a movie through the dock or play music while surfing. You can turn your iPad in to Landscape or portrait mode.

There is a small remote control that comes with the unit that can be stowed in to the back which is a nice feature.

Overall, the sound is very disappointing but for $136.00 the unit does provide an attractive base and charging station for an iPad 2. Depending on what you would use this item for, it could fit your needs, but for me looking at it as a pure speaker-the fact that it doesn't work with the iPod Nano, iPhone 4S or Classic (unless using an Auxilliary cable)is a big miss.

Read Best Reviews of iLuv ArtStation Pro 30-Pin Dock Sound System (White) Here

I got this in and was wondering how I was going to use it but was overly happy when I found it has an input jack on the back for other divices. So far I have used my Archos tablet on here for the music I have downloaded and it really sounds fantastic. I also hooked up my blackberry to it and it works great with that too. The moveable arm has an adaptive holder for the iPhone and iPod that actually works with the blackberries too. Just hook her up and then listen to whatever you like.

This is a fairly good size piece and is weighty but has a wonderful sound system to make you fall in love every time you turn it one. I love the remote also so I don't have to go over to it every time I need to turn it up or down. Only thing I was bummed about was that I can't sync it to my phone. Oh well I'm due for an up grade soon so I will probably go and get an iPhone anywho.

I have to tell you that I have this in a corner on the counter in the kitchen as that's where I listen to music the most as I like to cook. Well let me say that this has the best base and it sounds like the music is coming from each and every corner not just the one spot where I have it. I'm sure if I had the proper Apple product to work with this I would be in heavenly bliss. Great product for the $$ in my honest opinion.

Want iLuv ArtStation Pro 30-Pin Dock Sound System (White) Discount?

I love the iLuv ArtStation Sound System. I use it for both my iPhone and my iPad. I love any sound dock that holds my iPhone with the protective phone case on--that's the first thing. But this speaker set really provides great sound. It's not a small-footprint device, so it's not the type of dock you'll move around easily from room to room. The base is about the size of a large clock radio--but that's the space that's holding those really neat speakers. This baby gives a good, full sound--both highs and lows--without costing a fortune.

I also like the little remote control. It has just the basics: volume up, volume down; skip ahead one track; go back one track; pause/play; and power on/off. I like it that way, though. Nothing complicated, which is especially handy if you're feeling lazy enough to use the remote instead of getting up to use the device controls.

By the way, the dock/"system" itself has the same controls as the remote: no more, no less.

There's a neat little iLuv app you can load onto your mobile device that you can run while your device is on the dock. It has a clock that displays the time in nice big numbers and also shows the local weather: current temperature, plus forecasted high and low for the day, and it shows the date and day of the week. There are also choices to view the clock in an old-fashioned number-flip display (if you remember those), or as a nice, big analog clock face, or as 3 smaller analog clocks showing different time zones.

Then there's another tab on the app that's just for weather, showing temps plus wind, humidity and not only the current day's forecast but also 5-day and 6-10-day forecasts. The third tab is an Internet feed iLuv radio station. I never use it. I prefer my own playlists or feeds (Pandora, etc.). Then there's an iPod tab that essentially displays the Music app interface without forcing you to switch apps and go back to Music.

You're also able to use the app to set alarms or a sleep timer (cool, you can set it in any 1-minute increment from 1 to 120!). And you can set multiple alarms, too.

All the app descriptions I described are on the iPhone/iPod version. I haven't tried the app on the iPad yet. If I get to that, I'll update the description.

Summary: very good sound, easy to use, good-fitting dock connections and support brackets. Recommended.

***Late-breaking update: I've added an iPad Mini and an iPhone 5 to my repertoire here. They both have the new, tiny Lightning power connectors, while the iLuv system has the old standard 30-pin, wider connector. I bought the little Lightning-to-30-pin adapter, and that seems to work well for the iPhone 5. The phone balances well on the stubby adapter and feels secure enough in its position that I'm not worried about any potential damage to the power port on either device.

It's a different story for my iPad Mini, though. The device is bigger, wider, and heavier than the iPhone, of course, and it just doesn't balance well on the little adapter. I'm very concerned something could break, so for now I'm not using my iPad mini on the iLuv. I just wrote to iLuv support to see if a supporting bracket is or will be available for the iPad Mini, just like the one they include as a standard accessory to support the full-sized iPad. I'll update this review again when I hear back. I do have the option of using the Lightning-to-30-pin adapter cable I also have, but then I have to lay the device down on top of the dock, which makes it more difficult to control and detracts from the experience.

By the way, *still* great sound. Due to the price of this item, I won't buy a new Lightning edition if one comes out. I'll just use it for my old 30-pin devices, including the iPhone 4 which I just replaced with the 5. I'm now using the 4 as if it were an iPod Touch (and holding it in reserve in case one of our newer iPhones bites the dust or gets lost or stolen and we don't want to shell out the high price to replace it). In fact, by using my old 32GB iPhone 4 as a Touch, I can really load it up with lots of music and minimize a lot of the other things I used to keep on it, including the apps, videos, etc., that I now keep on my iPads or iPhone 5. If I choose to sample down my songs on the iPhone 4 to 128kbps, I can probably fit 7,000+ songs on it. I still have to clean out more stuff to make room for more music.

Save 14% Off

This was easy to attach we made the connection, it asked for app to work and then we had sound and lots of options. We current use this as second TV to watch all our itunes. It charges while on the stand as well. It like making your Ipad back into a computer monitor and keyboard is easy to attached. Another great features is the remote control that hooks on the back. A perfect fun accessory for you Ipad!

Supersonic SC-117 3" TFT Display with DVD/CD Receiver, AM/FM Radio & Detachable Panel

Supersonic SC-117 3
  • Manufactured to the Highest Quality Available.
  • Meets the standard of excellence.
  • Latest Technical Development.

I was very sceptical of buying this brand name but i took the plung anyway and was please, the screen is very good it plays usb very good the reading of the usb is quick very good quality audio i simply have no regrets

Sonoro AU4101BL Elements W Audio System (Black)

Sonoro AU4101BL Elements W Audio System
  • Connect to over 10,000 internet stations worldwide with easy to use interface
  • Internal WiFi antenna built in or use LAN line to connect
  • Headphone jack and Aux in to connect MP3 player and computer
  • RF Remote control
  • Clock and alarm function with wake, snooze, and sleep functions

I received this radio as a retirement gift (chose it from a catalog) from my company. The sound is good, but don't expect it to keep the correct time. After setting the time, it automatically goes back to 12:00 once you turn on the radio. I have returned this radio twice, and received radios back with the same exact problem. The distributor realizes the problem (said he has had other complaints with the same problem), and even contacted the Home Office folks in Germany. They realize there is a problem, but don't know how to fix it. I was told by the distributor yesterday in an email that there is nothing more he can do. For the price of these radios, you would think they would have gotten this issue cleared up, and/or offer a different model in return (I told them I would pay any extra costs involved). It's not often that a manufacturer's responses are this disappointing. Stay away from Sonoro.

Buy Sonoro AU4101BL Elements W Audio System (Black) Now

As I said in the title, the unit looks great and sounds really good (for a table top radio). However, there are a couple of things that really bug me: 1) you have to set the clock manually which is lame considering all other modern internet radios can fetch time and set the clock automatically...why can't this unit do it? 2) it is a multi-step process to switch from FM to iRadio and the presets are distinct between the two...i'd rather have preset 1 be an FM station and preset 2 be an iRadio station but presets can't switch between the various input/media/source types. 3) Beware of how non-intuitive Reciva is (the internet service that Sonoro uses to setup iRadio stations, streams, pandora, etc.) -it takes quite a time to get used to the site.

Good luck...with patience, it can be quite a nifty radio.

Read Best Reviews of Sonoro AU4101BL Elements W Audio System (Black) Here

I purchased this radio 2 weeks ago. I couldn't get Pandora to load onto to it. Had trouble finding service, I finally had to call Reciva's UK office to get service. Pandora worked but then iRadio would not connect. I'm returning this week.

Want Sonoro AU4101BL Elements W Audio System (Black) Discount?

Design is as good as it could get, beats the competition down to the ground and esthetic is really important to me.

Sound is the reason I bought it, nothing sounds better at this size.

Interface....just not worth your nerves! It's so hard to hook it up wi-fi, and you're probably have to repeat procedure every time you turn it on.

Radio reception also disappointing.

Clock resets itself with no reason etc.

If you're gonna use it to play music from iPhone, don't waste your money.

I got it for 170$ it was store demo unit, but mint condition, I'm satisfied what I got for my money.

Cheers!

Absolutely worth every penny. The sound quality is incredible for what I consider to be a bedside radio... The internal antennae is amazingly powerful as far as FM goes. My former bedside radio was a Tivoli, but it had to have an external antennae for most stations...not the Sonoro. Love everything about it!! iRadio rocks....switches from a station in Croatia to a Station in Instanbul in a heartbeat. Not a single negative on this purchase!

Fairly easy to program...if you remember your wireless router's security passwords!!

If you are considering it, go for it you won't regret it.

If you don't go for it, you have no idea what you're missing and when you finally encounter one at a friend's home...you'll definitely envy them and regret missing out all that time!

It sooooooooooooooo rocks!

Sangean RCR-5 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio

Sangean RCR-5 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio
  • Digital tuner with 10 station presets
  • Dual alarms with "human wake" buzzer
  • Set recurring alarms for daily, weekends, and weekdays
  • Sleep timer (15-120 minutes)
  • Includes AC Power Adapter

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!

Buy Sangean RCR-5 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio Now

I have to say that I'm quite impressed by the QUALITY of the Sangean RCR-5 clock radio. Quite a bit of great detail has already been mentioned in a fine way by a previous reviewer. I just have to say that I'm really impressed at how clear the radio reception is...absolutely NO drift, it locks onto the radio frequency and stays there! And the sound from the speaker (even if it is just a single speaker) is rather impressive...I've never heard a speaker sound so clear, crisp, and distinct, whether it be music or spoken word! I also like how smooth the volume control feels. It keeps great time with an easy-to-view display, and wakes you up comfortably with its "humane waking system." Some people have noted that the settings for the clock are too complex and complicated, but I frankly didn't experience any problems in that sense. Of course, it does not have the atomic clock updating, nor does it have a built-in cd player, but it does have the auxillary input, if you wanted to connect a cd player or mp3 player. Overall, I have to say that certainly alot of thought has gone into the designing of the Sangean RCR-5...this certainly is NO ordinary clock radio...it's a finely-crafted instrument!

Read Best Reviews of Sangean RCR-5 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio Here

I started realizing the quality of this radio as soon as I held the box it came in. It's well packaged in heavy cardboard throughout. Take the radio out and look it over; you can tell this is not your everyday clock radio you find in all the stores. It's built solid and the buttons and controls feel solid. The sound is much better than any clock radio I've ever owned in this price range. The display is easy to see from all angles and not too brite. The amber is soft on your eyes unlike some of the blues and greens out there. Setting the alarms is slightless less intuitive then it could be but it's easy once you do it a few times (the reason for the 4 out of 5 stars). Products like this are few and far between these days. High quality and does what it is made to do very well without looking like an alien aircraft with unessessary bells and whistles. Very possibly the best engineered clock radio for under $50. Im very happy with my purchase.

Want Sangean RCR-5 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio Discount?

Based on reviews by others I had hoped this little radio would satisfy my needs for good AM and FM reception with decent sound. Sound was tinny but using a set of computer speakers offset that issue. Reception very spotty for both both AM and FM stations and the little wire antenna didn't help much. Didn't appear to be any way to boost reception by attaching another antenna. Since the product didn't live up to expectations, I tried to return it, but was refused. I didn't retain the plastic bags covering the radio and plug in the box and the box had a couple of tears so the package wasn't in pristine condition. No damages, scars, etc. to the radio itself so sounds to me like supplier won't accept returns once you open their box which implies a no return policy. If I had bought this locally at Wal-Mart or Target or about any other store, a return would have been accepted.

Save 24% Off

This is a terrific clock radio despite a couple of drawbacks for insomniac listening (knocking 1 star off the rating). Features I require in a clock radio (beyond the obvious) are: earphone jack (my husband isn't interested in listening along with me ;), sleep timer, digital tuning (having to fiddle with station drift would only serve to wake me up more); preset stations (again, the less fiddling in the middle of the night, the better); and dimable display (I keep it just bright enough to read the display at night--this is pretty dim, doesn't disturb sleep). This radio has all that and more; I also like the small size of the radio and amber light of the display.

That said, here's what I dislike: when you press and hold the power-on button to use the sleep timer, the display becomes painfully bright, "only" about 15 seconds, but I find it extremely annoying. I'm working on developing a feel for how long to hold the button down without having to look at the display so I can just keep my eyes closed.

The other thing I dislike: the nap timer button is right next to the power-on/sleep timer button, making it very easy to accidentally hit the nap timer button without realizing it while feeling around for the power button, thus treating yourself and any sleep partner to the alarm a little while later. Ugh. Did that twice, then built a little "A-frame" of card stock & taped it over the nap timer button so I don't hit it by accident again. Note the power/sleep timer button *is* dimly (nicely) illuminated, so the nap timer button can be avoided if you don't mind opening your eyes, lifting your head up to see the power button, and focusing your attention on hitting nothing but the power button.

It's too bad the battery backup isn't good for more than a few minutes; hopefully this won't prove to be a significant problem. I didn't find setting the clock, alarms, or digital presets difficult, though I did need to use the manual to figure it out.

Panasonic SC-HC30 Compact Stereo System

Panasonic SC-HC30 Compact Stereo System
  • Compact, wall-mountable stereo system for the home or office; provides 40 watts of total power
  • Integrated iPod dock for playback and recharging
  • Advanced bamboo cone speakers with a dual passive radiator design that cancels unwanted vibration
  • Plays CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs as well as MP3 files; AM/FM radio (with 15 AM presets and 30 FM presets)
  • Measures 7-29/32 x 19-11/16 x 4-1/32 inches (HxWxD); 1-year warranty

I purchased this sleek Panasonic Stereo System primarily to use with my IPOD and the IPhone that I have pre-ordered. I am using it in the kitchen and it takes up very little space on the counter since it is only 3-4 inches deep. For it's size, it produces a rich sound and the clarity of the speakers is superb. It has a full-function remote with buttons for many features that I'm sure I'll never use that others might appreciate. In addition to the remote, there are buttons for the main functions on top of the system that can be easily memorized (by placement) and accessed.

After attaching the AM and FM antennas, the various stations were easy to preset and sounded good. I have yet to play the CD player, however with the IPOD, I don't really plan on using it much. The system can be mounted to the wall if you want to put holes in your walls and have the power chord hanging down from it, however it takes up so little space, I didn't really feel the need.

The system looks high-tech and it sounds great. The bass sounds much better than you would expect given the slimness of the speakers. It has an AUX-In port on the back of it if you have an MP3 player as well. The only minor negative is accessing the IPOD dock. The first thing you need to do is hit the IPOD button which slides the front panel to the right exposing the IPOD dock. Once open, it has a lever that needs to be pushed and then it tilts out toward you for easy removal. While not difficult, it all takes time which I'm a little concerned about when I get my IPhone and I hear it ring. If you leave the IPOD dock open the silver CD portion of the front panel covers more than half of the right speaker and there is a noticable difference in sound.

All in all, I'm very happy with it and when not in use, it just sits there and looks cool! If you are only concerned about the quality of sound, I'd suggest a boom box with larger speakers such as the Sony MHC-EC69i Mini Hi-Fi Shelf System which is much cheaper, has an additional 60 watts and has a deeper bass sound that fills up a room (I have one of these as well).

7/19/10 UPDATE: Received my pre-ordered IPhone 4 and it is not compatible with the dock in the Panasonic. It displays "NODEVICE" despite being snuggly fit into place. Plan B: Buy an IPOD dock and an audio cable and plug it into the AUX port on the back of the unit. Still sounds great!

Buy Panasonic SC-HC30 Compact Stereo System Now

It is a beautiful design, great sound for a little unit, convenient that it plays radio, CD, ipod, etc. and love that it can be wall hung pretty and discreet for a bedroom.

BUT! I purchased this to replace a CD/clock radio alarm unit, and would have liked to have known that this unit DOES NOT display the time! You can use the remote to display the time, and it will momentarily display the time when you turn it on, but once you've stopped listening, i.e. turned the unit off, there is no time display, which means that you can't use it to see the time in the middle of the night/early morning. This seems like a huge design oversight on the part of Panasonic most portable models even 20-30 years old routinely display the time.

Also, Panasonics customer service cannot tell me how to turn the alarm OFF if I want to sleep in! This seems like it should be very basic to figure out from the manual, or an easy question to answer for a tech rep, but no....30 minutes on the phone, and then disconnected with no answer. I am a university professor and am fairly adept at reading the english language, and the manual does not contain this basic information. Still deciding whether to return it or not (I purchased it elsewhere). Maybe someone out there has figured it out?

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic SC-HC30 Compact Stereo System Here

I bought this to replace a JBL OnStage iPod dock speaker that was malfunctioning. Today's bookshelf stereos like this one, that include iPod docks, make it totally unnecessary to buy a unit that can *only* function as a speaker for your iPod. This unit is quite thin--thin enough that it can be mounted on a wall and not look weird. It does include wall mounting hardware. In spite of this, it produces satisfactory sound; output is around 30w per channel. The sleek design is nice, and I especially like the motorized sliding front panel. It slides one way to allow you to insert a cd, and the other way to allow you to plug in your iPod. iPod controls from the remote are intuitive and straightforward. Minus one star for the quirks with the clock and alarm as another reviewer had mentioned. Don't buy this unit to replace your alarm clock.

Want Panasonic SC-HC30 Compact Stereo System Discount?

We were looking for a compact CD/Radio player for our bedroom that also had and Aux. channel for our XM radio unit. After looking all around our small town we came to the conclusion that what we wanted was either priced too high or was not in stock (which happens a lot here) we found this system on Amazon. The company offered a fair price and great shipping. The stereo was shipped right away and when it arrived, we found that the sound quality was excellent. It also comes with a remote and a "sleep" option of 30 minutes or 60 minutes or longer, which is great for the bedroom. It also comes with a wall mount if you want to use it, although it doesn't take up much room on top of a dresser. One other great feature is that the display lights can be dimmed down so if you are bothered by lights in the bedroom, you can turn them way down. (We have an alarm clock that has display lights so bright, even on the "low" setting, that I swear you can see them from outer space.)

Weak tuner. Radio reception is horrible. I live in a big city, and unable to get stereo, just static filled FM.

This unit replaces a sony in the kitchen, that did not require an antennae. Even the wire antennae supplied with this one, strung to the ceiling, will not get me stereo reception.

JBL Time Machine Alarm Clock/Dock for iPod - White

JBL Time Machine Alarm Clock/Dock for iPod - White
  • Wake up to favorite songs stored on your iPod--also includes radio and dual alarm
  • Large backlit LCD is easy to read, making menu navigation a snap
  • O-shaped, two-way speaker design with 6 watts of power per channel
  • Upward-firing tweeter and horizontal low and midrange transducers provide a 360-degree sound field
  • Compatibility: iPod nano (1G and 2G), iPod mini, 3G iPod, 4G iPod with click wheel, iPod Color, iPod Video

I am an iPod speaker/charger junkie having owned the Klipsch iFi and Bose Sounddock while currently owning a Klipsch iGroove. I have been looking to get an alarm clock to wake-up to my iPod, but the iHome was not quite the audiophile quality that I was looking for.

Positives:

1) Design-If you have a modern bedroom area, this thing is a cool head-turner. Design is underplayed in this market, but it is very important!

2) Sound-The sound is excellent at low to medium levels for both the iPod as well as the radio. The highs are very distinct and bass is noticable.

3) Ability to wake up to any song you like out of thousands on your iPod. I'm not sure what the last reviewer was talking about. I have easily been able to wake up to any song I like on my On Time. I can wake up to Wham or U2 or Rob Zombie, it's my choice!

4) The On Time gradually increases the sound for a gentle wake up experience.

Negatives:

1) The interface is not that difficult, but it's more difficult than the traditional alarm clock. Once you figure out how to do it, you will be fine, but it does take some figuring out.

2) Sound at louder levels is not great, but I'm not sure that's the idea. This item has small room filling quality, but if you have a huge bedroom and want to crank up the sound this might not be for you.

3) The time could be a little bigger on the readout. When I wake up in the middle of the night to check the time, I like to look real quick and go back to sleep. The numbers could be bigger, like the iHome, but are not as bad as some others.

Overall, I would not let the negatives detract you. If you have seen this on display at the Mac Store and liked it, you will like it more once you get it home. It's cool, sounds great and interfaces with the iPod seamlessly.

******************************

A lot of talk has been made about the fact that you can only wake up to the first song in your library. At first, I thought this was not true, because I was able to wake to any song I wanted...then I updated to the newest iTunes and newest firmware for the iPod Video 60GB and BOOM---it only now plays the first song of the alphabetically first artist on the iPod. I called JBL and they said that I actually have to go back and re-install the old software and firmware in order to wake to any song I want! What? I went to the Apple Store and they said, yes, this is true. There is no way to fix this. This is a MAJOR glitch in a product that has great sound and a wonderful design. True, you can go in and re-name any song on your iTunes to be the alphabetically first artist and first song, but who really wants to do that? JBL should stick to making speakers until they can get it right. If you make this purchase, please be aware of this flaw that I was not!

Buy JBL Time Machine Alarm Clock/Dock for iPod - White Now

Update 2: This thing crashes every month or so. The display shows gibberish. I have to pull the plug and batteries and then it restarts and I reenter the alarm settings. It happens often enough that I leave the batteries out to make rebooting easier!

Update: Since writing this review I've come across one alarm bug and one glitch:

The Alarm buttons have 3 functions: set, remove, and, silence alarm. The 3rd function is only active when the alarm has gone off. If Alarm 2 goes off, and you hit the Alarm 1 button in error, the 'silence alarm' function for Alarm 2 is no longer available. You have to turn off the JBL. I think a programmmer forgot to use a state diagram.

I had an alarm failure which at first I thought was a bug. It turned out that there was an internal iPod alarm set. If it went off before the JBL alarm the iPod would turn on, but of course no sound came from the speakers. When the JBL alarm went off the iPod then went from play to pause. In other words the JBL 'wake up' signal is the same as tapping the iPod play/pause button -it toggles that state. I've seen a few occasions where tapping the iPod button and the turning on the JBL music manually can cause some device confusion, especially because there's a slight pause between turning on the JBL manually and the iPod's response.

Also, I read one review that described the incompatibility of the current iPods with this device as an "Apple bug". I caution that Apple may not see it that way, and I suspect there will be no "Apple fix". My hunch is that Apple changed its control interfaces and the JBL was not revised to the new interface. That might be nasty of Apple (or not), but JBL should have noted this in their marketing materials and their web site.

If you have a newer iPod and want to use this device, you could try leaving the JBL "on", pausing the iPod, and then setting the internal alarm on the iPod. In other words, using the JBL as a simple external speaker rather than an alarm clock. Clearly, this is suboptimal and you'd want the JBL to be sold at less than half its original list price.

--

I'd rate this device as 2 stars for the 3G iPod (because of the alarm failure, see update above), and 1 star for the 5G iPod.

With the 3G it works as designed. It starts with the last song played. If the context is a playlist it runs through the playlist.

With the 5G it starts with the last song played, but it never plays it. It quickly switches to the first song in the Library. The vendor is said to know about this fatal bug, but they claim it's Apple's flaw. Doesn't matter -they don't address it in their online support site and they continue to sell the product. Unacceptable. I will avoid JBL products in future.

I'm keeping this one for now I use it with my old battery-dead 3G. When the 3G dies however, it will be strictly a speaker system, not an alarm clock.

Additional comments:

* It has a really dumb eerie blue glowing LED at the top. I guess that's for those who want to dream of alien abduction. It serves no purpose, it doesn't even illuminate the clock controls (that might have been useful). I taped over it.

* It starts quietly and the volume ramps up. You can't control this. That's the worst "feature" so far (and a surprise -so much for the Amazon reviewers!); I'd prefer disable this depending on how I arrange my playlist. A remote would have compensated a bit, but ... [update: In practice I've actually grown to like this alarm behavior, so I don't consider it a negative.]

* There's no remote. I decided that was ok because it's one less thing to lose, one less set of batteries, and one less place for designers to move controls to. This thing is, after all, an alarm. We don't get to sleep in. Ever. The volume ramping does make me miss this more than I'd expected however.

* The documentation is weak with multiple typos and grammatical errors. It doesn't tell you what the RDS On/Off setting does, for example. (RDS, I believe, is a system for encoding information in FM broadcast, such as time of day, song title, etc.)

* The sound is very good, even at near peak volume.

* The buttons seem flimsy and cheap.

* It has a big, heavy, wall wart power brick. At least the color matches.

Read Best Reviews of JBL Time Machine Alarm Clock/Dock for iPod - White Here

I recently bought this item. It has great sound with loud and clear reception from both the radio and the ipod. It is relatively easy to use and user friendly. The only problem is, you cannot wake up to the song of your choice on the 5G video ipods (30 GB, 60GB). (On the older ipods, it works just fine.) However, on the newer ones, it will instead begin at the start of the entire library. It is not the system's fault, just a bug in the Apple software for the newer ipods.

When contacting JBL, here is the answer they gave me. Good morning and thank you for your inquiry. I can understand the concern regarding the JBL On Time. This issue is not actually an issue with the JBL On Time, but, a software issue with the Apple iPod. The iPod will not remember the last song played when you power on/off, switch inputs, wakeup, or set the alarm on the JBL On Time. It will default to the first song in the library, if you have the following iPod's with the following software:

iPod Nano software 1.1, 1.1.1

iPod Video software 1.1, 1.1.1

So, this system is great for looks and sound, but the only draw back in my opinion is the inability to wake up to any song you choose instead of hearing the entire library.

Want JBL Time Machine Alarm Clock/Dock for iPod - White Discount?

Here's my pro/con list as well as what could be done to improve this alarm clock.

Pros:

Blue LED Normally I hate the blue LED thing. Talk about lighting up a room these little lights are quite annoying. Thankfully JBL thought of this, there is a sensor on the left hand side which dims the display and overhead light when the lights go out. I have to give props for that.

Start Up Song Yes this will play whatever song you want as the startup song, you just have to read the manual. Start playing the song you want to hear, and hit the off button. It will start where it left off in the morning.

Sound Great quality.

Auto-setting clock Never have the wrong time, very nice feature.

Big Dock Connector Area I can leave my iPod in my agent 18 (clear plastic) case and plug it in. Very nice indeed.

Snooze Button Nice and big button right on top.

Cons:

Auto-setting clock I know this is a pro but it also was a con for me. It seems that the first radio station this clock picked was 4 minutes off. I wanted it to get the time from another station, but couldn't get it to skip. Finally had to use a FM Transmitter and block the bad station to get it to use another station. Quite annoying.

iPod Control There is no way to control the iPod from the unit. The only way to skip a song or choose another playlist is to change it on the iPod. I consider this quite sub standard.

Back Dock Connector I don't know if I got a bad unit, but if I plug my laptop into the back of this clock, it will not recognize the iPod.

Volume On the quietest setting, this unit is still a little loud for me in the morning.

Default to Beep If you remove (or neglect to put in your iPod at night) the default alarm is a beep. I should be able to set what to wake up to if the iPod isn't in the unit.

Things it should have for $200:

Remote Come on, no reason a remote shouldn't be included.

Power By Dock If I have the dock connector in the back, and I plug that into the wall, why can't that power this clock? It seems to me that this would allow for greater flexibility.

Better Instructions Still haven't found where it talks about what RDS is.

Playlist Per Alarm I'd like to set two different playlists as the separate alarms. There's no way to do this from the unit, again a let down.

Softer Sleep Sound You should be able to set a softer volume for the sleep mode.

5/8/07 I purchased a JBL On Time player very cool looking but there is a major flaw. When the alarm goes off, it automatically plays the first song in the library EVERY TIME, even though the manual indicates how you can set it to play any song you want...

JBL's answer? Following is the ridiculous answer from JBL tech support:

"Good morning and thank you for your inquiry. The issue is a software bug

with the iPods. The JBL On Time will default to the first song in the

library if you have the following iPods with the following software:

iPod Nano software 1.1 current

iPod Video software 1.1 current

The current fix is to downgrade the software to 1.0 (iPod Updater

2005-11-17). This download enables you to select any song to wake up to.

Please note, downgrading the software will not work with the new iPod

80gb Video or the 2nd generation iPod Nano."

Can you believe it?!? Yeah right, like I'm going back to the stone age with my iPod software.

To me, JBL needs to work with Apple to resolve this problem with future releases of the software, not make "valuable" customers back date software...

If you are an owner of the On Time product, I hope this helps. Please send JBL support an email letting them know how unsatisfied you are with their product support. Perhaps if they hear from enough of us, they will change there archaic ways...

If you are thinking about buying one, perhaps you should wait for JBL to become more responsible for their own customers' satisfaction...

Cheers.

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

Sangean PR-D7 BK AM/FM Digital Rechargeable Portable Radio
  • PLL Synthesized Tuning System
  • Alarm by Radio or HWS (Humane Wake System) Buzzer
  • Auto Seek Station, Sleep Timer
  • Sangean Portable Radio
  • 1 year Warranty

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.

Buy Sangean PR-D7 BK AM/FM Digital Rechargeable Portable Radio Now

I was trying to replace my Sony ICF-M410 which is about the same size. I was extremely disappointed I could not find it as they discontinued this model and I was so happy with that radio. In searching for reviews of AM/FM small portable radios, I came upon this one. Not too many reviews (7) but I bought it anyway because I wanted a radio that ran on batteries. I could not be happier with this radio!! Superior in sound and reception to the Sony I had and a BIG PLUS is that you can use rechargable batteries (I have been using the eneloop) and charge them in the radio! Doesn't get any better than that and I LOVE having the option of using the electrical adapter (which comes with it) or use it with the batteries only. There is no weather band or tv band on this like the Sony, but I really mostly use the radio for AM reception and talk radio which is excellent (FM is also). I highly recommend this radio for anyone looking for a truly portable radio with great sound, reception and a compact size. I also love the volume knob and the display which has a lighted clock along with the channel. Oh, I forgot about the sleep timer too that I love. Hope this helps.

Read Best Reviews of Sangean PR-D7 BK AM/FM Digital Rechargeable Portable Radio Here

~BOTTOM LINE~

Pros:

1All the top FM stations in my area come in lound and clear... Crystal clear. No static at all after having locked on an FM station.

2The single speaker is good enough. Nice and rich tone.

3Digital tuner lights up when you push any button so you can see the station and the time clearly.

4If you load it with rechargable batteries, this radio will recharge them. (the Sanyo eneloop rechargables are excellent) Be careful to unplug the adapter when the red light indicates a full charge or else the circuts overheat and the batteries feel hot to the touch. I had that happen to me once. Thought I fried it but after taking the batteries out and allowing it to cool off for 30 minutes it was working fine again.

5Functions as a alarm clock.

6AM is also very good. Nice and clear.

7AC adapter is included.

8Last but not least, it looks damn good on your table.

Cons:

1) Only 5 presets for each band. I wish it had 10.

~Hope I was helpful.

Want Sangean PR-D7 BK AM/FM Digital Rechargeable Portable Radio Discount?

I use a portable radio a lot, and I hate throwing away exhausted AA alkaline batteries. But most radios perform poorly on NiMH rechargeables because of the lower voltage and because old-style NiMH batteries self-discharge in a few days or a couple of weeks to the point that they need recharging again. This radio can use NiMH batteries with no loss of performance due to lower voltage. I recommend Sanyo Eneloops because they self-discharge much more slowly than ordinary NiMH batteries.

One word of caution though. You can recharge the batteries using the provided plug-in adapter, but because the recharge will be in series the batteries will not be recharged individually. This works OK for one or two recharges, but then the batteries tend to get unbalanced -some will be higher voltage than others -and performance will suffer. You will also observe a loss of energy capacity (the need for recharge will become increasingly more frequent). If you recharge the NiMH batteries in a good charger like a Maha or a La Cross, however, the cells will be charged individually and there will be no observed loss of capacity.

Save 45% Off

EDIT: 3/3/2013 This unit is mostly obsolete due to the newer options available. Take the review for what it is worth at the time it was written.

I received this as a gift from someone who knew I would use this for the purposes of travel, which I infer would be suitable for this "portable radio".

Pros:

-Decent to good build quality. I knocked it off the windowsill from almost a few feet above the hardwood and its fine--no rattles. Fit and finish is outstanding, but the glossy surface is less desirable in this application. Why not use something textured or rubberized instead?

-Rechargeable feature works fine with my Eneloops. I can play the radio many hrs a day for about a week before the batteries start to wear down.

-Pretty good sound quality to my untrained ear, and can get loud!

Cons:

-Awkward button design. The power button sticks out more than the others, which means the radio gets turned on and off in your pack. A low profile sliding toggle button mounted topside would work much better. Heck, all the buttons could have gone up there, to make room for a jumbo display. Also, the front mounted buttons make one-handed control of the radio impossible when it isn't standing against a wall.

-Reception isn't as great as the reviews indicated. I get better in my 08 Nissan truck.

-Feature set doesn't justify the price. Where is support for RDS, which is standard in Europe and Latin America (this is a travel radio right)? Some rubber feet would be nice. How about the ability to receive S.A.M.E. weather messages? And the AC adapter isn't even dual-voltage? Whiskey tango foxtrot?

I applaud Sangean for making a nice little unit that gives the Songbook a run for its money, but I still think there is room for improvement in this radio.

Kaito KA1102 AM/FM Shortwave SSB Radio, Black

Kaito KA1102 AM/FM Shortwave SSB Radio, Black
  • AM + FM + Shortwave + Single side band
  • Dual conversion technology, wide/narrow AM filter
  • Four tuning methods: direct, manual, scan and preset
  • Alarm clock + sleep timer
  • 1-year USA manufacturer's warranty

This is my fifth Kaito portable radio and it is indeed an excellent product. It seems extremely well made and should last a long time if treated with care. The radio is both very small and readily transportable yet the reception is still excellent on all available bands.

I especially like being able to change the AM(MW)/SW narrow/wide (bandwidth) filter setting, the DX/local RF gain switch as well as the news/music (narrow/wide) filter switch in order to improve reception of any desired signal. Using the SSB BFO fine tuner on page 9 is also very easy and straight forward as well. The ability to step tune with very small increments on pages 7-9 is also excellent in my opinion once a signal of interest has been located.

I also really like the highly useful system of storing presets with the ATS system on page 0 and then being able to use the copy command to transfer them to other pages after they have been thoroughly edited into a useful list.

I also really like the very pleasant blue backlighting system on this radio with ALL buttons as well as the LCD screen being nicely illuminated. This is especially useful for nightime listening while going to sleep.

I didn't think that I would like the digital volume controls before I got the KA1102 based on other digital volume controls that I have tried previously, but I have totally changed my mind on this very nice feature. The steps between each setting are sufficiently small that very precise control of the volume levels can be attained, especially when using earphones which is my most common mode of operating this radio. In addition however, since the volume controls are totally digital, the common problem of accidentally turning an analog volume control knob and thus changing the volume level significantly from the last use of the radio is no longer a problem at all. Too many times my ears have suffered from not properly checking an inadvertent change of the analog volume control knob setting on other radios that I have used!

In addition, several people have complained about the poor English Kaito/Degen manual, but if you can't figure something out, just download the Grundig/Eton G3/G5/E5 manual (based on the recent reworking by Grundig of the poor ergonomics of the Kaito KA1103 radio) where all other relevant details are readily explained. Grundig/Eton has recently significantly changed the fine manual that was available online until February 2008, but the new manual is still better than the Kaito manual for providing many explanations for poorly explained features.

The unavailability of the LW bands on this unit is something that should be rectified by Kaitousa (pun intended) at some future date (although the Kaito KA1103 was introduced to make that specific correction among others).

Also a screen version of the signal strength meter (now done using 4 red LEDS, except in FM stereo mode where only three LEDS are used for an indication of the signal strengthsee also below) should also be added as well as an indication of the DX/local switch setting.

One additional idea: Kaito should make future editions of this radio so that the internal AM/MW ferrite antenna could be disconnected from the system and replaced through the external antenna jack by either an indoor or an outdoor antenna for even better AM listening (UPDATE5/06/2008: This am antenna decoupling has now been done for the Grundig G5 made for Grundig by Tecsun/Degen, the Chinese parent company for all Kaitousa products. The G5 is the updated and more expensive version of the KA1103 with all its odd ergonomic problems corrected including the famous volume control problem). Kaito still offers an antenna that inductively couples to the internal ferrite AM antenna along the top edge of the radio, but that is a clumsy way to get even better AM reception in my opinion since there is no easy way to attach the coupler directly to the radio.

Finally, the choice of listening in the stereo FM mode seems to be presented redundantly (twice) on the KA1102 by the presence of both the 4th small red LED below the LCD screen and by an indication on the LCD screen itself (through the symbol, ST)?

I look forward very much to having the fun of using this radio for the very high quality sounds of music, news and just general shortwave listening from all over the globe for a very long time.

Buy Kaito KA1102 AM/FM Shortwave SSB Radio, Black Now

This is a copy of an earlier review

Kaito KA1102 Worldband radio.

This is it! Performance of this little gem is outstanding! No other radio that I know of at this price will receive single side band signals (most "hams" use this mode).

The 1102 has a wide/narrow bandwidth switch, with well chosen bandwidths, allows fine tuning of AM in 1Khz steps and FM in 10 Khz steps, provides an indication of signal strength, and outputs STEREO to earphones in FM.

Sound quality is decent (for its size) through the built in speaker, with a "music/news" switch provided to shape the audio response for best results. A "bass boost" function is also provided, but it only works on FM...odd.

Alarm and Sleep functions are provided, and the display has a pleasing blue backlight, that is not activated in a bright ambient (to save batteries).

Speaking of batteries, a set of three NiMH rechargeable cells is included!

On the downside, the 1102 is NOT an easy device to operate, and the instruction manual is NOT well written/translated. Some of the functions (such as SSB or fine tuning) are activated by selecting certain "pages" of station memory. If you are willing to spend a bit of extra time reading the manual while experimenting with the functions of the various controls, you will be happy with the results!

Read Best Reviews of Kaito KA1102 AM/FM Shortwave SSB Radio, Black Here

In general I like this radio except that if you do not want the radio to automatically turn off in 99 minutes you have to remember to press the exit button within 2 seconds of turning it on to disable the default sleep mode. I would prefer a separate sleep button that you could punch once for 30 minutes, twice for 60 minutes, etc. before it turned off.

Want Kaito KA1102 AM/FM Shortwave SSB Radio, Black Discount?

The Amazon description says this radio covers "the whole shortwave spectrum". This is just plain false. It actually covers ONLY selected bands. For example, it does not cover the 10-meter band and not even the 20-meter band, which is a very active DX amateur band.

Other minuses --

-When switching on/off or changing presets, it makes an electronic noise in the earphone/speaker.

-The sleep timer is amazingly complicated to set. The default is to turn off after 99 minutes. If you want less, and who wouldn't, you press the power button, then hold down another button for 5 sec, then press 2 digits for the number of minutes you want. If you did all that correctly (most likely in the dark while you're in bed), it will turn off after those minutes. Want to have another X minutes of radio? You have to repeat that entire process! That's absurd! Sleep timers should start low, like at 5 or 10 min. -then with each button press it should add 10 or 15 minutes.

-The volume is changed with + and buttons -a variable knob would be easier and faster to use.

-The buttons are fairly quiet, but they still make a bit of click -which might annoy others in the room.

-While tuning, you can hold the + or tuning button down. But it only works in "seek" mode -it stops at the next loudest signal (or noise). This is really dumb. Most radios will seek if you press for a second and let go; if you want to rapid-tune to some other frequency, then you hold it down. With this Kaito, you press and hold and it seeks (although you can direct-enter a frequency).

-They have 3 buttons devoted to having the radio turn ON after various periods of time. That's in addition to an alarm. Who needs that?

I'm returning this radio to Amazon. Kaito needs to describe their radios better and also beta-test them with average users.

Save 30% Off

The Kaito KA1102 is one of the least expensive shortwave receivers than can receive SSB but its performance is so poor I can't find any SSB stations to receive--even the huge high power ones like W1AW. It has a hard time even receiving any of the WWV time stations at 5, 10, or 15 MHZ which even much cheaper radios can receive. Perhaps I got a lemon as there are many reports of Kaito quality control being poor.

The user interface is also far from intuitive. Without the manual you'll have a hard time with this radio as several abbreviations and button functions are neither typical nor obvious. If you use it regularly I'm sure you'll get used to it but for occasional use you may need the manual. Such quirks like SSB only working on "bank 9" and even getting to "bank 9" are not obvious.

The build quality is also rather poor. The buttons feel cheap and sometimes require a second push to even work. The fit and finish are sloppy. It looks and feels like a radio that should cost half as much. I wouldn't expect it to be very rugged or long lived with much use.

The reception and sensitivity are marginal at best. With the built-in antenna fully extended the radio is mostly deaf from 3 Mhz to 20 Mhz. With the external wire antenna you mostly get more noise rather than more listenable signals. The AM radio band (0.5 1.6 Mhz) is decent but the AM/FM Sony ICF38 does better for less than half the price of the Kaito with much longer battery life (but doesn't have shortwave).

Ultimately you do get what you pay for. In my experience the Sony SW7600GR, and shortwave models from Sangean, C Crane, Grundig and Eton all outperform the Kaito, are easier to use, and have much higher build quality (but do cost more). My Kaito is marginal Chinese designed junk.

Tecsun is made in the same factory as Kaito and they likely suffer similar issues (at least at this price level). Both are examples of products designed in China to be as cheap to make as possible and it really shows in the KA1102.

Retro Modern Auto Flip Alarm Desk Clock with Light

Retro Modern Auto Flip Alarm Desk Clock with Light
  • Cool Futuristic Gears Clock
  • Gear operated time machinery
  • Retro look
  • Alarm Clock

The gears kept sticking constantly, which is causing the time to be off by 1 1\2 hours. My first biggest disappointment ever. I wish this had worked as desired because i really loved the modern look.

Buy Retro Modern Auto Flip Alarm Desk Clock with Light Now

I got the clock two weeks ago and it has been work fine, i had been looking a long time to find a flip down clock, so when i got it i was exited to have it displayed on my desk, but it can be off by a minute or so at times but it makes up the time in a 24 hour period. Also the placement of the power connector is horrible and ugly sticks out of the back like a sore thumb, for such a nice looking clock its not right. would have been much better if it plugged in like every other electronic device discreetly, and it started to make some squeaky noise. Nice clock need some improvements or a lower price tag.