Cue Acoustics Cue Radio Model R1, White

• Apple Universal Dock: The dock on the Model r1 charges and plays most generations of iPod and iPhone. It is fully integrated into the design of the r1 - not a separate unit or an add-on like some other brands offer
• Advanced Digital Technology: The D2Audio DSP (digital signal processing) chip and digital amplifier in the Model r1 provide amazingly clear sound and a very wide dynamic range. As a result, you will hear subtle details in all your favorite music that can be obscured by lesser quality sound systems
• Dual Alarms: The Model r1's two completely independent alarm clocks are very flexible and reliable. A backup battery ensures that your alarm settings will remain intact through a temporary power outage
• Scrub Forward and Rewind with Navigation Dial: The navigation dial also functions as a scrub wheel in iPod mode - allowing you to rewind music by turning it counterclockwise and advance forward by turning it clockwise
• Multi-functional Graphic Display: The r1's 3" LCD display makes any action easy and intuitive. It integrates gracefully with your iPod or iPhone, with all menus available on either the iPod/iPhone display or the r1's display

I have owned my Cue Radio Model r1 Table Radio for seven months and absolutely love it! The sound quality of this unit is impeccable. I primarily use the radio at my office, but its compact size and portability have allowed me to take it with me on trips as well. The radio came along on my most recent ski trip and drew the rave reviews of my friends, who were amazed at how this small device filled a large room with rich, beautiful sound. In addition to listening to broadcast radio, I use the r1 to play my iPod and Sony MiniDisc player, and the radio functions smoothly and effortlessly under all formats. The sound that the r1 produces with my acoustic rock MD recordings, in particular, is nothing short of stunning. The radio's operation is intuitive, the AM/FM tuner is far stronger than the Sony boom box I formerly used in my office, and the display is easy to read. I have become addicted to glancing at the song and artist tags whenever I hear a new song. In short, the r1 is an outstanding table radio, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who appreciates amazing sound. Enjoy!

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The good is that the cue acoustics radio has a first rate sound quality. Within the limitations of a small form factor, it is hard to imagine a better sounding table radio (particularly if you buy the stereo speaker that goes with this unit). In fact I have to turn the volume way down at night because it can put out an impressive amount of clean sound. FM and AM reception are very clear. The controls are intuitive and easy to use.

But I can only give the unit 4 stars. The blue lights for the ipod controls are too bright for something you will probably put next to your bed. The led lights on the computer interface dim when the lights are turned on (this is a feature you have to set up) but they do not dim enough. The volume of the alarm clock is set at exactly the same volume as you use to listen to the radio. It does not go up progressively nor can you set it independently. It is a bit clunky setting up the alarm since you have to go through some nested menus. It would be better if you could set independent alarms for each day of the week.

I used a logitech boombox as my alarm clock for over a year before buying the cue acoustics radio. Hands down the cue is a better sounding unit which is why I replaced the boombox. That said, the interface for alarms and the dimming features on the boombox are clearly better than the cue. The engineers ought to buy a boombox and see how a well designed computer/alarm clock is supposed to work.