- MP3 Compatibility: iPhone, iPod 4G, 5G; iPod mini 1G, 2G; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod touch, iPod classic
- Hidden sliding dock tray connects iPod and iPhone to clock radio
- Preset alarm volume for CD, iPod player, iPhone, or radio
- Large easy-to-see LCD display for those grogy mornings
- Digital AM/FM tuner w/ 30 station presets
I received the CD3iP today and I'm happy to say that it accomplishes its mission very well. It's not meant to be a Bose SoundDock, but it produces very well behaved sound. Let me see if I can explain it further...
First, there is absolutely no audible distortion. The sound is clean and well balanced; it has weight and is not as tinny as some would suggest. For a clock radio, the speaker does a remarkably good job. The volume goes up to level 20, which is loud enough for a single room but not loud enough to damage your ears. Realize that it's a small speaker and keep your expectations reasonable. Even at maximum volume there is no distortion and the sound is tightly controlled.
The FM tuner does a superb job of producing a clean and clear output with no listener fatigue. Small amounts of hiss or noise can quickly lead to fatigue, so it's particularly gratifying to have an FM radio to which I can listen at length. NPR (local 88.5) comes through very nicely.
The alarm and clock are thoughtfully designed. Large numbers are easy to read, the display has 3 brightness levels, and the dual alarms can be set for weekday, weekend, and wake-to-radio, wake-to-iPod, wake-to-CD, or wake-to-buzzer.
Alarm and radio presets are backed up by an onboard battery, so no flashing 12:00 after a power outage.
iPod/iPhone integration is the same as on the ICF-C1IPMK2. The remote lets you navigate your iPod.
Overall I'm quite happy with the design and performance of the CD3iP. It replaces a 12 year old alarm clock without taking any more space while adding CD, Radio, and iPod playback.
Buy Sony ICFCD3iP 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Alarm Clock Speaker Dock with CD Player Now
I've had this since just before Christmas and have no complaints so far. I wanted an alarm clock where I could wake up to my iPod but also have a CD alarm. I've used it to wake up to bought and burned CDs as well as my iPod and it's worked every time. There are a few neat things about the clock I like: 1) The clock sets itself 2) You can set two alarms and you can set the alarms to wake up on weekends or weekdays (and it displays the current day) 3) I can fall asleep to a CD and wake up to my iPod 4) It charges my iPod 5) The remote controls the iPod itself too. Also, for an alarm clock I think the sound is pretty good. Two things to note however. First, the display is kinda bright. It has a dimmer with three settings but even the lowest setting is brighter than a normal clock. It doesn't bother me but if you need your room pitch black to sleep, this is not the clock for you. Second, just a heads up, the default for waking up to the iPod is by artist in alphabetical order. To wake up to a playlist you actually have to go to your playlist, select the first song, pause it, then turn off the iPod. It says this in the instructions but it's not obvious. Overall, I really like this clock. Here's hoping it lasts, unlike the mini stereo I was waking up to before I bought this.Update 4/2013: It has started to occasionally act flaky. Sometimes it wakes up to the wrong playlist on my iPod. I didn't care about that much but when for some reason it didn't go off despite being set correctly I decided it was time for a new player. But considering it has been over four years of daily use and it only occasionally had issues, I'm satisfied with it. It had a good run. I may keep it as just a clock radio in another room. It still sounds great, I just don't trust it as an alarm.
Read Best Reviews of Sony ICFCD3iP 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Alarm Clock Speaker Dock with CD Player Here
I like this clock/docking station, but I have one major complaint which almost made me return it. The clock face, even on its lowest brightness setting (there are three levels), was so bright that it lit up the entire room at night. I couldn't sleep while facing it. If it hadn't been for a friend's suggested remedy, I'd have had to send it back. What I did to dim the brightness was to put a piece of red transparent plastic film over the clock face. Now it is tolerable, but looks kind of cheezy. You'd think for the pretty steep price and the fact that it's a SONY, it wouldn't have to be tinkered with. If you don't like BRIGHT light shining in your eyes while trying to sleep, you may want to think twice about purchasing this item.Want Sony ICFCD3iP 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Alarm Clock Speaker Dock with CD Player Discount?
This product has a lot of reviews, I'm just writing to fill in a few questions I had when I bought it.First off, the main display is the time, the day of the week above it (small), whether the alarm is on or off (Alarm A or Alarm B), and below it (small) what music is on (CD / radio/ iPod). If you hit the display button on the top, you get the date (eg 4 7) and hit the button again and you get the year (eg 2009).
There are three brightness levels for the display, off, low, and high.
Sound quality is fabulous (caveat: I am not an audiophile, and have never put money in super expensive speakers or headphones). Even on the highest volume, the sound does not crack. Classic Sony quality.
Love the little remote, the presets, the radio (am and fm) and the CD player!
iPod / iPhone slide out tray works awesome, initial impression is be gentle so you don't break it off. Comes with an adapter (presumably for Nano).
Problem: back up battery does not come installed, you need to open the CD player and install it yourself. This isn't a big deal, except the battery compartment is screwed shut, so you need a tiny phillips screwdriver (the plus ones) to unscrew it, which I don't have. So the battery (which comes with the clock) is a bit of a pain to install.
Love love love the display, very clean design, attractive, does its job well and with flair.
Can't imagine my life without the little clock (small footprint is a plus!).
I have an old iPod (3G) which is on its way out, this clock charges it, and is kind of life support for on-their-way-out iPods you no longer have a use for.
I haven't tested it with my iPhone (not the 3G one) but will update my review when I have.
Hope I've helped your purchasing decision!
EDITED REVIEW (OCTOBER 16, 2009):
(Amazon does not let you change your star ratings, which is unfortunate. Count my review as three stars, then, as of today).
I've used this alarm clock, radio, and iPod/iPhone music player every single day since I purchased it.
Problems:
1) iPhone interference. This model of the clock radio is supposed to be resistant to iPhone interference. It IS NOT.
2) Slide out trade is FLIMSY.
3) Back up battery COMES WITH the clock radio and I still have not been able to put it in my clock radio because I do not have a screwdriver that would be compatible. Eyeglass and computer screwdrivers (PC or MAC) will not work.
4) Display is very bright. So bright it bathes my room in a blue light. Which I no longer find a positive experience.
5) Sound is very one-dimensional. It's not awful, but it's not that great either.
6) CD player makes funky noise when it works.
AND MY BIGGEST PROBLEM:
7) The alarm clock GETS STUCK. For example, you set the alarm for 7am, hit the snooze for 10 minutes. Okay, it turns off. It goes off again, you hit the snooze again. Problem: it DOES NOT TURN OFF. You hit the "alarm off button" instead of the snooze. Problem: IT DOES NOT TURN OFF. You end up having to unplug your alarm clock to get the buzzer off, which means you have to redo all the settings. Because the battery could not be installed.
Did I get a defective product because of the alarm clock snooze button / off button problem? I do not know.
Did I contact Sony? Not yet. I will update this review when I do. I will contact both Sony and Amazon and see what they can do.
The inability to use the snooze button because of its malfunction is the worst thing in the world.
The WORST THING IN THE WORLD.
I have tried it on buzzer, radio, CD and iPod. Fail, fail, fail, and fail.
Most people review the product within a week of getting it.
I would be curious as to whether more long term owners (I've had mine just SIX MONTHS, it is already malfunctioning) have the same problem. Is it a defective unit, or just a design flaw?
I still like this clock, but because of the not working, I would probably not purchase it again.
I relied heavily on the idea of "Sony Quality". Maybe because of the times we live in, Sony no longer has the sterling reputation for quality that I remember from my childhood. I am very disappointed by this fact, and will have to consider very seriously if any Sony product in the future is right for me.
I will keep you posted on my attempt to have someone fix my defective / design flawed product.
Thanks!!
UPDATED REVIEW (DECEMBER 2, 2009):
My alarm clock is outside its Amazon.com return period. I purchased the item on March 31, 2009. The return period ended May 8, 2009. The snooze button started malfunctioning after the return period ended. So Amazon won't exchange the item for a non-defective item, and won't accept a return. The best they can do is take the item back as a defective product and credit (at max) 50% of the purchase price to me (and the CSR emphasized that that is in the best case scenario). The CSR also recommended that I contact Sony because, after all, it is their product that is defective, and they must have some kind of warranty on it, right? (Of course, the reason I purchased the alarm clock from Amazon was to avoid Sony's customer service, because it is awful.)
Well, maybe Sony's customer service is not as awful as I remember it being. I will contact Sony and update this review with what happens with my defective alarm clock.
Worst case scenario I can return it to Amazon for a pittance. (The CSR said that the fact that the alarm clock was working initially makes it look like I abused it and that is why it is not working, so I probably wouldn't get the 50% back anyway). (The CSR also said that Sony might have designed the product to break in a few months, knowing it would be outside the return period and I'd be stuck with a $100 mistake and would be forced to purchase a new alarm clock). Out of the frying pan and into the fire with options like those!
Wish me luck!
UPDATED REVIEW (DECEMBER 2, 2009):
I called Sony Style at 1-239-768-7547
I spoke with a CSR named Cesar, who told me that I would send the alarm clock in for service, but could not exchange it or return it. He said the service process takes roughly 7 10 days, that I would have to pay shipping costs to get the clock to Sony, and that they would pay the shipping cost to get the (repaired) clock back to me.
Alternatively, I could take the clock in to a service center with a copy of my receipt and the product warranty and get the clock repaired.
This is not ideal and this alarm clock is not worth this headache.
Three stars and falling. Do not make the mistake I did of purchasing this product.
ANOTHER UPDATE:
For those in my situation, here are some links that might help:
Sony Service Website
(where to get a work order number)
Sony Product Website
(where to get a copy of the warranty of the product)
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