RCA RP5502i Universal iPod Dock AM/FM Clock Radio

• Black iPod docking station with AM/FM clock radio and large LED display
• High performance sound system with USB connectivity
• Wake to iPod, USB device, radio or alarm
• Auto positioning clock prevents LED being blocked by iPod when docked
• Programmable snooze, programmable sleep radio, digital frequency readout

This clock was perfect for me when I got it. No radio presets (I never change my station) it plays my iPod, has a USB port for a thumb drive, large LED's, 2 alarms... Ever since I bought it 4 months ago I have really appreciated it. However, recently the bottom half of the LED's do not work. So it's impossible to tell the time! All I can get are the top 3 LED's of any particular number. I'll try taking it apart, but it's probably done for.

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This is certainly not the best radio around, or the best iPod speakers for the price, but as a combination clock-radio + iPod dock, it does a pretty good job.

First of all, this is a clock. You will no doubt get better audio quality from dedicated iPod speaker/dock combinations, but this is a *clock* radio, and a very functional and reasonably full-featured one. Both clocks may be set independantly to either a progressive alarm or to play from radio, USB or iPod. There are the mandatory snooze and sleep functions, and also a "NAP" function, which, having three young children, I will probably not have the leisure to try for a few more years. The interface is straightforward and excellent: no confusing multiple-function buttons, no need to use a remote (there is none) for accessing some of the more arcane functionalities. One button = one function. And you can actually turn off the blue light by dimming the display with the dedicated button!

The sound quality is pretty reasonable once you crank it up a bit, but this is obviously not meant to be your main stereo. At low volume, though, there is a faint but annoying low-frequency "buzz" which is the only complaint I have about this device.

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At first I was disappointed to discover this unit is not compatible with the iphone, but the flash compatibility works great. Lots of handy functions that all seem to work well. The "increasing" alarm volume function doesn't work with flash or iPod, only alarm buzzer. Another function missing that would be nice would be the ability to select which song plays when you use the usb alarm function (it automatically plays the first song on your stick). The sound quality is great. All things considered, I'm pleased with the unit.

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About 4-5 months after I bought this clock radio the LED went bad. Half of the display is very dim, while the other half is normal brightness.

I bought this Alarm clock/Ipod dock exactly 13 months ago. when I first got it, it worked great. i love the fact that i can dim the backlight for both the LCD, and the blue light. but about 3 months after I bought it, the ipod dock wouldn't work for me anymore. well, it wouldn't work for anyone anymore. oh well, I still like waking up from a USB thumb drive, so that worked great for me.

until 4 days ago, when, I woke up as usual, turned off the alarm, and thought to myself "hmm, that's weird, seems like i turned the whole thing off"... well, i did. it won't come back up. and i've declared it dead. :(

so, when the product worked, it was great. but i consider $80 for something that dies after 13 months and a month after the warranty expires too steep of a price.

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

• 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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Tivoli Audio iSongBook Portable Music System for iPod -White/Silver

• Compatibility: iPod classic 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, 5.5G; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod touch 1G; iPhone 1G
• High Fidelity Stereo Sound with Detachable Speaker for Six Feet of Separation
• Recharges iPod and Recharges NiMH/NiCAD Batteries for Portable Use
• Remote Control of iPod with Play List Management, Wake to iPod/AM/FM/Beep Tone
• Exceptional AM/FM Tuner for Precise Reception in North America and World Wide use

Continues the superb Tivoli tradition for Ipod. Very ingenious design, wonderful audio, charges both Ipod and a set of NIMH batteries with wall wart, then you're untethered for hours of entertainment...Nice clock radio functions and superb AM FM radio as well as aux in for other devices. It is such a good match for Ipod, I have discovered sounds in my Ipod tunes I didn't know were there...

One BIG disadvantage...this doesn't have a kickstand or good support, so it is prone to tip over and spill out the Ipod from the dock. Make sure you have a safe surface to but this baby on...I am waiting for the iSoundbook case to come out for further protection...If it's like the case for the IPal it will be yet another bit of ingenious design...

This is also very expensive. Significant more than the other Tivoli Ipod products, but the stereo design and excellent charging options make it worth it...

It could be somewhat improved by offering a remote that could change between modes...as it is you have to turn the switch to AM, FM or Ipod/Auxillary before the remote will work. The remote has a nice feature (much better than Apple's IMHO) which allows you to move to the next playlist on your Ipod...

All in all, this is a great, innovative idea. To me it's much nicer than the Bose offering because it's portable with battery power, has a superb AM FM radio, and offers better stereo separation...And sound wise, I think it's a touch better in clarity...though the Bose seems to have a bit more bass...

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I've owned the iSongbook for two days and am thrilled with the sound. The FM radio comes in with perfect clarity for most stations (even with the antenna down and locked in place). The AM is also a big improvement. I bought the iSongbook for the combination of (1) Improved sound for a small bedroom stereo replacement; (2) a clock/radio need; (3) portability and convenience; and (4) iPod connectivity. The radio meets the test on all accounts. (1) Sound: For a table top unit, the speakers give a great balance with a very musical bass sound (better for jazz, classical and pop and not as much for the Who, etc.). For jazz recordings, the bass will walk and drums and cymbals fill the rhythm with very satisfying clarity. Try Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Collossus and you won't believe what you're hearing. Generally, a great recording will be captured by this unit regardless of the genre. Remember how much you loved clear sounding mono recordings? An old Dizzy Gillespie disc (Dizzy's Diamonds) sounded crisp but the big band crescendos could be a little shrill which may be a function of the particular remaster of these recordings generally. Voices come through beautifully!! Try anything from Paul McCartney on the original "Yesterday" "Fixing a Hole" or "She's Leaving Home" to any Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday or Louis Armstrong. Tony Bennett's more recent "The Art of Romance" played at a volume setting of 18 to 21 out of 30, sounds like an audiophile playback-no exaggeration. Piano music sounds very tonal and will deliver more resonance than you may be used to on many listening devices let alone a small portable. Put the speakers closer together and the bass tightens yet still produces a nice soundstage. (2) The clock radio is adequate. There is no snooze function when the alarm source goes off, but, if you wake to the alarm instead of radio or the iPod, it does go off and on for 60 second intervals repeating for one hour. Others have complained there is only a 20 minute sleep timer, instead of a choice of increments up to an hour or two, but you can workaround that, at least with the iPod sleeptimer up to the 2 hours Apple provides. However, if you use the longer sleep timer this way, you won't be able to wake to the radio and the unit will remain on all night without any sound. Without an audio source, the power consumption should be small. Some don't like the fact the clock can't be read without pressing the light button on the unit. This is a tradeoff for those who complain that most clock radios have strong lights that cannot be dimmed. I could keep the unit by the bedside and the light button would be fine, but I prefer to keep the unit across from the bed for a better room filling sound. The alarm function works with any of the selected AM, FM or iPod sources off the unit, or it can be activated off the iPod's alarm if the unit is left on overnight. The iPod alarm is especially useful if the iPod sleeptimer is used to obtain a longer than 20 minute cycle. You cannot use the sleeptimer with one function and wake to another source. These inconveniences are easy to look past because the unit still provides enough or more selectivity for sleep/wake functions compared to many simple clock/radio units; (3) For portability, this unit is the most gorgeous design I've seen yet. The main unit detaches from the extra speaker if desired and may be ported separately like Tivoli's Songbook radio (except it also has the iPod dock built in). It fits in almost any briefcase and is something I just may take back and forth to the office, particularly for those longer workdays. The built-in battery recharger is fantastic and allows using this unit on the go without a cord. You can only switch between audio sources by a knob on the unit. This isn't a problem if you keep the unit near your bedside or your desk, but an inconvenience if you want to rely more on the remote (which can change volume, songs, albums and playlists, but not the radio/iPod/Aux function). Tivoli also sells dedicated carry bags for the Songbook and iSongbook. Depending on how you want to port the unit (with or without the extra speaker) you can choose either carry bag; (4) iPod connectivity through a clever pull down dock on the side is a handsome minimalist design. A separate cable for 1/8" to 1/8" connectivity isn't needed as it is for the Songbook single speaker radio. Charging the iPod is very fast when the A/C adapter is plugged in. A 1/8 inch connectivity is also provided (without the cable) for an Aux device (CDs, etc.) and it can be used to connect to my iMac which I might do for those occasions when I stream a good out of town radio station (like WKCR 89.9 FM in NYC) through iTunes. The remote control is one of the better ones I've seen for a small unit. It allows scrolling of playlists and albums through separate Prev/Next buttons for each. However, my remote was only working to scroll through playlists. The "Albums" function may be defective. Otherwise, I say the unit is the best combination of sound, functionality, design and convenience I've seen yet. I HIGHLY recommend it. Buy the iSongbook instead of the Songbook if you can afford it. It gives you a Songbook with the iPod dock built in plus the extra speaker and remote. You will notice the difference and love all the flexibility and convenience. And that radio sound just can't (and won't) be beat. Five Stars!!!

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Tivoli Audio has scored another major hit with the iSongbook. It is a Model Two with a fully-functional iPod dock and it's totally portable. The sound is amazing for its size or any size for that matter. It competes head-on with the Bose SoundDock, not quite as loud but it can be uncomfortably loud if that's what one wants. Stereo separation is enhanced by being able to move the right speaker six feet away and then reel up the cable to pull the system back together into one unit. Add in a terrific AM/FM-Stereo tuner and the ability to control an iPod via the wireless remote and it's quite a music system. Tivoli got it right.

The charging system recharges NiCd or NiMH batteries along with an iPod. When running off external power, the iPod shuts down immediately when switcing the unit off or to AM or FM but wakes and resumes what it was doing when one selects iPod as the source once again.

The sound is simply incredible across the audio range. It has good bass but makes no claim to thumo your house until plates creep off shelves. Like all other Tivoli Audio products it is equally at home with rock and roll or classical or voice. It reproduces it all very well.

Yes, it's on the spendy side but think about that 1980's boom box and what you paid for that. Then think about the lousy sound and the bulk. Now think about a portable "radio" which can slip into a carry-on bag which can charge and access an iPod and deliver sound which competes with products ten times the price. The iSongbook is a great value. It really delivers.

The countdown sleep timer and alarm functions are great. Wake to a song on your iPod or AM, FM or a tone. The blue light which can be activated from the front panel or from the remote makes the display very easy to read from all angles.

The iSongbook is the ultimate iPod accessory and a great stereo system to have in the kithcen, bedroom, office or RV...or all of the above. Just pick it up and take it with you.

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Fed up with commercial radio in the mornings, I went looking for an iPod player which could replace my bedside clock radio. After reading all the reviews, I decided on the iSongBook. I justified the cost difference over other options like the iHome by reasoning that I could also use the iSongBook on my frequent travels.

Unfortunately, for me, the iSongBook works as neither a clock radio replacement nor a travel companion. The clock numbers are not LEDs, so they are difficult to see. They are just thin black numbers on a grey screen. I like to be able to glance over during the night and see the time immediately, as well as see the time easily from across the room while I am getting ready in the mornings. With the iSongBook, you have to reach over and hit the backlight button every time you want to read the clock in anything but full light. Even in full light, the time is only visible from a couple of feet away.

As for travel, there are two shortcomings. First, it is heavy, particularly the power adaptor. It would add significant weight to a carry-on bag. To be fair, I don't know how it compares to the weight of other portable options. Second, it is not dual voltage, which is essential for me.

If you don't need to see the clock easily, and travel weight and voltage are not an issue, this is a great iPod player. The dock is very handy, I love that it charges the iPod and batteries at the same time, and the sound is excellent, if a bit light on bass. It would be perfect for carrying from room-to-room around the house, at the office, or for using at barbeques, picnics and the beach.

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I had been looking for a way to listen to my iPod without earphones but I wasn't happy with any of the choices until I saw this product. I have a Tivoli PAL radio that my wife and I just love so as soon as I saw the iSongBook I had to check it out. The radio sounds terrific -clear FM reception and a reasonably good AM tuner.

The dock connector is near perfect -hidden away when not needed and easily accessible when you want to use your iPod. The iSongBook has a lot of nice features -it will charge NiMh batteries, it will also charge the iPod. When you switch the iSongBook to/from the iPod/AUX setting it will pause and resume the iPod which is a cute touch.

Sound quality is very, very good when both speakers are attached. You lose a lot of bass when you disconnect the right channel speaker and go mono. The sound is very clear and pleasing but it probably won't please bass-hungry hip-hoppers. For most other types of popular music, jazz and classical it's the best sound you'll ever hear from your iPod short of connecting it to your home theater system.

There are a few faults. It's really too expensive to justify except as a luxury item or guilty pleasure (hey, it was my birthday!). It's too big and heavy to pack for biz travel (although I might consider packing it for a vacation). It should really have a handle because it's awkward to pick up and carry around.

All in all, I just love it.

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Sangean PR-D8 Portable Digital AM/FM Stereo Receiver with SD-MP3 Recorder and MP3/WMA Player (White)

• Time Record AM/FM/Aux-In/SD Programs anytime automatically
• 2 Alarm Timers-Radio and Buzzer
• 5 AM and 5 PM Presets
• Line out for external amplifier
• Recording Code: MP3 format, stereo, 64k/128k/192 kbps

Radio section works really well. You'll need headphones to hear stereo on FM. AM section does a good job of pulling in weak signals, but does not feature RF selectivity filters to control whistles and adjacent channels, just three audio filters (Music, Norm, News) which control tone. On very weak AM signals, the built-in MP3 recorder creates enough RF noise to add noise via the built-in antenna. The Scan button is extraneous, as holding the tune-up or tune-down button scans in that direction. The scan button only scans up in frequency. Radio will not automatically pick up and program the station presets, like good in-dash car radios often do.

Unit takes 'C'-size batteries, and seems to go through them pretty fast. Much, much shorter battery life than the C. Crane CC Radio which uses D cells.

The white finish seems to resist scratches very well, but will show smudges and dirty fingerprints. Key-lock feature blocks button inputs, but the volume control is NOT locked it's a real potentiometer, not a digital volume control (pros and cons to this).

MP3 controls are horrible really needs a firmware update to de-bounce the fastforward and reverse functions on the rocker. Will only go one speed in FF, when it would be nice to have it speed up after 5-10 seconds depressed. Navigation of folders and MP3 files is really crude. Records in 1-hour per file. You can't use the Fast Reverse to access the end of a file, and if you're patient enough to hold the FF to get there, any hesitation on the button will bump to the next file.

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I ordered the Sangean PR-D8 months ago before it was actually even released, and after shipping delays, my order being canceled due to uncertain shipping date,etc., I re-ordered. I am glad I did! I love this radio (and I hate to call it that because it is SO much more!). The reception is fantastic on this (and I do not even put the antenna up!), the speakers are awesome and sound like a very large boom box is in the room, rather than this tiny radio. It is just unbelievable! There are 3 sound settings (news, music, and something in between which is what I usually use, as the music setting seems too boomy and the news seems to sound better for talk). Anyway, I just love the SD card player! I have looked for something like this forever!!! I put about 20 CDs on my 4GB SD card, popped it in, and it played them all w/out any problems at all. There is a search button that shows you all the folders on the SD card, so you can choose which CD you want to play. I have this stereo in our large bathroom, and it fills the room with music while I shower. I was considering the Sangean shower radio before purchasing this, but I really wanted the SD card feature, which that model did not have. I mostly use this on AC, but have tried it on batteries for an entire day and it did not really use them much at all (there is a battery indicator on it). Only 3 things I could wish for with this: 1) that when running on AC, the light should stay on (rather than go off after a set period of time) so I can see the clock from across the room, 2) I wish it had some way to hang it on the wall (ie. bracket or holes on back), and 3) the AC plug comes that out of the side should be an "L" shaped plug so it is more invisible when you are trying to hide the cord... it just sticks out way too far from the left side of the radio. Overall, I am very happy with the Sangean PR-D8, and I am so glad I waited for this model! You will not be sorry if you order one! In fact, I want a couple more for other rooms now!! (I just wish the price were lower though)

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We use this in our newly remodeled master bathroom. FM reception is great. We have always had issues with getting good FM reception where we live and that is why I purchased this brand. The SD card option for mp3 is also perfect. I put in a Class 6 8Gig SD card and navigation around the sd card is nice and fast. The ONLY thing that this radio is missing is a handle. I knew that going into it. Everything else on my list was either satisfied or exceeded with this radio.

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I have been looking for something that does what the Sangean PR-D8 for a long time. I'm a big fan of NPR and I also listen to a lot of spoken word presentations like audiobooks, podcasts, and the such. I have my what my wife calls a fetish for radios and have over a half dozen radios of all shapes and sizes. When I do work around the house or relaxing in our hot tub, I'd like to be able to listen to a podcast or maybe baseball or football game. And listening off my MP3 player with earbuds is either impractical or a bit of a pain after several hours.

For years, I've wanted something to playback audiobooks or podcasts with an external speaker. I had been using MP3 playback CD boombox but had going through three of those over the past 5 years. I also had purchased an small MP3 player with an external speaker, but that little speaker just didn't have enough power to be heard more than three feet away.

There was just nothing on the market that did what I wanted -that is until Sangean offered up the PR-D8. This is nearly everything I wanted and more. I now have a radio that plays back MP3 files with a robust speaker. Plus I also get a device that allows me to record over-the-air radio programs and has an Aux-in jack for recording. Woo-woo.

The speaker is mono-only, but that doesn't bother me since I primarily use it for play back spoken word presentations. The sound the speaker's put out is a real joy when I think back to having to wear earbuds in the past.

I also like folder style organization of files. The files are on the SD card just like a folder on your computer. And there's no need for music management program that forces you to do things only the way it will allow.

I have recorded a couple programs off the air and it worked quite well. I will be using it to transfer over a large cassette collection very soon.

I do agree with people who think that is sort of bulky. I didn't read the dimensions and was sort of surprised by its size. I was expecting something about the size of a portable transistor radio, but it certainly is not pocket-sized by any means. My biggest concern about size was that I was hoping to take it when travel and I'm not so sure that this will work.

My biggest problem with this unit is the fast-forward feature or really the lack of a practical one. Although, the controls look much like an early iPod controls, the rewind on MP3 back just doesn't work at all and fast-foward feature is almost impossible to use. I've twice been into a one hour program when I wanted to go back and listen to a segment. When I attempted this, the rewind took me back to the beginning of the segment. Then when I tried to fast forward, the player would jump forward to the next file 4 or of 5 times and when I did get the fast-foward to work it only creeps along at around twice the normal speed. One slip of your finger while fast-fowarding will also make you skip to the next file. Plus it has no bookmarking feature.

So, listening to long audio segments isn't always the most practical thing do on this device. Despite this critical failure, I'm still happy with this device as it is a long sought after device.

It also has a great sleep feature which I use every night. I'm sure I will learn more trick soon as I have only had the unit for about a month.

PROS

MP3 play back with a decent sounding external speaker

Good AM & FM radio reception

tons of recording options with line in and over-the-air recording

External inputs

Uses SD cards which are plentiful and cheap

takes rechargeable batteries

lighted control panel (great for night work)

CONS

It's a bit bulky

Fast forward on MP3 play back is frustrating and almost impossible.

No bookmarking of files

BTW: When researching this device before purchasing it, I actually called Sangean because their website said that they would be introducing the PR-D9 soon and I wanted to know if they were fixing some of the flaws with the D-8. I spoke with a representative of Sangean and he said they were not going to include MP3 playback with the D9. So, instead of waiting for something new to appear on the market, I went with the D-8. I just hope it gives me many years of service.

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As a highly anticipated gift for Christmas, I received this radio/recorder for the specific purpose of recording Coast2CoastAM in the off hours for later enjoyment. It is a very good AM/FM receiver and has an equally good MP3 recorder built-in. It has all the necessary features to start and end recordings at will. One issue I have with the playback of MP3 files is the FF>> button is hard to keep from actually stopping and thus resetting the counter back to zero very annoying. Also, the 3-way tone switch is not tailored to the sound frequencies I'm accustomed to. Finally, the price is high for a unit without an SD card and rechargeable batteries. Bank on spending another $50-$60 for those items. Although this is a niche device, I absolutely recommend it for the purpose I'm using it for and wouldn't be without it by my side. Throw in the batteries and SD card, then it would be a perfect 5!

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Timex T227 Large Display Alarm Clock Radio with MP3 Line-In (Black)

• Large 0.9" green LED time display with dimmer control
• AM/FM radio with built in AM antenna and external FM wire antenna
• Sleep to radio with auto shut-off timer, snooze / repeat alarm
• Wake to radio or gentle wake gradual buzzer alarm
• Battery back up and integrated auxiliary input connection cord

In short, this is very basic, and might serve its purpose if you just need a quick and easy way to put a clock radio in a garage or some other place where high quality sound is not a requirement. Keep in mind that this is a very inexpensive clock radio with the added ability to connect to the headphone jack of most MP3 players. Inexpensive, in this case, means "don't expect to be impressed".

The pros:

1) Nice, readable clock. The big green LED is probably my favorite feature.

2) Easy setup. You could probably figure out all the features (setting the time and alarm, switching between radio and MP3 player) without reading the instructions.

3) Compact. This is one of the smaller clock radios I've seen.

Cons that I expect in an inexpensive clock radio:

1) Sound quality is subpar. As soon as I started listening, I was reminded of my old transistor radios from 30 years ago. It's not awful...just very basic (I guess Timex's "multi-directional sound chamber" really means "well distributed transistor radio sound"). Having a party and you want to crank up the tunes for your friends? Don't use this device because you won't be able to hear it over the laughter of your guests.

2) Lack of MP3 player interface. The lack of any docking functionality means that you can set your alarm to wake you by radio or buzzer, but NOT by MP3 player. It also means that if you want to play/pause/switch songs, you do so directly from your MP3 player. It also means that setting the right volume could be a combination of adjusting the volume of the MP3 player AND the clock radio. Be sure you understand that this is NOT a "dock" for your iDevice.

Cons that could have been improved without raising the price:

1) The dim LED setting is too bright. If you are like me and can be distracted from your sleep by bright lights in the room, note that dimming the LED on this clock radio has almost no effect.

2) Too many controls are hidden on the sides of the clock. I find myself needing to pick up the clock and look at each side in order to find the switches and dials to dim the LED, switch to my MP3 player, turn on the alarm, and so on. Why not put more of these controls on the top? I'll probably get used to it, but for now it's a bit of a pain.

You could do a lot worse at this price point. But spend a little more and you'll probably get better sound AND docking options.

Buy Timex T227 Large Display Alarm Clock Radio with MP3 Line-In (Black) Now

Pros:

1) Sturdy

2) Display is OK

3) Alarm is loud !! Sound quality is ok. Not good for listening music though but for me alarm is the preference.

Cons:

1) This clock ticks faster than usual and in day exceed by 7-8 min than actual time. Maybe its in my clock. Going for replacement !!

2) Only one alarm setting sucks as sometimes u need to set some specific alarm for a day.

3) Time/alarm setting increase monotonically -> You have to go all the way to restart count if u want to set to a previous time. Also the speed is slow unlike Sony ICF-C318 which moves faster if one press hour/min button and hold.

Read Best Reviews of Timex T227 Large Display Alarm Clock Radio with MP3 Line-In (Black) Here

This is a great alarm clock the numbers are large enough to see without my glasses, a definite plus! My husband bought one of these before me and I liked it so well I traded in my old alarm for this one as well. Easy to operate and I love that I can hook my MP3 player up to it. Very happy with this purchase, I highly recommend it.

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First off, all I wanted was a clock radio with function buttons placed/organized on the case such that I wouldn't wind up changing the time by accident when turning off the alarm in the morning or have to fumble on the back to make time or alarm changes. THIS fits the bill. It's also heavy enough not to get shoved about or toppled over with half-awake fumbling hands. It has a 9V battery backup, which is always needed with foul-weather power outages that happen overnight but do not stop me from needing to get to work. The radio function wheels and selectors for alarm on/off, etc, all work well and how you think. I don't see the usefulness of the MP3 connector because it is essentially just using the speaker of the clock and the source on the MP3 player. I could see that people would want to 'wake up' with their own music, but it does NOT work that way with this unit. I also don't see why they have an antenna wire, which makes that THREE wires (power, MP3, antenna) running out the back, but maybe some folks would need that reception boost. With the green light numerals, my wife had a problem. The 'dimmer' isn't that much and GREEN is such a stronger light in the bedroom that she could not sleep said it looked like that green glow from the book/movie Tommyknockers by Stephen King! So, even though I liked it, I had to return it to the Walmart where I purchased it for same $20 price tag offered here. IF this had had RED numerals, and red is not at bright to the human eye, this unit would have been the only thing I needed to get me up for the next 30 years. [It's been almost 20 with the last one.]

I chose this clock radio because it was small and compact, and the price was right. The lighted dial works great...almost too great, as it's really bright even when on the dim setting.

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