Creative Labs Onyx Cambridge SoundWorks Radio 705 - Large Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have owned a Tivoli Model One radio for about 1-1/2 years. It has been the model to compare to in its price range, praised for its sensitive, quiet tuner, balanced high quality sound and high quality wood cabinet. When I wanted a new radio for my office, I considered buying a 2nd one. I heard a Boston Receptor radio at a local dept store and thought it sounded better than the model one, but it was more expensive and had an alarm clock with many features that would go to waste in an office. I read reviews about the Cambridge 705 that, although favorable, ranked it below the Boston and the Tivoli in both sound and reception performance. When I found it at Amazon for 89.99 + 9.01 shipping I thought I'd take a chance and buy one.(I have owned other Cambridge products that always performed better that their price would indicate).I must disagree somewhat on the reviews I read about these radios. To my ears,at medium to high volumes, the Cambridge is superior in sound quality to both. It also plays very loud for its size, closer to the Bose Wave radio at a fraction of the cost. At lower volumes the Boston and Tivoli seem a bit warmer than the 705(but it still sounds fine). I will agree that the tuner is not as sensitive as the Tivolis but, this is noticeable only on the weakest of stations. The 705s rubber coated knobs are also superior to the Tivoli's somewhat slick controls. The 705 has a separate power button that glows green when "on" and amber when the sleep timer funtion is activated. Unlike the Tivoli, this allows you to leave the function switch in the preferred mode-a minor but useful advantage. The 705 has a tone control that the Tivoli doesn,t. It is mostly useful in turning down the treble that tends to vary greatly on FM stations. On a strong station it sounds best close to the max bass setting between 9 and 10 O'Clock. Besides its slightly better tuner, the main advantage of the Tivoli is its solid and very attractive wood cabinet(no matter what finish you choose.) The Boston has a more solid composite body than the 705, however the shiny onyx cabinet that houses the 705 is very well done and much more expensive looking than it appears in web photos . It does vibrate more than the others but this does not seem to affect the bass performance, which is quite impressive, especially at the higher volumes that the other units can't match. I intend to purchase another 705 to give as a Father's day present. Cambridge has these on sale until Father's day for 99.99 which I believe is the reason other distributors are offering it at reduced prices.(it was originally 119.99). If you are in the market for a good table radio you might want to grab one at this price.I was expecting a radio good enough for office use. What I recieved was a radio that I wouldn't hesitate using in my home. A solid 4 stars for the underdog.

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Product Description:
The SoundWorks Radio 705 is a tremendous value no matter how you listen to it, while its compact size opens up new listening possibilities. Its good-looking, contemporary design will fit any decor and its high sensitivity ensures excellent radio reception in virtually any location. The high fidelity sound of the SoundWorks Radio 705 is the result of combining custom designed speaker driver, flared bass vent and sturdy molded enclosure. Working as a system, they create the wide range sound and accurate tonal balance that make listening to this radio such a satisfying experience. The SoundWorks Radio 705 features an AUX input, through which you can play an iPod, Zen, CD, DVD player or even your PC. Because the SoundWorks Radio 705 is magnetically shielded, you can place it next to your monitor or TV without any fear of distortion.
Like all Cambridge SoundWorks radios, the 705 features 6:1 Vernier tuning dial with center channel and signal strength indication for easy tuning. It's also bedroom friendly with a backlight for the tuning dial and a unique 30 minute SLEEP timer feature. The new SoundWorks Radio 705 offers big sound from a small, and very handy, monaural radio. This fun and friendly radio is perfect for anyone looking for a great sounding, great looking AM & FM table radio.AUX in jack for high fidelity playback for MP3, CD, DVD players, PCs 30-minute SLEEP timer feature simplifies late-night listening Magnetic shielding allows placement close to TVs, computer monitors and magnetic media Less than 2 Watts power consumption in Standby Power button with 30 minute of automatic off timer (SLEEP function) Green ON, Amber SLEEP LED for power button Function selector (AUX, FM, AM) External/Internal (EXT/INT) switch for FM antennaDimensions -Height 5 3/8 x Width 8 3/4 x Depth 6 1/2 inch Weight -4 pounds 4 ounces

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Crane USA CRW-2 Wellness Radio Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this clock for a soft, muted way of telling time in the wee hours of the morning. Brightness was a big factor for me. I can't sleep with a bright clock. One of the great things about this one is that the brightness is adjustable: high, low, or completely turned off. Low is PERFECT for a light sensitive sleeper like me. Others would probably get along just fine with the high setting. I should note that this clock was not placed directly beside my bed. Instead, it is about 6 feet away, and I can read it flawlessly without eyestrain--daytime or night.

I couldn't find any information on what exactly the nature sounds are, which was disappointing. Even more disappointing were the actual sounds themselves. The first one is supposed to sound like a babbling brook; the second is a meadow with birds; and the third is a kind of waterfall sounding noise. The "babbling brook" sounds more like someone blowing bubbles in a water glass. It's very annoying, so for those who like annoying alarms, perhaps this one's for you. The meadow birds are actually not bad at all--kind of soothing. The waterfall just plain hurts my ears. I blame this on the inability to turn the nature sounds down--you cannot adjust the volume of these at all.

Radio reception is acceptable. It comes with a wire antenna, which is adequately long. It's also coated white to hide on white walls easily. The tuner is the ridged wheel style. Mine might be a little funky. One of my favorite local radio stations is 98.9 FM. It won't come in on this clock radio unless it's set at 98.8. Not a huge deal; just something to consider. The solo speaker is as to be expected. I was neither disappointed nor impressed with it. No presets or anything fancy for the radio; just AM and FM functions. I wanted to use the alarm function without any sound playing (which I will get to in a second). The radio alarm option was perfect for this. I turned the alarm on radio and just turned the volume all the way down (the radio is the only alarm function that can be volume controlled).

Why would I want the alarm function without the actual alarm? The pretty lights! One of the major selling points for me on this clock radio was the rainbow and sunrise simulated lights. The pictures do not do them justice. For the rainbow setting (which can be turned on at whim via a switch--it's not just for the alarm), it will turn on when it's time for the alarm to go off. It rotates through myriad colors (red, blue, green, orange, purple, yellow) beautifully. For the sunrise setting, approximately 30 minutes before the alarm is to go off, the dome lights up with a deep red. As alarm time draws closer, the dome changes to a lighter red, an orange, an orange yellow, and then a brighter yellow, simulating a sunrise. THIS is the effect I wanted to use without the sound of an alarm. I can look at my clock across the room and see that if a color is present, it's time to get up soon, and depending on what color is displayed, I can guess how much longer I can doze. This eases me awake, as opposed to a jarring, blaring alarm.

First-time users might have to glance through the (short) user manual before utilizing all the features. I couldn't figure out how to test the nature sounds (you have to go through the alarm and have the alarm switch on the nature sound option). User manual is easy to read, gets to the point, and covers all the bases without being annoying. Once you've browsed this guide, the clock radio is pretty intuitive.

My only complaint (other than the two disappointing nature sounds) is that my device's battery back-up function does not work. I'm guessing that it was returned once already, as there was no protective cover on the clock display, and one of the stickers was placed awkwardly on the bag packaging. There's something loose inside the clock--something pretty small--and I am guessing this is why the battery back-up does not work. Because I did not buy this clock as my main alarm and we don't have power outages often, I'm overlooking this issue and keeping the clock. If it weren't for these two items of disappointment, this item would have received 5 stars.

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Product Description:
Wellness Radio

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Sangean RCR-1 Advanced Atomic Clock Radio - Silver Review

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(More customer reviews)This clock radio is OUTSTANDING!!! (and it looks great). The time accuracy (atomic clock) is beyond compare.The AM/FM PLL synthesized radio is static free and has excellent sound. Not stereo, but still pleasing!The unit is feature-laden. I love the "Humane Waking System" which gradually ramps up the sound for both alert/radio alarms so as not to jolt you out of bed.I'm a very heavy sleeper, and the adjustable volume for both alarms makes it plenty loud to get up.The independence of both alarms makes this extremely convenient for husband/wife and weekday/weekend settings. Another nice feature is the "nap" function.Set it and the alarm goes off from 10 minutes to 2 hours later, without having to touch the normal alarms.The background light display is a pleasing pastel blue, which changes to orange leting you know that the alarm is serious! The adjustability of the display is excellent, including a dimmer at the push of a button, and completely off if you so desire. I could go on and on about the features of this unit.However, here is where the "but" comes in...the instruction manual is not the most clearly written. The most serious problem, in my opinion, was not being able to pick up the atomic signal.Sure the instruction manual warns you that it might take up to 48 hours to receive the signal.It also warns you that the unit might need to be repositioned to receive the signal.I was frustrated after not getting the signal for a couple of days.Then I noticed that the back of the radio has a circular slot for the rectangular "block-shaped" atomic signal antenna.Once I put the antenna in the slot, the signal was received, and has been maintained ever since. This was NOTstated in the instruction manual. Another minor criticism is there are 14 (7 AM and 7FM) presets, not 21 as stated in the manual.14 is more than enough for me.The alarm instructions took some patience to learn. These criticisms of the instruction manual should in no way detract from the features and quality of the product, both of which are excellent.Buy this and you will be extremely happy.Just be patient and fiddle around with it.Nothing beats trial and error when it comes to high-tech gadgets.

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Product Description:
This sleek, self-setting atomic clock radio offers a blend of style, features, and performance that will perfectly accent any home or office. The clock automatically adjusts itself to radio signals received from the U.S. atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado, so you're always ensured accurate and reliable time. It even makes adjustments for Daylight Savings time.
A easy-to-read LCD shows time, date, and day of the week, as well as sleep times, wake times, and--of course--nap times. The RCR-1 also boasts an inset, German-made analog clock for easier reading, which synchronizes itself with the LCD's displayed time.
Living with someone else who needs an alarm? You can set and use the RCR-1's two alarms completely independently, with selectable days and the option to wake to a radio or buzzer. The alarm volume starts softly then gradually increases. The radio's ATS system locates stations and automatically establishes memory presets.What's in the Box
Alarm clock radio and a user's manual.

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Sharp SPC364 Atomic LCD Bedside Alarm Clock (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)Clock itself is decent, except very hard to figure out w/o manual.For those who have lost manual, below may be helpful:

SETTING THE TIME ZONE
* In the Normal Time Display, press the [MODE] key to enter
the Alarm Time Mode.
* Press the [SET] key to set the desired time zone.
* Press the [MODE] to return to the time mode position.

SETTING THE ALARM
* While in the normal time display mode, press [MODE]
button to enter the alarm time mode, the letters "AL" will
appear on the display.
* Hold the [SET] hotton for 2 seconds until the hour digit
flashes, then release the [SET] button.
* Press the [ADJUST] button to set the desired hour.
* Press the [SET] button again. The minute digits will begin
to flash.
* Press the [ADJUST] button key to change the minutes.
* Press the mode button once.
* To activate the alarm, press the [ADJUST] button and the
bell indicator will appear.
* Press the [ADJUST] button again to activate the snooze
and the snooze indicator will appear.
* To deactivate the alarm and snooze, press the [ADJUST]
button until both indicators disappear.
Press the [MODE] button to exit the alarm setting mode.

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Product Description:
The Sharp SPC364 Atomic LCD Bedside Alarm Clock will give you the most accurate times available anywhere. An easy-to-read 0.5-inch LCD display, with a back light for nighttime viewing, ensures that you'll always know exactly what time it is. In addition to the time, which is updated automatically every day, the SPC364 displays the month, date and day of week. A snooze feature means that you can catch a few extra winks in the morning before starting your day. This clock requires one AA battery (not included) and comes with Sharp's two-year limited warranty.

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Sony ICF-C180COS Radio AM/FM- Dream Machine Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)You would not believe how hard it is to find a decent alarm clock. All I wanted was a alarm clock that shut off automatically on the weekend but the Emerson Research smart set was the only 2\5\7 day setting alarm clock I liked. After buying two of those and having issues with both, one the radio would lose the station over time and not wake you up, two, a brand new one having a bad LED and poor radio reception. Emerson needs to check their quality and then maybe they will have a great product. Yes this Sony has a hard to read display because of the viewing angle but if you have a small table next to the bed it works just fine. The radio pulls in every station and sounds good and loud for the size of the device. The alarms are really easy to set all you do is turn the knob to the desired time. Plus all you have to do is hit one button to shut the alarms off for the weekend or have two new sets of alarms. This thing gives you up to four alarms. If it had a better display I would give it 5 stars.

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Product Description:
Sony ICF-C180COS Radio AM/FM- Dream MachineNo Power no Problem Alarm systemAutomatic Time SetNo power no Problem Alarm System to back up Time and AlarmsDual Alarms with easy alarm SettingTwo-Color triple time Display: Green for time, Amber for alarm TimesWeekend alarm ModeMelody Alarm

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Equity by La Crosse SkyScan 86709 Atomic Wall Clock Review

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(More customer reviews)The feature of never having to set this clock is, needless to say, pretty cool.The date and day of the week are also helpful.The indoor temperature is less helpful -- my heading and A/C pretty much take care of that.
The one thing I find irritating about this clock is that it has a very small viewable angle.That is, if you look at it from more than, say 25 degrees off the normal, all of the digit segments are about equally dark, making the time impossible to read.I'm sure the clock would be nice on a desktop, but on the wall it's not so helpful.

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Product Description:
SETS ITSELF AUTOMATICALLY BY RECEIVING SIGNAL FROM THE OFFICIAL U. S. ATOMIC CLOCK; AUTOMATICALLY CHANGES FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME; ACCURATE TO A FRACTION OF A SECOND; 2. 2 inch LCD READOUT THAT CAN BE VIEWED FROM ;ACROSS THE ROOM; PROVIDES INDOOR TEMPERATURE; INCLUDES DIGITAL DAY/DATE CALENDAR DISPLAY; WALL-MOUNTABLE & PROPS UP ON DESK OR TABLE; 1-YEAR WARRANTY SUBCATEGORY2: CLOCKS.

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Sangean RCR-22 AM/FM Atomic Clock Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was looking for a high-quality alarm clock after about 12 years with an unimpressive Sony Dreammachine. This clock delivered on that front, and unlike most consumer electronics devices I've purchased in the past several years, it is clear that lots of thought was put into this device (and very little into the manual).

PROS:
There are tons of little nuances that the manual does not detail that I've discovered using the clock for a few weeks. For example the display can be dimmed with a dial on the bottom (which on my unit did not take effect until my alarm goes off the first time). The clock remains dimmed at your preset level, but goes to full brightness when the alarm goes off, making the clock easier to find. Combined with the pleasing blue light and the HWS (makes the alarm bell go from soft to loud) it's really nice to wake up to.

Another thoughtful touch is that alarm indicators only light within 24 hours of your alarm. Either alarm can be set to go off on particular days, with any combination of Su-Sa set for each alarm (i.e. alarm1 can be set for Monday, Thursday and Sunday, no weekday/weekend restrictions like some others). The alarm indicators however only light up when your alarm will ring the next morning. Very nice.

Other functions like the snooze, nap timers, etc. all work well. Like most alarms you need some time to figure out how it works, but after a few mornings most functions were intuitive.

The radio functions well, and pulls in way more stations than the Dreammachine. The speaker is fine, that is to say neither exceptionally good or exceptionally poor. If I want the ultimate music experience, I have an expensive stereo for that.

The clock is a true atomic time clock (not just a "preset" clock like many others). I don't know all the nuances of atomic cock synchronization, but the weather and location of the antenna seem to affect the two atomic clocks I have at home. Try moving the antenna towards the window if you have problems.

CONS
It is nicer than average plastic and construction, but still not going to win any design awards. I can't figure out why all alarm clock designs are frozen in 1992.

The manual was clearly written by a bunch of engineers. It is no nonsense, and explains how to set/use everything, but does not mention any of the usability features I noted above. For example if it's Monday and you set an alarm for thursday, You might wonder why the alarm indicators do not all light up. No mention at all in the manual. I thought the clock was broken since the dimmer did not function until the first time an alarm went off. Again, no mention in the manual of what turned out to be a very nice feature, and one I almost returned the clock for!

Another example is the unwieldly "Time Machine" antenna for the atomic clock. It is big and odd looking, but fits nicely to the back of the clock. Again, no mention in the manual save for a single line drawing.

When I initially plugged the clock in, all kinds of crytic numbers flashed on the display while it synced the time, again, no mention of what was happening or why in the manual. The manual does tell you how to DO everything, but does not explain WHY certain things work the way they do, or explain the various nice features someone clearly took time to think through.

Overal a great buy, especially for something you'll likely use every day for 5-15 years. I would like to see a better manual, autodimming of the display (it is BRIGHT when set to max), Sangean using a designer that is somewhat current, and perhaps a user manual rewrite, other than that, this clock works very well and will be on my nightstand for years to come.

I agonized over what to put on my nightstand (everything from Bose to Timex) and am very happy with my choice.

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

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Sony ICFC705 AM/FM Clock Radio (White) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Nice $40 clock radio with a small footprint size that's a lot less money than some other high end brands.Lighted LCD with 3 levels of brightness and dual alarm display.Easy to use, decent single-speaker sound, good radio reception, good looks, and includes built-in line-in plug for external audio source (I use it in my bedroom and have the TV sound connected to this unit).Date and time were already preset correctly right out of the box.Very happy with this Sony clock radio and recommend it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony ICFC705 AM/FM Clock Radio (White)

Product Description:
Smart and stylish, the ICF-C705 AM/FM clock radio takes up minimum space with its compact design. Featuring an AM/FM tuner, dual alarm, extendable snooze, nap timer, triple time display, automatic time set and daylight savings time adjustment this clock radio has what it takes to get you moving in the morning.

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