RCR-30 FM-RBDS/AM/Bluetooth/Aux-in Digital Tuning Clock Radio with USB Phone Charging and Sound Soother, Gray

I was frustrated with the ease of use with my $20 alarm from Walmart. I wanted foolproof Snooze and Off buttons, digital tuning, dual alarms, decent sound, and ease of use. I hoped to also get the HWS and USB charging, and auto time sounded neat. I poured through many sources, reviews, and comparisons, and settled on this. A little more than I hoped to spend, but worth it if it met my needs. What a pleasant surprise! Out of the box, I plugged it in and concluded it was ‘dead’ - nothing came on, the display was black. After trying a few things, I found that the dimmer was set to off - one click on the snooze bar and I was in business! The Snooze button is easy to hit, the Off button is lit and easy to find to turn off the alarm. It was easy to tune stations and you can get up to 10 presets on AM and FM with the remote. Dual alarms with weekday and weekend options and separate options for desired station and volume on each alarm. Both types of alarm (buzzer, audio) have the HWS (gradual volume) for a gentle wake up. The dimmer allows a good nighttime brightness for sleeping. Morning one, my wife said it really sounded nice. Haven’t tried the louder volumes yet. Did I mention that it has Bluetooth and NFC pairing for audio input? That’s from the phone that can charge on the USB port. There is also an AUX input. One disappointment - the auto time from radio stations seem to be 15 or 30 minutes fast. The instructions say that if it doesn’t work, the problem is the station. I set it to manual. That was not a requirement FOR ME, but might have cost a half star except ... People said this was hard to set up - it was not easy until ... I started using the remote control - much easier and can do everything the radio buttons can do, including snooze. Guess I could put the radio across the room and do everything using the remote. That made it a solid five stars for my needs, wants, and hopes. I love it!

I've had clock radios for 50 years and this is the best-thought-out design I've ever seen. It is a refinement of a product that doesn't try to be all things, focuses on what you will actually use and addresses chronic complaints that users have had for years. It is a balance of one-touch features, flexibility and true ergonomic design. It doesn't try to re-invent an old thing: it refines well appreciated features. I use it in the bedroom. Don't most people? Let's be specific: 1. Go look at a car radio from the 1970s. Two dials, a bunch of push buttons for radio stations. Love the independent, large dials for volume and tuning. Easy to find and use in the dark. A physical/tactile design makes it easy to find in the dark and operate. My kids are satisfied with their phones but they require me putting my glasses on and fat-fingering around through dozens of icons. Some things still require physical controls. 2. Clock illumination - Almost 10 different settings, simply adjustable by using the snooze button. SIMPLE. A nice, soft LCD illumination. My old radios had two settings: high and low, and usually used the colors red or blue for the display which would nearly illuminate the entire room. Another ergo feature others cheap out on. 3. FM Radio - Pulls in weak stations - I live in the country, most of the good stations are 50+ miles away. This is when a radio with that wire that comes out the back (the antenna) is most useful. If you live in the burb or city, it may not be important to you - most radios do without this external antenna. AM Radio - I listen to distant AM stations late at night, have not yet tried these features. 4. Time inaccuracy claim - Huh? The radio employs a feature that most radio stations transmit, the actual time (DTS) and automatically corrects your clock time, if you enable the feature. If you don't use the radio, why don't you just get a clock? 5. Battery Backup - Now, I appreciate the battery backup on radios dating back 30 years ago but none of these ever really kept the correct time. Have not tested this. 6. Case - it's substantial, unlikely that I'll drop it onto the floor during the night and have to wake up to retrieve it. It's also big because there are some sizeable speakers inside it. I don't use the speakers at all, using headphone so that my partner will not be disturbed by my nocturnal listening habit. 7. USB charging port - Nice. lessens the number of things to plug into the inconvenient power outlet. 8. Bluetooth - suppose I might use this to stream music or programs from another device (i.e., phone) to be played by the clock radio, but I don't think I would use this. 9. Remote Control - unnecessary - one more thing for me to lose, one more set of batteries to replace or leak. The on-radio buttons control all I need. 10 Radio preset buttons - individual buttons. I like dedicated buttons. They are also well placed, making it easy to locate in the dark. The buttons are backlit, but can't see them when my head is on the pillow. 11. Aux input - I might have used this before the advent of Bluetooth, but no more. 12. Power button - doubles as a sleep timer - with multiple pushes, it will keep the radio on for 60, 30, etc. seconds so you can listen before you fall asleep. In summary, an excellent case-study in usability and simplicity. what it does it does in an uncomplicated manner and addresses all the clock radio inadequacies of the past fifty year. Well done.

I almost didn’t buy this clock radio after reading several of the negative reviews. Two problems I read about were the clock doesn’t keep good time, and the device is hard to operate. I ended up buying this unit because it is similar to my old iHome iP87BZ clock radio. The form factor is similar, the controls are similar, and it has good sound quality. I had to replace the iP87BZ because it died. I thought that the wall adapter broke, so I bought a new one. That didn’t fix the iHome device, so I opened it up and discovered to my disgust that almost all the electrolytic caps on the main board had leaked their guts out. Electrolytic caps can fail when they get old, but picking good quality parts and having a good design margin mitigates this. The fact that so many caps leaked on the iHome unit really soured me on the idea of purchasing anything else from iHome…ever. So after a long search, and finding not other contenders but iHome products, I crossed my fingers for luck and bought the Sangean RCR-20. With the negative comments about the RCR-20 clock accuracy, I decided to check it. I set the clock via time.gov. After 6 days, the RCR-20 clock is still within 1 second. As an aside: I initially tried to set the time via the FM radio RDS system. This sort of worked, but the local station I used was five minutes off. My speculation is that radio stations use the RDS technology via some PC which accurately provides the song information, but that never has the clock properly set. Your mileage may vary. I recommend using the RDS to quickly set year, month, day on the system, but then change to manual mode to set an accurate time. This gets to the second complaint about the RCR-20: it is complicated to operate. If you are not comfortable with computers and/or remote controls there may be some truth to this. I found that I was initially somewhat confused. After I understood that the controls have dual setting modes, things made more sense. What is confusing, is that most controls on electronic devices do something if you press them briefly, and do something more complicated if you press and hold them. On the RCR-20, there are two extended modes. For example, pressing and holding the alarm setting for two or three seconds, results in a beep and then the alarm is toggled on or off. If you keep pressing another five seconds after the beep, another beep occurs, and the alarm enters the settings mode. I oversimplify this in my mind and think of it as the double-tap system, but in truth there is just a double-beep system. I was compelled to deduct a star in my rating, because I think not everyone will be able to easily adapt to this. Another complaint I saw in the reviews was that having the AC adapter too close results in AM radio interference. My AC outlet is a bit less than two feet from the RCR-20, and I didn’t notice any issues with AM reception. Here are some additional observations with the RCR-20. The unit has a high quality look and feel to it. The tuning and volume dials are particularly nice. The dials are dampened and have a good feel. (For reference, the feel is noticeably better than my dead iHome iP87BZ.) Something I noticed during the unboxing is the wall adapter. Almost all wall adapters I’ve seen have flimsy wires. It’s an easy way to cut cost, and people don’t complain about it. The adapter for the RCR-20 has a nice thick cable to the radio. This gives me a sense that the engineering team for the RCR-20 made an effort to design and produce a top quality product. More good things about this clock radio have been covered in other reviews. The time display is nice and big. The sound quality is as good as you can get for something this size. The alarm buzzer is nice as it starts off soft and then gets louder. It also has a secondary beep pattern, if you haven’t turned it off after the volume has ramped. In summary, this is a great clock radio. It appears to be well built, and it has all the features I wanted. The only minor negative point is the unorthodox setup system. I’m fine with it after getting used to it, but I think it’s the only valid complaint I saw in the other reviews.

I wanted to replace my old am/FM clock radio that I have had for years. Well before I got married....The fast forward button to set the clock or alarm was broke, so I would have to continually hit the slow button forever until it got to the time I wanted. I started looking for something to replace it, and came across this item. I LOVE IT!!!!! It came with actual directions on how to set it up which was great. Once I figured it out, it was pretty easy to do. Not hard at all. What I love about this radio is it actually has AM and FM on it. Most that I looked at only had FM. I listen to AM radio more, so I really wanted AM as well. I also like that to set the clock or alarms, you turn a dial. No more clicking buttons forever. All of the buttons are lit up so they are easy to see. I think the directions forgot a step when connecting the radio to Bluetooth. The radio does have to be turned on to do this. Then you need to hit the "source" button. I also like that I can plug my phone into the radio to charge. I was skeptical on paying $90 but it is worth it. The sound is good and once you know how to set everything, it isn't hard at all. I also like that you can dim the display if you think it is too bright. Another great feature is the alarm clock settings. You can set your alarm for "once", "daily" or weekly. So if you get up at the same time each day, you can do daily. It has 2 alarms, so that is nice if you need another alarm for whatever reason. It also has a remote, but I haven't used this yet since getting it. This really is a nice radio. I'm not disappointed in it at all. If you are thinking about getting this, go for it. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Review updated 10-26-2019: New problem. The LEDs that are under the buttons are starting to go out and no longer illuminate the buttons at night. I cannot trust this product lasting for extended time. Manufacturer support website does not load. One star! Original review: My biggest problem is the clock function itself. This is also the reason I decided to write a review. After all this is a clock-radio but the RCR-20 does not do a good job of being an accurate clock. I am writing this review today, March 11 2019, the day after Daylight Saving Time (DST) took affect. In the RCR-20 the clock does not resync automatically and also does not update for DST as I expected it to do at 2am last night (March 10, 2019)! I left for work at 3 am and the time did not adjust for DST at 2am. It also was not adjusted when I came come at 1:30pm. I had to do it myself so I looked in the manual and DST does not appear anywhere in the manual! So guys forget about DST! Having the radio set the clock automatically would require you to follow several MANUAL steps from the manual below so I hardly call this automatic. ***** The following taken straight from the manual on Sangean website ***** When you set the clock time using the RDS function, your radio will synchronize its clock time whenever it tunes to a radio station using RDS with CT signals. 1. When tuning to a station transmitting RDS data, press and hold the Info/Menu button to enter the menu setting. 2. Rotate the Tuning control knob until a clock symbol appears on the display. Press and release the Tuning control button to enter the setting. 3. Rotate the Tuning control knob until “RDS CT” appears on the display. Press and release the Tuning control button to confirm the setting. The clock time of the radio will set up automatically according to the RDS data received. 4. When the action is completed, the RDS icon will appear on the LCD display indicating the radio time is RDS clock time. The radio clock time will be valid for 2 days each time the radio time is synchronized with RDS CT. ***** I do not understand the last line above at all! Do they mean that the radio is only guaranteed to be accurate for 2 days? Do they mean that if you listen to that same station it will automatically readjust the time every 2 days? I don't know. I do not listen to the station I used to set the clock initially. In my experience the clock has lost approximately 56 seconds in 5 months since initial setting when I received it Nov 9 2018. So it is approximately 1 minute behind my other clocks that reset themselves automatically on a regular basis (cell phone, atomic wall clock and computers). Of course this would not matter if the radio would self adjust the time every so often like the other devices I mentioned. The radio has good quality sound but is behind on the technology to keep the time accurate. I have not tested the NFC and Bluetooth functions so I cannot comment on them and I assume they work otherwise the radio would not get over 4 stars from other reviewers as it has now. I would not recommend this radio for time accuracy.

Very good quality radio. The sound quality is excellent for a table top sound system. Flexible adjustments on bass, treble and loudness allow you to tailor the sound to your personal preferences. (For those that think the bass is too heavy for AM/talk radio just turn off the loudness control and you’ll be happy) The tuner is good quality as Sangean is known for. The ability to have 9 presets on AM and 9 presets on FM is very convenient (5 on the radio and 4 extra on the remote). FIVE STARS for the radio system. The bluetooth connection works very well. Pairing was easy and the sound quality is great. Just turn the volume up to MAX on you mp3/iPhone/iPod device and the volume on the Sangean will be the same as on the FM tuner. The clock and alarm system is very disappointing. You cannot trust the time in RDS (automatic) mode. This unit does NOT use the atomic clock system! Rather it grabs the current time from various radio stations as you tune around the FM dial. My clock kept jumping on and off of Daylight Savings Time for no apparent reason. Turns out some of the radio stations in my area do not track DST. Save yourself a lot of grief and set the time/date on MANUAL. Of course you will have to adjust the clock twice each year unless you live in HI, AZ). I’ve seen $15 alarm clocks use the atomic clock system so it’s inexcusable this Sangean unit does not. ONE STAR for the clock and alarm system on this.

Got the Sangean brand for sound quality and product quality. Got the RCR-40 instead of earlier models for Bluetooth 5.0 upgrade, dial-driven user interface, and real wood veneer. Very solid-feeling unit with perfect fit and finish. Sound is excellent for this classical/jazz musician/audiophile! It is only a bedside clock radio, so don't expect to host a dance party with it. Tone is a bit "boomy", but bass and treble controls go from +5 to -5. I have treble at +5, bass at -3, and turn on loudness to boost both. The sound is far superior to my cherished (and broken) Sony Dream Machine of 30 years. If the RCR-40 lasts for even 5 years it will be well worth the high price tag over cheaper off-brands. You can listen to radio, Bluetooth, or aux. Two convenient front charging USB ports (not for USB input - charge only). I imagine there are USB-to-aux adaptors out there if you really must hardwire a USB source. Wake to buzzer or radio, two separate alarms with daily, weekdays, weekends, or once - plus individul wake-up volumes and station selection. Sleep to radio or blue tooth (or aux I assume). Cautions: 1. The "buzzer" is actually a chirp, and pitch is kind of high, so may be too high for some seniors to hear even at full volume. If so wake to radio at loud volume. 2. User manual is excellent and extensive, so plan to spend at least 2 hours with your unit on the kitchen table getting used to the interface and many great functions. Keep the manual handy - you will need it for reference. The large top knob is volume control in normal mode, but acts like a mouse in menu mode (press down on knob to "click" an item, rotate knob to scroll through items and settings - be sure to click to cofirm a setting or it will revert). If you are impatient or easily frustrated learning new things then be prepared - but it's really impressive once you get the hang of it. 3. "Sleep Timer" instructions are misleading. You have to press and KEEP HOLDING DOWN the Power button. While you hold it down, the power will switch off, then it will enter sleep timer mode, then it will scroll through 60 mins, 45 mins, etc. Only release Power button when it at long last gets to the sleep time you want. Kind of a pain to figure out and use, but I'll get used to it. 4. Two AA backup batteries are not included (not necessary for operation, but to hold settings and time in power outage). Two AAAs not included for remote (again not necessary for unit operation, only if you want to use the remote). 5. The large display is very easy to read, although the dimmest setting is a bit too dim and the next step a bit brighter than I would like.

The important thing to know is that this little radio/alarm clock does so many things well. The negatives really are minor. The sound is rich and silky smooth, not bright and punchy. I listen to mostly classical music radio or digital files, and so this is perfect. It is not all that powerful, but is adequate for listening at a moderate distance. It won't fill a large room, but in the bedroom, it is an improvement over almost anything out there. The radio is wonderful. I haven't hooked up any outboard antenna, and I get good reception on FM and AM. The rotary tuning and volume dials are nice. I listen quite a bit through the bluetooth feature which pairs quickly and intuitively with my phone. No setup necessary. The controls are not exactly intuitive, and i wouldn't drop this on your 95 year old grandmother, and expect her to get the most out of it without a tutorial. That being said, it is not exactly difficult either, and most people will be able to get it up and programmed how they like it with only a little trial and error. The specific combination of features, that includes bluetooth and AM radio, is difficult to find out there, trust me. Add to that a dimmable display, multiple alarm buzzer options, separate treble and bass adjustment, etc. is amazing. To Find it under $80 at this quality is astonishing. It is truly more than the sum of its parts. It is a great value, but also a great product easily comparing to machines at multiples of its price.

I live in a poor signal area and this radio picked up the stations that the others missed, yes the display may fade out in time but I have an idea to extend it's life and thats to simply lower it's brightness and leave it that way as all leds loose brightness over time and this may avoid the problem others have had, the sound is brilliant and very clear,the finish is great also and the alarms also work if the radio reception should drop out which now happens very rarely.

It’s a good clock radio with outstanding features. I’ve had it for a week with no problems. The remote gives me flexibility of where to place the radio. In my area the reception is excellent if I extend the FM Antenna. I set my screen brightness to 2 at bedtime and 3 at other times. The brightness can be turned off or go as high as 7 which is very bright. The controls on top are illuminated according to the dimmer settings. It has Bluetooth pairing, audio out socket, usb A for charging a phone via your cable. The setup is ok after reading the user manual. This is a chunky radio, so make sure you have room on your bedside table to accommodate it and your lamp and other things. You will notice the price on Amazon is at the top end for clock radios, but I think it’s worth it. It’s made in the U.S.A. or most of it is.

We wanted a bedroom clock radio with good sound. We tried the WR-2 and the WR-22, but settled on the RCR-40. Sound: It’s better than most other clock radios, but not as good a some higher end table radios that double as clock radios. For example, the Sangean WR-2 and the WR-22 sound better. True, the RCR-40 has stereo speakers, but they are so close together that one does not get much stereo effect. A pessimist might describe the sound as a bit boxy, while an optimist might call it “mellow”. In either case, it’s much more pleasant than normal clock radios. The sound characteristic can be somewhat altered, as it has loudness, bass and treble controls. If you want better sound, with proper stereo, then get the WR-50 with the external speaker, although it lacks a balance control. Functions: AM and FM reception is about as good as most of the other radios I’ve used. On the other hand, there are no external antenna terminals, making this a poor choice for those far from radio stations. The controls are quite intuitive, apart from the menu system for setting it up; you’ll need to refer to the instruction sheet the first few times. Bluetooth paired easily with no noticeable delay. I did not try the auxiliary 3.5 mm socket. The presets work easily—hold one of them down and the current station is memorized. The remote control is reasonably sized, much better than the tiny ones that come with the WR-2 and WR-22. The two USB (charge-only) ports on the front are handy. Display: The display has lighted characters with a black background. This is what you want for a clock radio, as it does not flood a bedroom with light. There are three levels of luminance, and an off. Also, the display somewhat adjusts to the ambient light to keep the display visible without having to mess with the brightness control. In contrast, the WR-2 has a lit background with black characters, rendering it nearly useless as a bedroom radio, as it's more of a night light. The WR-22, on the other hand, has a similar display to the RCR-40, making it a good choice if you want a bedroom radio with excellent (mono) sound. Internet (Wi-Fi) Radio: While the RCR-40 lacks Internet radio, it is dirt simple to overcome this. An old cell phone can be turned into an Internet streamer by installing Audials Play, or any of its competitors. No phone service is necessary, as the stream comes in via Wi-Fi. Connect the cell phone to the RCR-40 via Bluetooth and use one of the two USB charging ports to keep the cell phone battery topped up. Voilà, the RCR-40 now has Internet radio. This is better than buying an actual Internet radio, because they all use an aggregator; aggregators have a bad habit of going out of business, which turns an Internet radio into an expensive piece of e-garbage. With a cell phone, if your chosen Internet radio app ceases to receive radio streams, one can simply install another one.

El pedido llego en buen estado y un dia antes de lo programado. Respecto al radio-despertador funciona excelente, el sonido muy bien.

Es pequeño, sí, pero cuando se activa la función loudness su sonido es impresionante a bajo volumen. Obviamente no es para hacer una fiesta en un gran salón, sin embargo, más que un simple reloj es un radio para disfrutar por su calidad de sonido. Por si fuera poco, la pantalla es ideal para ver la hora en la noche sin que moleste la luz. Justo lo que estaba buscando. Sangean es de las mejores marcas de radio que conozco.