Sangean H201 AM/FM Digital Shower Radio
by Sangean
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List Price: Our Price: $59.99 You Save: $39.01 (39%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $52.79 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sangean H201 AM/FM Digital Shower Radio
Customer Review: Exceptional FM Reception
Summary: 5 Stars
It is a misnomer to call this a "shower radio" since it serves very well as a table top unit, a camping radio, an emergency radio, a beach radio and an all around great radio product. None-the-less, it works so well in the shower that I have gotten one for every shower in the house.
I have tried four other "shower radios" before finding the Sangean. None of them performed well. Two of them simply died upon getting wet. Not even a very expensive model from The Sharper Image performed as well nor as consistently as this unit.
I live more than 35 miles outside of Washington DC in a very rural and mountainous part of the state. Radio reception here is poor even under the best of circumstances unless you are seeking one of the "big boys" in the city. Even with a high quality receiver there is a lot of bleed over of adjacent station frequencies as well as frequency drift as the day progresses. The station I was after is nearly 40 miles away in an even more rural area. Even with a high end home stereo connected to a large external, directional, FM antenna in the attic this station is difficult to receive consistently.
The Sangean received the station right out of the box albeit very weakly until I unfurled the built-in external antenna. That station now consistently comes in well, rain or shine, winter or summer. Positioning of the external antenna is very critical. This radio's receiver isolates stations very well which is an amazing feat for any portable radio in this class of equipment. This feature is so helpful, that I listen to two stations that use the same frequency. One station is in Virginia while the other is in Wilkes Barre, PA. By simply repositioning the antenna, I can listen to either station without cross talk from the other station.
The battery life of the four D-cell batteries is exceptional. After more than a year on the original unit I purchased, the power indicator has not even dropped 10 percent from a full charge and this radio gets a lot of use every single day.
The supplied mounting hardware attaches the radio very securely to the wall if you wish. The very clever handle also makes it easily hang from the shower curtain rod or towel bar in those situations when you want a temporary, but secure attachment.
It has 5 digital presets for each band (AM/FM) so that you can easily lock in your favorite stations without the miserable and imprecise dial tuning of so many other portable radios. The tuning is rock solid and there is no frequency drift that usually plagues most other radios advertised for shower use.
The sound is very strong and clear even at low volumes. You can also play it loudly enough that even the most demanding "rock your socks off" teenager will be gleefully singing in the shower. If mom and dad don't put the kibosh on the shower concert, that is.
Customer Review: Highly recommended
Summary: 5 Stars
Updated Review (5 1/2 months of use)
The radio has been in use pretty much everday since I received it. I'm still on the first set of batteries. I did find that enough water running across the face of the radio can mute the sound. To combat this I tilted the radio a little so the water doesn't collect in the grill.
I have to say that FM music sound quality is not as good as my first impression as it lacks bass. But, again for a shower radio it does fine. For AM it remains an excellant choice as it can be clearly heard over the noise of the shower at moderate volume levels.
So far it is 100% reliable and I have found it well suited to its purpose. The buttons are reasonably sized and the radio is easy to operate.
Thanks.
The price on this item seems to fluctuate a bit, possibly the distributor has an inventory program that changes the price according to units sold or left in stock??? I would recommend placing this in your cart for a while and waiting for a good price over a few weeks. I noticed regular shifts of about $10.
*****
As far as the item itself, I use it as a shower radio. The sound quality and volume for AM radio is excellant, no complaints at all - it can easily be heard over the sound of the water. Even if the stream of water covers the speaker area the sound is not significanly affected. For FM radio (specifically music) I would say sound quality is fair. Volume is good, but it's a small radio with a small speaker. But, again for a shower radio the sound, even for music, is fine.
The radio is light and has a retractable, circular handle that can be used for mounting if you have someplace to hang the radio (it's not shown in the picture of the item). It also comes with an adjustable nylon strap. I had to use the strap to mount the radio as the handle was too small for the fixtures I have in the shower. The handle is a nice feature, the strap was a welcome surprise. They also include a mounting bracket if you are willing to drill screws into the wall (I'm not). If you use the wall mounting bracket the radio itself can be taken off the bracket simply by lifting so the unit would not be permanently stuck to the wall.
The radio is advertised as a floating radio - I haven't tested that and don't intend to. I suppose that would make it a decent emergency radio since rain wouldn't affect it (but there are specialized radios for that purpose).
All in all, I can say that it's better than I expected.
Customer Review: The ultimate in shower radios
Summary: 5 Stars
I've tried a few of the low-end shower radios, such as the sub-$10 models from companies such as Conair. The quality of those items is in line with the price tag - yes, it is a radio, but chances it will last about as long as the battery before it breaks.
A friend of mine has the Sony model, which is a big step up in quality and sound. I took a look at that but the form factor was not right. The buttons are on the top, and it is not convenient to use when mounted on the wall (which is where it would work best for my situation). The sound was pretty good, but reception was spotty.
Took a shot on the Sangean, and was really impressed from the get-go. This is one solidly-built radio! Impressive sound -- very clear and well balanced with decent bass. Outstanding reception that clearly pulls in stations that I find hard to get on any other radio in the house.
The design is excellent, with clearly labeled and easy to use buttons. They make a solid click when you push them, and feel like they will last a long time without any problems. Has a large display with backlighting that turns on automatically for about 15 seconds with any button push. It shows the station, time, battery status, and other indicators in large letters (important for a shower radio since I don't have my glasses on in the shower). Has an auto shut off that works in increments of 10 minutes, and a "nap" timer that can be programmed for any amount of time.
It uses 2 D cell batteries that add to the heft, but ensure you won't need to change batteries very often (other reviewers note that the batteries can last for years if used about 15 or so min a day. Haven't owned mine that long so I can't vouch for that yet!)
I mounted mine on the wall using the supplied bracket. It has self adhesive pads so you don't have to drill. They looked like they would be secure, but I opted to attach the bracket to the wall with screws rather than the pads. In addition to security against falls, I wanted to be able to move the radio to another spot down the road without having to deal with the mess of removing adhesive pads. It also comes with a strap so you can hang it on a hook, or hang it from the attached handle (which swivels out of the way if you don't need to use it).
If you're looking for the ultimate in shower radios, this is the only one that should be on your shopping list. Pricy, but worth every penny.
UPDATE: December 4, 2010: It's been nearly 2 years since I started using this (21 months to be exact), and still have 2 of 3 bars of battery strength. Use it about 10 min a day, every day. Still works just as well as day 1. Well worth the price charged.
Customer Review: Wonderful Radio!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am disabled and went through a serious illness--I don't remember exactly when I bought my Sangean shower radio with Christmas gift money, but I think it was at least 3 years ago. It is a GREAT radio, and I find it essential due to my disabilities. Taking a shower is hard for me, and having the radio playing my favorite Christian station makes a huge difference. When I have forgotten to turn it on, I have realized afterward that my shower went more slowly and was more difficult.
I recently needed a new radio for my study. I tried the shower Sangean in there with a Radio Shack AC adaptor, and it was terrific. But I did not want to risk carrying it back and forth from the bathroom to the study. That seems like a recipe for disaster. I do not have it attached in the bathroom. We bought a very good stainless steel rack that mounts in the corner of the shower or tub area, and I set the Sangean shower radio securely on the very top shelf. It gets moist, but is not directly whacked by water. It seems very happy there!
I tested the Sangean shower radio and also tested a Tivoli Songbook I have by the bed--tested both of them in the study to see which I liked better. The Sangean! I play the Tivoli Songbook a lot. But I bought a Sangean shower radio for the study. It is a wonderful, wonderful companion in there.
Now I'm thinking of buying another one for the living room/kitchen area. Listening to the radio station definitely benefits me in multiple ways. Another thing I love about the Sangean shower radio is volume controls that show volume numbers. My ears are one of my disabilities, and to change volume levels those numbers are tremendously helpful to me.
I can understand why the unit does not come with an AC adaptor. You would not use one in the shower--I hope! But I'm thrilled that it comes with a DC power cord jack (and a secure rubber cover to keep water out of it when you're not using it). That makes it not too difficult to buy an AC adaptor and use the radio in different places.
I'm sure it would be a real hassle to install the mount to mount a radio to the bathroom wall. The shelf unit I set the radio on in the bathroom is incredibly useful. The first one we bought rusted! So we bought a better one--and when that one worked well in the shower in the other bathroom, we bought another for the bath with the tub. We've had them both two or three years now and they are terrific. I have used the Sangean shower radio on both of them, and it works perfectly on the top shelf. No problems at all.
This is a very good product! I have a feeling I will be buying #3!
Customer Review: Fantastic Shower Radio
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this shower radio expecting to get something that was lacking in sound and reception, basically a cheap sort of water resistant radio. I was very, very wrong! I have many radios, I collect them, and this shower radio is among the best as to reception on both AM and FM, (Even in an enclosed, tiled shower where I use it) and ranks among my best as to AM and FM reception. Further, and also shocking, was the sound. It actually is nice, even for music with its one decent speaker. The features are nice too, as it has a built in light with the push of a water resistant button if you loose power at night while bathing, and it has a "Siren" mode to push to alert someone nearby if you slip, (if you can get to it) which is about as loud as a battery type smoke detector. I hope to not have to use it, but nice it is there. They thought of the details. It even includes a built in TIMER- so you can know if you need to hurry up in the bathroom for an appointment, for work, or whatever the day has in store. This timer is surprisingly convenient and simple to use. This radio also has an accurate easy to read clock, along with the digital tuner.
The durability seems very good. This has been with us since May 2010, used daily, sometimes rather moist around and on it, it keeps going.
BATTERY LIFE: This radio uses 2 D cells. We have in it 2 NIMH Rechargables- and have since May- still going, have not had to charge them yet- curious just how long it can go- used about 20 to 30 minutes a day, perhaps missed a few days-but great battery life for such decent sound and reception.
Overall-the wire FM antenna, (necessary to avoid rusting) actually works great, unlike most other such wires with FM radios that receive almost nothing without playing around or holding the wire. This radio really is great. The sound and reception are literally at the tops, I've compared it to the famous CC Plus radio, and it is almost that good- and clearly better than the average radio, and far better than more expensive bedside radios and most stereo receivers as to reception. It's value is clearly there-and Sangean has always been a solid brand in this house-we have many of them-all still work over the years- IF you get this, you will love it.
One note--it's a bit heavier that I would have thought, a good thing really-but you will need to hang it from something in the wall that is fairly solid, a grab bar is great if you have one. It comes with hanging options, we just used the built on handle and it worked great. Enjoy it- buy it and enjoy your private time while knowing the time and catching up on news, or whatever. Fantastic buy.