Sangean RS-330 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio

Sangean RS-330 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio
by Sangean

List Price: ~~$179.99~~
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Category: CE
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Customers in the UK, Buy this product at amazon.co.uk for British Pounds

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Manufacturer: Sangean
Model: RS-300
Product features:

Dual alarms and alarm settings
4-watt amplifier with single 5-inch speaker
Auto-Program Setting (APS) stores stations by priority of signal strength
30-minute super-capacitor backup system retains all settings
Can be linked to Sangean RS-332 for stereo sound

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Description of Sangean RS-330 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio

Once upon a time, a company named Proton marketed an extremely high-quality AM/FM radio with a built-in clock. It was acclaimed by many and was extremely popular. Then came a time when supplies of this radio dwindled and it became a much sought after product. It seemed that Proton passed to another realm. It turned out that the wizards at Sangean had been the original masterminds behind the RS-330 and now this fine radio is back for you to enjoy : Digitally-tuned AM/FM with 24 Programmable Station Memories : Integrated Digital Clock with FL Display Screen and Dimmer Control : 2 Separate Alarms : Each alarm can increase its volume so you're sure to react when needed : Snooze Bar : Integrated 5 Full-range speaker powered by a 4 Watt amplifier : Jack for optional stereo headphones : 30 Minute backup against power failure retains alarm settings and station memories : 110 Volt AC powered : An optional powered speaker (SGN RS332) may be added to upgrade to fine stereo sound output : Click Here to Download the PDF Manual

Think clock radios are inherently boring? Think again. Sangean's RS-330, looking very much like a run-of-the-mill night-table fixture, is actually a compact and unusually well-designed dual-alarm clock radio with--no kidding--decent sound quality. Separate bass and treble controls let you tailor the sound quality while the auxiliary audio input and output offer flexibility in sound sources.

The RS-330 is a model of clarity: its fluorescent blue display is large and intuitively laid out, its two alarms are easy to set, and its sound focuses though a single, natural-sounding speaker. (If you want stereo, Sangean makes a slightly cheaper mate, the RS-332, which accepts an audio feed and alarm commands from the RS-330 through a supplied multipin cable and lets you hear each alarm through a different speaker.)

Conveniently, the RS-330's radio sets its own presets (12 FM and 12 AM) using Sangean's Auto-Program Setting (APS) feature, and reconfiguring those presets is a simple operation. Unfortunately, there are only six preset buttons, requiring a two-step process (and the equivalent of a shift key) to access presets 7 through 12 in either the FM or AM band. Sangean supplies an FM antenna, but we found the radio offered good reception even without it (though performance will vary with locale).

A large side knob handles volume adjustments (including balanced adjustments through the RS-332, if you wish). Individual bass and treble controls--rare beasts in the jungle of clock radios--rest below. You can crank the bass and treble to keep the frequency extremes from being lost at quiet listening levels, or you can reduce the bass output for more natural sound at higher listening levels. The speaker will distort if you turn the volume too high with the bass maxed.

Clock settings are a cinch, as the RS-330 uses a single button (just out of accidental reach) to toggle through the main clock time and the settings for alarms 1 and 2. You can set each alarm for either radio or beeper, and each alarm gets its own volume knob on the back panel. The alarm levels function independently of the master radio level, whether you've selected the radio or the beeper for your alarm. This brings a certain freedom in listening--you never have to worry about whether you've left the volume too loud or too quiet for the next day's wake-up.

For nighttime lullabies, the RS-330 offers a Sleep function. The default setting is one hour, but you can set it anywhere from one minute up to six hours by hitting Sleep and adjusting the duration with the tuning (up/down) buttons. Conversely, you can set a countdown timer for up to six hours using a Timer button. The beeper, but not the radio, sounds at the end of the countdown.

You even get to choose separate stations to fall asleep and wake up to, though both alarms must wake to the same radio station since the radio-alarm defaults to preset 1 of your last-auditioned band (FM or AM). (Linking with the RS-332 permits additional and differing presets.) The snooze bar, which gives you five minutes of sleepy reprieve with every smack, is easy to hit and appropriately wide.

A wonderful touch is Sangean's inclusion of an auxiliary audio input and output (both 0.125-inch stereo mini jacks), which lets you use the RS-330 as an amplifier/speaker for a CD player or a cassette deck (through the input) and as a facilitating hookup with an integrated amplifier, or a cassette or minidisc recorder (through the output).

For a winning combination of stylish appearance, alarm flexibility, and pleasing sound quality, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better choice than the Sangean RS-330. --Michael Mikesell

Pros:

Intuitive controls
Alarm levels separate from radio level
Independent bass and treble controls
Good-sounding speaker
Headphone jack
Auxiliary line input and output
Nicely positioned volume knob
FM antenna supplied
Stately appearance

Cons:

Shift key required to select preset stations 7 to 12
Display doesn't show time and radio station simultaneously
Alarm 1 and alarm 2 must wake to the same station (except when using the RS-330 in conjunction with RS-332)

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Sangean RS-330 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio