In the war of premium clock radios there are only two
contenders. We can eliminate the Tivoli Songbook. Unreadable interface at
night, flips over easily, mediocre AM reception. We can eliminate the Boston Acoustics. No headphone jack. If your bed partner doesn't want to hear your radio, you've got serious problems. For premium clock radios,
we must focus on the only two viable ones out there: The Sangean WR-2 and the
Eton Sound 100. A close comparison will reveal that, considering the strengths
and weaknesses in both radios, there is no best radio for everyone but that
individual needs will determine which radio is the best buy (or if you’re a
radio fanatic like I am, you’ll buy both).
The Strengths of the Sangean WR-2
- Great warm sound from the monoaural speaker.
- Incredible AM reception.
- Strong but not great FM reception. It's surprising how good the FM reception is with the piggy tail antenna in the back. However, the lack of the WR-2's telescopic antenna occasionally gives me problems tuning in 89.3 FM. In fact, if you'll notice my photo of the WR-2, I keep a Kaito 1103 on top of it for the specific purpose of getting 89.3 when environmental factors make the 1103, an ergonomic nightmare, useful for its superior FM reception. If I'm close to the WR-2, I can pull the wire antenna toward me and improve the FM reception. But note, even then the WR-2's RDS feature does not work, as it does work on all other FM stations. Having made this criticism, I still must say the FM reception is well above average.
- Substantial heft so it won’t tip over or pull if you sleep with a headphone connected to its front jack.
- Great look.
- Easy
to toggle silver presets at night even in the dark.
- Remote control.
The Strengths of the Eton Sound 100
- More than adequate sound from monoaural speaker.
- Very good AM reception.
- Superior FM reception with its telescopic antenna.
- Remote control.
- Retro-modern look.
The Weaknesses of the Sangean WR-2
- Piggy tail FM antenna not great for picking up 89.3 KPCC in Pasadena (I live in Torrance)
- Alarm controls are too confusing.
The Weaknesses of the Eton Sound 100
- The plastic exterior might look and feel too cheap to some.
- You can’t touch individual presets so you have to toggle up and down, which is not as efficient as the Sangean unless you’re using the remote control, but who wants to squint at a tiny remote control in bed?
- Does not have RDS, as does the WR-2.
Conclusions:
If you’re buying a clock radio for the bedside and don’t
have any tough-to-get FM stations, get the Sangean WR-2. If you’re buying one
of the radios for your computer room and want to keep the radio five feet away
to avoid computer interference, get the Eton Sound 100 and use its remote.
For me, my Sangean WR-2 is by my bedside and after trying my Sangean PR-D5 by my bed for two nights, I returned it to the kitchen and restored the WR-2 by my bedside throne. The PR-D5 is too light so that my headphone cord might drag it off the table. And while the PR-D5 has comparable AM, which is fantastic, I have to angle it toward different AM stations. The heavier WR-2 doesn't even have to be moved. Also, the single speaker from the WR-2 sounds fuller and richer than does the PR-D5's stereo speakers. My Eton Sound 100 is in my computer office for reasons stated above.
If you don't need iPod or MP3 connectivity or a headphone jack, then you probably save 40 dollars or so and pick up the very capable and in many ways comparable Boston Acoustics Receptor radio. I see these radios for sale frequently on Amazon and Overstock. But if you have a spouse or other partner who can't tolerate the radio at night, be sure to get one with headphone jack. If you don't mind a light-weight portable radio by your bedside, you might be happy with the 75-85-dollar Sangean PR-D5, which is my favorite radio, as discussed on an earlier post.
Wishes: If Sangean gave the WR-2 the same telescopic antenna they put
on the Sangean PR-D5 portable radio, the Sangean WR-2 would be the ultimate clock radio.
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