Amazon Reviewers Scaring Me Away from the CCrane CC Radio Plus

At a glance, the CCrane CC Radio Plus looks like a strong, heavy build quality multiband radio with presets and my favorite of all, a telescopic antenna. The latter is a rare feature on a radio that is designed for bedside use. The $139 price tag, while not cheap, is the same price of the CCrane CSW I bought, a fine radio for reception but a radio with speaker flat, dull, harsh speaker sound, especially for music. 

But I've never purchased the CC Radio Plus because for the last 5 years the Internet has been rife with reports about the radio's faulty LCD screen. A look at the reviews on Amazon are equally negative. For the black model there are as I post this 62 reviews and the radio averages an abysmal 2.5 stars. Scrolling through the reviews, you'll see complaint after complaint of the LCD screen going screwy, you'll read about ordeals of returns, arguments, negotiations. You've got to be kidding. 

The silver version of the radio gets 14 reviews averaging only 2 stars with same complaints about the LCD screen. It's puzzling that a radio made by Sangean for CCrane has these problems. Sangean generally makes high quality radios so I don't know the specific problem with quality control here.

Another problem: The TV band will be obsolete in several months. 

With the TV band going extinct, I anticipate that Sangean will make a new version for CCrane. This new version hopefully will not have the LCD problem and it will retain the telescopic antenna. If that's the case, I may get myself one. Until then, I'm going to enjoy my Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo. Even with its sad pigtail wire FM antenna, it pulls in FM stations with authority. The BAHS is also a better value than the CC Radio Plus. As I post this, the BAHS is selling on Amazon for $73 plus $10 shipping--that's 40% less than a radio that suffers from a buggy LCD screen. While some readers have reported some bugs with their Solos, especially on sleep and alarm functions, the 3 that I have purchased have not had these problems.

Comments

[Tom Welch]

Sangean sells the CC Radio Plus world wide as the PR-D3 radio, follow link: http://www.sangean.nl/English/Products/Leaflets/dr_PR-D3_leaflet.pdf

Also, Sangean's PR-D2 "Q" radio has received similar poor reviews, mostly about the LCD screen.

[jeffrey McMahon]

I have read about the notorious "Q"; I hope Sangean makes an update with no TV band and no LCD problem.

[gerald johnson]

for some reason i never pulled the trigger on ccradio. back in 2000 i opted for the sangean ats 818 instead and except for mediocre am ability ive been pretty happy with it.good sound and nice ergonomics. ive got my fingers crossed that my ccradiosw wont have any problems. its not a sangean made radio so maybe it wont have the sangean lcd problem.

[jeffrey McMahon]

Mike W commented that the CCrane CSW doesn't have as good as build quality as the Sangean PR-D5. From what I can gather, the CC radio is the worse thing Sangean has made by sole virtue of its LCD problem.

[Wals]

Andy Rooney has one. Or it looks like CCR over his right shoulder.
CCrane has complained about the authenticity of some of those reviews on Amazon.

[Ed S.]

I heard if you don't use the CCRadio in your garage in Michigian during the winter, you should have no LCD problems.

[jeffrey McMahon]

It amazes me that CCrane's flagship product has had those LCD problems for so long.

Nothing like buying a radio that makes me walk on eggshells as I hope and prey it doesn't go bonkers.

[Tom Welch]

When I read Amazon reviews, I look for ongoing patterns of issues with a product. Some of the negative comments on a product relate to an issue that the product was never designed to do, like reviewing an analog radio and complaigning that the radio is not digital.

[jeffrey McMahon]

The CCrane radio has a definite pattern of LCD screen going on the fritz, according to those Amazon reviews.

[Tom Welch]

If you want a performance upgrade for your radio, checkout: http://www.kiwa.com/

Kiwa has upgraded several radios for me in the past. I highly recommend this service.

[jeffrey McMahon]

If Kiwi could fix the LCD screen on the CCRane radio, they'd have a lot of customers.

[Tom Welch]

I would contact Radio Labs with LCD problems 1st.

http://www.radiolabs.com/

These folks have extensive experience with Sangean gear.

[jeffrey McMahon]

I never bought a CCrane Radio, but that's good to know.

[Mike W]

I replaced my old CCRadio last August with a PR-D5.

IMO, performance as receivers seemed comparable for the two. The build quality on the PR-D5 is generally better, but the CCR has a larger, more solid case, fills a room with sound better, and just looks more like a real radio. The CCR is no audiophile set, and others have complained about the sound quality, but is was tailored for AM voice programming rather than music. I found its audio very good on AM and good enough for casual FM listening. My CCR gave great service as a digital replacement for my GE Superadio III, but unlike the SR III, it lasted only several years before both the LCD and some of the cheaply-made buttons gave out. I think it fair to expect longer life from what is basically a $160 AM/FM radio. It is true that the whip and ferrite antennas on the CCR are both excellent, and also true that the TV band will soon be as dead as longwave is today. For me the alarm function was just a superfluous PITA, too awkward to be used as a regular alarm clock but easily set accidently. The layout of some of the knobs and buttons is odd.

Jeff, it will be interesting to see if C. Crane replaces the CCRadio with another high-performance AM/FM, but I believe they already regard the CSW as the replacement.

Tom, it's apt that you mention Radio Labs, which was founded by Chris Justice after leaving C. Crane. While there he worked with Sangean to create the CCR. I read one recent rumor on a newsgroup that he is working on a new radio with a Chinese manufacturer. If that turns out true, I am sure it will be a radio to consider buying.

[herculodge]

Mike,

To me the CSW is too different than the CCRane radio to be a replacement. They need another clock radio for the bedside.

Wow, speaking of chimeras, who's this Chris Justice, the Oz of Radios? His name whispered on chat sites?

But who knows? He may design the next radio I purchase.

I'm getting info from readers who swear the GS750 will be here by November by the latest. We'll see.