If you read recent comments, you'll see 4 readers already have the Sangean WR-12 and no one really likes it and 3 of the 4 hate it. The one who doesn't hate it doesn't plan on using the radio function, just the speakers.
What are we hearing from them? Bad reception, disappointing speaker sound, and cheap looking plastic buttons all spell disaster for a radio with very high expectations.
Mine arrives next week and I suspect I'll be returning it, but we'll see.
That's too bad, I think I'll still try out the bluetooth version when it comes out in a few weeks. I noticed that Wal-Mart will be carrying these, so maybe they had to cut corners to meet their price point. Anybody who is dissatisfied should email Sangean and let them know! The enthusiast market matters too!
Posted by: nathanjr | November 15, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Such a shame. I like the retro styling.
Posted by: Ulysses | November 15, 2012 at 11:08 AM
I've just recently purchased this and I've got to ask: why so much criticism? By now they've fixed the drift issues with the device. There are better options for radio dialing and speaker listening, but this unit is certainly far better than crystal radios of yesteryear, and does have hookups for external AM and FM antennas. I hardly feel the plastic dials and assembly are cheap and the wooden case is quite nice.
Apparently the unit is not so awful that Sangean has stopped manufacture. I think the mid-range balance for the speakers is a little empty, but for most listening to NPR the radio is rich and full. Now the caveat: this is my kitchen radio, used for when I am prepping/cooking/cleaning and cannot use my HIFI & attached HDT-1X (because Frozen is playing for the 500th time).
I live 290 miles from San Francisco's AM 68 KNBR tower. I wish I received that station better (high noise), but I don't even have my exterior antennas RF grounded yet, so it's a little hard to assess fully until this is done. I wonder how much user dissatisfaction is rooted in poor reception; with few exceptions, it's almost a requirement to have a decent exterior antenna to get all the benefits of a unit like this.
Posted by: Brent Fremming | May 29, 2014 at 03:39 PM