I noticed the sticky button problem on my Sangean WR-2 a few years ago. It seems a bit worse now. The on-off button often has to be pressed several times. Presets aren't as bad but they can be sticky too. I think I read someone else had the same problem with this radio. It's not so bad that I'm ready to junk it, but I'm tempted to get the Sangean RCR-3, a smaller clock radio with the same sized 3-inch speaker (and perhaps delivering the same sound?).
Post a comment
Your Information
(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)
It probably uses tactile switches, which are ubiquitous in modern electronics now, and notoriously unreliable. I hate them and in the past have had to throw away perfectly good devices because of these. They contain a flexible dome-shaped piece of springy metal that suddenly gives way when a button is pressed, before immediately popping back. The problem is that this metal disc can become corroded, and since it contacts a theoretically tiny area to make a connection (imagine the contact area between two curved surfaces such as a couple of ball bearings), it doesn't take much corrosion to interfere with that. There are hundreds of different variations of this type of switch. The better ones have gold-plated contacts which last longer. If you are feeling brave you could open up the radio and replace the switches. Alternatively you could open up each switch and clean it (you'd have to slice open the plastic welds), but that might be more trouble than it is worth.
Posted by: Ulysses | November 05, 2014 at 09:40 AM
I doubt that the RCR-3 sounds the same as the WR-2. The latter has a bass port at the rear of the cabinet to enhance low frequencies. Due to physics, a much smaller radio probably couldn't take advantage of this feature.
Posted by: Gary | November 05, 2014 at 09:47 AM
I sprayed De-Oxit on the on switch and it's better. I'm curious to see how long this will last.
Posted by: herculodge | November 05, 2014 at 11:23 AM
I was going to suggest Deoxit. For some reason my little Kaito 105 has the worst problem with "sticky buttons" of any of my radios. I usually have to reapply the deoxit every month or so, and I don't even use the radio very much (or maybe that's part of the problem).
Posted by: Ken K. | November 05, 2014 at 01:00 PM
http://www.ccrane.com/WiFi/CC-WiFi-2-Black-Internet-Radio-w-TuneIn-Bluetooth-and-FM
How about this radio Jeff? Time to move to wifi radio and forget about noise...
Posted by: Ante | November 06, 2014 at 12:30 AM
The reviews are not that promising. I am thinking of the Sangean WR-2 bluetooth version but I wonder what the range is.
Posted by: herculodge | November 06, 2014 at 03:04 AM
Both the WR-2 and WR-1 (except the prison version) have an AUX in. Why not just use a standalone BT receiver?
Posted by: Keith from Toronto | November 06, 2014 at 06:43 AM
If you can live without AM, try this: http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Alarm-Clock-Grey-HX-B510GY/dp/B00CERQ86C
I have one and its great
Posted by: Jeff | November 09, 2014 at 02:47 AM