Amazon.com Product Review
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.<P> 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.)<P> 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).<P> 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.<P> 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.<P> 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.<P> 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.<P> 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).<P> 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. <I>--Michael Mikesell</i><P> Pros:<br> <ul> <li>Intuitive controls <li>Alarm levels separate from radio level <li>Independent bass and treble controls <li>Good-sounding speaker <li>Headphone jack <li>Auxiliary line input and output <li>Nicely positioned volume knob <li>FM antenna supplied <li>Stately appearance </ul> Cons:<br> <ul> <li>Shift key required to select preset stations 7 to 12 <li>Display doesn't show time and radio station simultaneously <li>Alarm 1 and alarm 2 must wake to the same station (except when using the RS-330 in conjunction with RS-332) </ul>
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