Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White

by Sangean

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6 x 5 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009ZAA4C
• Item model number: WR-2 White
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,060 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 14, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Boasting an acoustically balanced wooden enclosure and an enhanced front-firing 3-inch speaker, the Sangean WR-2 tabletop radio offers the sound and features of a living room system in a cabinet that fits conveniently in a bedroom, kitchen, or garage. Any discussion of the WR-2 begins with its white wooden housing, which is rich in both appearance and tone. The cabinet's front surface features the speaker on the left side, a series of intuitively placed control buttons toward the bottom, and a generously sized LCD display in the middle with three brightness levels. More importantly, the cabinet teams with the 7-watt amplifier and the acoustic bass compensation system to add warmth and depth to the audio. Complementing the housing is Sangean's advanced RF/IF electronic circuitry, which picks up distant AM and FM stations and reproduces them with unmatched clarity, making music and even talk programs come alive.

Even though the WR-2 is advertised as an AM/FM radio, it offers much more than a standard digital tuner, including a Radio Data System (RDS) that displays short text messages on applicable FM stations, along with support for the Enhanced Other Network (EON) and its traffic information (available in certain regions). And unlike most tabletop radios, the WR-2 lets listeners adjust the treble and bass levels via the variable volume control. In its default mode, the rotary volume knob displays the volume level from 1 to 60. Tap it once, however, and it turns into a full-range treble control, and two taps creates a full-range bass control. Additional features include a clock with an alarm (radio or buzzer), an auxiliary input jack for connecting such devices as an iPod or MP3 player (both of which sound great through the speaker), a recording output jack, 10 memory presets that help you quickly find your favorite stations, and a full-featured infrared remote control.

A final bonus stems from the power backup function, which plays the radio for six minutes during a power failure (ideal for emergencies) and retains the memory preset and clock values for about an hour. The WR-2 measures roughly 9.5 by 4.5 by 6 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 5.5 pounds.

What's in the Box
WR-2 tabletop radio, detachable power cord, infrared remote control, user's manual.

Product Description

Digital AM/FM Table Top Receiver designed to provide exceptional audio reproduction utilizing a special acoustically balanced enclosure combined with a enhanced frequency response speaker and Sangean's advanced audio circuitry providing the sound and features of a large home stereo system.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Warm Speaker Sound and Great AM, August 20, 2005

By 

M. JEFFREY MCMAHON "herculodge" (Torrance, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White (Electronics)

This is a very appealing clock radio with digital readout that gives you name of song, artist, and other information as you listen. The mono aural speaker is warm and full. The radio is attractive, solid and well-built, evincing nothing cheap or plastic-laden. The AM is very good. Most FM stations come in strong. But hard-to-get FM stations like 89.3 from Pasadena (I live 40 miles away in Torrance) requires that I move the FM antenna, but this is not a big deal, just a nitpick.

Most listeners will love the WR-2. But if you're a radio buff like I am and enjoy the outstanding FM reception of the Grundig S350, the Kaito 1101 and 1103 models (called Degen in China), then I'm afraid the WR-2 will disappoint. To be fair to the WR-2, the more expensive Bose radio suffers the same problem of mediocre FM reception.

Another important point: Because this radio has a remote control, it works great in your computer office. You can keep the WR-2 six feet or so away from your computer and avoid interference as you toggle stations and volume with your remote.

Post Script: Make sure to turn on the external antenna switch in the back of the Sangean. It improves reception by tenfold.

Update: I bought a second WR-2 (in black) three years after the first and get excellent FM reception so apparently the radio has improved in newer models. New rating: 5 stars.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Radio, Bizarre Alarm Clock, March 14, 2008

By 

iFrank (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White (Electronics)

I've become frustrated with the poor quality of radios in clock radios. We really enjoy listening to the news when we wake in the morning, and the poor sound quality and reception of the clock radios you'd find at Best Buy or Target makes them unacceptable choices.

Based upon the stellar reviews this Sangean radio received, I decided to give it a shot. And the radio doesn't disappoint! The reception is far better than any other clock radio I've had in recent years; the sound quality is amazing for everything from jazz to news.

The user interface for the alarm, however, is amazingly byzantine. The process of setting (and turning off) the alarm is so convoluted, I need to refer to the manual each time I change it. Setting the alarm, for example, requires that two different buttons be pressed in sequence, and for different lengths of time, before you set the time for the alarm! Turning off the alarm requires the same sequence, until you get the alarm icon blinking, which - after two seconds, disappears - indicating that the alarm is off. Bizarre.

The clock itself gets short shrift in the design. It's difficult to read from an angle (such as on the bedside table), and the clock isn't the default when the radio is on; you actually need to press the display button to bring up the clock. So, when you awake to the radio in the morning, the Sangean thinks you'd rather know what frequency you're on than what time it is.

I don't see enough critiques of this convoluted alarm process in these reviews. I imagine that may be due to the compelling quality and sound of the radio. It's fantastic! So, if you're planning on purchasing this clock radio principally as a radio, go for it! But, if you need the clock and alarm functions, you may want to look for another option.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great sound, beautiful design, a few flaws, January 21, 2007

By 

B. Hobbs (Salt Lake City, Utah United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White (Electronics)

My old alarm clock radio recently bit the dust, so I started a search for an upgrade. I initially looked at the Bose, but stumbled upon Sangean radios. I usually listen to NPR and jazz in the evening, and the Sangean seemed to fit the bill. Plus, I really like the design. And the price. Amazon got it to me in 3 days with free shipping, and I haven't been disappointed with the radio's performance. It has great sound, and the remote control is great for the other side of the bed (when you don't want to reach over your partner to turn it off).

A couple of things to consider, however. The backlight on the readout is adjustable, but the lowest setting is a bit bright for a dark room. Fortunately, the brightness control is right on the front. I just turn off the backlight before drifting off to sleep. The backlight also has separate setting for when the radio is "off" and "on." Another thing. The radio does not display the time when it is on. This is so broadcast digital data can display while playing (e.g., for stations with data broadcasting, the display scrolls the name of the station, title of the song, etc.). It would be nice to see the time when you wake up (and after you hit snooze a few times), but it's not a big deal. Just touch the "display" button on the front, and the radio switches to display the time. We also have an analog clock on the opposite bedside table. And yes, there is a snooze function (5 min.), although the product info doesn't mention it. You activate it by touching any of the buttons on the front. Sangean has also thoughtfully designed the alarm volume to gradually increase as it comes on, so you aren't jolted awake.

All said, I would recommend this radio. It looks great and performs well. For the price, I'd say it's a great buy.