Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply perfect, September 22, 2008
I very rarely write reviews but I love this radio so much I felt inspired. (Actually I own the S79V, but it seems to be identical to this one.) It is simply the perfect shower radio. Reception is excellent and better than some of the more expensive radios in my house. It has a clever suction cup aerial that sticks to shower tile well. The controls are simple and I particularly like the timer function, so I don't need to worry about turning it off. It goes forever on a set of batteries. I also like that this isn't equipped with a CD player, which would add bulk for a questionable extra function.
The white plastic has yellowed over time (four years?), and the top control panel membrane has deteriorated slightly, but it's still going strong. I purchased a replacement just to have a spare handy should I need one and find that Sony has stopped making these gems.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best portable radio ever, August 25, 2008
I love this radio! We own 2, and I'm about to buy 2 more - one more for our home and one for a gift. I keep one with my gardening tools and carry it around with me and listen while gardening. The others travel between the bathrooms and bedrooms. Good sound quality, takes dirt and water abuse, and the preset buttons are great for a portable radio. No playing around trying to tune in favorite stations. The batteries seem to last forever (I don't even know what kind they take, since I've never changed them and we've had our 2 units for years). So the time is always right, even with the occasional power outs we have in our area, which messes up all the plug in radio times. The best portable radio ever!
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sony S79W AM/FM/Weather Shower Radio - Great Performer In An Empty Field, November 16, 2008
The Sony ICFS79W AM/FM/Weather Band Digital Tuner Shower Radio is really well designed for its purpose. I spent a long time trying to find a shower radio that had more than just AM/FM, like a CD player for example. I eventually gave up that quest and gave this a try. Perhaps there are just too few options in radios designed for use in the shower.
Quite frankly, I am kicking myself in disbelief over this product. I was open minded but skeptical when I got this. The strong reception is really the best feature, and the weather band and auto on / off timers are nice extras.
This guy is probably a 5 star product for most people, but I do tend to be picky. For me, it would be almost perfect if not for a few cons. Still, it's hard to find alternatives so it's difficult to know if there is a better alternative.
PROS
+ Absolutely GREAT reception; it's actually really surprising how good it is
+ Nice simple controls that are mostly intuitive
+ Nice extras, like the Weather band
+ Convenient timer to get you going
+ Nice Auto-Off feature for easy morning operation
CONS
- Analog volume adjustment provides little control at lower volumes
- Still requires large C batteries, that are less convenient than AA when using rechargeables
- List price is quite high
- Wire Antenna is difficult to stick up and often comes loose
- Weather band has more static than AM or FM
Granted, the last two cons are minor. Still, this guy could use some improvements. It's hard to believe that for this price only AM / FM and Weather bands are included. Still, while the weather band has static from time to time, the AM and FM are some of the strongest I have heard in a radio of any kind. I am not sure what kind of internal antennae and supporting electronics they have to compliment the standard external wire antenna. But whatever they did, the reception is surprisingly strong and clear.
Having to worry about replacing those large batteries is also a throw-back to 1989, and it would have been nicer if they could have used four AA batteries or some such more standard configuration instead. Most people with lots of electronics already have rechargeable AAs, but few people have rechargeable C batteries on hand. Better yet, if possible perhaps a rechargeable battery might have been an option given the size. Still, perhaps the extra juice of the batteries helps the strong signal. While I have only tested this guy for a few weeks, I have also heard that the batteries last a really long time in it. I will update my review after the first batch run out of power.
Still, if you need a shower radio, this is one of the better options. There are some that offer more features, like a CD player, but most have low satisfaction numbers. I will continue looking for other models. For the time being, it seems like despite a rather high price this might be the one to go with.
Enjoy.
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