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59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Everything You Should Know, December 27, 2008
This review is from: Altec Lansing M402SR Moondance Glow Speaker System with Clock Radio, Snooze Remote, and iPod Dock (Black) (Electronics)
All in all, this is a great unit. It combines ipod docking station, radio with digital tuner and clock radio all together. Before I bought this, the potentially negative things I wish I had known are the following:
- There are not a lot of buttons so it can be complicated to execute simple tasks. For example, to activate the alarm you have to scroll through all of the various alarm settings - there is no simple on/off button for the alarm.
- The remote control is really small. I worry that it will be lost or I'll fall asleep with it in bed and never find it in the sheets. It also takes a really tiny battery - kind of a large watch battery. It's too new for me to comment on whether the battery life is good.
- The remote snooze button is a really good feature if you don't want your docking station right next to your bed. Again, it has a small battery.
- It's kind of hard to read the time on the display - tougher than would be the case for a more traditional clock radio. And it's impossible if you (like me) have bought this unit because the remote snooze button allows you to keep the docking station in a more convenient place than beside the bed.
- There are only 4 radio presets and I think you can scroll through the presets only with the remote control (not the main unit).
- Sound quality is fine. Not as good as the Bose docking station but about what you would expect from a decent clock radio.
- There are only three volume settings for the alarm - low, medium and loud. I tried medium and it was quite loud so I've had to go with low. Fortunately, low is adquately loud, but you should know that there aren't a ton of volume choices to suit all tastes.
Although I really like having the features of this item, because of it is inconvenient to make on the fly changes to alarm settings and because of the difficulty reading the display I haven't got rid of my old clock radio (which I use just to read the time and if I want to set a one-off alarm).
Sorry for the long review, but this is the info I would have like to have known before making my purchase decision. I likely still would have picked this item, but with my eyes more open.
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Altec Lansing M402SR vs. Logitech Pure-Fi Anytime. -- A nice music alarm clock with lots of features., March 23, 2009
This review is from: Altec Lansing M402SR Moondance Glow Speaker System with Clock Radio, Snooze Remote, and iPod Dock (Black) (Electronics)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Length:: 6:07 Mins
I also have the Logitech Pure-Fi Anytime Premium Alarm Clock, so I'll be comparing it with that. Although this speaker costs more, you get what you pay for. The sound is easily better in clarity, range, bass AND this alarm clock also has a lot more features.
First of all, I like how the AC is not a huge brick (I don't know what Logitech was thinking with their Pure-Fi!)
I also like that the radio antenna (it's the wired kind) can be removed from the speakers if you never plan on using it (for the Logitech, it's permanently attached. However, Logitech has AM radio that can be attached -- but it's big and pretty ugly.)
If you plan on putting the speakers away from your bed, or fear hitting your iPod instead when waking up, the extra wireless snooze button will make a great addition.
However, the wireless snooze receiver must be attached on the back (it would have been nice if it was built-in). I thought the wireless snooze button was touch sensitive too, but it's actually just a plastic triggering the button on the bottom, so you'll need to have that on a flat surface (or press the button on the back).
* Actually displays the full date or the scrolling of song title.
* Button on the top is much more reasonably placed. (The Pure-Fi's button placement is a bit confusing)
* Save up to 4 favorite radio stations (only 3 with the Logitech, but you can select them through the speaker. The Altec requires the remote, so if you lose it, you're pretty much screwed.)
* Set two alarms and it will tell you exactly on the LCD.
* Wake up to the iPod, radio, or the clock alarm buzz (which can get really loud!)
If you set the sleep timer, the LCD displays "SWEET DREAMS... (and the minutes left until shutdown)". 5 minutes is the lowest that you can set it and up to 90 minutes. (to cancel the sleep timer, you have to power off and turn on again)
I think the "mood" feature, where you can choose from 17 different color backlight is pretty cool, but it would have been much cooler if it alternated by itself or flashed with the beat of the music!
I don't know what's the deal with all these alarm clock speakers, but it's not the most user-friendly to set the time, alarm, settings. You'll definitely have to sit down and read the manual and really get accustomed to it. To the set the time, it's actually a small button on the back of the speakers. For setting most of the options, you'll often have to be holding on to the button for a few seconds.
The buttons on the top are touch sensitive (or more like pressure sensitive), but that's another thing you have to get used to it. I think it could be a bit more sensitive to the touch. Sometimes you're holding down the button, but it's hard to tell if it's actually going to go through to the certain mode or not.
The remote could have used some tiny bumps or different feel on some buttons to be able to tell them apart in the dark.
Out of the Logitech Pure-Fi and iHome iH36, the Altec speakers definitely win in the amount of bass.
Pros:
- Good bass for its size
- LCD display (tells you sleep timer/alarm/etc.)
- Displays the day/month/date/year, time, or song title
- Backlight
- iPod cradle can close in if you end up using other audio devices via AUX.
- Set alarm to go off once, or everyday, or just weekdays or weekends.
- Wireless Snooze Button
- AC size/detachable radio antenna
- Set the brightness of the LCD and mood lights.
Cons:
- It's not too intuitive. Lots of holding buttons to set options. In other words, this clock is definitely not for your grandma (unless you want to constantly help her out on how to set things. Sometimes you'll have to refer back to the manual).
- Need to point the remote directly at the remote sensor.
- Generic remote.
- Touch sensitive could be more sensitive.
- Display will not be easy to read from across the room.
- FM station presets only accessible through remote (no buttons on the actual speaker!)
- No "mood" (light) button on the remote!
- Can't set sleep timer/alarm through remote.
Nevertheless, this is a solid 4-star speaker. However, if sound is your priority then, you really should be looking for speakers that doesn't have all the fancy extra stuff like radio/alarm.
If you're really picky with sound, you're just not going to get that full surround sound depth with speakers that only have two drivers and only 5" or so apart. However, that being said, these speakers sound pretty good for what it is. I can say that it sounds better than Logitech's Pure-Fi Anytime Alarm speakers. I think the bass is pretty strong for its size.
As long as if you're not expecting 5.1 surround sound-like miracle, you'll be quite pleased with these speakers. If you're looking for an alarm clock for the iPod, these speakers are definitely worth checking out. Altec Lansing is a reputable speaker brand too.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A curious little clock, February 25, 2009
This review is from: Altec Lansing M402SR Moondance Glow Speaker System with Clock Radio, Snooze Remote, and iPod Dock (Black) (Electronics)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This is a fine unit. It does everything advertised and does it well. The sound quality is fine, the production of the unit is sleek and attractive. The mood lighting works as advertised and has lots of colors. The remote works fine.
I guess I do have to point out the fact that there are other ipod clock radio's on amazon that are cheaper and better. Sony and iHome both have superb units that have better features and better sound that this one. If altec drops the price on this to below $99, then I would say its a much better bargain.
The mood lighting is surprisingly fun & my kids love it. The remote snooze however, seemed very over designed and I didn't even bother with it. I just don't know why I'd want a wireless snooze remote, isn't the point of an alarm to get your butt up in the morning? A wireless snooze seems, over kill, assuming most people will keep this bedside anyway?
EDIT:
I previously said this didn't work well with the iphone. Maybe I needed to restart the iphone but the next day and since then it has worked great with the iphone. The remote controls it nicely, but yes it is susceptible to cell phone noise but thats why its not rated for the iphone.
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