We wanted a bedroom clock radio with good sound. We tried the WR-2 and the WR-22, but settled on the RCR-40.
Sound: It’s better than most other clock radios, but not as good a some higher end table radios that double as clock radios. For example, the Sangean WR-2 and the WR-22 sound better. True, the RCR-40 has stereo speakers, but they are so close together that one does not get much stereo effect. A pessimist might describe the sound as a bit boxy, while an optimist might call it “mellow”. In either case, it’s much more pleasant than normal clock radios. The sound characteristic can be somewhat altered, as it has loudness, bass and treble controls. If you want better sound, with proper stereo, then get the WR-50 with the external speaker, although it lacks a balance control.
Functions: AM and FM reception is about as good as most of the other radios I’ve used. On the other hand, there are no external antenna terminals, making this a poor choice for those far from radio stations. The controls are quite intuitive, apart from the menu system for setting it up; you’ll need to refer to the instruction sheet the first few times. Bluetooth paired easily with no noticeable delay. I did not try the auxiliary 3.5 mm socket. The presets work easily—hold one of them down and the current station is memorized. The remote control is reasonably sized, much better than the tiny ones that come with the WR-2 and WR-22. The two USB (charge-only) ports on the front are handy.
Display: The display has lighted characters with a black background. This is what you want for a clock radio, as it does not flood a bedroom with light. There are three levels of luminance, and an off. Also, the display somewhat adjusts to the ambient light to keep the display visible without having to mess with the brightness control. In contrast, the WR-2 has a lit background with black characters, rendering it nearly useless as a bedroom radio, as it's more of a night light. The WR-22, on the other hand, has a similar display to the RCR-40, making it a good choice if you want a bedroom radio with excellent (mono) sound.
Internet (Wi-Fi) Radio: While the RCR-40 lacks Internet radio, it is dirt simple to overcome this. An old cell phone can be turned into an Internet streamer by installing Audials Play, or any of its competitors. No phone service is necessary, as the stream comes in via Wi-Fi. Connect the cell phone to the RCR-40 via Bluetooth and use one of the two USB charging ports to keep the cell phone battery topped up. Voilà, the RCR-40 now has Internet radio. This is better than buying an actual Internet radio, because they all use an aggregator; aggregators have a bad habit of going out of business, which turns an Internet radio into an expensive piece of e-garbage. With a cell phone, if your chosen Internet radio app ceases to receive radio streams, one can simply install another one.
| Brand | Sangean |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sangean |
| Model | RCR-40 |
| Model Name | RCR-40 AM/FM-RDS(RBDS)/Bluetooth/AUX Digital Tuning Wooden Clock Radio With Battery Back-Up |
| Part Number | RCR-40 |
| Hardware interface | Bluetooth 5 |
| Tuner Technology | AM/FM |
| Compatible Devices | Headphone, Smartphone |
| Special features | Built-In AM Antenna, Built-In Clock, Back Up Battery |
| Mounting Hardware | Power Adapter, Owner's Manual |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Remote Control Description | IR |
| Display Technology | LCD |
| Display type | LCD |
| Speakers maximum output power | 3 Watts |
| Voltage | 110 Volts |
| Power source type | Corded Electric |
| Batteries included | No |
| Batteries Required | Yes |
| Battery Cell Composition | Alkaline |
| Frequency | 90 MHz |
| Speaker Output Channel Quantity | 2 |
| Connector Type | Bluetooth |
| Radio bands supported | 2-Band |
| Material Type | Wood |
| Mounting type | Tabletop |
| Does it contain liquid? | No |
| Includes rechargable battery | No |
| Includes Remote | Yes |
| Manufacturer | Sangean |
| Item model number | RCR-40 |
| Product Dimensions | 18.11 x 27.94 x 10.92 cm; 1.81 kg |
| ASIN | B08YH8HNR4 |
