Sangean CCRADIO PLUS AM/FM/TV
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- Display: LCD
- Tuning: Digital
- Type: Portable
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CC Radio plus - A Solid Performer
Pros
Long-range AM reception. Quality workmanship. Weather alert feature. Customer support.
Cons
Designed more for talk than music. Price.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If sports or talk radio are your interests, you won't be disappointed.
Chances are that if you listen to the radio, you've heard the ads for the C. Crane CC Radio plus. The ad campaign targets the talk-radio market with emphasis on exceptional AM reception, and a speaker designed for "superior reproduction of the human voice".
I purchased this radio because it has five large pre-set tuning buttons. My mother loved listening to the radio, but her failing eyesight made it difficult to change stations with a conventional tuner. The design of the CC Radio plus allowed her access to her favorite stations with the touch of a large, conveniently-placed button.
What it is
The CC Radio plus measures 11 inches wide x 6 1/2 inches high x 4 inches deep, and weighs 3.8 lbs. Its style is simple - on the left front is a large metal speaker grille. On the right is a lighted LCD display, with function buttons located below. On the right side of the unit is a volume control knob, and above it, a larger conventional tuning knob. A retractable telescoping FM antenna, and an internal AM antenna are fitted to the unit. Contacts on the back allow for the installation of an external AM antenna.
The features
The five station pre-set buttons are located on top of the radio and are programmed by tuning in the desired station and pushing down for two seconds, after which a beep signals that the station is saved to memory. Manual tuning buttons are set below the display - the tuning knob works as a fine-tuner. Separate bass and treble knobs are provided. There is a headphone jack located below the volume control.
Standard features include a clock, alarm with snooze button, and sleep timer. In addition to AM/FM and TV audio reception (channels 2-13), there is a band which receives broadcasts from the National Weather Service. There is a weather alert feature which, when set, allows the activation of a red light on the front of the unit, and an alarm through the speaker when a severe weather warning is issued - a must for areas where dangerous weather is a common occurrence. The comprehensive display has icons to indicate the status of all activated functions. A rear panel allows access to the four D batteries that the company claims will last for 250 hours - I've never kept track, but they do seem to last a long time. The removable power cord measures 79 inches in length. Available colors are Black Mica, and Platinum.
The thirty-two page owner's manual is clearly written with text and diagrams that explain the features and functions. The manual is also available for download at the company's website: ccrane.com.
There are several accessories available including rechargeable D batteries, both solar and conventional battery chargers, a cigarette lighter power adapter if you want to use it when camping, and a carrying case. You can go to ccrane.com to check them out, along with over three-hundred other interesting electronic gadgets that they sell.
If you are looking for a good FM table radio, there are many brands in this price range with a better overall sound. The strength of this radio is in the AM band. On a clear night in Massachusetts, I can receive most of the clear-channel stations in the east - Detroit, Toronto, Baltimore - as far away as Tennessee and Missouri - often as if they were broadcasting locally. Most of the weaker local stations come in clearly with a simple antenna adjustment, or a little fine-tuning. The strong AM tuner eliminates most of the static and interference that is common with AM reception. According to the manual, there is a club dedicated to DXing, or distant radio listening. Visit the National Radio Club, Inc. at their website www.nrcdxas.org for more information.
Customer service
The CC Radio plus has a one-year limited warranty covering parts and labor. There is also a thirty-day satisfaction guarantee - if you're not happy with your purchase, you can return it within the time period for a full refund, or credit toward another purchase. About a year after the warranty expired, the display on my radio failed - the time and tuning frequencies showed random symbols. I contacted the company and politely explained the problem. A friendly and professional customer service representative told me to return the radio for repair - free of charge. My only expense was to ship it to the company. Two weeks later it returned, and has worked perfectly since. It is this kind of product support and customer appreciation that will make me a repeat customer.
Conclusions and opinions
My purchase of the CC Radio plus was based upon its simplicity of design. The superior strength of the AM tuner, the rich and clear sound quality, and its portability have made this the one radio I use all the time. When I purchased this radio, I believe it was only available directly from C. Crane. I paid $159.00, and shipping was free. Several on-line vendors currently offer it for less. It is a popular item that's still in production, so you're not likely to find it heavily discounted.
If you live in a rural or mountainous area where poor radio reception is an issue, this radio may be worth a try - the thirty-day satisfaction guarantee should make your decision whether to buy that much easier.
I purchased this radio because it has five large pre-set tuning buttons. My mother loved listening to the radio, but her failing eyesight made it difficult to change stations with a conventional tuner. The design of the CC Radio plus allowed her access to her favorite stations with the touch of a large, conveniently-placed button.
What it is
The CC Radio plus measures 11 inches wide x 6 1/2 inches high x 4 inches deep, and weighs 3.8 lbs. Its style is simple - on the left front is a large metal speaker grille. On the right is a lighted LCD display, with function buttons located below. On the right side of the unit is a volume control knob, and above it, a larger conventional tuning knob. A retractable telescoping FM antenna, and an internal AM antenna are fitted to the unit. Contacts on the back allow for the installation of an external AM antenna.
The features
The five station pre-set buttons are located on top of the radio and are programmed by tuning in the desired station and pushing down for two seconds, after which a beep signals that the station is saved to memory. Manual tuning buttons are set below the display - the tuning knob works as a fine-tuner. Separate bass and treble knobs are provided. There is a headphone jack located below the volume control.
Standard features include a clock, alarm with snooze button, and sleep timer. In addition to AM/FM and TV audio reception (channels 2-13), there is a band which receives broadcasts from the National Weather Service. There is a weather alert feature which, when set, allows the activation of a red light on the front of the unit, and an alarm through the speaker when a severe weather warning is issued - a must for areas where dangerous weather is a common occurrence. The comprehensive display has icons to indicate the status of all activated functions. A rear panel allows access to the four D batteries that the company claims will last for 250 hours - I've never kept track, but they do seem to last a long time. The removable power cord measures 79 inches in length. Available colors are Black Mica, and Platinum.
The thirty-two page owner's manual is clearly written with text and diagrams that explain the features and functions. The manual is also available for download at the company's website: ccrane.com.
There are several accessories available including rechargeable D batteries, both solar and conventional battery chargers, a cigarette lighter power adapter if you want to use it when camping, and a carrying case. You can go to ccrane.com to check them out, along with over three-hundred other interesting electronic gadgets that they sell.
If you are looking for a good FM table radio, there are many brands in this price range with a better overall sound. The strength of this radio is in the AM band. On a clear night in Massachusetts, I can receive most of the clear-channel stations in the east - Detroit, Toronto, Baltimore - as far away as Tennessee and Missouri - often as if they were broadcasting locally. Most of the weaker local stations come in clearly with a simple antenna adjustment, or a little fine-tuning. The strong AM tuner eliminates most of the static and interference that is common with AM reception. According to the manual, there is a club dedicated to DXing, or distant radio listening. Visit the National Radio Club, Inc. at their website www.nrcdxas.org for more information.
Customer service
The CC Radio plus has a one-year limited warranty covering parts and labor. There is also a thirty-day satisfaction guarantee - if you're not happy with your purchase, you can return it within the time period for a full refund, or credit toward another purchase. About a year after the warranty expired, the display on my radio failed - the time and tuning frequencies showed random symbols. I contacted the company and politely explained the problem. A friendly and professional customer service representative told me to return the radio for repair - free of charge. My only expense was to ship it to the company. Two weeks later it returned, and has worked perfectly since. It is this kind of product support and customer appreciation that will make me a repeat customer.
Conclusions and opinions
My purchase of the CC Radio plus was based upon its simplicity of design. The superior strength of the AM tuner, the rich and clear sound quality, and its portability have made this the one radio I use all the time. When I purchased this radio, I believe it was only available directly from C. Crane. I paid $159.00, and shipping was free. Several on-line vendors currently offer it for less. It is a popular item that's still in production, so you're not likely to find it heavily discounted.
If you live in a rural or mountainous area where poor radio reception is an issue, this radio may be worth a try - the thirty-day satisfaction guarantee should make your decision whether to buy that much easier.
