I have the Sangean Blue Box. Great radio, love it.
Sangean radios?
- Thread starter JTK
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Sangean makes great stuff, but when it comes to "alarm clocks" my TOP PRIORITY is DOES THE ALARM WORK ON BATTERY BACKUP?
I need the alarm to work, even during a power outage. I regrettably went with Onn, two months in the led display digits are already dead.
I don't know of too many that do. I had a clock radio with a battery backup (using a CR2032) just to keep time so it din't wake up from a power outage flashing 12:00. The box said that it was set for EST at the factory and could be modified, and the battery should last for a few years. It does work without a battery. I had a Sony clock radio back in the 90s that had a capacitor that would keep the clock running if the power went out or if it was accidentally (or intentionally) unplugged. I don't think it would have kept the clock running for more than maybe 12 hours. Of course on both the display was dead without AC power.
Sangean makes great stuff, but when it comes to "alarm clocks" my TOP PRIORITY is DOES THE ALARM WORK ON BATTERY BACKUP?
I need the alarm to work, even during a power outage. I regrettably went with Onn, two months in the led display digits are already dead.
I have used my iPhone as a alarm clock for years now.
That's a fact with Panasonic bathroom exhaust fans. I installed one during a bathroom reno in our last home. It was a combo exhaust fan, ~1000watt heater, light and nightlight. That was the best functioning bath fan I ever had.
I still have a GE clock radio I bought in the mid to late 1980s. I Had it through college, etc. One of my boys uses it as a clock in his room now. The buttons are wonky on it now and the sound is crackly. I stopped trusting it for an alarm clock years ago. The blue fluorescent display is still pretty bright for being 35+ years old.
I hear you. The Sangean RCR-20 uses two AA batteries as a backup power source, but as you say, it's only so it keeps it's memory during a power outage, it won't run any functions. I keep my cellphone set as a backup.Sangean makes great stuff, but when it comes to "alarm clocks" my TOP PRIORITY is DOES THE ALARM WORK ON BATTERY BACKUP?
I need the alarm to work, even during a power outage. I regrettably went with Onn, two months in the led display digits are already dead.
That's a fact with Panasonic bathroom exhaust fans. I installed one during a bathroom reno in our last home. It was a combo exhaust fan, ~1000watt heater, light and nightlight. That was the best functioning bath fan I ever had.
I still have a GE clock radio I bought in the mid to late 1980s. I Had it through college, etc. One of my boys uses it as a clock in his room now. The buttons are wonky on it now and the sound is crackly. I stopped trusting it for an alarm clock years ago. The blue fluorescent display is still pretty bright for being 35+ years old.
I kind of miss my parents' old JCPenney flip alarm clock with AM/FM radio and weather bands. I could look in the vents and see it had a small vacuum tube, which was odd because they got it in the 70s when transistor radio was dominant. Heck - I remember going to Radio Shack to get replacement tubes for our 21" RCA TV.
But Sony may have the best basic alarm clocks. The radio may not be the greatest though.
We have three identical ones in our house, but they need to be adjusted frequently. Either fall behind or too fast
We have three identical ones in our house, but they need to be adjusted frequently. Either fall behind or too fast
Same with our Sony alarm clocks.
I am a radio collector and user. I have two Sangean high end, long range multi band radios. They are great performers but not reliable. Both have had problems, one even bad out of the box. I will never get another one. Too bad your old GE was involved in a gravity test. Those old GE clock radios are hard to beat and will work forever without a problem.
That's really cool. I wonder if the vacuum tube wasn't the neon lamps they used back in the day for back lighting clocks? I remember having a GE or Panasonic flip-clock am/fm radio that was back lit by this type of bulb. The predecessor of the LED lamp. That was an awesome clock radio too that lasted forever, but the digits stopped flipping correctly one day after a decade or so of use. The neon bulbs were still good too.
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It is a shame really. My expectations of most consumer grade electronics is super low these days. Time will tell on this Sangean. My old GE hitting the floor broke my heart. My wife had bought that one in the early 1990s. It looked like this:
It is a shame really. My expectations of most consumer grade electronics is super low these days. Time will tell on this Sangean. My old GE hitting the floor broke my heart. My wife had bought that one in the early 1990s. It looked like this:
GE hasn't made consumer electronics since maybe the 80s. It's kind of complicated, but they divested after the merger with RCA. Consumer electronics like TVs and VCRs was sold off to Thomson. A lot of stuff with the GE name is licensed out. I bought a hot water kettle that was marketed by some other company, and it clearly said that on the label. Electrical outlets are some other company.
That's really cool. I wonder if the vacuum tube wasn't the neon lamps they used back in the day for back lighting clocks? I remember having a GE or Panasonic flip-clock am/fm radio that was back lit by this type of bulb. The predecessor of the LED lamp. That was an awesome clock radio too that lasted forever, but the digits stopped flipping correctly one day after a decade or so of use. The neon bulbs were still good too.
It was a small incandescent light bulb at the front. The vacuum tube was way in the back. I'm pretty sure it was a tiny vacuum tube amp. The tube in out TVs was much larger. Solid-state TVs were available in the 70s, but they cost a lot more until maybe the late 70s.
I still have two fully functioning GE clock radios from the mid 70's. They are bullet proof. I never even had to replace any capacitors. The controls need cleaning once in a while and that's it.It is a shame really. My expectations of most consumer grade electronics is super low these days. Time will tell on this Sangean. My old GE hitting the floor broke my heart. My wife had bought that one in the early 1990s. It looked like this:
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I really enjoy listening to the Art Bell archive broadcasts. He had a rare/ special talent. His replacement is brutal to listen to. RIP Art Bell.
In America maybe, but in Asia Panasonic is still pretty booming as a consumer brand.
George is alright but there is no replacement for Art Bell...
Sangean makes great stuff, but when it comes to "alarm clocks" my TOP PRIORITY is DOES THE ALARM WORK ON BATTERY BACKUP?
I need the alarm to work, even during a power outage. I regrettably went with Onn, two months in the led display digits are already dead.
hey I know I'm late to posting in this thread.. but have you considered a travel alarm clock? Those operate on batteries and it's what I finally decided on after too many power outages. Never looked back at a regular alarm clock..
