Wake Me Up Before You Go Go! (Sony ICF-C1IPMK2 Ipod Speaker Dock Clock Radio)

Member Name: hdw4sting

Product:	Sony ICF-C1IPMK2 Ipod Speaker Dock Clock Radio
Date:	27/09/09 (57 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sound Quality, iPhone Compatible

Disadvantages: Bright light LCD

I bought this for my husband's birthday recently, primarily because of the Sony brand. I freely admit that we are a little bit Sony-mad in our house but this is purely based on the high quality products we have purchased from them in the past.

First of all I should state that I cannot vouch for it's compatability with any other Apple items apart from the iPod video classic and the iPhone 3G, as these are the only two I have tried.

General Points:

The unit is larger than your average alarm clock but this is more than made up for by the volumes produced and, with only a very small amount of bass distortion on all but the loudest of settings, the quality of the output is a million miles away from the tinny radio sounds which normally characterise clock radio speakers.

This sound quality has encouraged me to use the unit as more than just a clock-radio to wake myself and my husband up and I now happily use it throughout the day too. Although the unit is not DAB the difference between the two formats is minimal and only those customers who have a portable DAB radio will be in a position to notice.

The only disadvantage we have found with this product is the display is fairly bright, it is enough to provide muted light around the bed and this is on the lowest setting. Not a major problem for my husband but I prefer a very dark room so have just taken to popping an eye mask on instead!

Alarm Functionality:

As an alarm clock the unit is easy and intuitive to set up, it has 2 alarm settings which is ideal for switching between weekdays and weekends and the option to wake up to either the radio, a buzzer or the iPhone/iPod. The display on the front gives all relevant infromation in a clear manner so checking that everything is set as it should be is a breeze.

The unit is supplied with a remote control so you aren't limited to where the appliance can be placed so no issues with trailing cables across the bedroom!

Radio:

As mentioned above, sound quality with the product is high and the presets are easy to program and controls for navigating through saved stations and tuning to new ones are clear and very user friendly.

Again, the display on the front contains all the information you need and the radio can be controlled via the remote control.

iPod:

As the unit also charges the iPod/iPhone it manages to reduce the number of plug sockets needed and means that you are able to keep your phone or MP3 player charged up without even really thinking about it.

You can select tracks and navigate around the iPod using the remote control and so, again, the unit is useful instead of a traditional hifi system.

In summary the product is ideal as an alarm clock or stereo whether you have an iPod or not due to its sound quality, ease of use and slim ergonomic design, particularly now that it's cost has bee reduced by about 40%!

Summary: Great alarm clock even if you don't have an iPod...

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