Think clock radios are inherently boring? Think again. Sangean's RS-332 is a powered speaker and clock radio combo intended to complement Sangean's RS-330 clock radio. When used with the Sangean RS-330, this unit offers stereo sound and complete, dual-alarm, radio-wake-up freedom. The RS-332 is a model of clarity: its fluorescent blue display is large and intuitively laid out, its two alarms are easy to set, and its sound focuses though a single, natural-sounding speaker--identical in size and timbre to the speaker in the RS-330. Audio feeds to the RS-332 through a supplied 18.5-foot multipin cable, which also allows the RS-332 to serve as alarm 2 for a second sleeper in this dual-alarm system. (You can station one clock on either side of the bed.) Through the connection cable, the RS-332 can operate the RS-330, and vice versa.
Conveniently, the RS-332's radio sets its own presets (12 FM and 12 AM) using Sangean's APS (Auto-Program Setting), and reconfiguring those presets is a simple operation. Unfortunately, there's only six preset buttons, requiring a two-step process (and the equivalent of a shift key) to access presets 7 through 12 in either the FM or AM band.
Clock settings are a cinch, as the RS-332 uses a single button (just out of accidental reach) to toggle through the main clock time and the settings for alarms 1 and 2. Using the RS-330, you can set each alarm to wake with either radio or beeper, and the alarm for the RS-332 gets its own volume knob on the unit's back panel.
The alarm level functions independently of the master radio level, whether you've selected the radio or the beeper for your alarm. This brings a certain freedom in listening--you never have to worry about whether you've left the volume too loud or too quiet for the next day's wake-up. For the alarm, the radio switches to mono reception, rather than stereo, so that the first alarm to go off will not disturb the person whose alarm is set to go off later.
For radio listening, a large side knob handles volume adjustments; you control bass and treble from the Sangean RS-330. The RS-332 has a volume control switch on the back panel. When you switch this on, the master volume knobs for the RS-332 and RS-330 operate independently of one another--you must listen carefully to match the level for balanced stereo sound. When you switch the volume control off, however, the RS-330 controls the master level for both radios, though the alarm levels are still set independently.
For nighttime lullabies, the RS-332 offers a Sleep function. The default setting is one hour, but you can set it anywhere from one minute to six hours by hitting Sleep and adjusting the duration with the tuning (up/down) buttons. Conversely, you can set a countdown timer for up to six hours using a Timer button. The beeper, but not the radio, sounds at the end of the countdown.
You even get to choose different stations to fall asleep to and to wake up to, though both alarms must wake to the same radio station since the radio-alarm defaults to preset 1 of your last-auditioned band (FM or AM). (Linking with the RS-330 permits additional and differing presets.) The snooze bar, which gives you five minutes of sleepy reprieve with every smack, is easy to hit and appropriately wide.
For a winning combination of stylish appearance, alarm flexibility, and pleasing sound quality, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better choice than the Sangean RS-332/RS-330 combo. --Michael Mikesell
Pros:
- Intuitive controls
- Alarm level separate from radio level
- Good-sounding speaker
- Nicely positioned volume knob
- Stately appearance
Cons:
- Limited number of preset buttons requires use of a shift key to select stations 7 to 12
- Display doesn't show time and radio station simultaneously
