Brian Cooley
Brian Cooley, editor-at-large with CNET, the Internet’s leading technology news and reviews Web site. Cooley previously was a morning DJ on radio stations including KMEL and KFRC in San Francisco and KKBT in Los Angeles. www.cnet.com
About 90% of Americans listen to the radio on a regular basis. So why not get a radio with great sound quality and reception?
Tabletop radios that provide elite sound quality and reception include the Tivoli Audio Model Two Stereo and the Bose Wave Radio II. The attractive Tivoli comes with a detached speaker for better stereo sound. Price: $300 for the Tivoli, $350 for the Bose. www.TivoliAudio.com… www.Bose.com
A portable radio that stands out is the C. Crane CC Radio-EP. Its sound quality is good for a radio of its size and price. It can be plugged in and used as a tabletop radio at a much lower price than the Tivoli or Bose, or run on four D batteries and be used as a portable radio. Price: $80. www.CCrane.com
Pocket radio. The Sony Walkman Digital Tuning Weather Radio offers durability and strong reception. It provides access to weather radio with the push of a single button and can run for about 40 hours on one AAA battery. Price: $30. www.Sony.com
These devices offer new and potentially better ways to listen to radio—without paying the monthly fee charged by satellite radio services.
Wi-Fi radios provide access to the thousands of radio stations available online without using a computer. Listening options include the online simulcasts of traditional radio stations located anywhere in the world, Internet-only radio stations and Internet music services such as Pandora (www.Pandora.com), Slacker (www.Slacker.com) and Rhapsody (www.Rhapsody.com) that offer a range of musical content, rather than just a single audio feed. The digital Wi-Fi signal can be a lot clearer than conventional broadcast radio, too. The setup and use of a Wi-Fi radio require a bit more effort than a conventional radio. You might have to navigate on-screen menus to find the station you want, rather than just turn a dial. Required: A Wi-Fi signal is needed—meaning that you’ll have to have a wireless Internet network set up where you want to use the radio, but many people already have a network at home or at their offices.
Recommended: Logitech Squeeze-box Radio has a full-color screen that lists song and performer information and, in some cases, displays album cover art. It also can serve as a clock radio. Price: $180. www.Logitech.com
HD radios provide significantly better sound quality than conventional AM and FM. FM HD radio stations sound as clear as compact discs.
Downside: You might not be able to listen to your favorite stations in HD. Only about 25% of the nation’s radio stations have begun transmitting an HD signal as of yet. Check www.HDRadio.com to see if your favorite stations are among them.
Recommended: Sangean HDR-1 features high-quality HD sound and an attractive, old-fashioned wood finish. Price: $200. www.Sangean.com/products/all_series.asp
