Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought two radios simultaneously, the Crane CCRadio-EP and the Sangean named below. I compared them under the Sangean listing, and reproduce that here, also. The Sangean PR-D5 AM/FM radio may be just the radio for you...or not. It all depends on what you expect from your radio - for instance, do you expect to leave it on a table or counter-top most of the time while moving it from room to room only occasionally? Or, do you need a take-with-you portable for your active lifestyle? Is most of your listening FM stereo, or tuning in ballgames from distant AM stations? Are you an AM DXer who enjoys logging those distant stations when conditions are favorable, running up and down the frequencies for hours hoping for a record catch? In addition to this Sangean, I also purchased the C. Crane CCRadio-EP via Amazon on the same day. They are very different units, and each has its strong points. You may prefer one to the other based on some issues mentioned in the first paragraph. Their prices are about the same. The Sangean is a digital model with 5 FM presets and 5 AM. It has two small stereo speakers, clock functions, and is easy and convenient to use. The Crane is qn analog radio, having no presets or clock functions, a single (but larger) speaker, bass and treble knobs, selectable AM bandwidth, a neat lighted dial, and a fine-tune adjustment for AM. Both have very sturdy FM whip antennas, and both have excellent AM antennas, as well. The Sangean has the largest built-in ferrite bar AM antenna likely to be found in this size radio. At almost 8" in length, it does a nice job of receiving AM. The Crane's AM antenna is their twin-coil ferrite bar model which can be somehow electronically manipulated with the radio's separate fine-tuning control - sometimes it allows you to hear stations which were buried in noise much more clearly. If you are an AM DXer, or do a lot of listening to marginal, distant AM stations, the Crane has the edge due to its analog design and its special antenna. However, the Sangean is no slouch at AM - better than most, even - but one notch under the Crane in this regard. The Crane also has the advantage for someone on the go, for one simple but important reason - it has a carry handle. Carrying the Sangean is very awkward, and the grip it provides very tenuous - the owner who carries it often will sooner or later drop it, and that is pretty much inevitable. Could be damaged from a fall. The Crane handle flips down and hides in a nice recess. Both radios sound good...but again different. The Sangean has a leaner, but more refined stereo FM sound, while the Crane has a bigger sound with a bit deeper low end, which I hesitate to refer to as 'bass' for either radio. Both provide FM stereo with headphone use. For near-field listening (such as sitting at hand on a table) the Sangean sounds better to me with its pleasing stereo presentation. Outdoors, or further away, the bigger sound of the Crane suits me better. The Sangean has a sexier look, the Crane looks more traditional. Both are very good at reception - about the same for FM, with the Crane having that AM edge. No handle - what was Sangean thinking? I really love both of these, and between the two they fill my needs nicely, while out-performing every other radio in the house from a reception perspective. While I recommend either, I also can suggest both. Works for me, and my wife loves the Sangean. (Left out mentioning that the Crane's AM bandwidth selector does add another tool for helping keep that distant ballgame listenable. Another point for the Crane.) UPDATE: I've owned this radio for a year now, and it still looks, sounds and functions as new. This is my go-to radio for ballgames on AM. Its sensitivity is great, and the bandwidth and AM twin coil tuning control help with selectivity, too. Also, the swivel antenna and the carry handle both snap into place with a satisfying click which gives the radio a good tactile feel. The switchable dial light was an inspiration in the design of the radio, too. The more I've used the CCRadioEP, the more I have come to appreciate its features and design. It's a winner! FOUR-YEAR UPDATE !!! I have acquired a few more radios since I wrote this review. I have also become an AM DXer of late. Using various vintage models by Panasonic, Sangean, Realistic and Sony and new Kaito and Tecsun models, the CCrane-EP still comes in first place. The Sangean PR-D5 comes closest, but I don't get the chance to get away from the house much, and the EP simply does a better job battling RFI which is electromagnetic interference produced by a gazillion electronic devices common in homes. When the sun goes down and the AM band becomes packed with stations is when the fun begins. The EP simply hears more stations more clearly than any other radio I own, and sounds the best, too, with its large speaker and separate bass/treble controls. The large twin ferrite core antenna built into the radio regularly pulls in stations 700 miles away at night, and sometimes I can listen to KSL out of Salt Lake City, almost 900 miles away! It is fun to try to beat your best catch, so it's a game and the EP is a first-round player. In addition to this DXing game of radio solitaire, the EP is also a winner for listening to MLB and NFL games. If this radio doesn't meet your needs, then you likely need an antenna outdoors. It is simply, imo, the new go-to Superadio. The FM sounds great and is very sensitive, too. And is in stereo via headphones. A real winner. I may get a new one for Christmas just to have a back-up, though I have had zero problems for four years of frequent use.