SONY ICF-CD837 AM/FM Stereo Clock Radio with CD Player

SONY ICF-CD837 AM/FM Stereo Clock Radio with CD Player
Manufacturer: Sony
Product Type: CE

Editorial Review:
Product Description
Wake up in style with this clock radio by Sony. Don't let the space-saving design fool you. This multi-function dream machine lets you wake to CD, radio or alarm - and insists you stay up. Built-in compact disc player provides digital quality sound in a convenient table-top size unit. Digital Tuning provides the most accurate drift-free tuning of AM and FM radio stations. 3-Dimensional Speaker provides sound from two full range speakers plus a bass resonance port, for excellent full range sound quality from a tabletop-size unit. Voice Time System allows the unit to not only show the time on the display, it also can literally tell you the time through a voice synthesized simulated voice message. Dual Alarm permits setting two separate wake-up times, especially useful for working couples. 5 Station Presets provide for convenient one-button electronic tuning of your choice of five favorite AM or FM radio stations. High-End Design makes this an ideal clock radio for modern bedrooms or for use as a high quality desktop or tabletop sound system. Sound Effects Generator simulates two different soothing sounds so you can choose the relaxing sound of a babbling brook or the gentle sounds of birds in a forest. Mega Bass Sound System produces rich, deep bass tones for a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. One Button DST Adjustment shifts the time back or forward one hour to conform to seasonal changes in time. Fwd/Rev Time Setting with individual forward and reverse buttons for each alarm for faster, easier setting.
Amazon.com Review
If you're looking for a serious clock radio with terrific sound as well as a bevy of useful features, Sony's ICF-CD873 is definitely one to consider. It comes equipped with a CD player, a digital AM/FM tuner with five radio presets, a pair of 2.5-inch stereo speakers with a built-in 3.5-inch miniwoofer, and Sony's Voice Plus system. You can even jump between standard and daylight savings time at the push of a single button.

The ICF-CD873 also has a dual-alarm system: alarm A wakes you to the CD, while alarm B wakes you to either your favorite radio station or one of three sounds--buzzer, bird, or river. Another sweet touch is the three-position volume setting for the alarms, which lets you decide the exact level of sound you want to be awakened by.

There are a few disappointments. Although the sleep/timer can be set to shut off after 15, 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes, it works with the radio only. We wish we could drift asleep to a calming CD, or the bird or river sounds. Plus, there is no battery backup, so if the power is out or the clock in simply unplugged, after 20 minutes the clock shuts down and the alarm settings are lost.

In order to accommodate all these features, the ICF-CD873 is a bit larger than most clock radios, but with its deep gray housing and royal blue grille it retains a clean, contemporary look.

One thing that won't disappoint is the ICF-CD873's remarkable sound, which ranks with the best we've heard from a clock radio. The speakers are small but exceptionally clear, with good separation and balance. And because the ICF-CD873 has a relatively beefy amplifier, it plays at loud levels with low distortion. Mega Bass not only works but has a continuously variable level control between its minimum and maximum settings. This makes a huge difference in the unit's overall tonal balance. The tuner does a great job of pulling in radio stations, and if you want to listen to music without disturbing your spouse there's a minijack for headphones.

Serious? Indeed! Sony's ICF-CD873 is about as good as it gets when it comes top-flight clock radios. --Wayne Garcia

Pros:

Terrific sound
Easy to set up and use
Adjustable Mega Bass
High-quality tuner
3-position volume setting for alarm
Daylight-savings button
Shuffle mode for CD playback
Large snooze button

Cons:

No battery backup
Sleep/timer doesn't work with CD or sound effects
No independent level settings for CD playback and CD alarm
Nature sounds are short (4 seconds) and of poor quality

Amazon.com Product Description
This model of the Sony Dream Machine line, which comes with a built-in CD player with shuffle/repeat, is designed to add the features of a CD stereo to your wake-up routine. It has 3D surround-sound speakers, including a centralized woofer. The Voiceplus system verbally announces the time and guides you through alarm setup and other features. With the nature sound alarm you can wake to the sound of a flowing stream or bird song. The alarm can use any track on the CD to wake you up, and the phase-locked-loop synthesized tuner has five random memory presets for easy, one-button tuning of the AM/FM radio. The unit also calculates daylight savings time.