Radio Reviews

I received my order from J&R within a day! The shipment was rapid indeed! The CD player has a alot of added features like FM/AM radio, weather, and TV stations. The CD player works well, but as other reviewers have noted the cover is a little loose, but does not effect the smooth playing of your CDs. I am pleased with the sound quality of the CD player. The weather band is a little staticky which probably is the same with many other weather band radios, and perhaps, the area in which one lives. The FM/AM radio is clear. TV features is ok but sometimes staticky when you move a certain way. Head phones are comfortable.
Overall, I am pleased with this purchase and probably will buy another one as a gift since it has quite a few features and is moderately priced. It's a wise purchase for the money!!

This is a good CD player, it has digital am/fm radio, tv reception, an weather reception. These work fine, but get a little staticy. The CD cover is also a little loose. This player also has anti-shock, either 48 seconds, or 12 seconds. Overall, I would say this product is a good buy.

Well I had been shoping around for weeks & weeks for a new portable cd player for that the one I had burned out after 7 years of use. When I started the shop around I said that I was looking for a portable CD player that can play CD-R/RW CD's along with a radio & I ran across this CD player. What made me start to look deeper at this player was the fact that this was an Aiwa product & the price for all the features.

CD Player: This is a good CD Player. It has a resume feature which will let you stop in the middle of a track & start exactly where you stopped the CD player. Also you can set a program to play certain songs in any order that you please. Also the CD player has a non-skip feature at either 12 seconds or 48 seconds, so that you can jog with the unit if you please. This player also plays back the recordable CD'S good.

AM/FM Radio: The AM/FM radio really good, the reception is pretty good. You can also preset numerous stations for memory. When the FM Radio is in stereo sound.

TV Radio: The TV tuner is a VHF tuner only but has good reception also.

Weather Radio: The weather radio was low & has a lot of static, but maybe that depends where I was located, so I'm still exploring with the weather radio.

Other notes: This player has 38 hour playback on battery power. Also this unit includes DSL sound (bass boost) for richer sound.
The unit runs on 2 AA batteries (not included) or electric by using a DC adapter (not included).

Overall I give this CD player 5 stars & very pleased with this selection.

I bought this system for myself last christmas, about 12 months ago. The sound was great, I even played with the Karoke. The alarm worked fine. I play mostly CD's and the 3 cd changer worked fine. I tried the tape player and that's good also. However, the CD player just gave up the ghost. Don't know why. It tries to start but fails. I know they only warranty the units for one years but I think they should last longer than that.

I got this system for christmas and it was the best present ever. It was EZ to set up. It has so many features on it like kareokee (?) and even a game. But the best part of this system is the bass. It has turned my old CDS into great CDs and its got BBE which enhances high pitched stuff. The tuner is great after you set up the FM radio antenna (?). I haven't tried out the AM radio yet but nobody listens to that. Its so easy to get any radio station; you just set a # for a station and press that # to go to it. CHA-CHING! I have 18 station presets. The tape works fine and it records stuff on tape fine. Theres a timer which wakes me up to the Beastie Boys every school day. Also the display is awesome! The only thing about this system is that its 200 fricking watts which is enough to blow out all your windows man! I listen to it on 10 of 50 and its sooooo loud. Bt thats coo'. So get this system instead some hurtin' sony that has no bass!

There are several reasons to select this unit over all others in this catagory. The karaoke feature,the high wattage and most importantly the bi-amp circutry. The bi-amp feature is most important in a low cost unit because it isolates the low frequency and allots 80 watts. The higher frequency drivers have their own 20 watt amp. If you listen carefully you will appreciate this. The Karaoke feature is a blast and works quite well! The clock and timer are a great idea. No more getting up in the middle of the night to turn off the music. Also the ultimate alarm clock! A well thought out and executed design. Past experience leads me to beleive that this unit should last quite a while.

I've been comparing FRS radios for some time now and found that what the manufacturer touts as five mile range is not always so. I am also an amateur radio operator and have been curious about how well the GMRS radios perform in the field. So far I have tried three kinds. The Motorola Spirit (1 watt) the Cobra PR 900 and now the Cherokee GR715. The Motorola Spirit has a good range for 1 watt as well as some handy features. I do think that this one will provide at least twice the range as FRS radios. I've been able to talk to a friend while in the country as they were driving in town say (3-4 miles). The Spirit is GMRS only so don't expect to chat with your FRS buddies.

The PR 900 had many features such as vox and scan and BIG lighted display. However, the range did not seem any better than my Ranger Plus FRS radios. Dissapointing. They were returned.

As to the Cherokee GR715 I performed the following tests. Bench testing with digital watt meter into a dummy load showed the GR715 putting out more than 4 times more power than one of my other 500 milliwatt radios. The GR715 battery pack consists of 6 Nickle Metal Hydroxide batteries which yeilds around 8 volts. Alkaline batteries would yield 9 volts. Frankly this is a BIG deal. What most people overlook is the fact that you cannot expect a full two watts out running on 3 or 4 AAA batteries. It is possible to get it but the trade off will be a huge drain on batteries. This is based on the flow of current formula P/E=I. So it is no shocker to read reviews of combo FRS/GMRS radios which sport tiny battery packs that don't live up to the range promises. There's just not enough voltage and current to deliver the wattage output ExI=P. Look at most commercial radios as well as amateur handhelds. The recharge power packs are BIG. That's no accident. The bigger the battery tank the more juice to transmit and longer standby time. I found the GR715 range increase over my FRS easily twice the distance. Also be aware there are other considerations when buying a GMRS. Is the antenna removable? (FRS radios are not allowed to have removable antennas) If you antenna does not unscrew then there is a good chance the radio was built for FRS not GMRS standards) Also there is a 500 MW power limit on FRS radios. Actually licensed GMRS users can legally run as much as 50 watts of transmit power. There are also some outstanding prices on this radio. I suggest looking around. For the money I could not pass this radio up. I spent the same amount on each one that I spent on my first Motorolla FRS when they first entered the market. I still have more field testing to do on this rig but so far I think it's a keeper. There are other GMRS radios that are reported to have slightly better range such as the Motorolla Distance Plus (2 watt) but for the price,features and ease of use the GR715 is hard to beat.

I have used the product for about one month. Range is better than standard FRS units but not as good as professional GMRS models. Build quality so far is good and the features are nice. I tried a few add-on antennas (Pryme RD-9 was one)to see if I could increase the range. So far, the antenna that comes with the unit does the best job (I am no radio engineer so don't take my results too seriously!). I also have the Audiovox GMRS 1525. The Cherokee is the much better choice (but I would still recommend the Audiovox over a FRS-only model as the range is better). It has better range, better batteries and offers more features and build quality. Remember, your 2-way is only as good as the weakest 2-way in the group so be sure to buy two!The GMRS frequencies are the way to go as the FRS-only ones get too crowded. However, be sure to follow the FCC rules when broadcasting to keep the frequencies uncluttered.

The GR715 is a very appealing, compact and solid-designed radio! External buttoms easy to use and set. Transmission performance, is limited to about 1 mile. In the city the range was about one mile, very clear up to that point, then static and choppy audio. In the field (Liberty State Park, Jersey City NJ) the range was somewhat greater! However, reading most ads-"range up to 5 miles"- is an exaggeration! Would an extended range antenna be a solution?

Gorgeous may be subjective but the sound of this radio says it all. I find it very pleasing to listen to and very balanced between the highs, lows and the mid-range. I listen to jazz and can hear all the nuances that other radios were either missing or blurring. Super clarity. Surprising volume. High quality. Let me say it...for the discriminating listener! Small footprint. Can be used in RVs and boats (can use DC). I also listen to CD recordings using my CD player and its great. The only thing I find myself missing are the little digital buttons which allow you to move between stations. But if I have to give that up for quality...hey! I am more than willing. Everything went into the building of this fine component and I am thankful that it is available at such an unbelievable reasonable price.

This is my first review of any product but I am so impressed by this radio I've been moved to do so. It is rare to find a product today with beautiful anolog design and quality materials/ craftsmanship. this radio is heavy, probably a combination of the metal/real wood and 3" magnet. The sound is very impressive for a mono, small speaker device. The radio this one replaced could not get half of the stations this one can.. Really, this thing pulls in stations from 60-80 miles away and the local stations here in SF no longer have the loud static & cutting out. I wish all products were this refined, instead of the disposable plastic landfill most companies dish out. This radio will become a family heirloom. Seriously, treat yourself to the kind of quality that has been almost forgotten.

I own two of these and have given many as gifts. This is, simply put, the standard against which other table radios should be judged. There are no "bells and whistles," just the things you need for great reception and great sound. This radio will pull in stations you didn't even know you could get and will make your favorite stations come in better. On top of that, it will make any radio station you listen to have the fullest sound possible. Too often, radio listening gets tiring because the sound is so harsh and tinny. No more! The Model One is an absolute pleasure to listen to and will fill even a good-sized room with crisp, full, realistic sound. On top of that, the styling is beautiful and will add a touch of class to any room. This is the best [item price] you will ever spend.

This is an excellent little radio. Its diminutive dimensions belie the extremely rich, full sound that the Model One produces. Unadorned by all of the knobs, switches, levers, lights and other inputs that clutter most modern radios, it has an appearance that could be described as retro, even austere by the standards of today's gadgets. With just three knobs to tinker with (Off/FM/AM; volume, and an analog tuner), it's refreshingly simple to operate, a fact reflected by the Owner's Manual being not much more than the size of a postcard. Tuning is extremely easy and accurate, facilitated both by a 5:1 gear ratio on the tuning dial - allowing you to make very fine adjustments - and by a light on the front panel that gradually brightens to indicate the best signal strength. Tuning on this radio is actually a pleasure - I find myself spinning the dial for the sheer enjoyment of seeing what I can find.

Anybody interested in the Model One should also take into account what it is not. First off, it's not stereo but mono. Those who simply cannot tolerate a radio without stereo should consider its big brother, the Model Two (essentially the same radio with an extra speaker). But the Model One being in mono is not so much of a limitation as a deliberate design choice: excellent sound in a single, small package. That being the case, this is the perfect radio to unobtrusively fill space-starved locations, like the kitchen or office, with superb sound.

Unfortunately, a few flaws in the Model One prevent my giving it 5 stars (I'd give it 4.5 if I could). As another reviewer has noted but I think is worth reiterating, the volume dial is extremely sensitive on the low end. This can be pretty frustrating, as the slightest twitch of the finger on the dial makes for significant volume variations at the lower volume settings. As a result, I spend more time than I think I should making tiny adjustments in the bottom 10% of the dial, while the remaining 90% remains largely ignored. My only other complaint, albeit very minor, is that plugging a CD or MP3 player into the unit disables the radio, and the only way to reinstate radio play is to physically unplug it. This seems to be a function that could and should have been on the front dial and would have avoided unnecessary wear and tear on the rear inputs. As I understand it, this was remedied on the Model Two.

Despite its minor shortcomings, the Model One is a fantastic little table radio. If you're looking for a compact radio that delivers amazingly full and rich sound at a reasonable price, it's a fine choice.

The Pros: Great sound, small, retro-looking, easy tuning, easy on the ears and eyes, back panel connectors so you can patch in your iPod or CD player, use with headphones, even has a record-out if you want a nice clean mono signal to record, accepts either 117V AC house current with supplied cord, or can be powered by 12 VDC. Sounds good with everything from jazz, classical, rock, country and voice.

The One Small Flaw? The volume control isn't consistent at lower volume levels. If you're trying play this really softly, it's hard to adjust between very very low volume and slighly louder very low volume.

(Note: I own the black/silver version, but didn't see it listed elsewhere.)

Quite simply, the Model One is a good little table radio. It won't wash your clothes or even play a CD, but it does one thing and does it very well.

Perhaps more important than the sound, the Model One has a very nice FM tuner. Reception is superb (Better than anything I have seen without a large antenna), and the tuner is very accurate, so you can easily tune in on as station as best as possible.

The sound is good for something so small: quite full, and no major flaws for such a small unit, although it does sound unspectacular by any means when compared with a full sized stereo, it was never meant to compete with that.

If you are looking for a little radio for the bathroom, home office, or kitchen (It'd even be a fine addition to the office at work, if some soft music is acceptable), or anywhere else you might want the addition of some music without a hassle, the Model One is a nice little radio, and I'd strongly reccomend it.

I was very disappointed. First, it's too thick to be a travel radio. Next, the snooze button does not work when you wake up to the radio mode but only to the beep alarm.

ITS GREAT ITS 3 PIECES HEAD SET AND RADIO-CLOCK-ALARM0, AND COMES WITH A TAPE PLAYER IT REALLY NICE AND IT IS A GREAT IDEA FOR A CHRISTMAS PRESENT OR BIRTHDAY PRESENT ITS GREAT

This is a great radio. If you travel every time, this is your chance to be always on time, plus in the streets, plain, train, car, you can listen your favorite Radio Station. Excuse my English, I'am form Venezuela.

I was very disappointed. First, it's too thick to be a travel radio. Next, the snooze button does not work when you wake up to the radio mode but only to the beep alarm.

ITS GREAT ITS 3 PIECES HEAD SET AND RADIO-CLOCK-ALARM0, AND COMES WITH A TAPE PLAYER IT REALLY NICE AND IT IS A GREAT IDEA FOR A CHRISTMAS PRESENT OR BIRTHDAY PRESENT ITS GREAT

This is a great radio. If you travel every time, this is your chance to be always on time, plus in the streets, plain, train, car, you can listen your favorite Radio Station. Excuse my English, I'am form Venezuela.

CD player malfunctioned after minimal use and Sony will not stand behind their product. Sound was very good, but what good is it if the CD player malfunctions with minimal use. Multiple other owners of Sony BoomBoxes have reported similar problems. Bottom line, Sony is poor quality and does not stand behind their product.

I agree with the prior reviewers that this has "great sound," and (for a boombox) great weight.

MINUSES: The FM tuner, in stereo, has competitive sensitivity but compared to my JVC (RM-SACBM5J) boombox very poor selectivity. The display is small and hard to read (which for some applications is trivial). Were it not for the FM tuner I would have rated this 5 stars.

PLUSSES: The subwoofer produces genuine subwoofer bass (as comparison, I have subwoofers in two of my cars), the highs are clear, and remarkably with the subwoofer at max power (choices are: Off, 1, 2) the batteries last 30+ hours at volume loud enough for a swimming pool (where I use 2 of the 4 CFD-G70s that I own.)

Very good box with great sound. This boombox is designed to be played loud, the woofer kicks in at higher volumes, and reproduces low frequencies well and clean. Great to have a line-in input, this works great with portable MP3 players. A little on the heavy side. Excellent value.

This boombox is a piece of junk. I had to return it because the cassette tape player made so much noise that I couldn't even hear the tape playing. The top to the CD player wouldn't open very easily and the whole thing just seemed like it was made really cheaply. Many of the buttons on the front didn't even line up with the holes they were in. I was also surprised on how big it was. I didn't think it would take up that much room. I would not recommend buying this boom box at all.

I decided to buy this box, after checking out the sound quality and volume strength of four higher-priced boomboxes. When compared with the equally-priced Sony CD-R/RW Boombox with Digital AM/FM Tuner (Model: CFD-S26), the sound quality was slightly higher, though this Aiwa model has no presets for stations you like, as an option. The Sony has presets, but didnt have the compact design and sweet sound of this bad boy.

The power cord is detachable, making things nice and easy for travel, and this unit is surprisingly light, but not at all cheap-feeling, as the first reviewer stated. After touching and fiddling with every boombox at ...this one and the Sony were the more sturdily built of the entire selection. The contol panel is nice, and its solid color and sleek design are very elegant and low key. It's an adult's boombox. ...

I hope this review helps anyone who is having as hard a time as I did figuring out the best buy on a boombox. Good Luck.

This little boombox delivers extraordinary sound quality. I took it for a test drive using a classical music CD, featuring many instruments, comparing brands for sound quality, right on the store shelves. The comparable Sony was pretty good, but this Aiwa just blew me away with its sound reproduction, even with stringed instruments. It was a very noticeable difference in sound quality. Nothing else on the shelf came even close. The radio presets are a bit hard to find, but it does have this feature. The volume is sufficient for one room, and there is NO distortion even at max volume, but don't expect it to fill the whole house with sound.
Pros:
- Sound quality +++++ (in the "Wow' category)
- No distortion
- Easy controls
- Digital tuner
- Excellent value
- Great for an office or room
Cons:
- Max volume could be a bit louder, however, it was no less than anything else on the shelf in its price/size class.

You won't regret buying this excellent boombox.

I have used both Motorolla and VTEC. And the COBORA had the worst range of all brands. Very staticy at even 100 yards.

I bought one of these mainly because of the built in radio to use at the gym and it of course also doubles as an frs radio. Only drawback is the lack of ctss codes and the roger beep cannot be turned off. Does have a call button. If these aren't a problem and you want a dual purpose radio, these are fine.

Used it up in the mountains (washakie wilderness) with lots of trees to interfer however that was not a problem, it had better then a two mile range, Once I was in the creek bottom and was able to talk to the others at camp a good 3 miles a way and the camp was surrounded by trees