Sangean WFR-20 WiFi Internet Radio & Media Player
by Sangean
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List Price: Our Price: $224.36 You Save: $74.64 (25%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sangean WFR-20 WiFi Internet Radio & Media Player
Customer Review: A good quality radio
Summary: 5 Stars
I have just recently purchased a Sangean WFR-20. Here are my initial thoughts. (I will update this posting with additional information, if necessary).
Sound Quality: Good dynamic response for such a small unit, at both low and high volume levels. The unit has a reflex port on the rear which boosts the bass. There is also a noticeably good stereo separation on high bit-rate streams (e.g Radio Paradise).
Build Quality: Heavy duty case**, very solid and sturdy construction. My only minor criticism is that the 'tuning' knob is slightly wobbly, and taints an otherwise robust design.
Software Quality: The radio uses the Reciva software. This is reliable, but seems a tad buggy. For example, when attempting to load "My Stations" while simultaneously listening to a Podcast, it displays a menu load error; Of course, this is not a fault of the WFR-20 itself, and I am certain that firmware quirks like this will eventually be resolved by future `online' firmware upgrades. The Reciva website is easy to use, and I had no problem registering and setting up my radio's station, stream and podcast lists. The Reciva forums are also a good source of information, for example if you have questions regarding setup, connection to Premium streams etc ...
Usability: I found the navigation of the menu system to be straight-forward, using either the `tuning' knob or the remote control. The instructions are almost redundant because the menu system is quite intuitive. The three line display is sufficient to browse station/tracks lists and the horizontal scrolling feature effectively allows long track names to be displayed. That said, I am aware that some less tech-savvy users might disagree with this analysis; the radio's features are not quite as simple as a normal table-top FM/DAB unit, and the display is not what I would consider to be large, or crystal clear. So beware if your fingers are a little stiff, or your eyesight is a little tired,
Connectivity: I had no problems setting up the WFR-20, on our home network. I use a WRT54G Linksys with WEP in B/G mixed mode. After initial configuration I was able to instantly access, browse and play Internet Radio stations and access my WAV encoded music library (Twonkymedia on an NSLU2).
Cost: The WFR-20 is what I would consider to be an expensive unit, when compared to other Reciva based radios. Shop around, because you may find a bargain!
Conclusion:
I am very happy with the WFR-20. It provides me the access to the BBC listen again/on demand streams, which is the primary reason for the purchase. While expensive, the sound quality is better than I expected and the unit has a definite quality feel ... reminiscent of early transistor radios in Bakelite cases! I would recommend the WFR-20 as a good WiFi table-top radio, with any caveats previously mentioned. Internet Radio is still in its early stages, and I would consider this to be a great table-top radio to enjoy the new technology!
** Regarding the case material: I believed this to be plastic when I first wrote the review, however I stand corrected! (Please see first comment). 11/22/07
Customer Review: Best Streaming Media Product I've Owned To-Date
Summary: 5 Stars
Great internet radio. While I've never tried a Roku Soundbridge Radio or Logitech Squeezebox 3, I own 2 Philips Streamium products and an Acoustic Energy Wifi Radio. So I have a good base of comparison.
The Acoustic Energy and the Sangean both run off the Reciva software/platform (Reciva.com), which I like. In addition to the station list Reciva maintains, you can add your own stations and podcasts to a "My Stuff" directory and suggest stations for their main directory. There are numerous other internet radio station directories which you can use to find stations. To find the often hidden URL's of stations you want to add (but aren't in the Reciva database), it's helpful to have a free program like URL Snooper. Otherwise, you often can find the station URL's by viewing the station information within your media player (e.g. Windows Media Player, Real Player, Winamp) once you've loaded the station.
I had problems with the Acoustic Energy Wifi radio (google "AE Wifi speaker crackle"), including low level speaker noise (known defect) and was awaiting the next generation of wifi radios. I found one with the Sangean.
I'm completely satisfied with the Sangean. Clean sound, decent volume level, base & treble adjustment, plus a remote control, which is really handy if you have the radio on a coffee table or bedside table. Plus, if you have a large music collection on your hard drive, you can also stream it via a media server (a good free one is Tversity) or Windows Media share. And the Sangean supports a lot of formats, including FLAC. Reciva supports Real Rhapsody, but so far that's the only paid subscription service they support. However, since Yahoo Music Unlimited recently announced they've sold to Real, when my subscription expires, I may switch over and this would be another use for my Sangean.
I've bought several other radios from Sangean (2 pocket radios and one portable am/fm) and I've never been disappointed with the quality and performance.
Note: The sound quality depends on the individual station's streaming bit rate. To my ear, 128 kps mp3 stations and above sound the best. Other codecs (WMA, Real Audio, AAC) sound good to me at 64 kps and above. There are stations that stream up to 320 kps (e.g. check out Shoutcast directory).
Also, note that some stations won't work (e.g. Clear Channel) due to geographic issues and/or they want you to see their ads on a PC, but there are so many (thousands) of stations that are available, there is something for everyone. And the Reciva database lets you select from either Genre or Country and you can stream from the "On Demand" shows on BBC which is great. Note: Stations sometimes appear and disappear in the database as stations make URL/Server changes or stop broadcasting altogether, but this is the fluid nature of internet radio. Especially the non-commercial stations on the Shoutcast network. I think Reciva does a pretty good job of keeping their database updated though with a daily "pass/fail" test which I assume is automated on their end.
All in all, I highly recommend this radio if you like to listen to internet radio streams and don't want to tethered to your PC.
Customer Review: Stylish, Solid, Sleek, Simple Set-up, Superb Sound.
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, I am a certifiable Cyber-Imbecile for whom anything related to computers or the Internet is at best daunting, at worst threatening. Especially the initial hook-up-and-get-running phase which is generally good for a 50-point blood pressure spike and high-volume cursing.
Not this time.
I had the Sangean out of the box, plugged in, network-connected, and playing Brahms on FM Classic UK, Irish music on Midwest Irish Radio, Old Time Radio's "Horror Theater", and "Streaming Soundtracks" from somewhere in France and a reading of "Dracula" on BBC 7 in just over 5 minutes. And this includes frequent checks and re-checks of the user's manual as I was performing the set-up. It really couldn't be any easier. You can use either the single knob on the radio face, or the nifty little remote, or both. The whole system works flawlessly,
With its matte black grille, multi-purpose single knob and high-gloss piano black case, this is a handsome unit. And the sound that comes out of the dual 5W speakers is, well, amazing. On the stronger signals (96 bphs and up), the sound is Bose-like: Rich and full and clear and room-filling. I intended to buy a pair of auxiliary speakers to use with the Sangean, but now see no need to as it's already like having a mini-concert hall in the room. I'm listening right now to Dvorak's "From the New World" Symphony No. 9 it all its full orchestral power glory. I have to repeatedly shake my head at just how good the sound is that this small unit produces.
The user's manual is thorough and easy to understand, and there is a sort of flow chart fold-out that graphically depicts every function.
Some have complained about how difficult/time-consuming using the multi-purpose single dial is. Not a problem for me, mainly because I mainly use the remote and move around quickly and easily. You can do it all with the remote, including adjusting base and treble, backlight/dial brightness, volume, instant switching among 6 presets (on the remote), and everything else. With it's Reciva-based innards, the Sangean gives you access to nearly 14,000 stations, along with the ability to store your favorites under My Stuff (which, in effect, gives you almost unlimited presets).
You can search by Location (scroll through the list, stop on Ireland or the Cook Islands or Anguilla or wherever, punch the button and almost instantly there is a list of every station in that country (nearly 2,000 in the UK alone), When you find one you want to try, punch the dial and within seconds it's playing. Or search by Genre (rock, classical, 80s, punk, grunge, folk, news talk, jazz, etc. etc.) and get similar lists. You can also scroll through these [...] and Save any you want and they are automatically sent to your radio's My Stuff list, there to access whenever you want to. It's like some kind of wizardry.
It's a lot of fun to listen to some of the Old Time Radio horror, detective, and comedy shows from the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s.
If you love radio, the Sangean is Nirvana. If you aren't yet a radiophile, buy this unit and you will be.
Customer Review: Does well what it is advertised to do
Summary: 5 Stars
This internet radio does well what it is advertised to do. It took me five minutes to set it up to work with my Linksys wireless router. I was able to save a large number of favorite stations as "My Stuff" after registering the radio at the Reciva Radio Portal. The single button/dial system is not difficult to use and, at night-time, in the dark, offers advantages over multi-button sytems.
Pros: Ease of use and set up; the Reciva linked system which enables easy access to thousands of radio stations and streams without having to use a computer; Real audio enabled, which the Roku R1000 is not, allowing listening to many streams, especially great BBC on demand streams, that cannot be picked up the Roku R1000.
Cons:
1. Low power speakers - will be sufficient for many listeners,but audiophiles will want to connect higher powered speakers, i.e. Logitech or Creative, via the auxilliary line out.
2. Does not accept DRM protected files. This deficiency is clearly stated in literature about the radio, and was, thus, not unexpected. Thus, Napster, and other media service files cannot be played on the radio. I do not think there is any device that plays both DRM protected files and Real audio streams, thus, when purchasing internet radio devices, it is necessary to choose between a device such as the Roku R1000, that plays premium service files, but has limited radio stream access, and a device such as the WFR-20 that does not play premium service files, but has extensive radio stream access. This is probably the most difficult decision that any purchase of these devices has to make. Since I enjoy listening to on-demand BBC streams, I opted for the for the WFR-20. I may one day add on a Roku M1000-like device so as to be able to access Napster, especially if Reciva does not add access to DRM streams, as they are, apparently, trying to do. The WFR-20 is not the right device for someone uninterested in international radio broadcasts seeking a device to wirelessly play their premium service playlists/downloads.
3. The clock is only visible consistently when the radio is in standby mode (off).
4. It would be nice if Reciva expanded the genres, eliminated radio stations that failed their listening tests, and subdivided the US stations by state.
5. Some reviewers on the internet have complained that this radio does not pick up analog AM/FM radio stations. I do not see this as a disadvantage. The internet radio probably picks up the local stations digitally via the internet better than most analog radios can pick them up, and a much less expensive conventional radio can be used to pick these stations up.
It can be useful, when looking for reviews, to know that the Sangean WFR-20 is the same as the Roberts WM-201 internet radio. The Roberts name is used in the United Kingdom, and the Sangean name is used elsewhere, including in continental Europe. Although the manual has pictures of the radio with 220 voltage input, the radio, as sold from Amazon in the U.S. has the U.S. 120 voltage input.
Customer Review: this is an amazing radio
Summary: 5 Stars
If you haven't checked out wi-fi radio yet, start here.
This is my favorite new gizmo.
The Sangean model 20 is a table radio, small but hefty, black. It has only one button and an LCD readout that doubles as an easy-to-read digital clock. It has a remote too, one of those small ones. (I found a better, larger, smart remote with back-lighted buttons at Amazon for another $20.)
What's the big deal?
I like radio, mostly talk radio and, by extension, shortwave. At home, especially at night, I get virtually nothing on the AM band and there's not much in my small local FM universe that appeals to me. I looked at adding a big outdoor antenna to my receiver but that was too expensive and too annoying and, best case, I could only hope to "match" the limited reception that I get out in my car. That's not really much of an upgrade.
But, in doing research on antennas, I found out about wi-fi radios.
You don't need wireless internet but you do need a high-speed connection of some kind, like what you get from your local cable company.
That's it. It was literally plug and play. In less than a minute, the radio offered me a menu of thousands of free radio stations on the LCD screen.
I have 6 presets that I can juggle and a folder where I can stash as many station presets as I want.
What kind of stations?
Anything you can think of, anywhere in the world. Unlike that weird mood-specific niche programming that you find on Sirius and XM channels, this is real radio, commercial radio, live, warts and all.
For example...
My presets right now include WMAL (DC), WBAL (Baltimore), WLS (Chicago), WABC (New York), the BBC (there are about a dozen BBC outlets alone to sort through) and Radio Netherlands.
There are hundreds, thousands of live, free radio stations from every part of the world and in every language that you can think of. You can follow any sport, any event, any news, from any perspective, at any time.
Yes, you can hear Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. No, you can't hear Howard Stern (Sirius) and Oprah Winfrey (XM).
Best of all:
1) There is absolutely no static on any station.
2) It uses the same "connection" as your computer but is in no way connected to your computer (unless you want it to connect, like if you wanted to use this box to also play music or pod-casts that are stored on your computer, for example).
3) It is Goon-Proof. You don't have to understand the technology to use it.
4) Once you buy the hardware (some sets at Amazon are cheaper), there are never any fees or taxes or contracts or third-party monitoring of what you listen to.
Tell Santa!
ps: Definitely consider upgrading the remote. You'll be using this radio a lot and big, back-lighted buttons are a real ergonomic upgrade.
ps: It's a nice looking box too, much nicer than you might expect from the picture.