Sangean RCR-22 Alarm Clock Radio In Depth Review

There are lots of radio controlled "atomic" alarm clocks on the market but not many that plug into AC power. And there aren't many that give you the features of an old school alarm clock radio. But here's the Sangean RCR-22, which does those things and so much more. In this In Depth review I go through the functions, features and setup of this alarm clock radio. The model I have is made for the USA market, although there are other variations intended to be sold and used in other countries too.
Sangean has a reputation for making very good radio receivers and this one appears to confirm that reputation. I found that, in areas where there are lots of AM and FM stations available, this one will pull them in as well as or better than any of my other radios. If an FM station provides data through an RDS feature, this radio will acknowledge that data and display it when you press the "Info" button. Also, if an FM station is providing time information through RDS (or RBDS) then this unit can set its time using that data. But it also has a built-in receiver for WWVB which will allow it to set itself to atomic time from the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Colorado. Once it sets itself to atomic time it will check itself every two hours to make sure it remains in sync.
The alarm clock functions include two very versatile alarms which can be set to wake you up to a buzzer or to any AM or FM radio station at the volume level you choose for each alarm. Alarms can be set for a one-time alert or to repeat daily or only on weekdays or only on weekends. In addition, there's a separate nap timer which can be set to any number of minutes up to 2 hours. The nap timer will wake you up with a buzzer. The clock has a snooze feature for the two normal alarms and you can set the snooze to repeat the alarm after 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes. There's also a "sleep" feature which will allow you to listen to the radio for a specific number of minutes, after which the radio will turn itself off. Because the alarms are so versatile, you can fall asleep listening to one station and wake up to another at a different volume!
Overall, it's a great unit and by far the best alarm clock radio I've ever owned. My only complaint is that the dimmer control on the bottom of the unit is difficult to turn. Perhaps I need a small screwdriver to make it a little easier to adjust. Then again, I suppose that once I get it to the setting I want I will probably leave it there for a long, long time. A small button on the front of the unit toggles between full brightness on the display and whatever dimmer setting you have selected.
The RCR-22 has a 3.5mm jack for auxiliary audio input. Please note that while the incoming audio may be stereo the RCR-22 will combine the channels into one mono signal, as it only has one speaker anyway. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack which outputs a mono signal. If you plug in stereo headphones you'll hear monophonic audio in both ears.
Solid, simple to use and packed with features. This is a great product!

[@Sangean1974]

You got the correct pronunciation!

[@bogbel1]

Think I'm going to buy this based on your review. Love how easy and intuitive the controls are. Sangean put in every conceivable feature you could want and yet kept it simple. Thank for the review.

[@GoodTimekeeper]

I still use this as my main alarm clock every morning. I enjoy the once-only alarm setting for those days when my schedule is unusual. So far so good.

[@jamesbronson3347]

Does it have temperature?

[@GoodTimekeeper]

No. This doesn't have a thermometer.

[@idletime]

Afternoon from the high desert of Southwest Idaho 😎 . I just wanted to say thanks and I enjoy the channel. I'm 43 myself and I completely agree and believe it or not I still have a wind-up alarm clock on the headboard of the bed. On the flip side of that coin my Grammy ❤ was being funny one night when I fall asleep on the couch and put a wind-up alarm clock inside an empty aluminum pie pan for me to wake up to. Needless to say, damn that thing was loud 😋

[@GoodTimekeeper]

My wife can’t sleep when there’s a ticking clock in the room so the wind up alarm clock is not an option anymore. But 45 years ago there weren’t as many choices. I remember in 1980 hearing a news announcer on a Chicago radio station describing his alarm set up. He had to be to work early every morning and there was simply no Plan B if he was late. So he kept a wind up alarm clock next to his bed AND had a clock radio. He placed a glass jar with loose change on top of the radio speaker so that it would rattle annoyingly when that alarm came on. Needless to say, he never missed his shift!

[@idletime]

@@GoodTimekeeper Ha Ha, that's completely understandable since my girlfriend is the same way & I bet he didn't. These days I don't even use an alarm clock much anymore cuz everytime I've set the silly thing I always wake up before the silly thing is supposed to go off. Idk if you heard of them or seen them yet but you should call around to the local truck stops in your neck of the woods and find out where you can pick up a Screaming Meanie alarm clock or pick one up online for the channel. It is the loudest damn alarm clock I have ever heard and as stated boldly and proudly all over the Box, it's guaranteed to raise the dead ! . And believe me, there ain't nobody or nothing that's going to sleep through that damn thing when it's going off not even the zombies 😋 ...

[@PaulHVAC1]

Hi Greg. Thank you for the thorough and informative review. I am now going to order one because I really wanted the Atomic time feature. One question- I am use to the Atomic time feature on CASIO and they show a icon to confirm radio reception has been successful. How does the Sangean show you that radio reception was successful?

[@JohnBarrow1961]

You fooled me at first, Greg. I could've sworn from previous videos that you wear your watches on your left wrist, but it's on the right early in the video. Then the two-wristed move is revealed. lol. And yes, I do the same thing sometimes. Watch geek to my very core. Clock radios have indeed come a long way. I think we are about the same age, and I remember the versions from the '70's. In addition to the annoying alarms, I didn't like the super-bright LED displays which would light up half the room some cases, making it hard for me to sleep. For that reason, I usually relied on the old-fashioned Big Ben windup jobs. The Sangean is a definite upgrade. I have one of their portable (transistor?) radio models for emergencies, and it's by far the best of that type I've ever owned. Great sound and reception from such a small package. Cheers.

[@kwacz]

I had an old radio back in the 90s that used a 9 volt battery backup. Was fully functional except no display when unplugged. So everything would run off the 9 volt battery including the alarm and the radio. Just the display was the only thing that did not run off the battery. Never found one like this again.

[@robnowe5464]

Excellent review. I hope you will do more reviews on clock radios. I would love to see a review by you of the Midland WR400 clock radio with weather alerts. Perhaps you could create a table/spreadsheet of the attributes you deem most important. There is so much misinformation out there. Very much appreciate your review!!! Thank you!!!!!!!

[@ronmiller1794]

It would be great to see a video on how the actual atomic clock works. thanks for the good videos.

[@dishboy14]

Great video Greg. Always fun learning new things!

[@jsijanta]

Omg pinky and the brain!!! Can u be my dad? LOL jk.. or maybe how about a long lost uncle? Who else would love to visit uncle Greg for the holidays? Lolol

[@GoodTimekeeper]

The guy who does the voice of Wakko on Animaniacs, Jess Harnell, is also a gem of a human being. He looks like a rock star, has the fashion sense of a rock star and sings like a rock star... I guess that means he’s actually a rock star! I love those guys.

[@teamhonn]

Great presentation. So clear and easy to listen to. Thanks for your time

[@gliveron]

Excellent review of this Sangean RCR-22 Greg, but tell me other than Sangean are you aware of any other brands of am/fm clock radios that offers the radio station pre-select buttons?

[@wyorattler_rawdogs]

How do you turn the alarm on or off or switch between alarms? Seems like we covered everything but that?

[@chrispeterson9345]

Lots of information in this video, nicely done except for one thing: how does it sound?

[@felixt1470]

That’s what I was thinking also.

[@donp2166]

Nice presentation.

[@RebelRobot01]

Have you looked into bluetooth-enabled bedside alarm clock radios? If so, could you please recommend one? I haven't seen many from reputable brands.

[@jhdkoopman2]

Wow, that must look huge on your wrist. What's the lug to lug measurement and strap size?

[@GoodTimekeeper]

I think I’ll need a 150 mm NATO strap for this. Now if only Casio made alarm clock radios I could buy all 10 colors! And I suppose that, technically, I just said I liked this clock with a negative LCD readout.

[@carlweiderick]

Good review - thanks! I need a new clock radio and this might be the one.

[@Woof728]

How does the AM band work? I like to listen to 580 Coast To Coast.

[@DIlic-iz9tx]

Well done for the review. Super.

[@teamhonn]

Got a few clocks on that table.

[@GoodTimekeeper]

Well, I started out with a really big clock collection before I got so many watches... and I still have more clocks than watches... but I am collecting more watches now because they don’t take up as much space.

[@hdofu]

Where can I get that Pinky and the Brain Alarm clock?

[@JustinWillisDevil240Z]

I just bought an atomic wall clock.

[@mikemullenix6956]

No seconds, bummer. But great video thanks

[@stergie7010]

cool alarm clock i see

[@bobmarley6161]

Wow you also collect clock radios.... But that one looks good...... I'll stick to casio watches..... Thanks for the knowledge

[@GoodTimekeeper]

I don’t have THAT many alarm clock radios. :) Maybe if we had better FM radio coverage in this modest little valley I would have more. But this one is definitely my favorite now.

[@khurramzain]

Am I the only one who notice that he is wearing two hand watches. Interesting!

[@idletime]

Kber 101.1 - SLC UT or blackfoot ID.

[@Goldenbaba430]

I think it’s pronounced sans jeans

[@GoodTimekeeper]

I promise not to make fun of the way you pronounce it.

[@christopher9727]

John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

[@thematt5325]

But it’s so ugly. I dig the sangean brand but the design is garish and the color is really unappealing. The rcr-9 is where it’s at. Lastly, good demonstration of all the functions but for being a 30-plus minute review, it would’ve been helpful to give a better demo of the speaker’s sound on FM.

[@GoodTimekeeper]

Well, a couple of problems demonstrating the FM sound through the radio’s speaker. 1) The placement of my microphone would make all the difference rather than the potential of the speaker itself and 2) I am generally very cautious about putting any music on my videos because KZbin is so strict about identifying copyrighted music and then controlling what I can and cannot do with my videos. So I didn’t want that to happen.

[@Nnamdxxx]

Needs USB charger but I ordered one anyway.