Sony ICFS79W AM/FM/Weather Band Digital Tuner Shower Radio (White) by Sony
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Digital camera reviews of Sony ICFS79W AM/FM/Weather Band Digital Tuner Shower Radio (White)
Digital camera Review: Excellent radio!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this radio six years ago, and it's still going strong. Easy to use, crystal clear sound, long lasting battery power...just a terrific little radio. I am puchasing another one only because the factory sealed covering on the off button is starting to wear a little from use, and if it gets wet, I have to let it dry out before I can get it to turn on again. And once it does, it's right back to the same great sound it always has! Highly recommend this one!
Digital camera Review: Excellent sound but not water resistant, beware!
Summary: 1 Stars
I happily owned the analog predecessor to this radio for at least seven years and finally gave up on it when all the knobs broke off after falling on the shower floor. I really cannot complain because I accidentally dropped it. I then purchased this digital version. When I bought it, I was surprised that there was no gasket around the battery compartment. However, the compartment seemed to be designed to drain water away, so I did not worry about it.
Over the year that I used it, I occasionally noticed that the batteries were low. When I checked, it turned out that the water had corroded the battery contacts. The main drawback is that I had to be careful about getting corrosive battery material on my hands and the need to replace batteries that should have lasted much longer if they had not been exposed to water. Cleaning the electrical connections with steel wool generally did the trick. However, after about a year, the metal springs that hold the batteries in place (and provide electrical contact) snapped due to corrosion from the battery acids.
Now, I kept this radio on the shelf in my shower and I typically shower for about 5 min each day. It is not drenched in water, but it did get some drips from the showerhead. In thinking about it, I should have made my own gasket when the radio was new by using silicone caulk after the batteries were in place. This is a odd solution for a major design flaw and would require breaking the seal and putting in a new seal with each battery change.
I went ahead and replaced the metal springs with some careful soldering, then put in new batteries, and sealed it up with caulk. It worked for a few days, and then I noticed the low battery indicator. Apparently the moisture from the drying caulk was sufficient to again cause a corrosion problem. I then removed the caulk seal and gave the radio to a friend. It is sitting in his dry garage and working fine as long as it is never again exposed to moisture. I now have the Sangean H201 and hope that it will serve for many years. At least it has a seal around the battery compartment.
I am therefore giving this product a single star because of this design flaw that could have been so easily fixed. If you have this radio, I recommend that you never get it wet. Since it is sold as a shower radio, this is a clear problem.
Digital camera Review: Excellent...battery miser too
Summary: 5 Stars
I have purchased 4 of these radios...3 for my bathrooms and 1 as a gift. It has a great sound, batteries last forever, and multiple bands...all with digital tuning! A backlight might be a nice addition... My oldest one is 4 years old and I've only changed the batteries twice with everyday use....In short, the SONY shower radio r-o-c-k-s (and also w-e-a-t-h-e-r-s...with a cool, robotic voice).Digital camera Review: Expensive, doesn't sound all that great, but meets my needs just fine
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this radio to replace a 20+ year old GE shower radio that stopped working. It serves the purpose just fine; however, there are 3 things I don't like about it:
1) The sound isn't that great - too much treble, not enough bass. The GE radio I had previously sounded much better and back in the 80's that radio only cost somewhere around $20.
2) The buttons are on the top. I keep the radio up high on top of the acrylic shower/tub. Reaching the buttons is not easy even for me (at 6' tall). It's impossible for my wife without standing on the side of the tub. The GE radio I've mentioned twice already had the buttons on the front, so it was much easier to use.
3) It was a little pricey. I was really looking for something about half this price.
Other that that, the quality of this unit seems good, it has more features than I will ever need, and it seems to work fine for the shower. If it lasts as long as that GE radio I keep mentioning, I'll be happy.
Digital camera Review: Fabulous Shower Radio
Summary: 5 Stars
Excellent shower radio. Preset stations, large buttons (good for when soap is in your eyes). Great sound. Weather radio is perfect for us sailing junkies, you can listen to marine reports while still in the shower. Easy to decide whether to go golfing, windsurfing, or to work. Stands on it's own, so also good for camping & travelling. Never need to worry about it getting wet.
Sony ICFS79W AM/FM/Weather Band Digital Tuner Shower Radio (White)