Eton Sound 100 AM/FM Radio, Black
By: Eton Average Rating: 3.0 Total Reviews: 30
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 On: 2008-05-29
I purchased this item on a whim as I needed a radio in the bathroom. The sound quality is great if you love a lot of bass. Sometimes with the exhaust fan on (or other noise in the room)the bass is all you hear so keep that in mind.
The good:
In a quiet room the sound quality is great.
The remote is simple & functions very well.
Setting the alarm & time is an easy process.
The bad:
Turn off the sun! The stupid digital display is so bright it makes roosters crow.
The bass is too pronounced for my taste & there is no way to reduce the effect.
Overall -- for $30 delivered Im pleased but not ecstatic.
On: 2008-05-14
The audio quality and reception are very good, and are certainly a big improvement over the standard clock radio that it replaced for me, but the blue beacon light coming from the display is TRULY ANNOYING, and Im not sure I would have bought it if I had realized how aweful the light would be in the nighttime bedroom. I have to cover it with an envelope to survive it. Eton SHOULD do something about the display. Ideal would be control of light intensity, as well as what information is shown (currently, the station frequency shows in big characters when the radio is turned on, but the time is so small that it cant be read if you are several feet away). If we can order customized computers for under $1000, why cant someone build the radio I want for under $100? Remember, you heard it first here....
 On: 2008-05-07
My initial reaction was not helped by my receiving a very obviously used or repaired repackaged unit from Amazon when I supposedly bought a new one. This is becoming too common with my online purchases.
I am a fan of some of etons portables, which I have found to be serious radios, but I am at a loss to understand how a unit with this discontinued non-docking Sound 100s manifest poverty of features could command a $150 MSRP, which seems to me to be at least three times too high by any objective standard. The five memory presets per band are inadequate, as is the lack of indicators (even for MUTE) on the bright but unevenly-illuminated readout, the difficulty in manual tuning or the complete absence of tone/EQ adjustment in a radio with such exaggerated bass.
The sound and tuner performance are adequate, but nothing exceptional.
[Ive since discovered that changing stations with the remote frequently resets the current stations memory number to that of the desired stations; if you try to switch from station E with memory setting 5 to station D with memory setting 4, Station E will remain on and have both memory settings 5 AND 4. VERY annoying! Not only is the memory function on this radio minimal to begin with, it doesnt even work reliably. This item goes back today!]
 On: 2008-05-07
The Eaton sound 100 is a small radio with a big clean/clear sound.....it will not rattle your windows but it does have an impressive punch.....this little radio is suitably sized for a small nightstand by the bed, & provides outstanding presence as its style says "i may be small but i am stunning & sophisticated"....well, stunning is something of a stretch.....but not much.....performance of course is dictated by the strength of the signal a station is sending & Eatons ability to recieve it....so it is fortunate that the radios receptive powers seem very good....the radio is easy to use as controls are simple & straight forward....the remote performs well & should wear well as it sports a "membrane" covering that protects the buttons & allows an easy clean up should it get pizza sauce/soda ect on it....as far as the clock/alarm funtions go, i have yet to explore their functionality....& as far as that goes more than likely i wont for awhile as i bought it for the radio, its looks & quality....not because i need an alarm clock....overal i am quite satisfied with this purchase...two thumbs up for Eaton.
On: 2008-05-07
Bottom Line: This is a good radio that picks up all the stations, looks very modern, is small, and can plug into or output to any source. I bought this for my 8 year old son at the Amazon sale price and am very pleased. The silver model looks great with his 3G Blue Nano. He uses a cheap iPod AC Adapter I had laying around and an extra speaker wire to connect his Nano to the Line In on the back to wake up to his favorite Itunes playlist via the alarm function. He was able to understand that hitting mode does 1. FM, 2. AM, and 3. AuX (iPod setting.) For a kid the blue backlight on the display is a good nightlight. For an adult this is the only radio in my house that can get the flagship AM radio station clearly and picks up the FM band great. I made him 5 FM presets and he is able to use the remote or just push the button if he wants to listen in. This is a small radio that sounds good for a kid and at the Amazon sale price it was a good buy. My son likes having alarms and clocks and this one goes with his space themed room. When his friends come over they can use the speaker with iPods or listen to the radio and dance around like kids do. The buttons work well with their small hands and they enjoy the remote. His sister is jealous because her very similar radio doesnt have the remote (:
On: 2008-05-04
This radio failed my first basic requirement for any electronic purchase: can I use it without looking at the manual. In this case, I couldnt because the set was in some kind of "safe mode." Safe for who? Im pretty electronics-literate - I can get just about anything to work, but this radio stumped me.
Reception: I wanted this radio to listen to baseball games in my studio. I live in a sort of valley where reception is difficult. The radio can bring in the station I want, but not without a little static. Its possible of course that I could fine-tune it, but that would mean reading the manual... ok, Ill do that eventually.
Sound: I havent listened to music on it, just the baseball games, and the sound is good. Not tinny. But not enough better than the Sony shower radio I was using in the interim between the old radio dying and this one coming in the mail.
I got the red one because Amazon was selling it for $50 less than the black one. If you want one, try to find it for around $100 or less - its not worth more than that.
 On: 2008-04-29
i love this alarm clock i wake up to the radio every morning, its pretty small but it sounds like a stereo! i love the sorta retro/modern design too.
On: 2008-04-05
I purchased this radio for $40 on sale, and that price one should not complain. (And from the good reviews here it is just possible that the batches are of uneven quality.) But if this is anyones idea of "high fidelity" sound, they are used to explosive boom boxes or cars with street-demolishing subwoofers. The bass is cranked up too high to be pleasing for voice: I listen to NPR mostly, and sometimes classical. What I did was put some duct tape over the rear bass port: this is an odd solution for a radio that sells for $150 and pretends to sonic fidelity. No tone control is preposterous at that price point. The tuner is only fair; we are 25 miles from Chicago, and some stations are not strong. My small Grundig (Eton) shortwave radio pulls in stations 50 miles away. Still, handsome, convenient with the remote,and a good deal on sale. But dont pay full price.
On: 2008-04-03
Purchased from Amazon on sale for $40.00. I own two Tivoli Model Ones and a Bose Waveradio II and a Grundig S350DL (an Eton). The sound and reception on this radio is not comparable to any of the above radios. The Tivoli Model One is close to the same form factor but is miles better in terms of sound and the radio. Of course you lose the remote / presets / clock function.
Pros: Cheap if purchased on sale.
Small form factor.
Slim remote - similar to what is included with the Bose Waveradio II.
Battery backup.
Cons: Poor sound.
Average to poor reception.
LCD backlighting is not adjustable, may be a problem if used as a nightstand radio.
Minimal clock functions (very small snooze buttons, alarm options, etc).
On: 2008-04-02
I found the sound of this device to be very rich and suitable for radio. When connected to other devices via the Aux input, the sound, by default, has too much bass. For me, that wasnt a problem because I was able to neutralize the excessive base with my MP3 players custom EQ function.
The build quality of the radio feels cheap, but its light and has great sound with little distortion when the volume is cranked up. Another good thing is that the AC adapter that comes with the radio has a very long cord which allows the radio a good range from the outlet.
My only real problem with this radio is the extremely bright backlight for the LCD. My solution was to put electrical tape over the plastic flap that guards the LCD from scratches during shipping. When Im ready for bed I just put the flap with the electrical tape back on. It would be much better to have a switch for the light.
On: 2008-04-01
Excellent sound, reception is great (I am only about 50 miles from the stations I have tested, however). The remote is small but it WORKS.
On: 2008-03-18
It has excellent reception and good sound quality. I use it double as radio and computer speaker to save space of my desktop, replacing my Logitech 2.1 speakers. Though not as good as the Logitech one as a computer speaker, the sound from this small box is much better than most TV sets. That is good enough for me.
 On: 2008-03-17
While this unit looks nice, it sounds awful. The bass is pumped way up and there is no way to turn it down. The result is that I can not understand voices on the radio and music sounds AWFUL. While I do not expect much from what is really just a clock radio, this is worst I have ever heard in a radio.
In addition, instead of having the power cord connect direct to this radio, they use an external "wall wart", which is so large it covers both of the AC outlets when it is connected.
I am returning this it is so bad. If you do try to buy this, do not pay over the $30 to $40 that it gets put on sale for.
On: 2008-02-29
Just wanted to reiterate, the back light on the clock is very bright, nightlight like bright. The radio and remote both work well and overall I am satisfied with it but if I paid more (got on sale for $40), then I might be dissapointed.
On: 2008-02-29
When was the last time you had a digital clock which couldnt keep time? Heres your chance to get one! It loses several minutes a month.
The display can only be read if you are looking head-on (e.g. no off angle visibility).
This is probably ok as a radio, but not suitable for use as a clock or clock radio.
Sound is OK.
On: 2008-02-24
First, I should say that I am, overall, very happy with this radio. The reception is great, the sound is deep, the remote very helpful, and combined with the ability to set it to turn off in 15 minute increments while I fall asleep listening to NPR is a huge plus. But, there is one downside to this unit.
I would recommend against placing it next to your bed angled toward you if you plan on actually sleeping; the display is pretty darn bright.
Ive walked into my room and not needed to turn any lights on; easily guiding myself around my furniture by the light of the display alone. And, if you start fiddling with the settings, the displays turns even brighter, my eyes adjusting a bit before continuing. But, I wont give up my Eton! So, for now, a Radiohead jewel case finds itself sitting high and dry against the Eatons display window each night.
On: 2008-02-22
I Have Bought Many Radios But This Is The Best I Have Ever Had! Great Price & Very Clear Sound!
On: 2008-02-01
Picks up weak signals well. Great sound out of such a small box. The alarms and remote work well. However, could be vastly improved with a red LED display rather than the bright, bright panel which doubles as a night light!
On: 2008-01-27
Its a pretty decent set-up. Nice rich sound and it looks pretty nice. Just tried the remote yesterday andf it doesnt work, hopefully its a bad battery... Overall worth the money.
On: 2008-01-19
This radio alarm clock is decidedly second rate. It is had to program, cheap feeling and even lacks a dimming feature for the LED, a feature that is essential for a clock radio that has an alarm feature. Stay away, there are much better options available for less money and from better names.
On: 2008-01-06
Was planning on using this as a bedside radio/alarm but am having second thoughts. The display on this is bright enough you would think there was a night light in the room. Worse you cannot read the display unless you are looking straight on and your eyes are adjusted to the brightness. The snooze button could also use some improvement. It is not easily distinguishable from the other buttons located nearby which could cause you to accidentally turn off the alarm rather than turn on snooze.
The fm tuner works well and brings in many nearby stations with excellent reception. This may be due to its long telescoping antenna. Didnt have as good of luck with am tuner, as it only brought in a few stations. Also no complaints about sound quality of radio.
The remote is slim-style cell-bat powered and contains all the functions that are available on the radio unit itself, so if you have the radio stationed away you can get by with using just the remote.
I would recommend this radio but there is probably better options out there if you want a good quality fm radio that doubles as an alarm clock.
On: 2007-12-23
Like the previous poster I am a radio nut/collector.
I have owned several Tivolis, as well as a Sangean WR-1 and WR-2. They all have their strong points and weaknesses, but this is a strong competitor to any of them, and the price is right when Amazon runs a sale.
I use the iPod dock version daily in the office and this version in the kitchen. I like its tone better than the Tivoli or Sangean (a little less bassy and more clear).
Am and Fm rececption are fine in the locations I use it. It sounds good, and is well made. Looks better in a modernish space than the Tivolis or Sangeans.
On: 2007-12-12
Not much to say here other than you can do much better with much less. I am a radio collector and right now you can do much better with a Sangean WR-1 or WR-2. This radio feels cheap and has an external power supply. Sound is about the same as a $25 no name unit you can buy at any department store.
On: 2007-11-28
I got this radio from Amazon when it was on sale (gold box deal). Ive been using it to listen to AM/FM stations as well as connect my MP3 player to it. Overall I am happy with the purchase. Some of the pros and cons of this unit are:
Pros:
Excellent AM and FM reception
I do like the design and styling (I got the silver version)
Remote
Aux input
Audio quality is good for a unit this size
Cons:
No EQ/Tone control
Can not use external antenna or wire antenna
On: 2007-11-27
great little radio, the price on amazon could not be beat. small and simple yet strong sound and the tuner picks up stations much better than other radios I owned. I wish the display could dimmed down a bit.
On: 2007-11-09
I use as a bedside clock radio. Maybe that was not the market segment originally intended, as it is awkward at those functions.
Sound and tuning are exemplary. No complaints there. Its the bloody snooze button and the brightness of the display that make it a poor bedside clock radio.
The snooze button is tiny, about 1 inch by 1/4 inch, result: it is hard to hit precisely if you wake in a clumsy fog to the alarm. Aggravating the snooze button size issue: it is located right next to the alarm on/off button, so if you miss the snooze button you may accidentally hit the on/off button which will result in the alarm cycle being turned off.
The display backlight light rivals a light house. It lights up the entire room. Ive got to find an adhoc way to dim that, or this radio is destined for the office.
Id give this 4 stars as a bedroom clock radio... five stars as a table radio. The sound and tuning are quite satisfactory.
On: 2007-11-06
As a highly-satisfied owner of a Tivoli Model One and Three (the clock radio version) who regrets picking up the over-priced, overrated Tivoli iPal (no power), I needed a good excuse to purchase the Eton Sound 100. One of Amazons "Lightning Deals" and the coming of Christmas gave me the excuse. I didnt even plan on trying the radio out, and the objections of some of the reviewers--to an illuminated display or a "plastic-looking" cabinet-- struck me as of little to no consequence. But curiosity got the best of me, so I did the side by side, Eton Sound 100 vs. Tivoli Model One comparison. Conclusions--
Sensitivity: The Tivoli pulled in my favorite fringe FM stations (60 miles out) more effectively than the Eton--clear, no static, no fiddling with the radio or its little "hang-tail" antenna required. The Eton, on the other hand, definitely required extension of the antenna, and I had to try numerous lengths and positions to get a clear signal. Also, I noticed that it was extremely sensitive to my physical touch, using my body as a kind of antenna. When I walked away from the radio, the static resumed. AM was another story. Award that round to Eton.
Sound: I experimented with speaking voice from FM broadcasts and music from a Panasonic CD player. The Eton has more bass "volume" than the Tivoli (which isnt exactly lacking in that department), registering a pronounced, even dramatic resonance when the bass player suddenly dropped to his lowest string. Its also a slightly more "mellow" sound, reducing by a slight margin the hissing of sibilant consonants or the highs of sizzling ride cymbals. But suddenly making the switch to the Tivoli Model One made me realize why Im so fond of this radio, which is practically the identical size of the Eton 100. The sound of the Tivoli is simply more natural, with greater life and presence. Add the satellite speaker with the Model Two or Three, and youve got a dandy stereo system indeed. (On both the Eton and Model One, I could advance the gain all the way and achieve floor-shaking loudness with no distortion, rattles, buzzes.)
So if you dont care about the clock radio, remote control and absence of pre-sets, its the Tivoli Model One for my money--decisively. If you want a good-sounding, high-end clock radio with remote, presets, and at 50-100 bucks less than the Tivol Model Three, its the Eton 100. And if you prefer late-night AM talk radio or sports play-by-play to NPR and FM music, the Eton is probably the better "conversationalist." A final potential deal maker/breaker: if like me youre tired of and overstocked with wall warts (AC power adaptors), the Eton (like most clock radios including the Model 3) comes with one; the Tivoli Model One does not.
On: 2007-11-05
As a satisfied owner of a Tivoli Model One and Three, I needed a good excuse to purchase the Eton Sound 100. One of Amazons "Lightning Deals" and the coming of Christmas gave me the excuse. I didnt even plan on trying the radio out since its a gift, and the objections of some of the reviewers--to an illuminated display or a "plastic-looking" cabinet-- struck me as of little to no consequence. But curiosity got the best of me, so I did the side by side, Eton Sound 100 vs. Tivoli Model One and Three comparison. My findings--
Sensitivity: The Tivoli pulled in my favorite fringe FM stations (60 miles out) more effectively than the Eton--clear, no static, no fiddling with the radio or its little "hang-tail" antenna required. The Eton definitely required extension of the antenna to get an equally clear signal. Also, I noticed that it was extremely sensitive to my physical touch, using my body as a kind of antenna. When I walked away from the radio, the static resumed. AM was another story. The Eton out-scored the Tivoli in selecting and holding on to the AM stations in the Chicago-Milwaukee area.
Sound: I experimented with speaking voice from FM broadcasts and music from a Panasonic CD player. The Eton has more bass "volume" than the Tivoli (which isnt exactly lacking in that department), registering a pronounced, even dramatic resonance when the bass player suddenly dropped to his lowest string. Its also a slightly more "mellow" sound, reducing by a slight margin the hissing of sibilant consonants or the highs of sizzling ride cymbals. But suddenly making the switch to the Tivoli Model One made me realize why Im so fond of this radio, which is practically the identical size of the Eton 100. The sound of the Tivoli is simply more natural, with greater life and presence. (On both the Eton and Model One, I could advance the gain all the way and achieve ample loudness with no distortion, rattles, buzzes.)
Clock-radio: My wifes pet peeve with the Model Three is that she cant set two alarms, the first to radio and the second to a buzzer; my problem with the Model Three is that its on a 12-hour cycle, and beeps every afternoon when Im the only person in the house. Hence, a decided advantage in this department to the Eton Sound 100 (though my wifes problem is probably best addressed by a Boston Acoustics Receptor, which I have yet to try).
Bear in mind that comparing high-end radios so close in quality and price is necessarily a highly subjective, personal experience, with variables ranging from the individuals musical preferences to the weather outside to the end of the room or side of the bed the radio is on, and even two comparable radios can disagree about which side best accommodates their needs.
These arent recommendations--just one reviewers conclusions: If you dont care about the clock radio, remote control and absence of pre-sets, its the Tivoli Model One for my money--decisively. If you want a good-sounding, high-end clock radio with remote, presets, and at 50-100 bucks less than the Tivol Model Three with its problematic alarm, its the Eton 100. And if AM is still part of your life, its the Eton 100. A final detail worth mentioning: both the Eton 100 and Model Three come with fairly generous-sized wall warts (AC adaptors); the spartan Model One does not.
Addendum: At the risk of offending the Eton fans (or maybe its my breath), Ive had a chance to spend some time with the Boston Acoustics Receptor clock radio and found it preferable to both the Tivoli 3 and Eton 100. More compact than either (no wall wart accompanying it), 2 truly independent alarms, a beautifully conceived tuning dial (no poking at little buttons or hunting with a manual tuner), and competitive (at the least) sound and reception. I still have the Eton Sound 100 and a recipient who would prefer the Eton Ipod Dock model (priced considerably higher than what I paid for the Sound 100). The answer, Im hoping, will be a universal iPod dock made by Belkin and going for about 40 bucks. Admittedly its not a stylistic or color match, but if its functional, close enough.)
On: 2007-10-28
The Sound 100 is the latest in Etons product family. As a stand-alone radio this device is average. The model with the iPod dock is a cut above and more worth consideration for only $30 to $50 more.
Eton Sound 100 iPod Dock, White
Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock, Black
The speaker is monaural, but optimized to prevent distortion. At the highest volume the sound gets tinny but doesnt hiss. If you like modern design, the Eton is one of the best looking. It is sleek, COMPACT and light.
But there are shortcomings. The internal AM antenna is below average. You can use an external one, and most users will need to.
There are only 10 programmable station presets. The RDS broadcast data is only 8 characters at a time. The screen is hard to read; you have to be right in front of it. There are no external RCA, speaker or subwoofer jacks, only line out. There is no EQ, treble or bass control and no way to adjust the backlight.
Why only 10 presets? Why no speaker or subwoofer jacks? Why didnt they add Short Wave or HD capability?
If you only need an alarm clock radio, there are other options. This unit is above average on FM but below average on AM. Products by Sangean, BA and others have higher ratings at this price.
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, Black
Sangean WR-3 AM/FM Digital Table Top Radio
Boston Acoustics Receptor Clock Radio (Platinum)
If you are VERY picky about sound and want a nice compact radio alarm clock, this unit will mostly appeal to Eton purists who prefer this design. Definitely compare before you buy. Enjoy!
Pros
+ Very nice iPod serial interface for optional Dock
+ Line-in and auxiliary jacks for MP3 players and other devices
+ Good speaker sound with surprising bass
+ Shielding protects the radio from interference
+ Battery backup possible for power outages
+ Nice alarm clock function
+ Nice looking design in a small and LIGHT form factor
Cons
- No equalizer; no treble or bass control
- Requires external antennae for good radio reception
- No RCA jacks or stereo connections for external speakers
- No Subwoofer connector - only standard stereo line out
- RDS only displays 8 characters at a time
- Backlight is not adjustable; you must be close to it to read it
On: 2007-08-09
I compared this unit to a Sangean WR-2 and felt the Sangean was a better buy, having more features and better value. The WR-2 also looked much more attractive, and the wood cabinet certainly seemed much nicer than the ordinary plastic used for the Eton.
As far as features, the Sangean has RDS reception, bass and treble control, a knob tuner for the digital radio frequency (easier to select a station quickly), and a dimmer with variable intensity. The Eton is a tad easier to use as an alarm clock, and has a theoretically superior extendable metal antenna versus the rather cheap Sangean wire tuning cable.
In terms of sound, both radios sound rather good, considering they have a 3" mono driver in the 5-7 Watt range. Good sound, clear enough. "Room-filling"? Not likely, but also not needed. Both units use a bass port but IMO the Sangeans wooden cabinet gives it somewhat better bass extension. The audio adjustments on the Sangean are useful, to trim or add bass and treble as needed depending on broadcast nature.
Sensitivity: Both units proved less sensitive than my Onkyo receiver tuner. This is expected, and acceptable as I planned to use the table radio at work, but was still a bit of a donwer after reading all the verbiage from both mfgrs about how exceptional the tuning capability of each unit was.
FM: In the radio hell that is the NYC airwaves, the Eton managed to tune in 29 stations, while the Sangean tuned in 27. (The Onkyo receiver tuned in 34.) The Sangean however tuned in my favorite stations better and the RDS info for the stations that offered it was great. The more expensive $200 Eton Sound 100 with Ipod Dock offers RDS (plus the Ipod dock) for $50 more, but IMO for $150, RDS function should be included.
AM: The Eton was much better than the Sangean here, but AM programming and audio quality in NYC is especially wretched. I never listen to it except for rush hour news and traffic. The superiority of the Eton here is pretty meaningless in my personal case. And again the Onkyo was better than the Eton, so this is hardly a super machine...
Evaluation: The Eton looks like a hunk of ugly plastic. It sounds ok, and tunes slightly better than the Sangean in terms of pure number of stations it can bring in. However, in terms of features, aesthetics, and build quality, the Sangean is the winner in my eyes. Also, the Sangean can usually be had for somewhat less than the Eton Sound 100, so the value is all the more exceptional.
If all you want is tuning capability, you could get the Boston Acoustics Recepter (which out-tunes both of these guys) but has even more limited features for the same list price. If you want more of a balanced product, the Sangean is a better deal.
On: 2007-08-08
I compared this unit to a Sangean WR-2 and felt the Sangean was a better buy, having more features and better value. The WR-2 also looked much more attractive, and the wood cabinet certainly seemed much nicer than the ordinary plastic used for the Eton.
As far as features, the Sangean has RDS reception, bass and treble control, a knob tuner for the digital radio frequency (easier to select a station quickly), and a dimmer with variable intensity. The Eton is a tad easier to use as an alarm clock, and has a theoretically superior extendable metal antenna versus the rather cheap Sangean wire tuning cable.
In terms of sound, both radios sound rather good, considering they have a 3" mono driver in the 5-7 Watt range. Good sound, clear enough. "Room-filling"? Not likely, but also not needed. Both units use a bass port but IMO the Sangeans wooden cabinet gives it somewhat better bass extension. The audio adjustments on the Sangean are useful, to trim or add bass and treble as needed depending on broadcast nature.
Sensitivity: Both units proved less sensitive than my Onkyo receiver tuner. This is expected, and acceptable as I planned to use the table radio at work, but was still a bit of a donwer after reading all the verbiage from both mfgrs about how exceptional the tuning capability of each unit was.
FM: In the radio hell that is the NYC airwaves, the Eton managed to tune in 29 stations, while the Sangean tuned in 27. (The Onkyo receiver tuned in 34.) The Sangean however tuned in my favorite stations better and the RDS info for the stations that offered it was great. The more expensive $200 Eton Sound 100 with Ipod Dock offers RDS (plus the Ipod dock) for $50 more, but IMO for $150, RDS function should be included.
AM: The Eton was much better than the Sangean here, but AM programming and audio quality in NYC is especially wretched. I never listen to it except for rush hour news and traffic. The superiority of the Eton here is pretty meaningless in my personal case. And again the Onkyo was better than the Eton, so this is hardly a super machine...
Evaluation: The Eton looks like a hunk of ugly plastic. It sounds ok, and tunes slightly better than the Sangean in terms of pure number of stations it can bring in. However, in terms of features, aesthetics, and build quality, the Sangean is the winner in my eyes. Also, the Sangean can usually be had for somewhat less than the Eton Sound 100, so the value is all the more exceptional.
If all you want is tuning capability, you could get the Boston Acoustics Recepter (which out-tunes both of these guys) but has even more limited features for the same list price. If you want more of a balanced product, the Sangean is a better deal.
On: 2007-05-22
Its not a bad table radio; it sounds pretty good and AM/FM reception is good. I like that it has an external FM antenna (but it lacks any connections for an external antenna). The bad things are the cost, the backlighting, and the difficulty in setting the time.
I got mine for around $135 with shipping. The Sangean WR-2 which is a much better radio sells for about the same amount if you do a bit of shopping. I paid considerably less for my WR-2 than the list price on the Eton 100.
The backlighting is not adjustable! And at night its BRIGHT like you can see across the room in the dark bright. If you need to sleep in a dark room this not the radio for you.
The clock settings revert away from set mode so quickly that its hard to set by the tone of a time service.
If youre looking for a really good table radio I suggest the Sangean WR-2. The backlighting is adjustable (you can also turn it off). It sounds better and the treble and bass are adjustable (the piano finish wooden cabinet in white or black is especially nice.
While Im not sending it back--if I had bought this radio retail, Id probably take it back to the store and order another Sangean WR-2.
On: 2007-02-28
I just received my black Eton Sound 100, which I put in my computer room, five feet away from the computer so as to avoid computer interference. Take my word for it, a nearby computer really compromises reception and signal strength on ANY RADIO. So for your computer office, I recommend a radio with a remote so you can keep your radio several feet from your computer. The Etons remote works fine from several feet. Lucky for me, the Eton has proven to be my best choice for my office here in Los Angeles. With the telescopic FM antenna positioned slightly right, all my FM stations, including the weak 89.3, come in loud and clear. Better yet, I dont have to get up and move the radio (its internal AM antenna) to find the sweet spot for AM stations. 640, 790, 710, 1150 and others all come in loud and clear. I have to give the Eton a grade "A" for reception.
The Eton is my best looking radio. Part modern, part retro, with a polished black shine, it is sleek and attractive, my favorite radio in terms of pure looks, even better looking than my Tivoli Songbook. At this price point, the Eton Sound 100 must be compared to the Tivoli Songbook, the Sangean WR-2, and the Boston Acoustics Receptor, all more or less priced the same, depending on sales. As a radio hobbiest, I have all 4 radios. Ranking them, Id give the Eton a slight edge over the WR-2 because its telescopic antenna brings in better FM while AM is equally strong on both. The Sangean has a slight advantage in that it has manual tuning; in contrast, the Eton must be either toggled (a very slow process going from one band width extreme to the other) or tuned with digital memory presets. You will want to put in the 2 double-A batteries so you dont lose your presets as the Etons most glaring weakness is how slow it takes to tune with the toggle buttons. On balance, I think the Eton beats the Sangean WR-2 for the following reasons: Slightly better FM, telescopic antenna (the Sangean has a pigtail FM antenna), better looking, sleeker and smaller footprint. Id say the sound is deep and rich on both radios monoaural speakers.
Comparing the Eton Sound 100 to the Boston Acoustics Receptor is really hard for me because of the 4 radios mentioned, I love these 2 the most. I think I like the bright sound of the BAR the best but it has no remote or telescopic antenna. Nor does it have a headphone jack. So it is relegated to the kitchen where it does an excellent job. If you can pick one up on sale for 100 dollars or so I think the BAR is great for a room in which you dont need a remote or headphones.
I must say the Tivoli Songbook takes a distant fourth place. Slightly weaker reception and the fact that its design is such that it easily flips over puts it in last place.
For an attractive bedside or kitchen radio with remote control, presets, unique retro design, and strong AM/FM reception, go for the Eton Sound 100.
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