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I use it mostly for the handy auxiliary port (on the back of the unit) to hook up my ZUNE or my computer (LOVE Pandora). That may be my only issue as a new battery pack is expensive from TEAC (which is the only place I could find it). Bought a renewed TEAC R2 Premium Edition AM/FM Mono Clock/Radio after the battery system failed in my older edition. It gives a no-distortion sound (perhaps a little too much bass/muffle) but compared to the scratchy distorted messes I've tried - it is a dream. But the radio itself is my favorite of all radio's I've tried excluding BOSE. It is so handy - I take it to work, out on the back porch, on a picnic - anywhere. Plus my electronics genius of a husband built a battery pack for my first TEAC and now I have 2. I wouldn't recommend everyone doing this, but he is experienced.TEAC R2 Premium Edition AM/FM Mono Clock/Radio (Black)
The big disappointment is that the battery pack has now died and even though I never planned on using it without power, it will now not work at all. Got this on sale from a local store for a lot less than the prices listed here. I presume that since the battery pack is now dead that it won't pass the power on through to the radio even though it is plugged into AC power. Have been very satisfied with the sound quality and it's reception, although the station that I listen to is very local. I agree that the brightness of the dial is annoying and I had to put some black tape over the LED so that it wouldn't bother me. I haven't yet spoken to TEAC to find out how much a replacement battery pack is. Having the battery pack is a nice feature, but it should work even without a battery pack installed.
IF THE BATTERY BEGINS TO CHARGE THE BLUE INDICATOR LIGHT BEGINS TO FLASH INDICATING THE BATTERY IS BEING CHARGED. IT IS AN ATTRACTIVE ADDITION TO ANY TABLE TOP. THE SLEEP TIMER, THE DUAL ALARMS SET ARE EASY TO USE.THE CONS:THIS MODEL IS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION AND THE REMAINING SETS MAY HAVE BEEN LIKE MINE IN THE WAREHOUSE SO LONG THE INCLUDED BATTERY PACK WOULD NO LONGER TAKE A CHARGE. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THERE IS NO WAY TO DIM THE DISPLAY. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES I SIMPLY TURN THE RADIO SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM THE BED AND SLEEP HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED. ON THE FM SIDE THE RECEPTION IS EXCELLENT. FIRST THE PROS:OUT OF THE BOX THE TEAC R2 IS READY AND SIMPLE TO PROGRAM.
SOUND IS ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS FOR NORMAL LISTENING. AND FOR THE PRICE YOU REALLY CANNOT BEAT IT. THE TEAC R2 IS A GREAT BUYIF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GREAT SOUNDING FM RECEIVER. AM RECEPTION IS EQUALL TO A SMALL AM TRANSISTOR RADIO. AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE UNIT FOR FM RECEPTION, I CAN NOT GIVE FIVE STARS BASED ON ON THE AM ISSUE ALONE. IT IS VERY BRIGHT. IF I NEED ANOTHER ONE I WOULD NOT HESITATE PURCHASING THE TEAC R2 AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE PRICE WAS RIGHT.
I GIVE IT FOUR STARS. IT IS LIKE A SILENT ALARM. I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER BATTERY PACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER.(THEY INCREASE THE COST). AM RECEPTION IS LESS THAN DESIRABLE. ALL IN ALL THE UNIT IS GREAT.
do not buy a Teac R2 radio if you want to listen to a station that has a broadcast tower more than two miles from where you live. To even call the Teac R2 AM/FM a radio is to do a disservice to real radios. It will not pick up any AM signal any further away than that. It may look like a radio but in reality it's designed to best serve its owner more as an overpriced paperweight. Its AM reception was consistently somewhere between feeble and non-existent. Moreover, what others have said about the "flashlight" like qualities of it's display module are also true. After nine months of trying make a go of it with this POS (which wouldn't even work properly when I added a Select-A-Tenna AM antenna to help it out) I've given up and gone to a C Crane CCRadioPlus.
I bought this to use as a radio in the kitchen, maybe use it outdoors once in a while (thanks to the rechargeable battery). Lots of static sometimes--it can be very sensitive to direction of the telescopic antenna and one's proximity to it, more so than I'd expect from a modern FM radio.So though it sounds great, plays your iPod, and looks like a million bucks, I'd only say it'd be worth buying when on sale, due to its reception issues. This isn't a big deal, if you, like me, don't keep the radio in your bedroom.
The inclusion of a battery and an Aux-in jack are a great bonus. I live right in the city, close by to many radio stations. First and foremost, it produces wonderful, clear sound, with deep, rich bass.
The only real gripe I have is with the reception when the detachable wire antenna is not in. It has a quality feel: button and knobs are intuitively placed and of solid construction. As touched upon in other reviews, the lighted display (which cannot be adjusted) may be too bright for some.
I should be able to pull in a stronger signal than I do with this radio. At full price you may want to check out similar offerings by Boston Acoustic or Cambridge Soundworks.
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