The audio is a bit on the bass side, even with tone turned to treble, but I have no problem with it. Someone else might.
My favorite stations come in fine. Switching bands / stations is a breeze with pre-set buttons. The tuner will scan (similar to most car radios). The knobs are well labeled, very smooth, and simple to operate.
Limited testing renders DX'ing with U3 comparable to CC Radio on both bands.
The time / alarm are very easy to set. The clock displays the time when unit is turned off. The 2 AA batteries that just run the clock will probably last a year or more. I do not think the battery indicator reflects the strength of the 2 clock batteries. My guess is that when the clock stops displaying, it's time to change the 2 AA's(?).
The "Sleep" mode is handy and easy to invoke. Using it could save some battery life if one should wander off and forget radio is on.
I'm impressed with the build. The roll cage has rubber feet and the radio is mounted to the cage with rubber mounts. It should withstand rough riding and being moved around frequently. The "rubber ducky" FM antenna functions very well and makes moving / carrying radio much easier.
Having only played U3 on the "D" cells for a few hours, I cannot comment on battery life at this time.
The AC wire is on a spool in the roomy rear compartment. Returning the wire to the compartment is not difficult or "challenging", as with many portable radios. The AC plug is 2 prong; no wall wart.
While operating on AC, the battery indicator disappears as an indication that batteries are not in use.
The AC wire compartment has room for my 12V lighter plug adapter & cord.
Sangean should include this wire/adapter or at least offer one as an option. I was able to make one up, but only by luck of having correct parts on hand.
The display is large and easy to see and read.
Display back light remains on for about 15 seconds in both battery and AC mode. This is a good thing, in my opinion, since my CC Radio back light eventually burnt out after a few years of being on with radio always connected to AC. Pressing any button re-illuminates the back light at any time.
I've made no attempts to charge a cell phone from U3. I do not have the required wire for my phone. (No wires come with radio for cell phones or 12V DC input power.)
I'm also impressed with the door on the battery compartment. It has a screw-knob, is hinged, and not likely to fail.
All the auxiliary receptacles have rubber hinged stoppers in them to add to the water-proof integrity. Hand grip is rubber padded and very comfortable; radio is rather heavy (about 9 lbs),yet still easy to grab & go. It's very good for placing on the ground or floor.
Side-by-side, the audio is just as good (for my ears) as my GE Superadio, which up until now, has provided the best audio of all my portables.
Operating the U3 next to my computer, I get no noise on AM or FM.
I'm very pleased with the U3 radio.
I encourage Sangean to offer accessory connectors or at least links for 3rd party providers. Sangean may also care to re-visit the bass level of this radio.
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This Item  Sangean U4 AM/FM-RBDS/Weather Alert/Bluetooth/Aux-in Ultra Rugged Rechargeable Digital Tuning Radio Yellow |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $166.18 | $94.08 | $70.92 | $243.95 | $209.99 | -33% $106.67 List: $159.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Monday, May 6 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Volume control | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Portability | ||||||
| Sold By | VirVentures | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | VirVentures | C. Crane | Amazon.com |
| power source | Battery Powered, Corded Electric | Battery Powered | Battery Powered | Corded Electric | Battery Powered and Electric power cord included | Battery Powered |
| supported bands | AM/FM/WX | 3-Band | AM/FM, AM/FM, AM/FM | AM/FM/SW/LW/Air | 4-Band | FM |
| connectivity tech | Bluetooth, Auxiliary | Bluetooth, Auxiliary | — | Auxiliary | Bluetooth | Bluetooth, USB, Auxiliary |
| hardware interface | usb | bluetooth 5, usb3.1 a, usb c | radio frequency | usb, 2 5 mm audio | bluetooth | usb |
| display type | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | — |
| frequency | 5 hertz | 108 MHz | 108 MHz | 137 MHz | 98 MHz | 108 MHz |
From the manufacturer
AM/FM-RDS/Weather Alert/Bluetooth/Aux-In/USB Ultra Rugged Smart Rechargeable Digital Tuning Radio
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Rain, Dust, and Shock ResistantThe U4 Ultra Rugged Digital Job Site Radio is designed to withstand the punishments of remote job site conditions with IP64 water and dust resistance. Built with a protective roll cage, this radio is shock resistant and ready for any job site. |
Bluetooth and Aux-InThe U4 has the latest Bluetooth technology allowing you to stream your favorite music or programs. It supports aptX decoding for high fidelity music and low latency. Simply touch to pair your device with NFC technology. Or listen to music from your MP3 player, CD player, and other devices via the auxiliary input. There's also a headphone jack for private listening. |
Built-in Smart Battery and Phone ChargerThe U4 features a Smart battery charger that ensures optimal charging of each individual battery. A highly accurate LED indicator will give you the status of your batteries. Plus the U4 has a 12Volt DC jack and USB port that allows you to charge your smartphone. The U4 also has Battery Back up to save your Alarm and station pre-sets. |
Easy to Read LCD Display with BacklightA large backlit LCD display ensures excellent visibility and displays both clock and radio information. There's also a dual alarm with snooze function and adjustable sleep timer. |
Additional Product Features
- Rotary bass and treble control
- Loudness on / off
- Easy cable storage
- Plays on rechargeable and dry-cell batteries
- DC Out (5V / 1A)USB A Type socket for charging mobile Phone or MP3 player
- I/O Jacks: DC in, Aux-in, USB-A Type (DC-OUT)
- 6.5”, 8ohm, 12W Full Range Hi-Fi Speaker
- Battery Back-Up for Clock Time and Station Pre-Sets
NOAA Weather Radio
The U4 features a high performance radio with FM, AM, and NOAA Weather bands. It receives all 7 NOAA weather channels and is a Public Alert Certified weather radio. The U4's automatic alert warns you of hazardous conditions, keeping you and your family prepared.
- 20 station presets (5 FM1 / 5 FM2 / 5 AM and 5 Weather Bands)
- Auto scan stations and adjustable tuning step
- Clock available from FM RBDS-CT
- Dual alarm timer by radio or buzzer with settable alarm volume
- HWS (Humane Wake System) with buzzer and radio
- Adjustable nap timer, sleep timer, and snooze function
Reviews with images
It is blue, but it won't be "something borrowed"....because you can't!
This radio performs very well as the other reviewers have noted. However, there is one thing I'd like to mention that I haven't seen in the other reviews....and it has to do with the "tone" control. Typically, when I listen to other audio devices, I tend to ramp up the low AND high ends a bit with the separate bass and treble controls. I looked at this radio for a while before purchasing it, and one of the things that kept me from buying it sooner was the single "tone" control knob. On most devices with the single control, when you turn it one way you get higher notes, (at the expense of the lows), and the other direction nets you lower notes, (at the expense of the highs). On this radio though, the tone control boosts highs AND lows when you turn it clockwise, and decreases highs AND lows when you turn it the other way. It's fantastic...and I don't know why everyone doesn't adopt it. For music you can crank the knob up and accentuate the highs and lows, and for talk radio you can back it off for more monotone speaking voices.This radio is rugged and attractive, the controls feel sturdy and are very linear, and the sound is excellent...I'm very pleased. I'm considering buying a second one to keep at work.It spends about half its time tuned in to NPR, and the other half tuned in to classic rock stations...and it handles it all wonderfully.(I included a photo to give viewers some scale - next to the radio is a standard 16.9 ounce water bottle.)
Top reviews from the United States
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Top reviews from other countries
Joel MS
Verdaderamente encantado con este radio.
Reviewed in Mexico on July 27, 2017Model: U-3Verified Purchase
RK
good basic radio and music player
Reviewed in Canada on August 6, 2012Model: U-3Verified Purchase
carlweiderick
Full Featured, Robust Radio
Reviewed in Canada on August 24, 2021Model: U-4Verified Purchase
