Review on 🎵 Sangean U3 Digital Tuning Radio: AM/FM Ultra Rugged & Water Resistant - Blue/Black by John Warren

I've owned this U-4 model for a week and decided to leave a review which I'd like to see here. IMPORTANT: When reading reviews OR ratings here [and particularly elsewhere on Revain] it is important to understand which model is being referred to. This group of ratings/reviews includes 3 different models from the last few years. This review is for a U-4 purchased in August 2018. Let's start with the negative: ------------- ------------- CONS - JEERSVOLUME - fair. It will NOT kick you out of the room, let alone the garage or store. Let's put it this way if you have 30 people at a medium sized backyard party: the volume is good for a 40+ crowd. For 30 year olds or under this may not be loud/crowded enough. It's not loud enough to blow up power tools or carry long distances. This unit features a 6.5" 15W speaker which is discussed in the SOUND QUALITY section below. THE WEIGHT. It's quite heavy, around 14 pounds with batteries. Smaller people/women may find it uncomfortable. SIZE is approximately one square foot. Images in Revain often hide the size of the product in order to sell it. This radio is NOT small and not designed to be carried on the shoulder to walk on the beach or even carry long distances to get to your destination. RECEPTION can be erratic although I haven't fully tested this yet [takes time]. This works fine for me, but I'm in a major metropolitan area with lots of stations BLUETOOTH RANGE - Average for Bluetooth radio, which is typically half of what it's rated for, which is 30 feet for this device. Don't expect a decent connection beyond 20 feet line of sight. This works best if you stay close to the radio or just leave your phone/device with the radio on while driving. CHARGE YOUR PHONE - Only charge your phone when the radio is off, even if it is plugged into the wall. The 1 amp max charge is limited for most phones, but it gets the job done. DESIGN - Well-built, durable/bulletproof design. The radio connects at just 4 points, 2 on each side as shown in the pictures. It's bonded to the shock bushings, meaning the plastic half-frame is designed to withstand a bump or drop (although I wouldn't test that). It has a very solid, well thought out design. The ingenious thing is that you can operate this radio from all sides and from above if you want to move it [regardless of whether from the car, workplace, etc.]. It has a good power cord attachment that doesn't get in the way during normal use. WEIGHT - Yes, it was in the CONS section, but again, here's what I'd expect from a typical radio for work: it won't tip over that easily, even if you kick it or hit it with a board, for example. Since it's almost square, it's sure to hold its ground at just under 14 kilos. DUST/WATER RESISTANCE - IP64. Dust and dirt will not enter this radio to interfere with its operation, meaning it will perform in any messy shop or outdoor environment. dirt and more. This device is NOT waterproof, but is splashproof, meaning it can withstand rain. The power connectors are covered with rubber and the battery compartment is securely sealed with an O-ring, preventing water from entering the batteries. Apart from being completely waterproof, this radio has a very good rating. [Now don't try to lower it into the water!] INTUITIVE FEATURE DESIGN. This radio has MANY feature options, most of which won't take days reading the manual to find out. Sangean has taken care to make this easy to understand and user friendly. Accessing most of the features is also quick and easy, following common sense. In other words, learning how to operate this radio will not cause you any stress. SOUND QUALITY - although there's only ONE 6.5-inch, 15W full-range speaker - the sound can be quite pleasing, thanks in large part to the ability to separately control bass and treble. It's the key to enjoying your hard rock song, smooth dinner tune, or ball game exactly the way you want to hear it. Most workplace radios don't offer this at all. Also, the bass can be over-tuned, which is nice! This radio has a rich, full and high-quality sound. It definitely does NOT sound cheap like many other expensive radios in its class. FEATURES - Currently there is simply no other radio with as many great features you have in one radio. I won't list them all here, but some of the best on my list are: smart charging for NiMH or alkaline batteries, Bluetooth, bass and treble controls, NOAA weather radio with alerts, alarm clock (2) with sound or radio, phone charger, 20 preset channels, easy access. I am currently giving this review a 4.5 but will update if necessary. I hope this helps and I'll try to answer your questions.