| Sony ICFC1iPMK2 Speaker Dock and Clock Radio with iPod Dock (Black) | 
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| List Price: $99.95
Buy New: $81.38
You Save: $18.57 (19%)
Buy New/Used
Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 14 reviews)
Category: CE
Publisher: Sony
Studio: Sony
Brand: Sony
Label: Sony
Color: BLACK
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5
Dimensions (in): 0 x 0 x 0
MPN: ICFC1iPMK2BLK
Model: ICFC1iPMK2BLK
UPC: 027242735798
EAN: 0027242735798
ASIN: B00171MWU2
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Wake/Sleep to iPod, Radio, or Buzzer | | • | Automatic Time Set (ATS) | | • | Automatic Daylight Savings Time (ADST) | | • | Full Function Wireless Remote Control (included) | | • | Dual Alarm |
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Product Description
AM/FM clock radio with built-in iPod dock * for all docking iPods, including iPod classic, iPod touch and iPod nano * backlit blue LCD screen * dual alarm and sleep timer * remote control *
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Nice clock radio that's iphone 3g compatible August 28, 2008
This is a feature rich, sound quality mediocre, that's nice to look at. One of my pet peeves of the iPhone 3g is the inability to wake up to music (other than ring-tones). This will allow you to do just that. It also has a rather cool way of auto-adjusting the time (rather slick!). It has two alarms, radio, a useful and effective little remote, and works with iphone, ipod etc.
That being said, the sound quality is a little thin. Mid rang and treble are present, but somewhat flat, while the bass response is non-existent. For a clock-radio this is fine, but for those of you looking to replace a desk-top stereo, you may want to pursue other options.
 Works well with iTouch after reset August 20, 2008
I just bought this unit today to use with my iTouch and am very happy with it now that it is working properly. At first the only thing the remote would do is turn the iTouch on and off. I did a live chat with Tech support online at Sony and he had me reset the Sony unit and now the remote works fine. I can scroll through my music and pause and turn it off and on. The reset button is in the battery compartment. Now that the remote is working properly we are very happy with the system.
 The best value iPod clock radio gets even better - good sound, great radio August 16, 2008
Last year I bought the previous version of this clock radio (the ICF-C1IP) and was extremely impressed, especially compared to many other iPod clock radios that I tried. This week I bought this updated version for another room, and was pleasantly surprised.
What I've noticed in this updated version:
- explicitly iPhone compatible ("works with iPhone" indicated on the box)
- AM radio reception is notably clearer (and the old one wasn't bad)
- the display is brighter and easier to read (it might, in fact, be a little too bright at the lowest dim level)
- the grille is a dark gray, not pure black as the last model (in my opinion, this has a slightly cleaner look to it)
- sound quality just slightly less bass than earlier version (subtle - probably because of magnetic shielding for iPhone)
How do you tell which version you're buying, aside from the model number? Look for the "MK2" in the product name, as well as the "Works with iPhone" on the box.
Like the previous version, the Sony is fully compatible with my iPod Classic, and the sound quality and radio performance is notably better than other iPod clock radios I've tested.
Sony has done a great job with the ICF-C1iPMK2. It is an upright design, with most of the unit behind the iPod, in a slanted design with controls at the top. The iPod dock accepts universal adapters, but they aren't really needed as Sony has an adjustable supporting plate behind the iPod.
Unlike other iPod clock radios, the Sony does not attempt to duplicate the iPod menus on its display. Instead, the Sony includes a remote control that lets you completely control the iPod menus as if you were manipulating the scroll wheel. Quite impressive.
Sound quality is very good for a clock radio - with crisp highs and even midtones. You may want to play around with your iPod equalizer settings to see what sounds best. (To my ears, "Jazz" EQ setting works well with these small speakers.) Sony includes a simulated mode they call "Mega XPand" that in my experience made the music sound muddied and under-sampled. Your mileage my vary.
The blue-backlit clock is located in the iPod dock area, and 3 brightness levels are available. In my experience, even the lowest setting is a bit too bright, but not enough to disturb me at night. I wish that the display were slightly larger, although the high contrast lets me see the time without my glasses from a reasonable distance.
And, unlike most iPod clock radios, the radio reception is outstanding - with an external AM antenna provided. The unit has dual alarms, which can be set to iPod (you can even select a wakeup volume), Radio, or Buzzer.
On the downside, the battery backup for the buzzer alarm and clock is a small expensive lithium battery (although after nearly a year of use, this battery was still working on my old model). And, if your relying on just the buzzer to wake you up it's not very loud. You also have to be careful when changing the alarms to make sure that you don't accidentally turn the alarm off. But all of these are minor issues. However, these are all very minor issues that don't detract from the unit overall.
All in all, in my experience, this is the best iPod clock radio you can buy.
Display too BRIGHT 8( August 15, 2008
As noted by some others, the display (even at it's lowest of three brightness settings) is too bright and lights up a dark room, if I wanted a night light, I'd buy one.
Early versions of the iHome clock radio suffered from the same problem. I tried a later version of the iHome product (iH8), and it solved the too bright problem by adding lower levels of brightness including no light, but then added an annoying low humming sound (I saw that another Amazon reviewer noticed the same humming sound even on the most current iH9 iHome clock radio), even with nothing on.
Doesn't anyone do quality checks anymore? It's almost as if the people who designed these products (both at iHome and Sony) didn't bother to put their clock radios in a bedroom at night and try to sleep. I suspect, Sony will fix this brightness problem on later versions, just as iHome did after seeing the complaints all over the internet (check Amazon reviews for yourself, many complaints on the iHome iH5).
Well, 2 iHomes returned (iH5 and iH8), and now debating on returning the Sony... I will say the Sony has noticeably better sound quality than the iHomes, and no humming, and is generally very good all around. BUT, when a "CLOCK RADIO" canNOT even get the most fundamentally basic and important functions of what a Clock Radio is (appropriately display the time in a dark bedroom where people SLEEP), that is a problem. Also, the actual clock display of the time could be a little larger, it'd be nice to be able to read the time without having to put my glasses on or stretch over to see the time.
Still looking for the perfect clock radio for my 80GB iPod... :(
Geek's "Dream Machine" for iPhone 3G August 10, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
While getting ready for work and getting ready for bed, I like to listen to podcasts downloaded into iTunes. Prior to buying the Sony Speaker Dock and Clock Radio, I had a cluttered setup on my nightstand, including:
* a clock radio,
* laptop,
* the excellent JBL On Tour Portable Speaker System ( Black ), and
* Apple USB Power Adapter for iPod (White) for my iPhone.
After applying a bit of creative thinking, the Sony Speaker Dock and Clock Radio has replaced all of these as a single device on my nightstand that does all of the above.
How did this replace having a laptop on my nightstand? The solution involves Apple Airport Express base station. I connected the base station's audio output to the Sony's audio input.
Using Apple's free Remote software for iPhone, I can control iTunes audio on any computer on my home network. Since iTunes can redirect audio to the Airport Express, I can listen to podcasts on this device that were downloaded to a computer in another room. If you don't have an Airport Express, you can do the same thing by syncing your iPhone with your computer before bedtime each night.
From the dock, I can even use my iPhone to peek at my email if I'm lying awake at night.
The sound quality on this device is good for a product in this price range. Mid-tones are clear and full. Low bass notes have some slight distortion, and higher frequencies don't have the oomph that they do on my JBL. But as a bedroom entertainment hub, this provides a very good audio experience. Previously I had bought and returned an iHome because of its horrible audio quality, but by comparison the Sony provides a greatly superior audio experience.
Each of the dual alarms allows the choice of buzzer, iPod audio or radio audio at an adjustable preset volume. I configured one alarm for audio at a relatively low volume and the second alarm for buzzer to activate a few minutes later. This combination gives me the opportunity to wake up gradually. (As someone who is not a morning person, I'm grateful for that feature!)
By default, the clock automatically sets the time (provided you enter the correct timezone), and the included button cell battery provides backup for the timekeeping and buzzer functions.
In summary, this product is full of features that are practical and well thought out. If you think about the fact that this produce frees up your USB iPhone/iPod charger for something else, that may help justify the expense.
Be warned that most models of alarm clock/speaker docks for iPod (including the older version of this product) do not work with the iPhone 3G. (Older iPods could charge at either 12V or 5V, but the iPhone 3G charges only at 5V.) If you're interested in another product, be sure it's compatible with iPhone 3G.
Pros
* Good sound quality compared to similar products in this price range
* Digital AM/FM tuner (with 5 and 10 presets, respectively)
* Auxiliary audio input (in addition to iPod dock)
* Compatible with Apple Universal dock inserts
* Allows content playback and charging of iPhone 3G
* Dual alarms can be used in tandem to gradually wake up
Cons
* Fairly large footprint takes up a lot of nightstand space
* Display too bright, even at dimmest setting
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