Sony ICF-C318 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio with Dual Alarm (Black)
Sony ICF-C318 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio with Dual Alarm (Black)
Stylish Design takes up a minimum of space on the nightstand, desk or dresser. Visible 0.9" Green LED allows the large size numerals to be seen easily, even at night.
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 6.5 x 3.5 inches ; 1.3 pounds
- No Power, No Problem Alarm System
- Automatic Daylight Savings Time
- Alarm Volume(High/Low)
- Programmable Sleep Timer
Product review:
The ICF-C318 has four new buttons, switches and controls and a feature that make it a more desirable model than the earlier versions:
a 3-level brightness button
a two-level buzzer volume switch
a second alarm mode rotary switch
a second alarm time setting control
the 'No Power No Problem' feature
The alarm clock will still sound even if the AC power is off when the alarm was set to ring. The brightness control was a feature requested by many users of the ICF-C218 who complained it was too bright in a darkened room. There is no doubt that the display of the newer ICF-C318 can be set to be very dim. Thus it is great for those insomniacs bothered by the 'nighlight effect' but at its brightest setting it is still too dim to be seen clearly in a brightly lit room.
The alarm buzzer is not really a buzzer, its a peeper and the two level slide control has little noticeable effect on volume. The problem is that its just not very loud either way. When ignored the alarm peeps more frequently. If you need a really loud alarm, you will be safer using the radio alarm rather than the buzzer. The rotary switches to set alarm mode (off, buzzer, radio) are improved in that the indicator on the switch is a larger, more visible groove than the the tiny, hard-to-see pit of the earlier model. The alarm time set knobs allow a new time to be set very quickly and easily; they are just a little clunkier looking than the sleek recessed toggle control of the earler model. The 'No Power No Problem' feature is the best new feature for this unit that sets it apart from the ICF-C218. I expect my alarm clock to work at a very high level of reliability, a power outage is no excuse for failure of that function. In this regard, the ICF-C318 performs as expected, but the ICF-C218 fails miserably. If the alarm mode is set to radio and the AC power is off when the alarm should ring, the ICF-C318 uses the buzzer (peeper) alarm instead; the buzzer probably drains less energy from the tiny backup battery than the radio.
The radio portion of this clock radio performs adequately. The sound can be quite clear for a strong station but it is obviously not high fidelity. The radio portion of this unit is just gravy - the alarm and clock function are the only real crucial parts to me. It seems to keep good time. I synchronised it with an atomic clock initially and a week later see no difference between the two when they were compared again. Clock time is maintained by a Li wafer battery even when the AC power is off; I don't know why they didn't use a more common, cheaper, higher capacity backup battery like an AA. The clock will perform automatic advance and setback of the time for regions that follow daylight savings time. Fortunately, this feature can be disabled for regions like the state of Arizona that do not use DST. By comparison, Emerson clock radios that have 'SmartSet' are crippled - DST advance and setback cannot be disabled.
For more details, please check out Sony ICF-C318 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio with Dual Alarm (Black)