Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony ICF-C492 Large Display AM/FM Clock Radio

I'm extremely near-sighted, so I needed a clock with an extra-large display. After searching through dozens of listings, I finally settled on this one. Overall, I'm very happy with it.

First, the good:
- The adjustable dimmer dial is very nice to have, since most digital clocks have only a toggle for "Dim" and "Bright" (and "Dim" usually is still far too bright). With the dial on this clock, you can go from full brightness to near-invisibility.
- The controls to set the time are excellent; you can adjust the time fast-forward, slow-forward, and fast-reverse. So changing your alarm time from, say, 8:00AM to 7:45AM is very easy.
- The radio reception is fine for me, and the sound quality quite good for a clock-radio. The volume, of course, can be soft for a gentle wakeup, or ear-piercingly loud.
- The clock can display seconds (press and hold the SNOOZE button) if you need it.
- The green glow of the numbers seems much less harsh at night than a typical red LED.
- The numbers are fairly large.
- The clock is sturdy, with a wide base (to prevent being knocked over when you thrash at it to turn off the alarm) and good, solid-feeling controls. It feels well-built.
- The dual-alarm system works well for me - gentle radio to start with, harsh buzzer later if I still refuse to get up.

A few things I don't like so much:
- I wish the numeric display was larger - even at 1.6 inches, it's still a little too small for the very nearsighted to see without squinting. 2-inch-high numbers would have been better.
- The brightness of the individual numbers (and LED components) may vary as the numbers change. This is a bit odd, but really pretty minor.
- The controls take a bit of getting used to. And as mentioned, the "Alarm Off" button is in the middle of a panel of 3 buttons which is difficult to find by feeling, especially in the groggy morning hours. (The SNOOZE on top of the radio is very easy to hit, of course)

All in all, though, a very nice clock.

The clock worked the first month, then it began to lose segments of each digit (display). Now, I can't return an item that has less than 60 days of use and is totally useless as a clock.

This is the best clock radio ever. The sound quality is good. It is easy to set and you can see the time clearly. We have had MANY clock radios over the years and they always seem to be missing something. This one has all the features that you need and it is easy to turn on and off in the dark. It also has a one hour sleep feature and it will turn off. I didn't want to buy this because it wasn't digital but my husband and I usually listen to news anyway. We love this radio.

The best AM/FM clock radio I've ever had. Why? - LARGE green number display with variable brightness control and compact design. These were my three top requirements for purchasing. Also is very stylish, with easy to use controls (has High/Low alarm volumes). Radio has exceptional tone quality. Great price too. Definitely will purchase a few more for gifts.

I concur with the other positive reviewers of this radio. Sound quality is very good, numbers are easy to read, and overall, very user friendly. However, depending on your state and possible shipping charges, check out other Internet sites for the best price.