SPARC SHD-BT1 Bluetooth Table Top Radio

I will preface this review by saying, if you are looking for a great alarm clock radio, this is probably not the best option unless you absolutely have to have HD Radio. For my purposes - listening to NPR all day at work - the radio performs very well. It has a smaller footprint than similar Tivoli or Sangean radios which is a definite plus to me. The HD radio tuning is fantastic; I can listen to either music or talk (sub-channel HD2) from NPR depending on my preference, whereas an analog radio only receives the primary broadcast. I used to stream both NPR channels on my computer, but this radio is much more convenient with better quality sound. Lastly, the radio performs well as a Bluetooth speaker, it conveniently disconnects from your phone or device when you change the input back to radio or AUX – and automatically connects when you change input back to Bluetooth. As far as sound quality goes, I think it is on par with what you can expect from a higher end mono-speaker. The only con I have about the radio is the lack of a 3.5mm output jack to listen to HD radio on headphones.

I bought this radio because I wanted an HD radio with a sleep timer. I think this is the only one available. I'm very happy with it. The sleep timer is adjustable in 5 minute increments to 90 minutes. The radio is pretty sensitive and the sound is very good, especially considering the small speaker. It is mono, not stereo, although since I use it to go to sleep with, that doesn't matter. Mine did include the backup battery, but it is easy to overlook it. The negatives: the documentation is not very complete, it is not stereo, there is no AM, and it seems that if you turn power off after listening to an HD2 or HD3 station, the radio does go back to the main channel of the station when it is powered back on. (The memory does store HD2 and HD3 channels, however.) I think the radio is a good value. Update edit: I presume the property that the radio switches back to the main channel of the station when you power it back on is an intended thing, so that there will be sound almost immediately then turning the radio on. There would be a slight delay if it had to go to HD, or there might even be dead silence if the HD2 or HD3 was not available. 2018 update: I didn't mention the user interface originally, as I figured it would get easier to use over time, but it really hasn't. I agree with other commenters that the radio is not easy to operate. The controls are not very intuitive. And I wish they had not put the volume control on the right and the tuning control on the left -- it's the reverse of almost all radios. The sound, however, is nice.

I needed a replacement for my bathroom radio to listen to NPR in the morning. My local station doesn’t have the strongest signal and there was frequent static with my old analog radio. I wasn’t looking specifically for an HD radio but that ensure you have a digital tuner which does not ‘wander’. Now, HD radio has a number of advantages over regular FM radio but you need the right setup to reap the full benefits. Just because it says HD doesn’t mean it will have superior audio quality especially for a table-top radio. For that reason the little Sangean portable was out for me with its tinny speaker. The SPARC has great audio especially for the size and only a mono speaker. Footprint is also great (small square but tall) and fits perfectly besides the sink. However, as others have noted, usability is awful. To turn it on you have to push and hold the button, every time. Same for turning it off. Over time that gets annoying when you have to time it just right every time.. Setting the time, alarm or sleep (which I still haven’t figured out, maybe the function is broken) is equally annoying and I am tech savvy. Manual is useless. This was designed by someone who has no clue in usability. Pros: Great sound quality, small footprint Cons: Really bad user interface. Display hard to read. I decided to keep it in the end. As a standalone radio it might work depending on your frustration tolerance but would NOT use it as a clock alarm radio due to confusing buttons and functions.

Although the set up is definitely quirky, to say the least, there are enough clues in the quick start guide to figure it out. There's even a certain amount of logic in how it works. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by two things: (1) being able to set each alarm on or off for each day of the week, and (2) the sound was perfectly acceptable for a tabletop unit. I am so happy to get my favorite classical radio station again via HD!

Perfect for a 'more traditional' kitchen or desktop radio application. Best: Sound is wonderful, even with one speaker. Small form factor, so fits in a small space. Control buttons on top are easy to see and use. Clear, large display. Bluetooth pairing with my iPhone 6 was painless, almost instantaneous. Again, sound was terrific. Worst: the "Quick Start Guide, well, ISN'T. You need to use your intuition and experience to set this radio up. Descriptions of the control buttons are minimal, and you just have to press buttons, read the resulting display, and figure it out for yourself. I would not reject buying this unit for the setup challenges, just be aware. Important to Know: This is an OTA-FM HD unit, meaning it uses a long wire antenna to pick up 'Over The Air' HD radio signals. The sound quality in my large city is wonderful, but this might be a problem in remote areas. If you do not have good OTA-FM reception, you need to buy a wi-fi enabled radio unit instead.

The quality of the sound is great, but as others have noted, this radio is extremely difficult to program. The instruction sheet that came with it is almost worthless. And, after several years, it has quit. It will only go to the Bluetooth setting; nothing else. I have placed it in my circular file.