My wife and I had been trying to find a small radio mainly for our bathroom, but that could occasionally blast good volume when in the shower or when wandering the house. Because we had not made a serious radio purchase in many years, we were very disappointed to see what the typical marketplace offered. Given our needs, we were usually directed to very small radio devices, often with a clock and alarm system. Unfortunately, all these units were plagued by poor to lousy reception, inadequate speakers, and very awkward user features, tuners, and buttons. We hated them!

After doing some online research, we came across this unit (Sangean PR-D5 AM/FM Portable Radion with Digital Tuning and RDS). Although the price is two to three times what all those other units are we tried first, this was a true case of you-get-what-you-pay-for AND THEN SOME.

First, this radio is sturdy and quality built. Everything about it says quality and durability. It weighs more than other radios its size, but there are good reasons for that. It is all the higher quality components and housing Sangean used to build it. The moment I picked it up I just knew we had made the right decision.

Second, the reception is better than any similar or even larger radios we have ever owned. I was amazed at how well the unit brings in every station we might need with zero difficulty. In fairness, we do not typically try to pull in stations hundreds of miles away, so I cannot judge that. Nevertheless, knowing how all our usual stations usually come in on many other radios, and then comparing that experience to the Sangean, it is the hands-down winner for reception. The built-in AM antenna performs flawlessly, and we haven't even had to extend the external FM antenna.

Third, the volume and sound quality were absolutely amazing. Never have I heard a radio this small with such excellent speakers and volume. Whether we need just a very low whisper volume or a clear blast for the whole house, it can do it all. The unit does not have separate bass or treble adjustments (which is not a big deal for smaller radios of course), but the very high-quality rich output of the speakers almost renders that a moot point.

Fourth, the user features, buttons, and dials are extremely easy to learn and use. You can tell by using them that the designers genuinely thought about ergonomics. Tuning, dialing, setting the presets, and other user features are all a pleasure to use.

We are not big users of the alarm features, so I cannot fairly evaluate that component. That said, given our overwhelmingly positive experience with all other aspects of the unit, I would have every reason to believe users will find the same level of quality and ease of use with the alarm feature.

It was such a relief, after having completed the research, to obtain this unit and finally realize our search was completed. This radio is exactly what we had been seeking for so very long. We are just so happy we finally found it. I highly recommend this unit to anyone. You will not be disappointed.

Nice 2 speaker radio Great price Great color

Half the price of my Tivoli Songbook, the PR-D5 has superior AM/FM reception, dual stereo speakers, and easy-to-use ergonomics, making it even better than the Sangean single-speaker Sonido. As a bedside radio, it has even better FM reception than my Sangean WR-2 but it lacks the WR-2's depth and heaviness, qualities I like in a bedside radio. For a lighter, portable radio with no remote, go for the PR-D5. If you want more luxury in your radio (remote, numerical volume indicator, heavier feel) and don't mind a slight compromise in FM reception, you might want to check out the Sangean WR-2, which is compatible with an upgraded FM antenna attachment.

One question many will have is why the PR-D5 goes for about 15 dollars less than the Sonido. The answer most likely is that the 2.5-inch stereo speakers on the PR-D5 don't have the richness nor the depth of the Sonido's 3-inch monoaural speaker.

Update: Ironically, I don't like listening to talk radio on dual speakers. This is not a technological issue, but psychological. The voices don't seem as focused as they do on the Sangean WR-2's monoaural speaker. So if you're a heavy AM talk radio listener, you might want to opt for the WR-2.

Second Update: To really test the FM on the PR-D5, I tried to pull in the weak college station 88.9. The PR-D5 pulled in the station with clarity, even better than my Eton S350. The verdict: My PR-D5 is my best performing AM/FM radio, even better than the Eton/Grundig S350. That says quite a lot. Even more astounding, the PR-D5 is 15 dollars cheaper.

Third Update: I brought my PR-D5 to my work office and like all the digital radios I've tried it suffered compromised reception. I succeeded more with my Tivoli Model Three (same as the Model One with the additional clock). So for your office, if it's full of computer interference, you might want to go with an upscale analog radio like the aforementioned Tivoli Model One or Three.

Fourth Update:

Power supply stopped working and Sangean replaced my entire radio two or three years ago. Since that time, my speakers have gradually suffered distortion to the point that I no longer use my PR-D5. Mind you, this distortion took place with normal use.

These speakers were a bit muffled to begin with, as most people agree is a problem with the PR-D5. But distortion made this unusable.

I now recommend a more superior Sangean, the CL-100: Better FM, better crisp speaker sound. And it's cheaper than the PR-D5.

It's been two months since this little radio arrived at my doorstep from Amazon. Here are my opinions about this radio:

RECEPTON
I purchased this radio with hope for above-average FM reception, and I was NOT disappointed :) This radio is capable of receiving low power FM stations without much effort. No more antenna acrobatics for me. I can receive a local non-profit FM swing jazz station clearly and without too much special antenna positioning. Just extend the antenna, turn on the radio, and....that's it :) This low power FM station radiates only 100 Watts and most of my radios have problems receiving it clearly, but this Sangean unit pulls it in as if it were a large commercial FM station. No hiss at all in Stereo mode. RDS is an added bonus :)
AM reception is also outstanding. Being in San Francisco Bay Area I can listen to news from LA on KNX and traffic reports from Vegas. Going through the AM band at night with this radio is so much fun. I am impressed with sensitivity and selectivity of the AM tuner in this little radio. Outstanding.
SOUND
Many (most?) portable radios on the market today sound like cheap answering machines. No clear trebles, no trace of bass, just a blast of mid-range, which may cause listener fatigue after a while. Designers sacrifice sound quality for better battery life. Fortunately, Sangean engineers decided to use long throw speakers for better low frequency response. These speakers consume more current and eat more batteries, but they also sound much better. For a portable radio of this size, this Sangean sounds very good. It sounds "larger" than it is. On FM, treble and bass are well balanced, and there is NO emphasis on the mid-range found in most small portables these days. Sound quality on AM band is also good. I wish it were a little warmer on AM but it's fine. With 0.8 Watts per channel this radio can fill the room with talk or music, and it can do it without strain. Music on FM sounds surprisingly good on this small radio.
QUALITY
Two thumbs up. This radio is built well and solid. With batteries installed it is relatively heavy for such small unit, but in this case heavy is good. If you don't want to use batteries you can use the enclosed AC adapter. Controls and buttons provide good feedback, and FM antenna hides away without effort.
I am an avid radio enthusiast and I can tell you that it is a pleasure to hold this Sangean radio in your hands and to use it. In my opnion it's an all around fine AM(DX)/FM portable receiver.

I have not used the alarm clock or battery recharge features of the radio so I cannot comment on them, but based just on reception performance and sound quality I would recommend this radio to anyone :)

Edit March 27, 2015:
It was brought to my attention that this model can't charge batteries. My bad. Please ignore the part about battery charging.

As of March 27, 2015 my radio is still going strong. I use it every day for at least 4 hours, and sometimes I fall asleep while listening in late evenings, so it's on until morning. Superb quality and longevity.

The Sangean PR-D5 AM/FM radio may be just the radio for you...or not. It all depends on what you expect from your radio - for instance, do you expect to leave it on a table or counter-top most of the time while moving it from room to room only occasionally? Or, do you need a take-with-you portable for your active lifestyle? Is most of your listening FM stereo, or tuning in ballgames from distant AM stations? Are you an AM DXer who enjoys logging those distant stations when conditions are favorable, running up and down the frequencies for hours hoping for a record catch?

In addition to this Sangean, I also purchased the C. Crane CCRadio-EP via Amazon on the same day. They are very different units, and each has its strong points. You may prefer one to the other based on some issues mentioned in the first paragraph. Their prices are about the same.

The Sangean is a digital model with 5 FM presets and 5 AM. It has two small stereo speakers, clock functions, and is easy and convenient to use. The Crane is an analog radio, having no presets or clock functions, a single (but larger) speaker, bass and treble knobs, selectable AM bandwidth, a neat lighted dial, and a fine-tune adjustment for AM. Both have very sturdy FM whip antennas, and both have excellent AM antennas, as well.

The Sangean has the largest built-in ferrite bar AM antenna likely to be found in this size radio. At almost 8" in length, it does a nice job of receiving AM. The Crane's AM antenna is their twin-coil ferrite bar model which can be somehow elctronically manipulated with the radio's separate fine-tuning control - sometimes it allows you to hear stations which were buried in noise much more clearly. If you are an AM DXer, or do a lot of listening to marginal, distant AM stations, the Crane has the edge due to its analog design and its special antenna. However, the Sangean is no slouch at AM - better than most, even - but one notch under the Crane in this regard.

The Crane also has the advantage for someone on the go, for one simple but important reason - it has a carry handle. Carrying the Sangean is very awkward, and the grip it provides very tenuous - the owner who carries it often will sooner or later drop it, and that is pretty much inevitable. Could be damaged from a fall. The Crane handle flips down and hides in a nice recess.

Both radios sound good...but again different. The Sangean is a leaner, but more refined stereo FM sound, while the Crane has a bigger sound with a bit deeper low end, which I hesitate to refer to as 'bass' for either radio. Both provide FM stereo with headphone use. For near-field listening (such as sitting at hand on a table) the Sangean sounds better to me with its pleasing stereo presentation. Outdoors, or further away, the bigger sound of the Crane suits me better.

The Sangean has a sexier look, the Crane looks more traditional. Both are very good at reception - about the same for FM, with the Crane having that AM edge. No handle - what was Sangean thinking? I really love both of these, and between the two they fill my needs nicely, while out-performing every other radio in the house from a reception perspective. While I recommend either, I also can suggest both. Works for me, and my wife loves the Sangean.

EDIT Update: After a year now my PR-D5 still looks and sounds like new, and I've come to have more respect for its sound quality, too. Like the RDS, as well - had not previously realized that so many stations broadcast that info. After the tornadoes hit Moore, about 5 miles from my home, we were without power 48 hours or so and this radio with the Crane became our main source of entertainment and information. I put the Crane on the floor in a corner with bass up and treble down to use as a quasi-subwoofer while I set the Sangean above it at ear level for the stereo sound - it was quite nice.