Brand: Sony
Category: CE

List Price: ~~$69.99~~
Buy New: $46.75
You Save: $23.24 (33%)

New (3) Used (2) from $34.96

Avg. Customer Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

9 reviews
Sales Rank: 18949

Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 4.2 x 3.8

MPN: ICFC773
Model: ICFC773
UPC: 027242663862
EAN: 0027242663862
ASIN: B0007QDGZI

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Features:

•	Illuminated sides add mood lighting and a light-enhanced alarm wake-up
•	Dual alarm settings, extendable snooze, nap timer
•	Wake to radio or buzzer alarm
•	15 radio station presets
•	Adjustable display brightness

Accessories:

•	3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $0-$200 - Repair

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com Product Description
Set the mood and wake up in style with the Sony ICF-C773 AM/FM Clock Radio. The illuminated sides offer a calming effect when you're tuning your circadian rhythms-- you can even set the illumination level to your liking. A sleek design makes a fashion statement, while the backlit LCD display makes it easy to tune your favorite station or set the alarm. Fifteen station presets make it easy to find your stations fast, while a dual alarm function lets you set multiple wake times. You can even extend your snooze time with the variable snooze setting, or use the nap timer when you want to catch some Z's during the day.

Product Description
The Sony ICF-C773 AM/FM Clock Radio makes it a lot more pleasant to wake up in the morning. The illuminated sides act as mood lighting, creating a more relaxed atmosphere. The new design and backlit LCD display let you enjoy your favorite AM or FM radio station in style. 15 station presets Nap timer Extendable snooze LCD brightness control

Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

I'm so glad I ignored the negative reviews! May 21, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I was extremely trepidatious about buying this product after reading some of the reviews here on Amazon, but the recent price drop to forty-some dollars was enough to sway me, and I went ahead and ordered it. And I'm so glad I did!

I'll agree that sixty dollars was a bit steep for this clock, but at the lower price-point, I'm really thrilled with what I got. Whoever says this thing is ugly when you see it in person is talking out of their [...]. The unit is small, sleek, and very handsome. The sound quality is surprisingly robust for a one-speaker radio, and the unit's power cord doubles as an FM antenna, so the reception is amazing. It's true that the display is difficult to read in direct sunlight unless you set the clock to its brightest setting, but that's true of any digital display, including the one on the last clock radio I had, which was twice the price. On my own nightstand, I find this display easy to read from any angle, at any time of day, when set to medium brightness, and its still subtle enough not bother me at night. The button layout is exactly the way I want it, with the buttons you're apt to be fumbling for in the dark large and on the top, and ones you don't want to accidentally press while fumbling tucked away on the back. It's also untrue that the button to reset the alarm is on the back next to the daylight savings time button; the reset button is on the top of the machine, just behind the snooze but too much smaller than the snooze to be mistaken.

As for the complaint that this clock doesn't automatically set itself, give me a break! How often do you really have to set your clocks, anyway? Having a self-setting alarm clock was the whole reason I had to get a new one in the first place; now that they've changed the dates for daylight savings time, I kept having to manually re-set my clock every time the thing decided to automatically set itself again. And before you go shouting bloody murder about the fact that this Sony clock radio doesn't have any place to stick a 9-volt battery, you should be made aware that, even in a power outage, all of the more tedious-to-set functions, like the radio presets, remain saved, and the clock DOES have an internal system that saves ALL data, including the time, in the event of brief power outages (lasting less than a minute). That means the only time you would really need a 9-volt backup, anyway, is in the event of a long-lasting outage, and in my own experience those 9-volts tend to go dead so quickly, in the event of one of those kinds of outages you wind up late for work, anyway.

All in all, I'm really pleased with this machine. It's sleek and versatile. Just make sure you read the instructions so you'll be aware of all its available functions, and bear in mind that it doesn't have the option of installing a 9-volt backup battery for long-lasting power outages, and I think you'll be really pleased.

1 out of 5 stars

loved some aspects; really disliked others April 27, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I still have my fully-functional Sony "Cube" Dream Machine from the 90's, but I wanted better sound, more accurate tuning, and an updated, more stylin' look. This model, which I'll dub the "Tube," looked like the answer. I read the reviews here and was surprised at the strong negative reactions, so I visited a local brick & mortar to see the clock for real. It looked innocent enough - downright purty even. Sure, lotsa buttons, but I thought, "That's no biggie, and how awful can those other features really be anyway?" I returned home and purchased the Tube from our friendly retailer Amazon, which had the lowest price and shipped free. Well, sadly, it turned out that those other features bugged me plenty - enough that I returned my purchase.

Pros: Aesthetically beautiful design, great sound, digital tuning - all I was looking for and more. The alarm buzzer and chimes were not unpleasant, yet still got the job done. Who'd have thought? Loved the Nap feature, which allowed use of the alarm without having to reset morning wake-up time twice. However ...

Cons: 1) The lit blue background panel and lit white numbers of the time display truly were excessively bright at night on high and medium settings. And they were far too dim in the daytime at low and medium settings. I don't want to be messing with display brightness every day - I just want to be able to read the darn clock. Likewise, display visibility decreased noticibly when viewing the clock from any angle other than head-on. The simple design of the older "Cube" was superior; the lit numbers against an unlit black background neither intruded at night nor disappeared in the day, and could be read at any angle. 2) The alarm melodies were truly heinous. Guess I just can't tolerate extraordinary classical music (or perhaps any music) being reduced to single electronic tones no better than one might find in a novelty "Happy Birthday" greeting card. Obvious answer was to use the perfectly acceptable buzzer or chime. But a musical crime is still a musical crime and must be noted. 3a) For me, setting the time, the alarms, and the radio stations - and selecting the preset stations later - was not intuitive in the least. Instead, downright confusing. I am reasonably skilled at operating home electronics, but I just felt stupid after attempting to operate my "Tube." Alarm-setting should be as easy as on my "Cube" (which I can do in the dark by feel) and radio-setting should be as easy as on my Sony under-cupboard radio/CD or Sony car radio/CD. 3b) Part of this problem was the combination of multiple functions on the same button. Another factor was the need to press a sequence of buttons both on the side and the top to accomplish a single task. 4) The nightlight feature was unique and attractive - at first. But I ended up turning off the nightlight once in bed. Just couldn't fall asleep easily with the light shining at the same level as my head just a short distance away - even when on the low setting. The nightlight would have been helpful if it came on by itself as the room darkened, and when shut off at bedtime, then came back on automatically the next evening. But remembering to visit my bedroom at every sundown to manually switch on the nightlight so I could find my bed later at sleep-time? Might as well expend the same effort to turn on the table lamp right beside the alarm clock.

The clock's faults were surprisingly glaring - seemed like there just couldn't have been any focus group testing on this critter prior to production. A disappointing effort made moreso by the few very attractive qualities that the clock did have. I'm grateful for Amazon's rockin' return policy. Still wanting a new alarm clock, and being a Sony addict despite this experience, I just ordered a different model I'll dub the "Wedge." Sony ICF-C630 FM/AM Clock Radio with AC/DC Operation It is stylin' too, though in a more casual, less sophisticated way. While it has a lit panel display just like the "Tube," the display appears to be dark letters on a green background. I'm hoping this combo provides better contrast and eliminates the need for changing brightness settings daily. Looks like the various buttons might be better conceived also. And hey, I can certainly live without digitally preset radio stations when I only listen to NPR or classical on the bedroom clock anyway.

5 out of 5 stars

A great alarm clock March 31, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Well like all alarm clocks you have to read the instructions on how to set the clock, but once you learn how to set it you don't have to refer to the instructions time and time again, which I find helpful. I also like that there are several different sound settings I can have waking me up. The actual alarm buzzer is soft at first so you are gradually woken up instead of one of those heart pounding wake-ups you get from traditional alarm clocks. You can choose to have the radio wake you up or some other sounds. I love it I use it every morning. It was definately worth the investment.

2 out of 5 stars

Sony's Tubular Clock Radio fails on two counts: February 18, 2007
3 out of 6 found this review helpful

Okay... this model gets ONLY a 2 from me and here is why:

Yes, I agree the publicity photos are misleading. This is NOT some 'space-age' design with fancy or soothing lights and melodic ring-tones. It is just a stubby round-shaped clock radio... nothing more. It tunes in stations fairly-well, which is why I gave it a second Star.

But I would take all those cosmetic limitations if ONLY the unit had two of the most basic and important features found in virtually every traditional clock radio on the market today:

1. BACKUP BATTERY. Where is it? WHY isn't it there. Come on, Sony... every 2-bit clock-radio protects all those settings and saves the time durning a power outage or unplugging. How in the HELL can you put out such a product without this feature?? And you call yourself SONY? Abysmal.

2. AUTO-TIME Adjust. Again, another shocker. You actually have no option except to manually (spit) sit there and press, press, press those buttons for time and alarm. I couldn't believe it when I read the paper booklet from edge to edge. Again, something most all clock-radios had this for years now. *knock-knock* "Hello? Soooooonyyyy McFly... anyone home?"

If these things are not important to you... hey, go to town with this radio and be happy. The ONLY place my Sony radio is going is back for a refund... based SOLEY on the two complaints above.

Sorry, Sony, but in this case... it is balony.

5 out of 5 stars

Why does everyone hate it? I don't November 18, 2006
4 out of 7 found this review helpful

I think this alarm clock is great. I don't know why all of the bad reviews. The design is modern and attractive. The szooze feature is great. One tap for 10 minutes, two for 20, etc. The radio sounds as good as a mono-speaker can. The night light feature is an added plus. The only think that is tricky is setting the alarm, but nothing you can't get used to.