Sangean WR-16SE Wooden Cabinet Radio

Quality radio - worth the extra cost

Love it. Wanted a simple but high quality bedside table radio for a small bedroom/office for low-mid volume listening while working or reading before bed. Has nice full sound - good amount of bass without being too boomy or thumpy. Bluetooth pairs easily for streaming. Styling is vintage classic look without being overly retro. Controls are simple and intuitive without annoying beeps when adjusting like a lot of the cheap clones do.

Important to note: the usb port on the back only charges with the unit turned off. I initially thought it was defective until I closely read the manual. I also wish the power cable was a 90 degree angle as it sticks out the back a few inches.

I expect to enjoy it for many years making it worth the additional cost compared to cheaper options on the market.

VO

June 14, 2026

Disappointed

Based on the reviews on this radio, I thought it was a good choice. I already have my Apple HomePods and listen to Apple Music, and have a few different Bluetooth speakers I use outdoors or away from home. I just wanted a simple radio that sounded good. I received my Sangean WR-16SE yesterday and plugged it in, knowing it has an internal antenna and the switch was already set to that on the back of the radio, I turned it on and went to my favorite radio station. It was distorting and did not have the sound quality I expected at all. My Altec Bluetooth speaker sounds better than that. I had difficulty yesterday being able to connect to Bluetooth but this morning I was able to. I don’t know what is wrong with it, but using the Bluetooth option, I had to turn the volume way up high to the end, and it sounded like the speaker barely worked. Maybe I got a defective one, I don’t know, but for the price, I think it was a fail. I think I might go with a brand that has a better reputation. I’ve already started the process to return it.

When I was considering the purchase, I could not find in the description what the dimensions were, it was important to me because I was trying to figure out a good spot to put it. The dimensions are 9.5” wide X 4.5” high X 6” deep. It is a solid little unit and it is cute with the rose gold metal. Hopefully you won’t have the issue I’ve had if you decide to purchase it.

1:11

Quality Radio, Timeless Style

Excellent sound, pairs with my iPhone 16. It has a classic and timeless look! Goes well with mid century modern furniture. Feels like a good quality item compared to similar items from other brands.

Amazing sound for such a little radio

As noted in the video, it has a wonderful feature when you’re tuning AM/FM; there is a green light on the tuner that illuminates when it gets the optimum signal strength. For such a little radio the sound quality is quite impressive. I’ve only had this turned on for about 20 minutes and I can say without any reservation, I’m very very impressed. If you like a radio sound, it has the true “radio sound.” It’s not like a big speaker system with lots of base & treble. It’s just a good sounding radio, and it brings back a lot of memories for when I was younger and used to listen to radio. If you like a radio sounding device, then I highly recommend this unit.

0:27

First impression

I like it, easy to use, the best is sound excellent.

Angel Smith

September 15, 2025

It's a keeper....

Pretty solid radio. Good reception and sound quality. We'll made and quality knobs and construction. I was on the fence about buying it and was ready to return it if i wasn't 100% impressed. I compared it to my JBL Flip 6 and it really has clean sound with the Bluetooth function. I am overall pleased and going to keep it. It really has great FM reception. For the price it hits all all the buttons. Great simplistic design.

wheelman406

May 3, 2025

Excellent build, design, sound, and reception!

The Sangean 45th Anniversary Special Edition WR-16SE is definitely special in many ways. Not only does it provide crystal-clear reception of local channels, but with exterior FM and/or AM loop antennas, you will have a far-reaching collection of broadcasts at your fingertips. This radio combines the look and feel of yesterday with the state-of-the-art performance of today. The analog tuning style gives a nostalgic feel, all the while digitally locking in frequencies, eliminating station drift. It is also equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and an aux-in, so you can easily play podcasts and internet radio stations from any device with a headphone jack or Bluetooth capabilities. Other features include a USB charging port, record-out jack, and headphone jack for a discreet listening experience.

I would liken the design to a late 1970s/early 1980s luxury tabletop style. Well-made and durable, the wood cabinet, rose gold face, and well-lit dial are pleasing complements to each other and their surroundings. The sound from this radio is unbelievable for its size! It utilizes a quality speaker, bass port, and special audio-shaping style to produce clear highs and rich bass, eliminating the need for tone controls.

I am very happy with my purchase and would recommend Sangean radios over any other brand sold today. If you are in the market for a compact, yet solid tabletop radio packed with features from a company that has been engineering and manufacturing radios for over 50 years, then the WR-16SE is made for you.

1:39

Incredible sound for something this small

This little radio rocks! I am a music snob and was doubtful this would be enough amplitude in my kitchen over all the noise of cooking and such. It absolutely blew me away at how well it fills the space with wonderfully balanced sound. Tunes in all the local radio stations.

Very cute radio, power cord is very ugly

PROS:

- VERY VERY cute

- Radio sound is fantastic for a ~ $100 device

CONS:

- Bluetooth audio starts off incredibly low, you have to either turn the volume up all the way on your phone when you're connected or turn the volume dial up to what will inevitably deafen you when you switch back to radio. I use it more for the radio, so this isn't really a problem for me

- All the product images have the power cord photoshopped out for a reason. It plugs in at the top of the back of the device, juts straight out, and is hard to bend in a way that keeps its shape. You won't be able to stick this thing in the middle of a coffee table like some of the pictures.

OVERALL:

Love it, keeping it. Just going to put it near a wall so I don't have to look at the cable.

Great sounding radio

Excellent sound stage. A bit less highs than I’d have liked, but gives the sound a unique old-time radio softness. Works pretty well without connecting the external antenna, too. As other reviewers mentioned, bluetooth works well too. I’ve been playing various online radios and enjoying it for a second day in a row. It also easily fills up the room with sound.

Vincent Warden

March 9, 2024

Hell yeah

Very much worth the money, I love this radio!

Loud as heck too

0:45

Great sound

Love this radio!! We don’t have TV so we wanted a good radio with great sound. I gave it a 4 star because shipping took way over a month, otherwise I would have given a 5 star rating. Our battery antenna radio gave static so we were constantly moving it to find a spot to hear it. This is perfect. Thank you!!

Kind of obsessed with this fantastic little radio!!

Wanted to replace an old boombox shelf system in my office that was showing it's age and after way too much research and procrastination I finally went with this Sangean WR-16SE radio. My only regret is I didn't do it sooner or maybe bought it on Cyber Monday!! The unit is a little pricey compared to others but so far well worth the money. Craftsmanship of this wood cabinet radio is fantastic and it sounds great. It's not going to blow you out of the room like some giant bluetooth speaker or hi-fi might but the tone and bass is full and clean. FM reception is excellent with both internal and external antenna and bluetooth connects very quickly. Love it!!

0:16

Not real wood - sounds great though - mounted under cabinet in kitchen

I think I voided my warranty! We wanted to replace an old GE Spacemaker Radio/TV/Clock unit that was starting to not work well anymore. I found this Sangean radio and thought I could take it apart and adapt it to mount under the cabinet where the GE radio was. Took about 2 hours to do the whole thing from start to finish.

When I first disassembled the radio is when I discovered that the case is not wood - it is MDF with a super thin wood veneer on it. If you want to call that wood - OK - but that's not my definition of wood so that was disappointing.

Once disassembled, I removed the old radio and clamped this one into place and drilled 4 holes through the cabinet into the radio case. I marked the holes first based on the electronics inside the radio in order that there would be no obstruction of anything.

I glued the bolts into the radio case from the inside with epoxy and let that dry. Then the rest was simple - put the radio back together and just install into the cabinet. I did use the external FM radio antenna as it did work better for me.

When I turned it on, my wife was super impressed - "that sounds 100x better than the old one!".

Great little radio and with a little work - you can mount it under a counter !

Beautiful, great sound, many functions

Love having a radio for localy broadcast stations in the house for emergencies. Also love that it can be used as bluetooth speaker which I can control volume from my phone. Also love that it can hook up to auxiliary for older media like a cd player. Also love that it matches my midcentury style decor.

Solid.

I read a ton of reviews for this before i ordered it. I am happy with my purchase. Some said their Sangean was not real wood. This rose gold and walnut IS true and genuine walnut and metal. The weight of this radio is substantial. The speaker is high quality. It actually sounds better than my old Bose speakers, which i could hook up to this if i wanted, but find it unnecessary. The dial is so satisfying to turn, especially if you are into vintage and retro things. The reception upon first try is great! I did employ the radio antenna wire they included. The Sangean picked up our local public radio station just fine, which is actually located about 60 miles from where i am. I purchased this solely to listen to classical radio at the shop. Goal attained :) However, if i wanted, the Bluetooth works great, and i even plugged my ipad into the aux port so i could listen to podcasts. Sound is clear and easy to understand.

I had no feeling of too much bass, as others mentioned in their reviews. Also, i have not found it to lose signal at all once tuned in. Admittedly, the public radio station needs a little finesse to tune into initially, but once i am there, it sticks. I can turn it off and on again, and the station stays tuned in.

I have not found anything negative about this radio. It's simple, solid, stylish, and aesthetically pleasing in every way. This is brand new to me, so if anything changes i will update.

I received nothing for this review...just sharing my experience.

0:48

Could not be happier!

Right from taking it out of the box I could tell it's extremely high quality. Looks, feels, and sounds great!

I love that this is simple and without a lot of options compared to other models. It feels like the investment went to excellent audio, extremely well made hardware, and an elegant classic look.

It's my best purchase in 10 years.

Jerry Z. (ZacMan)

September 22, 2022

Keep in mind - It's a radio.

This appears to be a very high quality "radio". I keep stressing the radio part, because that's all it is, a radio. If you're a real sound guy (or gal) you may not be satisfied with this. It is not stereo, it does not have pre-sets & it does not have window shaking, booming bass.

All that said, this is NOT a negative review. Quite the contrary. The overall retro style is beautiful. The real wood case is beautiful. The dials are simplistic, kinda like a "radio". The sound is nice,, as nice as could be expected for a "radio", and definitely better than any table-top radio I have ever had. The tuner locks in stations pretty well and even has an indicator light for that purpose. The Bluetooth is definitely a nice feature and works well. I'm just an old guy that wanted a high quality old style radio, and this fits the bill perfectly. Seriously, whatever your age, you will likely love both the looks & performance of this "radio". I have zero regrets.

Great Quality and ease of use

Beautiful, sturdy, easy to use, and great sound quality. I love the little green light that goes on when you are at the best point for the radio station. You will love it!

Good sound & good tuner

Sangean WR-16SE an Excellent AM/FM/Bluetooth Radio

I purchased the Sangean WR-16SE to replace the WR-11 that I had for over 12 years in my study, the latter was on its las legs. Once I setup the WR-16SE and tried out the AM and FM stations as well as using the Bluetooth to listen to music from my iPod. The AM/FM stations signals locked very well in with no static and loss of signal. For a small radio the sound is excellent, good bass but not overbearing. Great sound for Talk Radio, listening to audiobooks, classical, Jazz music. I assume that the updated technology from the WR-11, that I had, to the WR-16SE made a great difference. The WR-16SE is an excellent choice especially at $102.58 (at the tim I purchased my replaced WR-11 I paid $139). I highly recommend the WR-16SE.

BatangGapo

November 18, 2020

Almost perfect IMHO

Love this radio. Sounds great and really looks good. Only thing is I wish a decent antenna is included for both Am & FM channel. Bass cant be adjusted but not a big issue. Bluetooth connection is a breeze and excellent w/ my Iphone 10 IOS version 14.2

Go-Bills

November 8, 2020

A well done radio

AM sounds nice and rich in tone..... reception is outstanding! Bought this to listen to my Buffalo Bills post game show! Go Bills

Excellent radio!

Excellent radio! Classic design and great sound quality. I bought the auxiliary FM antenna and I get great reception. Great quality at a great price.

Great reception, qaulity radio!

Just unpacked and set up my radio. Love it! Clear sound and picks up a difficult to receive station with the included antenna. Display light is on when the radio is on, off when it is off. The unit is solid, and was heavier than I expected. I believe I will be delighted for many many years to come.

Much "Heavier" in Sound and Substance

I recently purchased this radio for use on my outdoor porch. Actually it was an exchange for a similar but less expensive unit (Looptone Village Wooden FM/AM radio). I was not totally dissatisfied with it but the sound did not carry well outdoors. I have its "sister" radio in my bedroom and it sounds just fine. Hence I ordered the upgrade.

The most immediate difference I felt was the weight of the box. It was significantly heavier. Once I unpacked it I continued to feel how much more this radio weighed. It was solid. And after I plugged it in and turned on the sound it also sounded "heavier" and would suit the outdoor environment much better. The dials and controls also felt sturdier and more substantial than its predecessor. Even though it cost twice as much I would highly recommend the upgrade.

Update: The next weekend I did use the radio while doing outdoor chores and the sound carried well into the yard!

SANGEAN WR-16 VS TIVOLI MODEL ONE

Buying something as simple as a basic radio is much harder than it needs to be because there isn't any real way to get a side by side comparison without buying both, which is exactly what I ended up doing. I will try to avoid repeating other reviews as most of them are pretty accurate. Here is the outcome:

THE TIVOLI MODEL ONE

I had been checking out the Model One for a few years and love the minimalist aesthetic but not the maximalist price so I got a used one on auctionbay. Although it was in good condition, it did need some work. First thing it needed was new feet. The Model One comes with stick-on silicon rubber feet and mine was missing one as they come off very easily. I installed a set of screw-on rubber feet. The tuner had the crackling and drifting issues complained about in so many reviews so I cleaned the tuning capacitor where the rotating shaft goes into it with some contact cleaner. Problem solved, but probably not permanently. There is also a feint but noticeable low level hum through the speaker even when it is off which seems to be another common problem. This appears to be due to an inadequate power filter circuit. Using an external power supply solved that problem. Although the radio functioned properly now I was still not satisfied with it and decided to check out the Sangean.

THE SANGEAN WR-16

I purchased WR-16 brand new because of the very reasonable price. It has built in Bluetooth which works seamlessly. I have read complaints about the Bluetooth sound level but I found that when the volume on my Pixel I XL was all the way up sound is equal to the radio. The Sangean is slightly larger than the Model One, has more thoughtful touches such as rounded corners on its cabinet and a backlit tuning scale which makes it much easier to see, especially in the dark. It also has lighted mode indicators that show up nicely in daylight but are bright in the darkness. The Sangean also has those stick-on feet which I will eventually replace. Which brings us to the "booming" sound so many people complain about. The Sangean has a bass compensation circuit which raises bass levels slightly as volume is decreased and has a rear-firing bass port whereas the Tivoli has a down-firing port. This gives music more of a full sound on the Sangean but talk stations can suffer a bit. Some people recommend stuffing a piece of cloth or a cotton ball in the port to de-bass it. If it is really an issue for you try covering it with heavy tape. That worked the best to attenuate the bass. I ultimately decided to leave the bass port alone as the difference between the two radios is much less than I expected from other reviews. I noticed no difference in sound with the radio close to the wall but placing it in a corner will likely make it boomier.

THE WINNER

The WR-16 won the contest in every way, or it's more accurate to say the Model One lost in every way. The Tivoli's brutally minimalist design, it's main feature, is also it's downfall because that philosophy unfortunately extends to it's internals, with cheap components on minimally engineered circuitry. Disappointing, especially for the price. The Sangean has better quality components with the speaker being obviously better and has a much more sophisticated power filtering circuit with no unwanted humming or hissing. The cabinets of both units are laminated MDF, not solid wood but there is more craftsmanship and thoughtful design with the Sangean. For people who only ever listen to talk radio, must have that particular aesthetic, and don't care about value, the Tivoli might be the choice. Otherwise you are paying a lot for brand identity hype and getting little else in return. The Sangean is about half the price and easily doubles the value.

Great sound quality and it looks great!

I use it for my home office and I love the sound and how it looks!

Love this radio!

I love this radio. We’ve been using it for 3 months now and I have only good things to say about it. It is easy to tune, has good reception, the sound quality is great, and I love being able to use the bluetooth feature to play podcasts or music from the library on my phone or Spotify. Obviously I can’t comment on longevity, but I hope to use this radio for many years.

Easy to change sound source by dials, modern retro look with good sound.

I like the clean modern retro look. It's easy to sync up via bluetooth(using my old ipod touch) by the turn of the channel knob.. which it has am, fm, bluetooth, aux. Of course I also like that I get my favorite radio station 100.5 the Katt rock station. ..also volume is set kind of low on the knob..it seems like you can get it pretty loud if you want.