Radio Review: C. Crane CC WiFi 3 Internet Radio
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioSports.com

It’s obvious that the Internet offers a seemingly endless amount of listening opportunities – not to mention a plethora of information from credible and not so believable sources. In the radio world, though, the C. Crane name is synonymous with top-notch, trustworthy audio products, unrivalled in their combination of reliability and ear-pleasing resonance.

WiFi radio is not new. But with the CC WiFi 3, C. Crane now offers an Internet radio with a myriad of dependable listening options, great sound and an affordable price.

The CC WiFi 3 uses the Skytune Internet platform – free to use and with enough streaming radio stations to satisfy the aficionado of any radio format. Whether you’re into Talk Sports or Cool Jazz, Skytune offers every genre of radio tuning from around the globe. C. Crane says over 25,000 stations are available with this radio, which uses a much quicker streaming response time than its predecessors.

In fact, the CC WiFi 3 also allows you to add your own streams (URLs) through your computer, tablet or smartphone, when connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

CC WiFi 3: The Skinny

Measuring 6.5 in. x 3.9 in. x 3.9 in. and weighing only 1 lb. 2.6 oz, the CC WiFi 3 is a radio attractive enough to rest in any area of the home – my radio sits on a living room end table outside my home office door. The full-range, 2.5-in. dynamic speaker at 8 ohms and 5W packs plenty of punch with its 1.5 watts of audio output. I’m listening to Cool Jazz as I write this review, and the audio is surprisingly rich. Without great audio, a radio isn’t desirable, no matter how many features and controls it offers. Two thumbs up for the CC WiFi 3 audio.

The included instruction manual with the CC WiFi 3 is well-written and easy to understand, unlike many manuals today which stem from off-shore products. Also included with this radio is a 5dbi Wi-Fi antenna for back of set, a detailed remote control, AC power adaptor and a 3-ft. USB-to-radio cable for optional power source. Note: this radio does not connect to Ethernet.

The front panel of the CC WiFi 3 includes speaker, LCD display, large dial/volume/select/pause knob, and six smaller buttons for the following: alarm or play next; equalizer or play previous; preset; home menu; back; and power or sleep timer. The remote sensor is also situated on the front panel.

At the rear of the CC WiFi 3 are jacks for power, headphones, line out (for recording or separate external speaker, if you wish) and Wi-Fi antenna. In fact, the CC WiFi 3 includes Bluetooth capability, and with its quality speaker offers great sound from your external device such as a smartphone or tablet.

The included Wi-Fi antenna does a terrific job – I moved my radio around my home and always received a constant, quality stream. Of course, a good Wi-Fi router is part of the equation. When you find it necessary to pull in a more solid connection with your CC WiFi 3 radio, you can opt for external antennas like C. Crane’s long-range or mobile Wi-Fi antennas.

Making Connection

I’ve used Wi-Fi radios before, but even a novice user can begin using the CC WiFi 3 in one minute. Simply plug in your adaptor or USB power cord, and follow the instructions on the radio screen. The radio automatically searches for your WiFi source. Note: the CC WiFi 3 uses non-volatile memory, which means all settings and presets will be retained indefinitely, even if the power is interrupted. Good to know.

Using the large front knob, choose the characters for your Wi-Fi password, and then press the large knob for four seconds. You’re now connected to Skytune, and from there can choose from a wide variety of streaming radio stations – choose Most Popular, By Genre or By Location. I chose, By Location, then Canada, and then By Genre (Cool Jazz). I then chose the station, Jazz Lovers Radio – standards, love songs and the great American songbook. As if you haven’t guessed, I love Jazz and it’s a great background when I’m writing.

The included CC WiFi 3 remote is a complete and easy-to-use option for navigating the radio’s controls – again, the included instruction booklet makes it easy to understand and use. It’s powered by two AAA batteries (not included).

Note: the Menu Settings options allow for adjustment of buffer time – in simple terms, keeping the station playing smoothly, even if there are tiny breaks in the audio stream. I find the factory present setting works very well, so there was no need for me to adjust. For most high-quality stations as played through Skytune.net, setting to a longer buffering time is not required.

Plenty Of Options

The myriad of settings options with the CC WiFi 3 will allow this radio to sound perfect for your ears. Most notably, a built-in equalizer – typically found only in more expensive radios – allows you to control the way your radio sounds from the speaker, headphones and line-out jack. Choose from several pre-set combinations, or custom set the radio through the Advanced option.

The LCD display provides information on your selected channel, and scrolls the name of the song and artist playing, or in the case of talk radio the show’s name. Use this radio at bedside, and enjoy the alarm and sleep options. Come to think of it, listening to Cool Jazz may be a good way to fall asleep. As an early-to-bed, early-to-rise type, I typically listen to my CC Radio 2E for enhanced reception of any number of Northeastern US-based AM talk radio stations while falling asleep – can’t get enough Mark Levin in the evening.

The CC WiFi 3 comes with 100+ presets, and you can save your favourite stations.

C. Crane has come up with another winner with its CC WiFi 3 Internet Radio. With a MSRP of $119.99 US (Amazon.ca, through the C. Crane shop, lists it at $197.26 Canadian) and no shortage of listening options free of charge via Wi-Fi, I highly recommend this radio to anyone wishing to add a world of radio via Internet streaming to their home, office or shop. It’s sound quality is superb for a radio of this type and price range, and it’s backed by lifetime tech support.

Learn more about the C. Crane CC WiFi 3 radio at ccrane.com.

CC WiFi 3 General Specifications
Input Power:
Radio – AC Adapter 100-240V 50/60Hz 5VDC 1000mA center tip positive
Remote control – 2 AAA Batteries (not included)
Audio Output: 1.5 Watts RMS
Speaker: Full range dynamic speaker (2.5″) 8Ω @ 5W
Station Aggregator: Skytune based
Connection: WiFi:
802.11b
802.11g
802.11n
Bluetooth®:
Audio (receiver)
Security: WEP, WPA, & WPA2
Processor: 32 bit processor
Reception: 5 dBi RPSMA External Antenna (included)
Display Lines: 3
Earphone Jack: 1/8″ (3.5mm) Stereo
Line Out Jack: 1/8″ (3.5mm) Stereo
Presets: First 10 using the remote buttons, 100+ in sequence list.
Supported Audio Formats:
Sampling rate: 44.1, 48.0 KHz
Bit depth: 16-bit
CODEC: AAC+, AAC, MP3, OGG
Playlist format: PLS, M3U, M3U8
Streaming format: HLS, Icecast, Shoutcast
Power Requirements: 5 volts DC
Dimensions: 6.5″W x 3.9″H x 3.9″D
Weight: 1 lb 2.6 oz / 527 grams
Warranty: 2 Year Limited Warranty
Included Accessories:
AC Adapter
Remote Control
5 dBi Antenna
Manual
USB to Radio power cord
Warranty Card

$197.26 at Amazon.ca

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Award-winning journalist Jeffrey Reed is a life-long radio hobbyist/enthusiast, and a former lead contributing writer with Popular Communications, the world’s leading communications magazine published 1982-2013. Reach Jeffrey at jeff@londonontariosports.com.