Question 1

How is AM reception?  The one review that mentioned it said it was bad

Accepted Answer

Your location, house/apt construction and distance to station desired will all play a part in reception. Switching sides in a room or your dwelling can make a difference. Sometimes, even a foot will make a difference. I have had both this unit and the WR-22. Sangean has some of the best consumer AM/FM radio front ends you can buy. Devices in your home (light dimmers, computers, fluorescent fixtures, etc) can all cause AM reception problems. 
I have found the reception on both the RCR-20 and WR-22 to be quite good. Disclaimer - I live 20 miles north of NYC, so i am in a swamp of RF, and I live in a house with plaster walls and metal lathe... That said, the selectivity is very good on the radios and this also makes for good reception.
The WR-22 allows you to connect an external AM antenna, and an external FM antenna. What you can also use is a Terk Indoor AM Antenna ADVANTAGE (Amazon has it) that can (passively or directly attached) improve your reception when you are exceeding the capabilities of the built-in AM antenna. I used the Terk very successfully for years (passively) with a Proton RS-330 clock radio. It really helped. I almost kept the RCR-20, but the ability to connect external AM/FM antennas was one deciding factor; so I went with the WR-22 instead.

Try the RCR-20 out. If it doesn't receive to your satisfaction, pick up the Terk. Good luck.

Question 2

does it have an aux out plug

Accepted Answer

No.  It has an auxiliary in plug, a headphone input plug, and a USB plug that allows charging an iPhone.  It does have Bluetooth capability so that you can play music and podcasts from a phone or tablet through the radio.  I do this often and the sound quality is very good when using Bluetooth.  I am an audiophile with an audiophile home system, and this radio (which is in my bathroom) delivers impressive sound for its size and price, especially when in Bluetooth mode.

Question 3

How loud is the radio? conflicting info says 8wx2 and 3.5wx2. how does bass compare to polk i-sonic?

Accepted Answer

I have the RCR-40 which has 2 2.5", 8 ohm, 3 watt front-firing speakers, with adjustable bass and treble, that sound rich and loud; and, you can adjust it nicely with a traditional knob, and control it fully with an excellent remote. The remote also adds 3 presets to the six on the radio.

Question 4

Is the bluetooth volume really low? Ex: have to turn volume all the way up?

Accepted Answer

When using the RCR-20 in Bluetooth mode, the volume is lower than when using the unit in the radio mode.  Turning up the volume on either the RCE-20 or your device (e.g., iPhone) a few clicks easily brings up the Bluetooth volume.  When switching back to radio mode you will need to turn down the volume because it will be louder in radio mode.  I have owned the RCR-20 for over one year and played music and audio book on it through Bluetooth, and I have never found the volume to be insufficient.  The unit will play music or audio books in Bluetooth mode louder than you can stand to hear it.  I would also point out that the sound from this unit is clear and crisp.  This is a great unit and I recommend it.

Item Weight	2.75 Pounds
Item Dimensions W x H	10.5"W x 3.5"H
Mounting Type	Tabletop
Number of Batteries	2 AA batteries required. (included)
Watch Movement	Automatic
Operation Mode	Electrical
Alarm Clock	Yes
Power Source	AC
Indoor Outdoor Usage	Indoor
Batteries are Included	Yes
Display Type	LCD
Special Features	Adjustable Brightness, Calendar Display
Theme	Phone
Shape	Rectangular
Style	RCR-20
Room Type	Living Room, Bedroom, Home Office, Study Room
Color	Black
Material	Plastic

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Sangean RCR-20 FM-RDS (RBDS) AM/Bluetooth/Aux-in/USB Phone Charging Digital Tuning Clock Radio with Battery Backup, Black

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