Yes, the best on the market

The business of combining a full featured alarm clock, multiband radio and CD player into one box is a challenge for electronics manufacturers. But it makes for a supremely convenient and enjoyable bedside piece of equipment.
This is my seventh (yes, 7th) model of such a beast. I've had other Sonys, Panasonic and Philips; all had their good points, but all had some suffrances. I've given away most of them or retired them to boxes in storage waiting to be donated, because eventually their drawbacks became too great to deal with; when you're in such close and frequent contact with a piece of electronics if they don't perform it becomes very annoying.
Finally I decided to spend the $100 and try Sony's best effort, and I feel now it was a good decision and my confidence in Sony has been reaffirmed.
This is a pretty large and heavy machine; about 7-1/2" square and weighing 6 lbs. It is a gold color and quite attractive with cloth speaker grilles on either side and an orange back-lit display.
Starting with the display, it is readable from any angle, contains a lot of information (alarm settings, radio frequencies, CD track, etc.). BUT what it also has is a light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness according to the level of light in the room. This feature alone sets it apart, as the brightness of the back light is always a problem with these kind of machines. I have a Panasonic that at it's lowest level bathes the room in a blue glow and is unusable unless you cover it up! Others (Philips) are okay at night, then hard to read in the day. This cures the problem.
Next the alarm clock function. This model allows you to choose the volume level if you are using CD or radio and then gradually goes from soft to the level you have chosen. It gives you the choice of one or any combination (CD, radio, buzzer) wake up choices. It's easy to set, too. Another unique to Sony feature is a "nap" alarm which is basically a countdown timer that lets you choose how many minutes (120,90,etc.) before it sounds a pleasant but loud beeping. There is no battery backup, but it will hold settings for a few minutes in the event of a power failure.
Now for the sound. This used to be a forte of Sony products, but they've lapsed in the past few years. This little beast puts that downfall to rest with two larger than average speakers up front AND a variable subwoofer in the rear powered by a total of ELEVEN watts. This gives it a large sound that betrays it's size; better than most small boomboxes and far and away better than other cd clock radios. The digital tuner is about average (it also includes TV and weather bands), but the presets are conveniently given individual buttons on the top. The CD includes shuffle, repeat, etc. and is quiet in operation.
In sum, this is a piece of electronics you're going to have a pretty intimate relationship with, and you might as well spend the extra to get the best.