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3Ryan radios resurrects vintage charmers as iPod docks

Kelly Montgomery By

If you're a vintage fiend, ditch the shiny black iPod dock for one of these restored tube radios from another decade.

Most iPod docks are black or white, shiny, and modern, but the high-tech look isn’t for everyone. For those who shun modern clean lines, but love antiques and tasteful kitsch, a vintage radio might suit your iPod a little better than that dock that looks like a small spaceship. The craftsmen and antique-radio-connoisseurs over at 3Ryan come to the rescue with an astounding collection of unique vintage radios that can be customized into the perfect part-modern, part-vintage home sound system. The company hunts down the best tube radios from the 1920s all the way through the late 1960s, and each radio is disassembled, cleaned, refinished, and rewired with new components to ensure that it has a long, happy life as a new iPod dock. Each 3Ryan radio ($350+) comes with your choice of a top-mounted iPod dock or a more discreet line-in to play your tunes. Sound quality varies by radio, but the company says that you can look forward to a “crisp, clear warm vintage sound.” The company seems to be open to just about any customizations you could want, and they will even rewire your own vintage radio if you ask. They may not have Bluetooth streaming or a dual-alarm, but these radio-docks have charm and a one-of-a-kind feel that is sorely lacking from your typical dock.

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Showing 34 comments

  1. d smith at 5:15pm 6th February 2012 Kelly, do you have the phone number of 3ryan radios, I now cannot seem to contact them by email Regards Dave
    1. Kelly Montgomery at 8:22am 7th February 2012 Unfortunately I don't have any more contact info for them than you do. But I am going to make a note in the article of the problems that have happened.
  2. shm at 12:37pm 6th February 2012 I am also having the same problem with 3ryan. They promised that my radio would be sent so that the 45 day paypal window to dispute a charge elapsed. Now they have not responded to any of my communications for nearly 3 weeks. Anyone have an update on getting through to them?
    1. d smith at 5:23pm 6th February 2012 I placed an order with them everything seemed fine, email contact fine, ive been trying for past 6 days to contact them further now i'm getting no response. could you find a phone number anywhere, i'm ordering from outside the US. Dave
      1. arohloff at 7:09am 14th February 2012 I don't think any of us are ever going to get our radios. I ordered mine in November and email contact stopped a couple of days before New Years. Reading your posts and how similar the situations are I can't help but think it's an elaborate scam. It seems a little extensive but at 500 dollars a pop for a radio they could make some pretty easy money. I contacted another author of a very similar article, Jim Bridges from Urban Daddy, who sent 3ryan an email and received a response within a day... I bet Kelly would have the same response time.
        1. Kelly Montgomery at 9:55am 14th February 2012 I'll send something out today, will update you if I get any response!
        2. d smith at 9:18am 15th February 2012 Hi Adam, I live in the Uk. I too am getting very jittery about this purchase. My radio was supposed to have been picked up 13th February. I paid 675.00 $US for my radio and 278.96$US for international shipping!...I have received a shipnex tracking number, contacted them by email today no parcel!!. Ive been advised of a phone number, though I still dont know who's number this is also address of the sender is not based in Brooklyn!.....Kelly can you help if youre reading this?, am now getting no reply from 3ryan again by email
          1. Kelly Montgomery at 9:25am 15th February 2012 I sent out an email yesterday requesting an explanation for the problems, but I haven't heard back yet. As soon as I hear anything I will post it here. Very sorry to hear about all the troubles!
            1. d smith at 9:27am 15th February 2012 its ok kelly but this is a lot of money to me and 3ryan wont provide a contact number
            2. d smith at 10:01am 15th February 2012 Kelly I have a phone number, could you try it....646 593 7926 regards dave ( uk )
              1. arohloff at 10:15am 15th February 2012 D Smith, what number is 646 593 7926?
              2. arohloff at 10:19am 15th February 2012 D Smith, I called the number you posted. I could only get a voicemail for Brian Kenney.
                1. d smith at 7:37pm 24th February 2012 did you manage to contact 3ryan yet?
  3. arohloff at 8:16am 18th January 2012 Do not buy a radio from 3ryan radios. This is a scam and you will not be able to get your money back. These guys work around PayPals 45 day dispute policy. Great idea, fake company.
    1. d smith at 6:36pm 21st January 2012 I cannot seem to get in touch with 3ryan radios either, are they a legitimate company? when did you place your order? did you get your money back, did you use your credit card to pay using paypal?
      1. arohloff at 11:02am 31st January 2012 I used my credit card. Did you ever have any contact with them?
        1. d smith at 11:34am 31st January 2012 finally got in touch with them, think everything is ok now. they say my radio should be ready in 2 weeks
          1. Kelly Montgomery at 11:36am 31st January 2012 Certainly sounds like unfortunate customer service. If you end up losing your money, please do let us know so that we can remove the article.
            1. d smith at 11:46am 31st January 2012 I will do , i'm hoping everything is fine. I just wish they had a phone number you could contact them on.
              1. arohloff at 7:45am 1st February 2012 If you ever actually get your radio could you please let me know.
                1. d smith at 9:19am 1st February 2012 Of course I will, like I said, it would help if they had a phone number
            2. arohloff at 7:35am 1st February 2012 Kelly, I have had no luck contacting them. Around Christmas I was told my radio would be ready and shipped a little late but it never came. I assumed it being a small business they shut down for a week or so around the holidays. After the New Year I sent them several emails and have heard nothing since.
            3. arohloff at 7:38am 1st February 2012 I placed my order 15 November. 500 dollars.
            4. arohloff at 7:52am 1st February 2012 Kelly if you could, could you email 3ryan and see if you can get a response. I contacted the author of a similar article from UrbanDaddy and he has been unable to receive anything either. My name is Adam Rohloff and I orderd the radio on November 15th, 2011. My PayPal receipt number is 5192-3119-5714-5715.
          2. Kelly Montgomery at 10:03am 15th February 2012 Great news! Glad to hear it got resolved.
            1. arohloff at 10:35am 15th February 2012 Resolved!! Who got what resolved!?!
              1. Kelly Montgomery at 10:42am 15th February 2012 That was in reply to D Smith, not your comment. He said he got in contact with them and resolved his issue. I did send out an email yesterday but have not received any response. I'm sorry I can't be of any more help, but I will let you know if I do hear anything from them.
            2. arohloff at 10:39am 15th February 2012 What got resolved?
              1. d smith at 7:16pm 22nd February 2012 Hi Adam, did you manage to get in contact with Brian Kenney of 3Ryan radios? I managed to speak to him at 10.00pm at nite your time(3.00am in the morning uk time) on the phone number you tried.I received my radio the other day and everything is fine!. He did say that we could email him on Paypal@3Ryan.com for any problemsHope you get yours sorted too. Dave
                1. shm at 2:16pm 23rd February 2012 Did he have an explanation for why he has been avoiding all attempts to contact him?
                  1. d smith at 6:52pm 23rd February 2012 He said that he was no longer able to afford full time staff due to present financial situation and with it being a really small firm. Which radio did you order? have you checked their website to see if it says sold, it took mine a while to show as sold. I placed a dispute as was in 45 day window. if you paid by credit card i think you can claim on them cant you?
              2. d smith at 6:51am 4th March 2012 Hi Adam, Did you have any luck with 3ryan, I got my radio everything is fine but I've tried contacting them again to ask some questions and now I cant get a reply!
                1. arohloff at 10:17am 5th March 2012 I spoke to Brian Kenney a couple of weeks ago and finally got the radio a few days ago. The fact it took almost 4 months doesn't bother me half as much as how hard it was to contact/get a response from 3Ryan. I can now wash my hands of ever having to deal with them again. Next dealer.
                  1. d smith at 8:12am 11th March 2012 so glad you got your radio too! terrible customer service or what!!!! dave
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