Category Archives: About
About
Sangean WR-8/WR-9 Compact Radios
The new Sangean WR-8/WR-9 Compact Radios are interesting and innovative new models which fill a niche few other radios fulfill. For several years I have used a few of their earlier (and still available WR-7 series radios around the house, but these new models represent real upgrades in several ways. Other than styling differences these two units share seemingly identical performance except that the WR-9 has a unique AM internal antenna which offers the unusual ability to be used either horizontally or vertically. I have always been impressed by Sangean’s radios…they seem to be of the highest quality and workmanship and the new WR-8/EWR-9 continue that tradition.
Read the Sangean WR-8/WR-9 Review:
XHDATA D-219 Update (Fall 2025)
In the Fall of 2013 I reviewed the original XHDATA D-219 AM/FM/SW radio and noted that it was a solid performer and very competitive at its very low price (currently an unbelievably low $12.76 at Amazon). Now XHDATA has introduced a new version of this which tunes in 1 KHz steps and is available in two new colors, Green or Beige for just a few dollars more. The original model (which is still available in Black or Gray) is available in two versions, one which tunes AM in 10K steps and the other which tunes in 9K steps…choose the correct version for your area – 10K for the Americas and 9K for the rest of the world. The 10K version includes the Expanded AM band to 1710 KHz.
I have not seen the Beige model but the Green is absolutely beautiful to look at and its appearance reminds me of the colorful portable radios of the late 1950’s and 60’s…I really think it is very pretty. The 1K Tuning steps means you have more control over fine tuning when needed yet tuning seems as easy as before. If you were considering an inexpensive small portable the D-219 is worthy of your consideration.
See all color versions at Amazon:
CountyComm GP-1/WB AM/FM/Weather Radio
The new GP-1 follows the tactical concept of many CountyComm products designed to be survival tools. It currently sells for $19.50 and with tax and shipping mine cost a total of $25.96. CountyComm specializes in emergency preparedness gear…see their full line of items here: https://countycomm.com/
The GP-1/WB is described as a purpose-built AM/FM & Weather Band radio engineered for reliability in the harshest conditions. CountyComm’s website goes on to describe it as “Compact, Rugged, Emergency-Ready, Fully Backlit Display, Night Vision Red AM / FM / WB, Full Polycarbonate Body for Incredible Strength, Built for resilience, Designed for clarity.”
There are several pocket portables in this category…how does the GP-1/WB stack up?
Magnavox D 2935/Phillips D 2935
The 1980’s was a period of rapid development in digital radios. Worldwide, Sony was among the most well-known manufacturers while the Magnavox D 2935 (a rebadged Philips D 2935) was less well-known, at least here in the US.. Available between 1981 to 1989 it was described as a “travel-sized” portable to differentiate it from the desktop-designed yet internally similar model D 2999. At a hefty 7 pounds and measuring 12.5 x 7 x 3 inches it would hardly be considered to be a travel radio today but it represents a level of performance that is in some ways (not all) excellent.
Read the Magnavox/Philips D 2935 Review.
Qodosen DX-286
I am releasing 20 more DX-286’s for sale…here is my auction link.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/326746599574
Jay
Blast From the Past – A Look at 5 Vintage Digital Portables
Recently a reader sent me 5 radios he no longer uses and when I saw them I thought it would be fun to see how these would compare with modern radios made today. The radios are the Eton E5, Eton E100, Magnavox AW 3625/17, Radio Shack DX-375 and the Tecsun PL-660 which was only recently discontinued. Each represents a different stage of radio design history and as such they make an interesting study.
I still have my original Eton E5 and Tecsun PL-660. I previously owned an Eton E100 but had never seen the Magnavox AW 3625 (which I discovered is a rebadged Philips AE3625) or the Radio Shack DX-375 so I was eager to check them out and compare them with some of my current reference radios…some of the results were very interesting. Read Blast from the Past:
Raddy RF757 Wideband Receiver
Raddy offers a wide range of radios including several with frequency coverage well beyond the typical multi-band radio and the new RF757 is a recent addition to the line. In addition to the wide frequency coverage the RF757 also offers TF card Record & Play, a Universal USB C jack which functions for battery charging and PC interface with many associated capabilities in that mode, plus the ability to be controlled by a smartphone to expand its already wide range of capabilities. Currently it’s selling on Amazon for $84.99…outside the US you can get it as the Hanrongda HRD-757 from Ali Express at a lower price but without free shipping. Read the Raddy RF757 Review:
Raddy RF750 Plus Multiband Radio
The Raddy RF750 Plus may be one of the most unusual radios I have seen. It is a marvel of miniaturization…a tiny yet solid device measuring a mere 2 ½ x 2 x 1 3/8 inches…plugging in the AM ferrite rod brings the height to about 3 inches…this thing is small… yet it has amazingly good performance. It covers FM/AM/SW/Weather Band and features Bluetooth, Tiff card playback (plus record when used with the mobile app) via an Android or Apple phone. There are a few surprises as well.
Deshibo GA 800 Loop Antenna
The Deshibo GA800 from GOOZEEZOO is an update to their GA450. Although it is described as being automatically tuned I think it is more accurately described as an untuned loop…either way there is no tuning needed which makes remote placement possible. Frequency coverage is stated as 10 KHz through 159 MHz which means it includes LW, MW, SW, FM and even Airband…such wide coverage is unusual. It is currently selling for $119. Reviews I’ve seen are mixed and after testing it I understand why different users have had different experiences. This antenna is great in certain applications…exactly how you intend to use it will determine how successful it will be for you.
Special Message for my subscribers:·
Qodosen DX-286 $55 (Includes Shipping to 48 US States)
I have come into possession of more Qodosen DX-286’s which are customer returns…many appear to have never been used…all look brand new. I have tested each and every one of them to assure that they are operating perfectly and they will arrive in original packing with all original accessories.
Outer White Cardboard Box
Plastic Clamshell foam-lined Protective Case with Decals
Owner’s Manual
Cloth Drawstring Carry Bag
USB Charging Cable
Qodosen’s Original Supplied 18650 3350 mAh Li-ion Battery
Additionally, I have tested some of these units for extended periods and have determined that they are indeed operating perfectly. If you buy one of these new it will come with either NO battery (currently at $79.99) or with TWO batteries for $89.99. What you will receive from me will be exactly what you would get if you bought one new with ONE battery at a significant savings. I currently have several of these but the supply is limited.
WordPress who hosts my website does not allow selling on the site but I am allowed to link to an eBay auction but I wanted to be sure my subscribers would be able to grab one or more of these before they all sell out.
Special Message for my subscribers:
Qodosen DX-286 $55 (Includes Shipping to 48 US States)
I have come into possession of more Qodosen DX-286’s which are customer returns…many appear to have never been used…all look brand new. I have tested each and every one of them to assure that they are operating perfectly and they will arrive in original packing with all original accessories.
Outer White Cardboard Box
Plastic Clamshell foam-lined Protective Case with Decals
Owner’s Manual
Cloth Drawstring Carry Bag
USB Charging Cable
Qodosen’s Original Supplied 18650 3350 mAh Li-ion Battery
Additionally, I have tested some of these units for extended periods and have determined that they are indeed operating perfectly. If you buy one of these new it will come with either NO battery (currently at $79.99) or with TWO batteries for $89.99. What you will receive from me will be exactly what you would get if you bought one new with ONE battery at a significant savings. I currently have several of these but the supply is limited.
WordPress who hosts my website does not allow selling on the site but I am allowed to link to an eBay auction but I wanted to be sure my subscribers would be able to grab one or more of these before they all sell out.
Avantree Soundbyte T Streaming Radio to Earbuds BTSP-860-T
Recently a reader suggested that I check out the Avantree Soundbyte T Streaming Radio because it has one unusual feature…it can not only act as a Bluetooth speaker as many modern radios do but it can also transmit via Bluetooth to a pair of supplied earbuds, and this seemed like an exciting feature to try out. Actually, it can transmit to any Bluetooth earbuds or other devices you may have. I was interested in this because I often use an earbud-style radio when I do my yard work and I use noise blocking earbuds to also shield me from the loud noise of my lawnmower whose motor sits right behind me. And although this works well that earbud cable often gets caught on things as I work so it seemed that wireless buds might be a great solution.
The Avantree Soundbyte T Model BTSP-860-T is rich with features and we’ll put it through its paces to see how well it performs.
Qodosen DX-286/SR-286 Updates
Dear Subscriber,
I just updated the Qodosen reviews to include an exciting new discovery concerning the use of passive loops connected directly. I just wanted to be sure everyone who follows this page sees this information because it really surprised me.
Thanks for being subscribers!
Jay Allen
Because the DX-286 is an Ultralight-sized radio the internal ferrite rod is necessarily small which limits its AM sensitivity to ***. Still the radio is as sensitive on AM as any other radio its size and better than most. However, I recently discovered that if you have a tuned passive loop like the Kaito AN-100 or Terk AM Advantage, you can connect it directly through the aux antenna input, enable the 20 db amp and achieve ***** AM performance even in indoors in noisier locations. I put this combination up against my ***** AM Reference radios and the DX-286 was fully their equal in this mode. No other portable radio performs this well in this mode because we are seeing the superiority of the TEFF automotive chip.
Sangean U7HD AM/FM/RDS/HD Rugged Jobsite Radio
Several years ago, Sangean sent me their fantastic U4 Rugged Jobsite radio and I was impressed not only by its overall performance but especially by its strong audio. Now they have introduced the upgraded U7HD radio which is in some ways the same and in some ways new and improved. The original U4 will continue to be available and the choice of which is best for you will depend on exactly how you intend to use it as the two have different features. Both are top performers in this category.
C.Crane CC Pocket
AM/FM/NOAA Weather Alert Radio – Updated Feb 2025
The CC Pocket Radio from C.Crane was introduced in 2013 and has recently been updated adding new features and other improvements, including the inclusion of 3 rather than 2 AM bandwidths and is an excellent value at its current Amazon price of $64.99. It’s a Walkman-style radio primarily designed to be used with the included CC Buds. However, there is also a built-in speaker for utility use which can be very useful and is of particular importance if you use the radio for NOAA Weather Alerts. The CC Pocket covers standard AM and FM as well as the 7 NOAA Weather Band frequencies and runs on 2 AA batteries and competes head-to-head with other top earbud-style radios.
Qodoesn DX-286 Accessory Package
Qodoesen is now selling an accessories package for their DX-286 and it looks like an incredibly good deal to me. This package includes:
Canvas Carry Bag with Velcro closure
Telescopic Whip Antenna
2 Rubber feet
Battery Cover
2 Flip stands
All for $10 (which would be a good price for the whip antenna alone).
GE P-990A World Monitor
The GE P-990A was sold between 1964 and 1967, priced at $125 and is yet another fine example of heavy-duty, old-school design, featuring a massive steel chassis housed in a beautiful two-tone leather covered cabinet. It is simply beautiful to look at with an attractive multi-colored dial scale, another heavy radio from the time when weight meant quality and this GE is no exception. According to its designer, Conrad Jutson (who also was responsible for the popular P-780 series and several other projects), the P-990 World Monitor was GE’s answer to the Zenith Trans-oceanic but was designed to sell at a much lower price. We’ll take a close look to see how well they achieved their goal.
Pocket Portables Update
I last reported on Pocket Portables in 2016 and 2022 but things in this arena continue to evolve rapidly and it was time for an update. This time I collected more than 20 pocket-sized radios ranging in price from under $10 (!) to over $60 and found many surprises. In today’s marketplace these radios often appear under different names and, and some have no model name or number at all, but the trend is for ever-increasing performance at lower prices. As far as I know this is the largest such comparative survey of pocket radios ever done and if you’re looking for a personal-sized portable I think you will find this information interesting.
XHDATA Adds NOAA Weather in D-221
I just received the new D-221 which is essentially a D-220 with the addition of the NOAA Weather Band…it is available in Ornge or Green and is currently selingo nAmazon for $18.80. I compared performance of the two radios on AM/FM/SW bands and the two radios were identical in every respect. The Weather band is shown as channels 1 thru 7 and is accurate enough to make it clear which of the 7 channels you are on and I found reception in this band to be quite sensitive, receiving several stations of varhying strength abailabe in my location. If you live in the US or Canada the D-221 is a worthwhile upgrade.
National Panasonic R-2500B AM/SW Radio
The National Panasonic R-2500B was sold between 1971 and 1974 and is a great example of old-school portable radio design. By that I mean it is SOLID with a heavy steel chassis and all discreet components. It is big and heavy and has no FM but covers AM from 525 – 1605 KHz and SW from 1.6 to 30 MHz in 4 SW bands. It uses 11 transistors and has Tuned RF on all bands and features a very large tuning dial and not one but TWO ferrite rod antennas. I also found it interesting that it says “Super Sensitive” on the front panel which is a moniker Sony used from the late 50’s through the 70’s. But it is a very nice radio
Quick Shopping Guide (Link Added)
Although I provide in-depth reports on portable radios past and present, to help you shop here is a quick way to find that perfect radio for yourself or as a gift. You can always find in-depth information about any of these radios by clicking on the links to their full reports. All prices here were valid as of late 2024.
There are many other choices but these are all best in their classes and are my personal favorites and recommendations – Happy Shopping!
Quick Shopping Guide (Link Added)
Although I provide in-depth reports on portable radios past and present, to help you shop here is a quick way to find that perfect radio for yourself or as a gift. You can always find in-depth information about any of these radios by clicking on the links to their full reports. All prices here were valid as of late 2024.
There are many other choices but these are all best in their classes and are my personal favorites and recommendations – Happy Shopping!
GE P-840/P-875 AM Radios
Released in 1962 or 1963 the General Electric P-840/P-875 are the apparent successors to GE’s ground-breaking, tour de force P-780 series of portable AM radios. Interestingly, although the P-840 and P-875 radios look identical and share virtually identical chassis, the P-840 is an 8-transistor design while the P-875 uses 7 transistors. The P-840 has a two-transistor audio driver stage while the P-875 uses a single transistor audio driver. These radios are about two thirds the size and weight of the P-780 series but still share many of the former’s design concepts; heavy steal chassis, beefy speaker, large ferrite rod, tuned RF stage, three gang air variable tuning condenser and a long 7 ½” ferrite rod antenna. I had read some glowing reports about these radios that described them as top performers, so how well do they perform and specifically how do they compare with the earlier P-780?
Emerson 31P61 AM/FM Radio
Some online sources say the Emerson 31P61 was introduced in 1966 but my SAMS Service Manual is dated 1968 so that may be the better guess. It is an all-analog 9 transistor design powered by 4 C cells and measuring 9” x 5.25” x 2.5”. Although it uses a ceramic vari-cap tuning condenser, has no tuned RF stage on AM and has a smallish 4 1/4” ferrite rod antenna, its AM performance is amazingly good…transistor technology was advancing at a fast rate and by the late 1960’s their superior gain and signal-to-noise specs allowed fairly simple circuits to perform surprisingly well. Its design is simple yet visually appealing…this is a nice-looking radio.
Qodosen DX-286 Now Shipping with TWO 18650 Li-ion Batteries
The DX-286 now comes with TWO 18650 Li-ion batteries and is available from Amazon for US buyers and Ali Express for those outside the US.
Tecsun S-2200X World Band Radio
I must admit I was both curious and excited when I heard that Tecsun was replacing the discontinued S-2000 with an all-new S-2200X. Originally introduced in 2008 the S-2000 was sold under several names including the Tecsun S-2000, Grundig Satellit 750, Eton Satellit 750 and Eton Elite 750. Of all the Tecsun radios I have owned over the years (which is most of them) that radio was the quirkiest with tuning issues which really put me off. (You can read my comments on the original model here).
Anna at anon-co.com graciously sent me a review sample and advised that the new S-2200 was an entirely new radio inside the original cabinet. This radio is feature-rich and we’ll describe them in detail then take the S-2200X for a test drive.
Read the Tecsun S-2200X Review:
CC Radio Solar AM/FM/Weather Emergency Radio with Bluetooth
When C. Crane introduced the original CC Radio Solar, I was very impressed with it. Now it has been upgraded with the addition of Bluetooth which is perhaps the only feature the original model lacked. In every other way the new radio seems identical to the previous model. It is currently selling for $99.99 which is the same price the original model sold for and it is unique among Emergency Radios in terms of its overall level of performance and features.
XHDATA D-220 Compact AM/FM/SW Radio
The XHDATA D-220 is a no-frills compact AM/FM/SW portable radio measuring 2.8″L x 1.1″W x 4.9″H. It is available in three colors: Black, Orange and Green and features a slide rule dial, frequency coverage of AM: 520 – 1730 KHz, FM 1: 64 – 108 MHz, FM 2: 87 – 108 MHz and SW: 5.6 – 22 MHz. The D-220 tunes AM in 1 KHz steps so it can properly tune to stations in all countries using either 10 KHz or 9 KHz channel spacing. It runs on two AA batteries, there is a flip out back stand, lanyard carrying strap and a stereo earphone jack so even though there is no FM stereo you will hear sound on both sides of stereo earbuds. It is currently selling on Amazon for $15.98.
Raddy RF919 Wideband Receiver
A Very Cool Wide Coverage Receiver but with some issues to be ironed out
Overview: The Raddy RF919 packs a world of reception into an arrestingly handsome and solid instrument. It not only covers standard FM/MW/LW and SW (including SSB modes) but in addition covers Weather Band, Air Band, a dedicated CB band, VHF from 30 – 250 MHZ and UHF from 250 – 990 MHz with 1600 memories and ATS. It also features unusually complete external antenna inputs and controls which give more user control over antennas than usual. There are two illuminated displays and the buttons are also illuminated. Additionally, the Raddy not only plays audio from SD cards but can also record… a truly useful feature sorely lacking on many SD card-capable radios. There are also 10 EQ settings and Bluetooth playback. The RF919 is clearly aimed at radio enthusiasts who are willing to learn the ins and outs of a receiver which covers more bands and handles more antennas than any radio I have tested previously.
Motorola X31 Series Analog AM Radio
The Motorola X31A/X31N Ranger were introduced in 1961 or 1962, the later X31A-1 (Gray), X31B-1 (Blue), X31E-1 (Black) and X31N-1 (Ginger) arrived in 1962. I have two of the -1 versions which dropped the Ranger name but were upgraded with an external antenna connector. They are 8-transistor designs featuring a tuned RF stage, three gang air variable tuning condenser and a decent-sized 5 1/4” ferrite rod antenna for potentially excellent performance. They include a unique leather cover which can snap on the front for protection during transit or placed on the back for convenient storage…pretty cool. Originally retailing for $49.95 they may have sometimes sold for as low as $35 or so. Neither worked as received so I had to get them playing before I could evaluate them.
GE Digital Superadio 7-2882A
The GE Superadios are among the best known and best performing AM/FM portable radios ever made anywhere near their price and have achieved cult status among knowledgeable radio hobbyists. The Classic 3 models included the original SR (Model 7-2880), the SR II (Model 7-2885) and the SR III (Model 7-2997).
Enter the little-known Digital Superadio (Model 7-2882A) introduced in 1982. I don’t think many were made…perhaps the price was a bit much for an AM/FM portable radio at the time…the analog SR II retailed for $79.95 while the digital version sold for $139.95…those two 1982 prices convert to $257 versus $453 in 2024.
The Big Question: Is the Digital 7-2882A truly a Superadio? GE never called it a Superadio but it shares many attributes of those classic sets. We’ll take a look into this little-known radio to see if it measures up!
Read the GE 7-2882A Digital Superadio Review:
Qodosen Battery Recommendations
Update: Since the DX-286 arrives without a battery I have received many questions about recommended 18650 cells which will fit as they vary considrably in length and some are too long to fit, The designer of the Qodosen radios sent me three recommendations and here they are with my peronalized links to get them at Amazon US.
Qodosen DX-286 – A Great Radio Becomes Even Better
When the original Qodosen SR-286 was introduced, it caused quite a sensation in the radio community. Utilizing the TEF-6686 chip, originally designed for automotive use, it offered extremely high/trend setting performance along with an unprecedented amount of user control over many circuit parameters but its distribution was somewhat limited. Now Qodosen enters the world of mainstream products with their updated official export version DX-286. Here in the US it is available on Amazon in a deluxe package which includes a hard carrying case, a short USB charging cable and printed Owner’s Manual and offering identical performance but with a simplified control arrangement.
Read the Qodoesn DX-286 Review
Qudosen has announced a new DX-286.
The original SR-286 was immediately accepted as a breakthrough in small portable radio performance with its TEF-6686 Automotive chip. They have advised me that performance is identical to the existing SR-286 but with simplified operations requiring fewer button presses and some different default settings. I will report my findings as soon as the new units are in my hands.
It’s already on Amazon…here is my Amazon Affiliate link for it:
More to come!
AM/FM Portables Mega Shootout Lists 2024 Updates
Once again, I have updated the very popular AM and FM Mega Shootout articles. I have added all of the important new radios which have been reviewed during the past year and have made a few minor adjustments up or down for some existing models based on model updates, evolving technology and ongoing testing. As of now both of these articles are continuously updated so new reviews will be included shortly after their primary reviews are posted. Some very inexpensive radios have been omitted since they are designed for tiny size and convenience at the expense of top performance.
Thanks so much for all of your support during these past many years and I hope you enjoy the website!
Zenith Royal 32 – 35 – 640 – 645 – 645L AM Portables
Zenith, like some other manufacturers (such as Sony) often played games with confusing model numbers, using similar model numbers for very different radios and conversely, issuing very different model numbers for some very similar radios. This article will look at several models which share the same chassis and are essentially the same radios inside. Model confusion aside these are some very nice radios with amazingly good performance among bargain priced sets.
Read The Zenith Royal 32-35-640-645-645L Article:
Panasonic R-1492 ANalog AM Portable
The Panasonic R-1492 (aka The Elmhurst) is an AM only analog portable radio from 1972. It is a simple 6 transistor design available in Black, Red, Orange and Green. It’s a great looking radio with a dual-faced tuning dial scale which can be viewed either from the front on the top…rather unusual. The few online reviews I found ranged from OK to mediocre so I was curious to see how well it would perform.
Read the Panasonic R-1492 Review:
SuperCharged Qodosen SR-286
Readers of the Ultralight Group are aware of Gary DeBock’s pioneering efforts with FSL antennas and loopstick modifications to Ultralight radios and none have garnered more interest than his latest efforts adding a large 7 ½” loopstick to the amazing Qodosen SR-286. In my original review I was amazed by this little radio…Gary’s loopstick mod has made it even better.
SIHUADON R-108 Review: UPDATE
This is an update to the Radiwow R-108 Review published in 2019. A while back XHDATA had rebadged the Radiwow as the Sihuadon R-108. There have been a few updates along the way and this article will refer to those as well as the latest update available Spring 2024.
I ended up with three different production versions of this radio…we’ll check them out, compare them and take a quick look inside.
Read the Sihuadon R-108 Update:
Sony ICF-5500W
Here’s another vintage radio which a reader loaned to me for review. This guy works in Vermont helping people who have trouble receiving their PBS station amidst obstructions caused by hilly terrain. He told me that among the collection of radios on which he relies the Sony ICF-5500W is among the best for FM. He sent me one on loan along with a dead set for investigation and I’m glad he did because although I had known this model existed, I never knew much about it and it has turned out to be a real find with unexpectedly great reception.
Sears Silvertone 800/900 6223-3223-4223 Updates
Since I first published a review on the Sears Model 6223 series I have obtained other Silvertone 800/900 models in the 3223 and 4223 series, some of which are called Silvertone 800 or 900 and others which are not. This is an updated article which discusses all of these models.
Read the Sears Silvertone 800/900 6223-3223-4223 Updated Article
Sony ICF-2001 AM/LW/SW/FM – A Most Unusual Radio
(And a Look at some other radios which use Whip Antennas for AM Reception)
When Sony introduced the ICF-2001 in 1980 it was nothing short of a revolution in portable radios. Not to be confused with the later ICF-2001D (which is a completely different model introduced in 1985 and known here in the US as the ICF-2010…one of the longest-lived and most iconic portable radios ever made), the ICF-2001 was the first portable radio to offer direct frequency input via a numeric key pad with a digital readout and other digital tuning features. Somehow though the ICF-2001 seems to have faded into relative obscurity and I had never seen one or known enough about it to look for one until a reader named George graciously loaned me his 2001 for evaluation. As it turns out the ICF-2001 has some unusual capabilities which we will explore:
Read the Sony ICF-2001 Review:
XHDATA D-608 Emergency Radio
The new D-608 is a full-featured Emergency Radio from XHDATA who has become a major manufacturer of portable radios over the past several years. It provides excellent performance and all the features we have come to expect of modern digital emergency radios with few extra features not generally seen as well. You might also find it great for general daily use as well. Read the XHDATA D-608 Review:
Sangean HDR-19 AM/FM/HD/Bluetooth Radio
Sangean’s HDR-19 is an upgrade to their superb analog-style WR-55 which I reported on a few months ago. It is housed in the same Natural Cherry ported wooden cabinet and shares the same powerful amplifier of the WR-55 but includes a digital interface with all of the features of today’s modern radios adding FM Stereo, HD reception, RDS and Remote Control. I’ll put the two radios side-by-side to compare them for you.
Sony TFM-7300 Super Sensitive AM/FM Portable
Sony’s iconic line of Super Sensitive radios were very popular models produced from the late 1950’s through at least the mid 70’s. They performed amazingly well even with somewhat simplified designs and were certainly desirable in many ways. The TFM-7300 is a lunchbox size AM/FM radio introduced in 1965 and is overall a very nice all-analog radio.
Qodosen SR-286 AM/FM/SW High Performance Portable
This is a rather unusual review of a rather singular product. The Qodosen SR-286 is based on the NXP TEF6686 DSP chip which is designed for car radio use. As such it offers levels of performance and adjustability far beyond what I have come to expect of portable radios. In some ways, this little radio has absolutely astounded me with what it can do. In some ways it is nothing short of amazing!
XHDATA D-109WB Updated Review
The newest production run has some important enhancements so I have updated the review to reflect the changes.
Read the Updated XHDATA D-109WB Review:
Motorola XP7C/XP7CE AM Portable Radio
For those of you who follow my website you know that for the past few years I have been discovering more and more vintage analog portable radios. This Motorola was recommended to me by a reader who felt it was the hottest radio he ever had and that it had outperformed some reference radios which I have rated as ***** which is quite a claim. I must admit I had never heard of this model before and I found very little information about it online but as usual I was extremely curious as to what it was all about.
Read the Motorola XP7C/XP7CE Review.
Sangean WR-55 AM/FM Table Radio
At first glance the WR-55 appears to be an ordinary AM/FM table radio but it is actually an advanced design with performance that is surprising in some ways. Its release is timed to celebrate Sangean’s 50th Anniversary and they have designated it as a 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition.
Operationally the WR-55 is a simple AM/FM tabletop design with a lighted rotary analog style tuning dial, volume and tone controls, AM/FM/Aux/Bluetooth mode selector and a Tuning/Mode LED indicator. But it’s got some surprises under the hood that make it special…let’s take the WR-55 for a test drive!
Hitachi TH-812 AM Portable Radio
Here’s another classic all-analog AM only portable from the 60’s. Hitachi described the TH-812 as “Super Sensitivity”, plus, this is the first Hitachi radio I’ve had so I was very interested to learn all I could about it. It was introduced in 1964 and is a 9-transistor design with a tuned RF stage and three gang air variable tuning condenser…old school all the way and highly desirable. It features a 5” ferrite rod of large cross-section, a big slide rule dial, 3 1/2” x 5 ½” (approx.) oval speaker, leather case and gives very long battery life from its 6 D cells.
radiojayallen 
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