Left: U7HD – Right: U4

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. No suspense in this review…both are superb and I’ll compare them to help you decide which is the best choice for you.

Rugged or jobsite radios are designed to withstand rough physical handling in inhospitable situations. They may get knocked over, rained on or covered with construction debris which would damage or destroy other radios. They are also designed to provide powerful, convincing audio outdoors and in noisy settings where typical portable radios just won’t cut it. The U7HD is designed to handle all these situations and does so very well.

Basic Features and Specifications:

AM/FM/RDS HD Radio with Digital and Analog AM/FM Bluetooth

AM/FM Settings for different regions

40 Station Presets (20 AM/20 FM)

Forced Mono Setting

Station Auto Scanning and Saving

Bluetooth 5.0 with NFC and AVRCP for play/pause controls and Supports SBC Codes

Aux Input

2.4 Inch Color Backlit TFT Display for Station Name / Call Sign / Radio Text / Program Type / Date / Signal Strength / Station Frequency

Clock with Date & Time

2 Alarm Timers by Radio or Buzzer with adjustable Alarm Volume and Humane Wake System

Sleep Timer

IP65 Certified Waterproof/Dustproof

Runs on 6 D regular or rechargeable cells or built in AC Power

Smart Battery Charger

7 Watt Class AB amplifier (AC mode) / 4 Watt (Battery Mode)

6.5-inch 8 Ohm full-range speaker with Treble, Bass, and switchable Loudness Compensation

True Wireless Stereo (TWS) allows pairing via Bluetooth with another U7HD for Stereo

Supports Emergency Alerts

USB Type-A DC Out Socket for Charging Mobile Devices (5V/1A)

Roll-Cage Design for Shock Resistance

Dimensions: 11.75″L x 10.75″W x 13.5″H

Weight: 12.7 Pounds

Currently $299.99 on Amazon

First Looks, Performance and Comparisons with Original U4 Model

Above: The displays are far better looking than this photo represents

Unboxing the new U7HD seemed like a familiar experience because the radio is built into the same cabinet as the original U4 which I have used and enjoyed for many years. The initial impression one gets is one of quality and solidity and upon powering it up I was immediately struck by the same powerful audio as the U4 which is in a totally different class than other portable radios. With the switchable Loudness control and unusually effective Bass and Treble controls you can tailor the sound for either indoor or outdoor use and outdoors the extra powerful bass is what makes this jobsite radio so much more convincing than a typical radio. Treble clarity is there as well…I can only describe the sound quality as awesome overall. Mine lives on a screened in porch and it performs very well there but I’ve also had it out in the yard and with its moisture, dirt and mechanical shock resistance it is a natural in that setting. The AM and FM channel spacing and band limits can be set for various regions so the U7HD will work anywhere.

Of course, the biggest upgrade in the U7HD over the U4 is the addition of HD Radio and this alone may be the reason for you to choose the U7HD. And although the improved audio quality of HD over traditional AM and FM is real, an often-overlooked advantage is access to the so-called “Hidden” channels on FM HD. In addition to the regular stations you’ve always known there are often up to 3 additional channels with completely different programming and these are often niche or specialty formats not available on traditional AM and FM broadcasts. You may find for example that your favorite music station features an all-sports or news sub-channel or a music channel with a format you didn’t know was available anywhere. Not all HD stations offer these additional channels but if you see a little + sign next to the HD indicator it tells you they are there and you can access them by tuning up one notch to access one after another…very cool. The updated colorful TFT display is a nice improvement and provides all the information about what you are listening to in all modes.

Top Left: Analog FM Station Top Right FM HD1

Bottom Left: FM HD2 Bottom Right: FM HD3

The one omission from the U4 is the Weather Band which the U7HD does not offer…the chip needed for HD does not include Weather and an additional chip would be needed to add it. However, the U7HD does offer Emergency Alerts which are keyed to your location. You can choose to limit notifications to your specific location or allow any receivable alerts to be received. The radio must be running on AC power for this mode.

Interestingly, although both the U4 and U7HD run on AC power or 4 D cells, the 7U7HD does not need the two AA backup cells used in the U4. You can also use regular primary D cells or rechargeable NiMH cells and charge them in the radio.

You can tune manually or use the Auto Station Scan and Save which works very well and when complete can display a list of the saved presets with 20 presets for AM and  20 for FM in 4 pages each. The HD seek can find and store stations broadcasting in HD…very handy. You can Seek Up or Down by first turning the tuning knob Up or Down. You can also add or delete entries manually if desired and calling them up is easy and intuitive. The radio has a sturdy roll cage designed to protect it from damage.

Other features include Bluetooth playback with play control and phone call capability, forced mono capability to improve reception of weak FM stations, an Aux input for external audio sources, clock with date and time with alarms and a sleep function, a USB A charging socket for charging a cell phone or other devices and a very unique ability to pair the U7HD with a second set to provide stereo.

Performance: The U7HD exhibited exemplary performance on AM/FM and HD modes. It was very sensitive to AM signals and the excellent audio made even weaker stations sound enjoyable. It ranks an excellent Four Stars on the AM Mega Shootout article: and Four ½ Stars on the FM Mega Shootout.

The U7HD uses a short rubber ducky-type antenna for FM because a regular whip antenna would be easily subject to damage in rough use.  Although this is shorter than a usual FM whip the radio seems well matched to it and FM reception is excellent – the radio does a good job of pulling in weaker FM stations.

Bluetooth pairing was easy and worked flawlessly. I didn’t have a second unit to try the Bluetooth Stereo mode but the sound of the single unit is so convincing and powerful even outdoors that I can only imagine how wonderful the stereo effect would be…you could have a rockin’ party with one of these – two would be phenomenal!

SO…how do you decide between the original U4 or the new U7HD? For all intents and purposes, they perform very similarly on AM and FM and sound similar as well…which is good. There are many differences such as the style of the display and several new features on the U7HD but the biggest difference is the inclusion of HD Reception on the U7HD versus the Weather Band on the U4. Either will serve you well and each is at the top of its category.

Recommended!

Jay Allen

See the U7HD at Amazon: 

See the U4 at Amazon: