Above: Bottom: US 10K version / Top: Other Areas 9k Version (Note different AM Dial Scale and Frequecy Range

A few months ago I bought the XHDATA D-219 from eBay but not until I received it did I realize that it tuned in 9 KHz steps on AM and there was no way to switch it to 10 KHz. I found I was still able to tune into all my usual AM stations but they seemed to be at reduced volume in many cases. Since stations were received with several peaks, I guessed that some of the peaks were fairly close to the actual station frequency therefore making it possible to hear them, but I asked the good folks at XHDATA if they planned a 10K AM step version of the radio and eventually they did. They said that for now it is only available at Walmart or at the XHDATA website. Here is the Walmart link: I ordered it and for around $20 it arrived two or three days later.

You can also get it at https://xhdata.com.cn/

Comparing the two radios together has been instructive to say the least. But first the specs:

DSP Analog-style tuning using Silicon Labs Si4825-A10 chip

AM: 520 – 1710 KHz (10 K Steps)/522 – 1620 (9 K Steps) (Separate versions available)

FM 1:87 – 108 MHz

FM 2: 64 – 87 MHz

SW: 4.74 – 22 MHz in 9 Bands (See Pictures)

Controls: On/Off switch, Volume & Tuning thumbwheels, Band Selector switch

Earphone Jack (Stereo jack but FM is in mono)

Power: 2 AA cells or DC Input 5 Volt center pin negative

Flip out back stand

Lanyard

Owner’s manual (10 K version English/9 K version multi-lingual)

Checking Out the D-219

First let’s talk about the 9K tuning step version versus the 10K step versions. I had read a few user theories and had my own guesses after playing with the original radio on the test bench where I found the tuned frequency could change under some conditions. If a signal was not properly tuned, turning the radio off then on again might result in a change of tuning. It seemed that there was indeed some kind of AFC going on and AFC is mentioned in the spec sheet for the chip, but being able to compare the two radios side by side made it clear what is going on. While it is true that any given station will exhibit false peaks on either side of the true (strongest) peak), there is no doubt that reception is hampered when the tuning step does not match the signals in your area. The proof was in the pudding…as I checked all of my regular AM stations most were much louder on the 10 K version. Typical suburban grade signals could be pushed well beyond distortion if I turned the volume control way up while on the 9K radio I could turn it all the way up to get medium volume. It was an obvious and large difference so whatever AGC action is there is not enough to compensate for the mistuning, so for AM you certainly want to get the one which is right for your country. SW and FM are unaffected by all of this and those bands are the same on both versions.

By the way…here’s an interesting tidbit you may not have been aware of. Did you know that there are 12 frequencies that fall directly on both the 9K and 10 K channel allocations and will therefore tune perfectly with either 9K or 10K steps? They are:

540, 630, 720, 810, 900, 990, 1080, 1170, 1260, 1350, 1440, 1530 KHz.

As it happens two of my semi-local signals are on 630 an 1170 and those stations sound the same on either radio which proves that the low volume on all the other channels is the result of the wrong tuning step. Having both radios side-by-side was invaluable in proving all of this.

OK. So assuming you have the correct version how does the D-219 stack up? For an entry level radio, I wasn’t expecting cutting edge performance but I’ve got to say that the use of DSP technology has once again raised the bar in performance even in a $20 radio. Other recent models have already shown us the possibilities and the D-219 is a great performer when compared with older, very familiar all-analog models such as the long-time favorites Kaito WRX911, Tecsun R9012, Sangean SG-711L and my Emerson PSW4010 which is a rebadged Sangean SG-789a. I found that the D-219 compares very favorably with the small, vintage analog compacts I compared it with. The D-219 clearly outperformed those radios sometimes by large margin, sometimes more subtly. The only ways in which the vintage radios were nicer is their smooth tuning behavior. As on most analog-style DSP radios, tuning across stations on the D-219 is slightly complicated by those false peaks on either side of the desired frequency, but once you find the correct frequency the reception is generally stronger and clearer than the vintage all analog radios and dial calibration is generally better as well. (Almost all analog-style DSP radios have these false peaks and I might suggest the manufacturers might be able to do what C. Crane eventually did with their very high-quality EP-Pro. When that radio was first released it had the same false peaks which made tuning more cumbersome, but they eventually adopted 9K or 10 K tuning steps so whenever you hear a station you are sure it is perfectly tuned, like on a car radio. You could argue that you can’t deliberately tune off -center but for pocket radios like the XHDATA D-219 it seems it would be more desirable if the chip can be programmed that way…maybe it’s not possible with all DSP chips).

Above: Vintage Analog Compacts Surround the XHDATA D-219 (See text)

I also noted some strong signal break-through on FM but this was in the presence of a very strong local FM station. At night there was some of this on SW as well but shortening the whip usually helped. Better (more expensive) radios have wider RF dynamic range…the ability to handle strong and weak signals simultaneously but the D-219 was no worse in this regard than the other inexpensive small radios I compared it with. And again, the XHDATA was generally more sensitive to weak signals so in actuality you could say it was better in this regard. For the size and price RF performance was very good.

Another note here is the fact that DSP removes alignment variabilities and this was very evident when revisiting many of the older, small analog portables I have here. The dial calibration (especially on SW) although not perfect, was better on the D-219 than on the analog portables which had probably drifted somewhat since they were made. Yes, they could probably be adjusted to be closer but with DSP alignment problems no longer exist.

Finally, the sound of the D-219 was a bit fuller and less tinny than the older small radios…advancements in speaker and amplifier technology are responsible for this. Only the Emerson had nicer audio.

Conclusion: All in all, the XHDATA D-219 is a welcome addition for those who need an inexpensive, small radio that covers AM/FM and SW. Naturally you can get more features and better performance with more expensive radios but in the world of $20 compacts I know of no other multiband radio that performs better.

Recommended:

See it at Amazon:

Jay Allen