Showing posts with label eton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eton. Show all posts

5/27/2012

Eton Sound 100 iPod Dock, White Review

Eton Sound 100 iPod Dock, White
Average Reviews:

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The Sound 100 iPod Dock is the latest in Eton's product family. As a stand-alone radio this device is average. With the iPod dock this unit is a cut above and one you must consider.
They do sell this device without the iPod dock, and it ranges from being $30 to $50 less than this model. I don't believe it's worth getting this unit without the iPod dock.
Eton Sound 100 AM/FM Radio, Silver
There are many iPod radios and alarm clocks on the market which may be able to compete against the Sound 100 iPod on price. The iHome and iLive models come to mind.
iHome iH6 Clock Radio for iPod (White)
iHome iH5 Clock Radio for iPod (Black)
iLive ICR6307DT iPod Docking System with Digital Tune AM/FM Stereo Dual Alarm Clock Radio with Remote Control in White
The competition does not come close on engineering. The remote allows you to completely control your iPod! That means menu control and navigation in addition to the standard FF, RW, PLAY, STOP, and PAUSE funcitons. This is so simple, yet few devices have this ability. The Line-in and auxiliary jacks can connect other MP3 players (Creative, Zune) sans the menu control.
The speaker is monaural, but optimized to prevent distortion. At the highest volume the sound gets tinny but doesn't hiss. If you like modern design, the Eton is one of the best looking. It is sleek, COMPACT and light.
But there are shortcomings. The internal AM antenna is below average. The device lets you use an external one, and most users will need to.
The features could be better. There are only 10 programmable station presets. The RDS broadcast data is only 8 characters at a time. The screen is hard to read; you have to be right in front of it. There are no external RCA, speaker or subwoofer jacks, only line out. There is no EQ, treble or bass control and no way to adjust the backlight.
This radio came out in January 2007, well into the HD radio era. Only 10 presets? Why no speaker or subwoofer jacks? Why didn't they add Short Wave or HD capability?
If you only need an alarm clock radio, there are better options. This unit is above average on FM but below average on AM. Competing products by Sangean, BA and Sony have higher ratings at this price.
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, Black
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White
Boston Acoustics Receptor Clock Radio (Platinum)
Sony XDR-S3HD HD Radio
If you are VERY picky about sound and want a nice compact iPod radio alarm clock, this unit is worth a look. Enjoy!
Pros
+ Remote control functions are very well integrated with the iPod!
+ Very nice iPod serial interface for digital sound quality
+ Line-in and auxiliary jacks for MP3 players and other devices
+ Good speaker sound with surprising bass
+ Shielding protects the radio from interference
+ Battery backup possible for power outages
+ Nice alarm clock function
+ Nice looking design in a small and LIGHT form factor
Cons
- No equalizer; no treble or bass control
- Requires external antenae for good radio reception
- No RCA jacks or stereo connections for external speakers
- No Subwoofer connector - only standard stereo line out
- RDS only displays 8 characters at a time
- Backlight is not adjustable; you must be close to it to read it


Click Here to see more reviews about: Eton Sound 100 iPod Dock, White

Do most iPod speaker systems look a little too modern (read: stale) for your decor? Turn to the Eton Sound 100 system, which pays tribute to the retro glamour of radios past with swooping, curved lines and a stylish front control panel. The radio is designed expressly for iPods, with an external docking station that holds and charges all iPods with 30-pin dock connectors, including the iPod 3G, iPod 4G, iPod photo, iPod video, iPod nano 1G and 2G, and iPod mini. Simply plop your iPod into the dock and you can enjoy all your favorite tunes and playlists within seconds--no additional connections required.
Eton is recognized internationally for the quality of its radios, which is why the company added a high-sensitivity digital Phased-Locked-Loop (PLL) AM/FM tuner to the Sound 100. The advanced circuitry not only searches instinctively for the strongest station, but also locks in the frequency once it finds the signal to guarantee superior clarity. As a result, the radio's reception is crystal clear whether you're listening to the ballgame, catching up on the news, or kicking back to some classic jazz. To make tuning quicker and easier, the radio also includes five AM and five FM station presets.
Audio-wise, the Sound 100 is equipped with a 3-inch, full-range, front-firing speaker that produces distortion-free, room-filling sound with a wide range of frequencies (80 Hz to 20 kHz). The 16-character, two-line LCD display, meanwhile, offers a viewing area of 2.4 by 0.98 inches (W x H), with a gentle blue backlight that won't keep you awake during the midnight hours. And despite the display's relatively small size, it still shows quite a bit of data, including the time, selected station, alarm status, sleep status, band, and preset information.
Unlike many iPod speaker systems, the Sound 100 also handily replaces your bedside clock radio, with alarm, sleep, and snooze controls. Among the options are 12- and 24-hour formats, an alarm that wakes to either the radio or a buzzer, a programmable sleep timer (between 15 and 90 minutes), and a 5-minute snooze duration. And even though the Sound 100 is designed for iPods, it also includes a 3.5 mm auxiliary input for connecting a separate MP3 player or personal CD player, along with a 3.5 mm auxiliary line out.
Additional features include an encoder volume control, a headphone jack for private listening, a battery backup function (requires two AA batteries), a remote control, a 360-degree pigtail FM antenna, a built-in external loop AM antenna, and rubber feet on the bottom to prevent scratching and movement. The Eton Sound 100 measures 8.27 by 4.53 by 5.1 inches (W x H x D), weighs 2.82 pounds, and carries a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box Eton Sound 100 iPod system, external iPod docking station, pigtail FM antenna, infrared remote control, pigtail FM antenna, AC adapter, user's manual.

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4/18/2012

Etón Raptor NSP200WXGR Solar USB Charger and Weatherband Radio (Green) Review

Etón Raptor NSP200WXGR Solar USB Charger and Weatherband Radio (Green)
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I bought this even though I couldn't find any reviews because I figured it was worth a shot due to all the features it had. I really wanted to like it but I was completely disappointed. Right away I noticed the antenna was loose. I figured ok, not that big a deal and went into the quick setup book. Everything seemed easy enough to set. It was only until I got to the full instruction book that I started to get frustrated. Contrary to how this thing looks, it is not rugged at all. Right away they tell you that it's not splash proof or can even be used in high humidity. Also if you think you're getting a practical solar charger, radio, compass, etc you're wrong. They tell you takes 18 hours to get a full charge on the battery! And if you think you're getting a decent radio you'd be wrong as well. There were no instructions on how to start the radio! Not in the quick setup book or in the main instruction manual. The simply tell you turn on the radio! I played with it for an hour and could not get the radio to work! The instructions on how to power on and off the device were the same as the radio. The simply tell you to press the power button to turn the device on and off. I tried holding the power button down for 3 seconds, then 10 seconds and nothing! Great work Eton! You should stick to making Red Cross emergency radios. If you want a solar charger get a solio classic. If you want a radio get any old one with a hand crank. If you want an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, compass go to campmor.com or REI and you'll be able to find a clip on style device that does all that. I'm never buying another eton product unless I get the chance to check it out in person.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Etón Raptor NSP200WXGR Solar USB Charger and Weatherband Radio (Green)

Solar Charger with All-Terrain Guidance Functions

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3/08/2012

ETON G5 AM/FM/Shortwave Portable Radio with SSB (Single Side Band) Review

ETON G5 AM/FM/Shortwave Portable Radio with SSB (Single Side Band)
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I have had this radio for about a week now..
the instruction booklet is a little skimpy and setup can be confusing, however this is a fine radio.
FM selectivity is good, and quality through earphones is excellent, on SW the SSB feature is necessary to listen to HAM radio..its just a shame its not synchronous sideband detection..you must fine tune to select USB or LSB...Other than that the sensitivity is good, my only conclusion is that its not as good as my Satellit 800, but its also 1/20 the size and < 1/2 price.
There is a nifty "time zone" feature that allows the traveller to easily select which time zone he is in..the glaring omission however is that while GMT can be set (=UTC or world time and the basis for SW radio) all time zones are simply linked directly to GMT..or put it another way, there is zero capability to deal with any summer time...you need to muck about faking a time zone for BST, EDT or whatever.. this is a silly error.
The feel of the slightly rubberized surface is excellent, as is the display lighting and three methods of tune .. a rotary know (thankfully), seek, and direct frequency input.
If you are looking for a decent portable radio with SW, packed with the necessary features for enjoyable listening and without unnecessary frills, i cannot think of a better buy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ETON G5 AM/FM/Shortwave Portable Radio with SSB (Single Side Band)

AM/FM/Shortwave Portable Radio with SSB (Single Side Band). If you love listening to AM, FM, and Shortwave radio, owning the G5 means you'll never have to be without the sound you love. This is the world's leading portable, multi-band and single-side band radio. We've packed all these features into one compact unit, without compromising sound quality. Go ahead, take a listen.

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3/03/2012

Grundig G6 Aviator AM/FM, aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black Review

Grundig G6 Aviator AM/FM, aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black
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This is indeed an excellent new product. It seems very well made and should last a long time if treated with care. The radio is both extremely small (almost the same size as the Kaito KA11!) and readily transportable yet the reception is still excellent on all available bands. It is certainly not a Kaito KA1103 by any means, but for its size and weight it is quite exceptional, plus it has the aircraft band frequencies (see below for further details).
I like being able to change the news/music switch in order to slightly improve AM and SW signal audio fidelity (on my unit it is certainly NOT a deep bass boost switch however with little tonal changes being evident as the switch changes its position). Unfortunately this is also NOT a narrow/wide bandwidth filter switch which is not available on this radio at all. Using the SSB (single sideband) BFO (beat frequency oscillator) tuner is also very easy and straight forward with a key press on the front of the radio and in fine increments using the tuning dial as well. Unlike some other radios, SSB tuning is also available on the G6 on the AM band as well as on SW which is a very useful feature. The separate ability to step tune in very small increments with the jog dial setting is also excellent in my opinion once a signal of interest has been located. The unit also has an attached 20 inch telescopic antenna as well as an external antenna jack which is especially nice for receiving the weaker FM/SW/Aircraft band stations as well as an earphone jack for private listening (including FM stereo). LW and MW (AM) stations are tuned using the internal and excellent ferrite antenna coil.
I rather like the digital volume controls as well. The steps between each setting are sufficiently small that quite precise control of the volume levels can be attained, especially when using earphones which is my most common mode of operating this radio given the smallness of its speaker (but still adequate).
In addition, the Grundig manual for the G6 although too brief and lacking in some important technical details is just fine to read with no English translation problems as with the Degen (Kaito) radio manuals for the KA1102/KA1103. Degen now makes the G4, G5 and G6 for Grundig (whose designs originated from the Degen engineering brainpower from some 6 years ago now). These radios are now advertised as designed in California (by the Eton Corporation) and made in China, but to be fair Grundig has capitalized on a proven Degen/Kaito design and greatly improved on the ergonomics for using these fine radios.
The availability of the complete LW spectrum (formally from 153-279 KHz), but continuous on this radio from 150 KHz all the way to the start of the AM (MW) band at 520 KHz and of the Aircraft bands (117-137 MHz) and of the complete SW spectrum (1.711 to 29.999 MHz) on this unit is also true of the G5 as well (with the exception of the aircraft band). The Eton Corporation will soon start to advertise the availability of the complete LW band features on these new Grundig branded radios since it was originally and inadvertently overlooked by the marketers. (If you still have any doubts read the back of the radio in zoom mode on this website). The Sony ICF-SW7600GR also has the full spectrum of LW/AM(MW) and SW bands too and has advertised it all along, but that radio also lacks the aircraft band that is available on the new G6 Aviator radio. Especially for international travelers, the 10 KHz AM tuning step for N. America can also be changed to the 9 KHz step that is standard in Europe and Asia too.
One negative item is that the airband can not be automatically scanned like all of the other available bands on this radio. Another very negative item (see also below for those of you who live in heavily urban areas with lots of simultaneous interfering signals possible), is that there is no RF gain switch (DX/normal/local, etc.) on this radio at all either. Considering just how sensitive the front end of this radio is to weak signals, this is a very surprising error of omission in my humble opinion and one that should be rectified by Grundig (PUN intended!).
The G6 even has alarms and time zone capabilities and 700 memories that can be labeled along with with multiple and very useful ways I might add to tune and store information in this very versatile, dual conversion PLL (phase locked loop) synthesized, diminutive "micro-receiver style" radio. These memories are arranged for all of the 100 pages with 7 memories to a page. Each of these 100 pages can be labeled alphanumerically in groupings to boot. The presets can also be chosen on each page randomly regardless of the band. On another website there is a discussion of some occasional small microprocessor problems when loading two adjacent presets on a single page. The radio apparently can lock up, but it is easy to unlock and simply reload the page once again with no further preset storage problems.
There is even an on-screen clock as well as the day of the week and a battery level indicator, a hold switch for locking all of the buttons as well as a separate lock switch chosen through the jog dial for the tuned frequency. There is also a very nice on screen and very detailed signal strength meter and a nice orange back-light system. The radio can also charge batteries inside the radio (sounds like the KA1102/KA1103 proven technology once again- eh?) and it even comes with a one year warranty, a slip case as well as a AC/DC adapter charger. It runs on 2 AA batteries normally while in its portable state. It even has a nice carrying strap permanently attached to the radio as well which is a nice touch given its very small size. For you collectors, there is even a Buzz Aldrin special edition version of this radio advertised on Amazon, but apparently it is not yet available (as on early May 2008).
UPDATE: May 27, 2008:
I am in Alabama on travel and I too have now experienced very significant bleeding of apparently high power am stations directly on to the aircraft band at several frequencies. As a heads up, this just goes to show that to adequately test any radio it should be done at several locations. However, I have experienced none of this am frequency bleeding at my home location in the high mountains of New Mexico for example. This suggests that the dual conversion available at two IF (intermerdiate frequencies) in this radio are not adequate in some locations to adequately block unwanted noise from the aircraft bands.
June 18, 2008 UPDATE:
Yes, as I had previously indicated above, the G6 Aviator is a PLL (Phase locked loop) dual conversion receiver with a digital display and 700 presetable memories (Information recently confirmed by Walter Hess, Technical Support Manager, Etón Corporation, 1015 Corporation Way. Palo Alto, CA 94303 USA)
Finally, I look forward very much to having the fun of using this radio for the high quality sounds of music, news and just general LW/AM(MW) broadcast band, shortwave and aircraft band listening from all over the globe for a very long time.
September 8, 2008: UPDATE
For those of you who really really like this radio (and there is a lot to like), in order to compensate for its extremely good sensitivity (except perhaps in the am band), a trick that I learned about by reading other web reviews is to actually shorten the whip antenna length significantly when bleeding and other interference occurs. This allows the arriving radio signals to not overload the system and be received with very significant improvement. Ironically, usually we are always interested in lengthening the radio antenna (especially outdoors if it is not too noisy at the radio frequencies of interest). I hope that this may help you to continue to enjoy your new Grundig radio! Out in the open countryside this bleeding is NOT a problem at all, so only the big city radio listeners (or travelers to big cities) need to be beware of this potential problem for the G6.
April 11, 2009: UPDATE
One very nice feature of the 24 hour clock system is that it is fully adjustable for traveling including a GMT (Zulu or UTC) setting. With the radio off you simply press and hold the #8 key until a long list of coded city names appears. Next, you simply choose the time zone code closest to the one that you are currently within using the tuning knob and wait 8 seconds and you are all set (it is then automatically stored until you change it again). If you desire to know the Universal (UTC) time separately, you simply choose the "GMT" choice briefly to find the time in Greenwich, England and then repeat the above procedure and go right back to your current timezone location. (Unfortunately there is no provision in the G6 for entering the date or activating daylight savings time so at certain times of the year your indicated GMT time could be up to 1 hour off unless you live in Arizona, etc.) As you continue to travel this process is easily repeated as often as may be needed.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Grundig G6 Aviator AM/FM, aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black

With the Aviator at your side, you'll always have great listening options. Tune in to AM, FM, aircraft band or Shortwave frequencies easily with direct keypad entry. Or, use the STOP tuning feature to browse stations and stop on the next available frequency. You can also use D5 tuning to get a taste of what's playing stop on the next available frequency for five seconds at a time. Use the international clock and wake-up alarms to keep you on schedule, wherever your travels take you.

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12/03/2011

Eton E10 AM/FM Shortwave Radio Review

Eton E10 AM/FM Shortwave Radio
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I was looking for a high quality portable that I could use at work and that was light enough that I could carry around with me while walking.
I have had the E10 for about two weeks and am very pleased with it thus far. FM reception is very good -- it matches my Sangean ATS 818 easily. AM reception is also good (altough reception is compromised at work- but this is true of any radio). Shortwave is not quite to the same level as my Sangean but it still very good especially for the price and size. Sound is surprisingly good for the size of the speaker.
My biggest complaint with the radio is the small size of the buttons and controls. Even as small as the radio is, it is clear that they could have designed it with larger and more well spaced buttons.
The E10 comes with rechargeable NIMH batteries, the only drawback is that they only charge when the radio is OFF. The radio will work with standard AA batteries as well. An AC adaptor/charger is included. It also comes with ear buds (For FM Stereo) and a windup shortwave antenna. A carrying case is included (I use mine everyday).
If you like memory presets, you will love this radio. It has 500! (so far I have used only about 25 of them!).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Eton E10 AM/FM Shortwave Radio

Imagine a radio that combines strong performance for fantastic reception and all of today's digital wizardry, bringing the world to your fingertips. The E10 is where intelligence meets performance.

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11/03/2011

ETON Satellite 750 AM/FM-Stereo/Shortwave/Aircraft Band Radio with SSB (Single Side Band), Black Review

ETON Satellite 750 AM/FM-Stereo/Shortwave/Aircraft Band Radio with SSB (Single Side Band), Black
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I finally took the plunge and had to find out for myself about this nice looking radio. People complained about SSB reception and the Filters. I was glad I made the decision to purchase this radio as my radio has none of these issues with a serial number in the 1400's! A QSO was going on this morning on 3872.00. I turned on my Yaesu HF rig to verify the this was exactly 3872.00 LSB. To start the comparison against several other radios, I placed the ETON E-1 on 3872.00 and hit LSB and bingo, audio was fine as you would expect it to be. Time for the Sony ICF-2010. Same results, first I hit the USB and audio was weak but audible, hit the correct LSB setting and audio was loud and clear.
OK, now onto the Satellit 750. Placed the radio on 3872, hit USB, BFO set at 1 o'clock position, Normal, and audio was weak but audible, hit LSB and audio was strong and clear. The 750 acted exactly the same as the Sony did .....
This tells me that the 750 has absolutely no issues with SSB reception...
Naturally the operating instructions are not clear on the 1 o'clock position for SSB control. It came from the factory set at 1 o'clock. My Collins 75A-4 has a 1 o'clock position for LSB and a 11 o'clock position for USB, the 750 acts the same way... Since the 750 tunes in 1 KHz steps, you will need to tune the SSB knob at times, but the USB and LSB bandpass circuitry is fine. Yes they should have made the radio tune in 100Hz steps when SSB is on, but that is not the case. The E-1 does tune in 10 Hz steps so it does not need this. The Sony tunes in 100 Hz steps so you can get SSB Close but not exact.. For that reason the 750 is better than the ICF-2010... I used the narrow filter for these test.
OK, now to the issue of the wide filter... After playing with this for about 10 minutes on local AM stations and I mean STARING closely at the S-meter, I would say that the filter has a very slight kick up on the very edges, I mean out at 4 KHz offset. + or - 3 KHz the signal just rolls off, normal operation, as you hit 4 KHz on each end the S-meter might move up a tad, but at 4 KHz you are already loosing signal and reaching the end of the filter. But +- 2 khz the S-meter is flat.. If something is obvious, I do not see it. Tune in a station, S-meter is peaked , tune away either side and the s-meter will fall off as you hit 5 KHz in wide mode. I used the attenuator to keep the s-meter in its mid range.
I am not saying something is not present, but after close examination I see nothing that indicates a problem. I have the Scott and BR sports show on now, 1090, XX1090 San Diego, and have it in wide position for full audio... Sounds great!
OK, all this positive talk, must be something that concerns me, right?? I do have a concern about the battery cover. It does look very delicate, as does the entire radio. This is not a radio to drag off to the beach,,, This is not to say that the battery cover is not strong and one just needs to be careful. The E-1 battery cover has the same concern but so far after many battery changes, the Eton E-1 cover is still fine.
This radio is a fun to use. Keyboard entry is fast and flawless, can't say that about the E-1. E-1 needs to have the decimal pushed, 750 does not... I have not got into the memory or scan functions or timer mode yet.. That should be straightforward...The Monitoring Times review is way out of line... He made non qualified assumptions with many parts of the evaluation. He was concerned it was only a dual conversion and not a triple conversion and might have issues with strong local signals. Here in San Diego, NOT THE CASE.... Plus with an RF gain and 3 position attenuator, you would never have an issue. With Zero attenuation and full RF gain and tuning around a 75K watt AM station, 690, no issues, and I was able to NULL out with the top antenna 90% of this powerhouse station.. Larry Van Horn has done a great injustice to this radio in Monitoring Times. I was skeptical, but had to just prove to myself, I am glad I took the plunge, this radio is not being packed up for return to Amazon... Now I have to figure out where it is going to go in the house. I honestly think it may replace the Sony ICF-6800W now sitting next to my Sangean WFR-1 WiFi radio.. You just have to love radios that have a real S-meter to use...

Click Here to see more reviews about: ETON Satellite 750 AM/FM-Stereo/Shortwave/Aircraft Band Radio with SSB (Single Side Band), Black

AM/FM-Stereo/Shortwave/Aircraft Band Radio with SSB (Single Side Band). When you want full shortwave capabilities and a classic design, choose the Satellit 750. Advanced DSP technology and a 360-degree rotating AM antenna enhance the radio's tuning sensitivity to help you pull in weak signals. You can listen to AM, FM , Shortwave with SSB and aircraft band frequencies, and you can program in up to 100 of your favorites for each band. You can also connect your MP3 player for even more listening choices. Hear what you want to hear.

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10/30/2011

ETON G6 Aviator Buzz Aldrin Edition AM/FM, Aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black Review

ETON G6 Aviator Buzz Aldrin Edition AM/FM, Aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black
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When the G6 arrived I must say I was a little shocked as I was expecting a larger package, but as the old expression goes "Size Makes no Difference",and that applies to the G6!
The build quality was extremely good, the rubberized coating and the "just right" weight make for a very good, solid feel.
After a brief scan of the operating manual I placed 2 AA Alkaline batteries in the G6 (you can also use NI-MH batteries and charge them in the G6) but I was very excited and did not want to wait one minute longer, I wanted to play now!
I powered the G6 up and selected the MW AM Broadcast Band, my favorite
for chasing weak, distant signals. I then thought to myself, I need a "Standard" in which to compare the G6. Being an avid radio collector I selected a Tough Act to Follow" radio from my collection for the AM MW Blue Ribbon. I chose my Panasonic RF2900.
Both radios had brand new alkaline batteries installed, as I did not want to deal with AC power line noise, induced into the units by operating from the AC Mains.
It was in middle of the day so I selected a station on 1360 KHz, KWDJ, 1000 watts day, in Ridgecrest, CA, about 100 miles from my location in Lancaster, Ca. At that distance the measured signal strength of KWDJ was less than 100 Micro volts/Meter (Measured on Potomac FIM 22 AM field strength meter)
I placed both radios on the same table ,and rotated the units so their loopsticks were optimized for reception from the direction of Ridgecrest, Ca.
Also note, that in Lancaster, there is a 1000-watt AM station on 1380 KHZ
Its transmitter, less than 3 miles from my location, and in the same heading as
Ridgecrest!
As I tuned the RF2900 to 1360 I heard Dr. Laura, pretty clear along with a fair amount of background noise.
I listened for about 2 minutes to make sure that the signal was steady, which it was.
Now it was "ShowTime" I powered the G6 up, and using the Jog Wheel, I tuned the G6 to 1360...and with the volume set about halfway....I heard Dr. Laura, with about the same amount of noise as the RF2900!
Needless to say, I was impressed.
OK I said, lets take a listen to the low side of the band.
How about a lowly 100 watt AM station XSURF on 540 KHZ in Mexico, over 100 miles away.
I rotated the radios toward Mexico, tuned the RF2900 to 540 ,and there in the noise was XSURF on 540.
I should call the G6, the "Little Engine that Could" because when I tuned it to 540 KHZ, there was XSURF with just slightly more noise than the RF2900, WOW!
The G6 had no trouble in pulling in most all of the Los Angeles radio AM signals which ranged from 75 to 100 miles away with only one 50,000 Watt signal.
Ok, I was convinced that the G6 had great performance on MW AM, but how about FM?
I went back to my radio collection looking for a portable radio to make the comparison, a unit with better than average FM reception, my Eton E5.
On FM a good test would be pulling in KGZO, 90.9 in Shafter, CA
Operating with only 1.9 KW of power, over 100 miles away.
This is a good test of sensitivity and selectivity as my location in Lancaster, Ca, is within the 1MV contour of Superpower 110,000 Watt KPFK at 90.7.
In the past the Eton E5 had no problem in pulling in the KGZO signal in full stereo, with only a slight intrusion from KPFK.
The Eton E5 repeated this task as expected.
After tuning the G6 to 90.9 and with a little playing with the rod antenna, there was KGZO in stereo with just a slightly more amount of intrusion by KPFK, but still listenable!
The G6 had no trouble in pulling in signals from all the Los Angeles FM signals from Mount Wilson, the location of 99% of Los Angeles FM Signals.
On more thing.... do not let the small speaker size fool you, this little baby can fill a small room with pretty good volume.
On Shortwave the G6 is comparable in selectivity and sensitivity to several of my Shortwave rigs including my Eton E5, my Sony 6500 ,and my Sangean 909. The BFO makes copy of SSB a breeze as well.
On VHF I can hear signals from Aircraft and from LAX and Lancaster's Fox Airfield.
On a scale of 1 through 10 the Buzz Aldrin Edition Grundig G6 gets a
BIG 10!
Chris Compton
Professional Broadcast Engineer, and Avid Radio Collector for over 35 Years
Lancaster, CA


Click Here to see more reviews about: ETON G6 Aviator Buzz Aldrin Edition AM/FM, Aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black

With the Aviator at your side, you�ll always have great listening options. Tune in to AM, FM, aircraft band or Shortwave frequencies easily with direct keypad entry. Or, use the STOP tuning feature to browse stations and stop on the next available frequency. You can also use D5 tuning to get a taste of what�s playing�stop on the next available frequency for five seconds at a time. Use the international clock and wake-up alarms to keep you on schedule, wherever your travels take you.

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10/27/2011

Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock, Black Review

Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock, Black
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The Sound 100 iPod Dock comes in black and white. The radio only version adds other colors including silver, blue and red. I've had the white one for a while and I've been pretty happy with it. This Black Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock is very similar, but loses points for the non-black speaker face. As a stand-alone radio this device is average. But the stellar iPod dock integration makes this unit a cut above and one you must consider.
Without the iPod dock the unit ranges from being $30 to $50 less than this model. I don't believe it's worth getting this unit without the iPod dock. Still, they have been having periodic sales for the stand-alone model in the $30 range, which is very hard to pass up.
Eton Sound 100 AM/FM Radio, Silver
There are many iPod radios and alarm clocks on the market which may be able to compete against the Sound 100 iPod on price. The competition does not come close on engineering.
The remote allows you to completely control your iPod! That means menu control and navigation in addition to the standard FF, RW, PLAY, STOP, and PAUSE functions. This is so simple, yet few devices have this ability. The Line-in and auxiliary jacks can connect other MP3 players (Creative, Zune) sans the menu control.
The speaker is monaural, but optimized to prevent distortion. At the highest volume the sound won't hiss. If you like modern design, the Eton is one of the best looking. It is sleek, COMPACT and light. Wish this guy was all-black, but I can live with the silver toned speaker.
Most of the shortcomings are from the radio aspect of this device. The internal AM antenna is below average. You can use an external one, and most users will need to.
The features could be better. There are only 10 programmable station presets. The RDS broadcast data is only 8 characters at a time. The screen is hard to read; you have to be right in front of it. There are no external RCA, speaker or subwoofer jacks, only line out. There is no EQ, treble or bass control and no way to adjust the backlight.
This radio came out in January 2007, well into the HD radio era. Only 10 presets? Why no speaker or subwoofer jacks? Why didn't they add Short Wave or HD capability?
If you only need an alarm clock radio, there are better options. This unit is above average on FM but below average on AM. Competing products by Sangean, BA and Sony have higher ratings at this price.
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, Black
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White
Boston Acoustics Receptor Clock Radio (Platinum)
Sony XDR-S3HD HD Radio
At the present time, there is also a larger 2 speaker version which will be widely released within a month. Some may opt to get that one, but on sale this is still a great unit to own.Pros
+ Remote control functions are very well integrated with the iPod!
+ Very nice iPod serial interface for digital sound quality
+ Line-in and auxiliary jacks for MP3 players and other devices
+ Good speaker sound with surprising bass
+ Shielding protects the radio from interference
+ Battery backup possible for power outages
+ Nice alarm clock function
+ Nice looking design in a small and LIGHT form factor
Cons
- Standard pricing means you should only be looking to get this on sale
- Many newer alternatives coming to market for those seeking the alarm clock feature
- Display light may be too bright for some when used as a bedroom alarm clock radio
- No equalizer; no treble or bass control
- Requires external antennae for good radio reception
- No RCA jacks or stereo connections for external speakers
- No Subwoofer connector - only standard stereo line out
- RDS only displays 8 characters at a time
- Backlight is not adjustable; you must be close to it to read it
If you are VERY picky about sound and want a nice compact iPod radio alarm clock, this unit is worth a look. Enjoy!

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Do most iPod speaker systems look a little too modern (read: stale) for your decor? Turn to the Eton Sound 100 system, which pays tribute to the retro glamour of radios past with swooping, curved lines and a stylish front control panel. The radio is designed expressly for iPods, with an external docking station that holds and charges all iPods with 30-pin dock connectors, including the iPod 3G, iPod 4G, iPod photo, iPod video, iPod nano 1G and 2G, and iPod mini. Simply plop your iPod into the dock and you can enjoy all your favorite tunes and playlists within seconds--no additional connections required.
Eton is recognized internationally for the quality of its radios, which is why the company added a high-sensitivity digital Phased-Locked-Loop (PLL) AM/FM tuner to the Sound 100. The advanced circuitry not only searches instinctively for the strongest station, but also locks in the frequency once it finds the signal to guarantee superior clarity. As a result, the radio's reception is crystal clear whether you're listening to the ballgame, catching up on the news, or kicking back to some classic jazz. To make tuning quicker and easier, the radio also includes five AM and five FM station presets.
Audio-wise, the Sound 100 is equipped with a 3-inch, full-range, front-firing speaker that produces distortion-free, room-filling sound with a wide range of frequencies (80 Hz to 20 kHz). The 16-character, two-line LCD display, meanwhile, offers a viewing area of 2.4 by 0.98 inches (W x H), with a gentle blue backlight that won't keep you awake during the midnight hours. And despite the display's relatively small size, it still shows quite a bit of data, including the time, selected station, alarm status, sleep status, band, and preset information.
Unlike many iPod speaker systems, the Sound 100 also handily replaces your bedside clock radio, with alarm, sleep, and snooze controls. Among the options are 12- and 24-hour formats, an alarm that wakes to either the radio or a buzzer, a programmable sleep timer (between 15 and 90 minutes), and a 5-minute snooze duration. And even though the Sound 100 is designed for iPods, it also includes a 3.5 mm auxiliary input for connecting a separate MP3 player or personal CD player, along with a 3.5 mm auxiliary line out.
Additional features include an encoder volume control, a headphone jack for private listening, a battery backup function (requires two AA batteries), a remote control, a 360-degree pigtail FM antenna, a built-in external loop AM antenna, and rubber feet on the bottom to prevent scratching and movement. The Eton Sound 100 measures 8.27 by 4.53 by 5.1 inches (W x H x D), weighs 2.82 pounds, and carries a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box Eton Sound 100 iPod system, external iPod docking station, pigtail FM antenna, infrared remote control, pigtail FM antenna, AC adapter, user's manual.

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