Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First of all, yes, this is a tuner, NOT a radio, and Amazon should correct that! Also, HD radio is NOT High Definition radio. The HD stands for Hybrid Digital. So don't assume you'll have better sound in HD than analog radio! That said,
I have been interested in getting an HD radio to try out the format. Being an audiophile, I checked several audiophile review sites for the Sangean tuners, and they weren't getting too good of reviews. Also, their price is $200-250.
Then I came across a review for this tuner, and how much better it is, saying the FM analog portion alone is worth the price.
I have to agree, the FM tuner is much better than the tuner in my $1000 PrePro! Analog reception picks up more stations and the sound is great! Haven't heard analog FM sound this good since the 60's! Analog AM is also better than my Prepro (though not by much). Great sound, and only $99 ! This is a steal, grab it before they jack up the price! Audiophie FM tuners go for $200 & up. All this performance, and it's about the size of a car stereo!
There are about 20 FM HD stations here in Chicago, and it pulls them all in great, except for one, which keeps switching between analog and HD. There are some AM HD stations in Chicago. It would show which were HD, but none of them had enough strength to switch the tuner from analog to HD, so I couldn't judge AM HD.
Now for some things that need improving: there are 40 presets; 20 for FM and 20 for AM....not enough for FM and too many for AM. If you want to hear a HD station in analog, there's no way to switch it back to analog, you have to listen in HD. The dial glows like a cellphone, which is great while you're using it, but when you turn it off, it still glows, like a night light in a dark room. When powering down, it should dim. You can dim it down in the menu so it doesn't glow in the dark, but then when you turn it on, you can't read it because it's dark. Who wants to set the dimmer everytime you turn it on and off?
Overall, it's more than worth it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner

Experience more choices, crystal clear sound, and no subscription fees. Enjoy music the way it was meant to be heard with AM stations that can deliver FM sound quality and FM stations that sound like your favorite CDs. With static-free sound and an easy-to-read dot matrix LCD for viewing important information, the XDR-F1HD receiver is the perfect choice for adding HD radio reception to a home audio system. Includes remote control.

Click here for more information about Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner

Read More...

iLuv iHD171 HD Radio with iTunes Tagging for iPod, iPhone, and iPhone 3G/3G S Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Overall:
HD Radio: 1/5
iPod / iPhone integration: 3/5
Build: 2/5
Clock / Alarm: 0/5
Sound Quality: 2/5
I was drawn to this item because it has great features. HD Radio and iPhone dock in one package is a really good idea. Ever since I've discovered HD Radio (in my car), normal radio sounds inadequate. After researching online for a few weeks, I bought HD171 and received it yesterday. Let's look at various aspects of this device.
What's in the package
- Radio (HD 171)
- AM antenna
- FM antenna wire
- remote control
- 3 dock adapters for different ipods (or iphone)
- manual, warranty, etc.
HD Radio:
Since HD Radio was a big requirement for me, this is the first feature I tried out. After plugging everything in, I tuned into my favorite radio station. The sound was acceptable but I didn't see the HD logo come on. After waiting for 5 minutes I started moving the FM antenna wire around to get a better signal. I finally found a good position near the window. After 15 seconds of linking, I finally heard the HD goodness. But that didn't last very long. The signal kept losing. So I relocated the radio next to an open window. HD signal was much strong and I was able to listen to HD-2 channels too but the signal would always drop after a few minutes. There were just way too many drops and cuts for me to enjoy the music. It might perform better with an amplified antenna but given that I live in middle of a city, I expect the radio to work without add-ons (I had no issues with reception in my car).
iPod / iPhone Integration:
After being disappointed with the HD Radio, I tried the iPod dock with my iPhone. Everything worked well there. I was able to listen to the songs stored on the phone as well as those played by apps like Pandora and AOL Radio just fine. The iTunes tagging feature also works well but once you tag a song playing on radio it takes about 30-40 seconds for transferring it to iPhone.
Sound Quality:
I have been using Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere with my iPhone and had been fairly happy with the sound considering the form factor. I expected more from HD171. The max sound level is 35 and it does get loud for a medium sized room but there isn't much clarity. It really does sound like low end radios rather than something $150-$200 range. The bass is lacking lows, and Highs and Mids are both off.
Clock / Alarm:
I liked the fact that this device can sync time with iPhone. I noticed that it did so the moment I docked my iPhone. After a few hours I noticed that the time was stuck and the display kept flashing the message "Time Sync". After removing the iPhone, the time started incrementing. By the night, the time showed as "38:04" (!). I'm not sure why it did so or what that means. Re-docking my iPhone corrected the time but it still wouldn't increment. Due to this, the alarm clock wouldn't function either. I was able to set the alarm but it never went off.
Build and Looks:
It is a bit heavy but that's probably due to the speakers. Mostly plastic construction and feels cheap in certain portions. Doesn't have the chic look that's associated with Apple products and related accessories. There are two knobs on the front, volume and tuning. They feel flimsy and I was worried they would wear quite fast. The LCD display is amply lit and the dimmer has 4 levels and a way to turn it off. Buttons on the top panel are a bit stiff and don't always register when pressed.
Remote Control:
It's nice to have a remote control. It is IR so it needs a line of sight and it didn't work beyond 7ft. It has buttons for: power, mute, source selection, presets, memory, sleep, play, next, prev, volume, snooze/dimmer.
Control Panel:
The controls on the radio have all the buttons you'd need. But there is a flaw. You cannot move between HD channels of the same station. The tuner jumps to the next frequency. The only way to achieve this is using the remote control (next/prev buttons).
Documentation:
The documentation is quite poor and does not even talk about HD Radio. The Troubleshooting section is dismal.
Final words:
I had great hopes from this device but considering all the issues, I'm sending it back to Amazon. I hope to see a better attempt in future at HD Radio and iPhone integration.

Click Here to see more reviews about: iLuv iHD171 HD Radio with iTunes Tagging for iPod, iPhone, and iPhone 3G/3G S

Click here for more information about iLuv iHD171 HD Radio with iTunes Tagging for iPod, iPhone, and iPhone 3G/3G S

Read More...

Acoustic Research ART7 Tabletop HD Radio with iPod Docking Station (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a great HD radio with Ipod dock! It combines all the positive attributes of similar items in a single package. The sound is wonderful, and it is easy to set up the time and dual alarms. It is also customizable - display brighness, alarm source and wake up volume. The alarm begins at 0% and gradually increases to the volume you set for a gentle wake up. There is also a never-change back-up battery so you won't have to keep re-setting the time and alarm. You can also see the time when the radio or Ipod is playing, unlike some radios - important in the morning if you are trying to get up by a certain time. The only negative is the footprint which might be a bit large for some nightstands. However, the sound is wonderful and not tinny like smaller units, so that's the tradeoff. I highly recoomend this product.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Acoustic Research ART7 Tabletop HD Radio with iPod Docking Station (Black)

Click here for more information about Acoustic Research ART7 Tabletop HD Radio with iPod Docking Station (Black)

Read More...

Sangean HDR-1 Table Top HD Radio Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After owning a Sangean WR-2 clock radio for a year and a half and growing more fond of it, I decided to get another upscale radio for my office, a radio with a remote control so I could avoid computer interference by keeping the radio a good 6 feet away. After reading about HD radio and Sangean's entrance into the market, I decided to take a chance. Worst case scenario, I figured, is that it would be another high-grade radio like my Sangean WR-2. Like the WR-2, the HDR-1 has a high-grade feel, a solid construction, memory presets, a remote control, and strong sensitivity on AM and FM. However, the HDR-1 is definitely an upgrade and you might consider that it has the following advantages and differences:
1. Two speakers instead of one.
2. Easy-to-use (simply plug in) AM external antenna for hard-to-get stations.
3. HD quality is clearly discernable, clear, full, no static, no "birdy," no chirps.
4. Some HD stations have multi-broadcasts.
5. Most functions have to be performed with the remote. For this reason, I don't see this as a bedside radio. Who wants to squint at their remote in a dark bedroom? More appropriate for a bedside radio is the Sangean WR-2 or the Eton Sound 100. But for office or anywhere that requires a distance between you and your radio, the HDR-1 is an excellent choice.
Update: Be aware that in AM it takes a few seconds before the radio "kicks in" to digital mode. The sound is so good it's hard to listen to non-digital AM stations. Even the strongest station in Los Angeles, KFI 640, sounds bad because it's non HD. One last point: I'm more and more in love with the speaker sound. I can't even play them as loud as I want to as I'm working when I have the radio on. But these dual speakers really shine.
Second Update: 1-19-07: After 3 weeks, I've discovered a weakness on AM: Rainy weather compromises the HD signal. This problem is compounded by the fact that the radio has weak conventional AM (much weaker for example than my Sangean WR-2 and my Eton/Grundig S350) so that when it's not in HD mode the AM sounds bad, a constant crackle in the background. FM remains strong in both HD and non HD mode, but Sangean needs to address this AM weakness.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sangean HDR-1 Table Top HD Radio Receiver

Sangean HDR-1 Table Top HD Radio Receiver

Get 42% OFF

Click here for more information about Sangean HDR-1 Table Top HD Radio Receiver

Read More...