Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)All in all, I prefer the Koss, but these are two great radios for runners and other active people. Below is a comparison by category.
Reception:
Edge to Sony due to Distance/Local switch. The Koss does fine in the city, but suffers when signals are weak or adjacent to dominant signals. The Sony can switch to Distance mode. Neither does well in extreme interiors. By the way, on my Sony, I have to tune one frequency up on FM, e.g. tune to 94.2 to receive 94.1. Once you get used to that, it is OK and may be unique to my unit.
Wearability:
Tough call. Edge probably to Sony. The Koss is lighter and more comfortable, but its armband has problems. If your arm is very small, the Velcro patches may not overlap; if very large, they may not meet. The Sony is much easier to put on one-handed, as one half of the band is permanently coiled and can be placed around your arm before stretching the Velcro band.
Button Layout:
Toss-up. The station presets are laid out in a circle. With the Koss, it is possible to confuse the buttons while on the move. If you pay attention, though, a couple of trips and you will learn what is what. The on/off switch of the Koss is much better than the soft button on the Sony. With the Sony, you need to always "lock" the unit when not in use to avoid accidental activation and dead batteries. The Koss also has a lock feature, but that is just to avoid accidentally changing stations.
Funtionality:
You have to give a big edge here to Koss, which has a SEARCH feature. If the Sony has one, I can't find it. When in my home city, it doesn't matter, but when I travel my presets are useless. Without a search I have to run along pushing the tuning button once for every tenth of a frequency! This problem is what led me to the Koss. Otherwise, they both have about the same functions.
Headphones:
You can, of course, replace either of them, but the Koss headphones are surprisingly comfortable (The Sony headphones are the jam-in-your-ear-till-they-are-rubbed-raw type and are unacceptable). The Koss headphones are independent pieces that fit around the ear like a hearing aid, and lay the actual speaker gently against the ear canal. They are incredible light. I still prefer the around-the-back-of-the-head type only because the two independent pieces inevitably get tangled up while stored. Then again, if you run in the cold and wear an ear band, you can easily wear it over the Koss headphones, something you cannot do with many styles of headphones. If you don't want to spend extra on headphones, the Koss is the better choice.
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Sony Portable Sports AM/FM Radio (SRF-M78)The digital synthesized tuning of this personal stereo precisely locks in the most powerful signal for remarkably accurate reception. Ten random station presets allow you to instantly switch between memorized stations at the push of a button instead of searching with a tuning dial. A unique wrap-around arm band attaches easily and comfortably without the need for a pocket or belt.
This portable player is ideal for outdoor lifestyles. It resists splashes, snow, and sprinkles for all-season use as the sturdy water-resistant case, rubber gaskets, bushings, and waterproof seals help keep out water, moisture, and dirt. A stopwatch function adds versatility by precisely timing events, while the built-in digital clock provides accurate timekeeping.
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