[sedminusn]

I'm looking to find the best quality portable radio, and based on my searches it looks like the DT-210V is the solution. However, I just want to verify it has the FM reception that I am looking for.

I currently have a Sony SRF-M32 and I find the reception to be terrible. I use it at work to listen to a local FM radio station, but there is always some kind of cackling or background noise. I listen with my headphones on, and this noise varies depending on my movement. Even though the radio itself is stationary, the signal quality is constantly changing.

I just want to make sure that the DT-210V will be able to sit on my desk and will provide a solid, clear, noiseless FM signal. Does anyone know if this is the right radio for the job? Or should I be looking at something else?

 

[jant71]

The DT-220v is said to have better reception. It has a regular retractable antenna vs. the 210's wire antenna. Plus it has 5 direct preset buttons, 10 more presets, clock w/alarm and a backlight.

That sony is not one of their best with regards to reception. The SRF-83/84 or SRF-59 I believe are the better ones. The SRF-M35 is just behind these in reception but a slight more background noise. The 83/84 and 59 do not have digital tuners which will provide less noise but are less convenient.

 

[sedminusn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jant71 The DT-220v is said to have better reception. It has a regular retractable antenna vs. the 210's wire antenna. Plus it has 5 direct preset buttons, 10 more presets, clock w/alarm and a backlight.

Thanks for the heads-up on the 220V. I think that I'll probably go with that. I know I can't have my cake and eat it too...but: does anyone know how the sound quality is on the 220V?

 

[jant71]

I have the Sangean SR2, which is their tiny sports radio. They made it small and to last 100 hours on one AAA battery yet it sounds very good and is surprisingly decent volume wise. So I would say that the 220 will really sound nice.

Sangean knows good sound quality. The "excellent sound" earbuds that came with my SR2 beat my Audio-technica CM5's, Sony 931's, and MX-400's(slightly). The $29.99 I paid was almost worth it just for the buds. I think the same ones are the retractable ones built into the 220(seperate headphone jack also, of course).

Since I also own the SRF-M32, I just did a comparison. The SR2 beats the Sony in reception and sound quality. It sounds warmer(or darker) than the Sony, the treble is noticably less bright. The noise level is quieter on the SR2. I think that the 220 should easily beat the SR2 in everything but battery life, so go for it!

 

[sedminusn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jant71 Since I also own the SRF-M32, I just did a comparison. The SR2 beats the Sony in reception and sound quality. It sounds warmer(or darker) than the Sony, the treble is noticably less bright. The noise level is quieter on the SR2. I think that the 220 should easily beat the SR2 in everything but battery life, so go for it!

Thanks for taking the time to do the comparison. I just ordered the 220V. I'll definitely let you know how it turns out when it arrives.

 

[sedminusn]

I received the 220 today and I've been playing with it for a couple of hours. My initial impression is that this is a very nice little radio. Reception is always great, even while walking around with the antenna down. Sound quality is very good. Music sounds crisp and precise, and there are very few traces of any sort of radio static or graininess. The bass is a little overemphasized and the highs are slightly rolled off, but these are very minor complaints. The unit itself is smaller than I had expected, which was a nice surprise. It will work perfectly on my desk at work, but also wouldn't be a hassle to tote around in a backpack or large jacket. There are some handy extra features such as an alarm clock and a switchable backlight. It also came with a nice case. Overall, I'm very satisfied with this purchase and forsee this doing an excellent job of providing me with quality reception at work; the reception and sound quality are about 1000 times better than my Sony.

Here are a few pics I took, the first one with the SR-60s for a size reference:

 

[D555]

Nice pictures.

Glad to hear this is a quality unit. The windup earbuds strike me as being odd, although a lot of radios in Japan utilize the feature.

Paul

 

[jant71]

It's a really cool looking radio. Good for travel and such with the built in alarm clock. I may get one myself. Sedminusn, how does the speaker sound? Any idea of the battery life yet? Thanks.

 

[sedminusn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jant71 It's a really cool looking radio. Good for travel and such with the built in alarm clock. I may get one myself. Sedminusn, how does the speaker sound? Any idea of the battery life yet? Thanks.

I'll say this for the speaker: it sounds better than I expected. Unfortunately, that doesn't really say much because I expected it to sound horrible. Could be used in a pinch, though. More than adequate for any sort of talk radio.

As for the battery life, I don't really have a feel for it yet. Between yesterday and today I've probably run it for a total of 7 hours, and it has yet to show me the low battery indicator. I expected these particular batteries -- 2 AAs -- to run out relatively quickly because they were some generic brand that I found in my pack and are probably about 2 years old. One thing to note is that it also comes with a 3VDC input. It doesn't come with an adapter, but it's good to know it's there in case batteries do become an issue.

So there you have it: the least definitive answers to your questions I could have possibly come up with