Has the Radio Industry Hit a Snag?

 

Ante emailed me this melancholy list of radio brands caught in a snag:

What is happening to radio industry this year?

It seems that the World’s economic crisis have unfortunately  smacked the radio producers as well.  Let me give only a couple of examples:

1)      TECSUN, which used to introduce a new radio on almost weekly basis has yet to produce their first radio this year?

2)      SANGEAN has no plans of releasing any new radio; their SANGEAN WFR 27 Internet/FM radio seems to be delayed indefinitely, due to issues they  have with RECIVA support portal.

3)       More than a year ago, Boston Acoustics announced to come out with their internet radio; we never heard of it again.

4)      Grace Digital was supposed to release few high-tech, touch screen internet radios this summer. Nothing, no word on them.

5)      CCrane announced to work on their CCGOZO radio; they even launched the website about it. No move so far.

6)      REDSUN, DEGEN, KAITO, ANJAN, are also silent when it comes to new radio products.

7)      TIVOLI AUDIO went completely silent after their fiasco with outrageously overpriced Tivoli Networks radio.

I guess this is enough to make us depressed. We want new radios!

 

Comments

[Keith]

Perhaps the manufacturers are admitting that they are unable to equal, much less improve upon, the quality radios of the past and are throwing in the towel. Internet radio is not radio but audio data file transfer aka streaming.

The broadcast chain has undergone significant improvement so old radios have never sounded better. Similarly, old radios with line inputs do double duty as great amplifiers for .mp3 players.

[Shawn Patrick]

The Alinco DX-R8T was released this year, and it's a high end radio also at $500

But this is a REAL MAN'S RADIO, no FM on this thing.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/commrxvr/0084.html

[Karl Dahlquist]

I think most people would look at you blankly if you explained you spent $150 for a CCRADIO to get a specific AM station better in your office. I know I have gotten the look.

[J Maffuccio]

It'd be nice if they would re-focus their product lines and improve the overall quality. Steady improvements are always nice (looking directly at you, Eton/Grundig). Also be nice if Sony did an update on their analog offerings, I guess there just isn't enough demand anymore.

[Mark Roberts]

If a radio doesn't have broadcast FM, I'm not going to waste my time with it.

[Paul]

Tecsun introduced the PL-660 and PL-390 last year and has been improving 660 since. Reviews are almost uniformely positive for both.

Sangean introduced the ATS-909X just a few months ago, and the SR-35 pocket radio just last month.

Boston Acoustics fixed the problems in the Solo and released a new version as the Solo II last year.

Grace Digital introduced quite a few new Internet radios last year as well and a new series of waterproof radios this year.

CCrane gave us CCRadio-EP last year and a new improved FM transmitter just recently.

Degen gave us the DE1106 last year.

Eton introduced the S450DLX last year, withdrew it, apparently fixed the issues, and re-introduced it just recently.

A super high end receiver, the ZYCOMM HF7070 is coming later this year.

[Paul]

Not to mention the greatest development in the scanner market ever, the Uniden Home Patrol:
http://www.homepatrol.com/

And a slew of cheap Chinese dualband handhelds on ebay (example, Baofeng UV3R).

[John]

Heck I replaced my Tivoli Model One with an Emud Rekord Junior 196. Much like this one. http://www.radioatticarchives.com/images/e/Emud_Rekord_Junior_196_LeFevre.jpg

My Model one stated oozing some sort of sticky fluid from the tuning knob and was scratchy. Plus some FM drift. The Emud does not sound as good but it is so pretty it made it an easy choice.

[OWL]

I was told by an informed source that Tecsun had been focusing on revising current product lines and improving QC this year.

As for new products, there will be some. For example, this one (PL-398bt with bluetooth and backlit keyboard) may come out in the near future:

http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/up_fls/2011899263843778.jpg

and this one may follow (not sure about its spec, maybe just smaller than PL606?):

http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/up_fls/201181015342372991.jpg

The photos are from a post in Tecsun's user forum posted by a customer who visited Tescun's Shanghai service centre recently:

http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/0002.asp?open=361515

OWL