Has the Sangean PR-D5 Been Dropped for the PRD7?

I noticed the Sangean PR-D5 is no longer available on Amazon, but soon the PRD7.  It has some different control buttons for tuning and is 8.5 inches across compared to the 10-inch PR-D5. Unlike the dual-speaker PR-D5, the PRD7 has one speaker. I hope it's the same 3-inch one used for the Sonido and the WR-2, but I'm not sure. I assume it provides similar performance on AM and FM as the Sonido and the PR-D5. Also readers tell me a black version of the PRD7 is available in European markets.

Regarding the PRD7's smaller size and the possibility that the internal AM ferrite antenna might be smaller than the PRD5's, Tom Welch writes: "The long dimension on the D7 is 215mm so technically there may be room to put a 200mm antenna as in the PR-D5. Of course just speculations."

Comments

[Mike W]

Geez, I ought to go to bed, but it's like I'm trying to pull myself away from a slot machine. So this is the rumored AM radio from Sangean...I thought it might be this, a rebadged Sonido, but with battery recharging like the ahead-of-its-time Satellit 700 had, nice touch. Same speaker as the Sonido (I think), but a step backwards from the PR-D5 in two significant ways. No tuning knob and a smaller ferrite loopstick, so the AM reception won't be as good, but it might have slightly better audio. Only way I might buy one is if I could get a black one. I just bought an Emerson MBR-1 on eBay, I gotta control myself...BTW, if you think the PR-D5 was a bit garish in shiny white, check out this wide-awake nightmare :

http://www.123radios.com/BuyItNow.asp?PID=2591

[Mike W]

Funny, Jeff, I don't recall buying an RCR-5, and yet I gave it such a glowing review, just like you did :

http://www.amazon.com/Sangean-RCR-5-Digital-Clock-Radio/dp/B000TEVQVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1208838584&sr=1-1

[Jeff McMahon]

Yeah, I saw that. I just posted photos of Sangean clear radios, thanks to your link. I couldn't keep this site current without help of readers like yourself. Thanks.

[Wals]

I didn't realize the PR-D5 was obsolete already? The Sonido has been around for some time.
The Color/Clear stereo looks like the more interesting of the two new-generation models because of the tuning, not the aesthetics.

[Jeff McMahon]

The PR-D5 was out less than a year before it was replaced. I'd like to have heard the corporate committee meeting for that decision.

[Cyril]

Isn't it a bit early to burry the PR-D5? The PR-D7 looks like a different beast in size, features (mono vs. stereo) and price. Isn't it more likely that it is a (late) replacement for the Sonido? Unless the PR-D5 was already supposed to be a replacement for the Sonido -- I may have missed that part.

BTW don't you love product specs on amazon?
Product dimensions: ... 2 pounds;
Shipping weight: 1 pound! ;-)

[Jeff McMahon]

Cyril: I hope the PRD7 isn't the supposed "super AM" radio. Its ferrite antenna would be smaller than the PRD5's. Yes?

[Tom Welch]

The Sonido radio is sold outside North America as the Sangean PRD 4, click http://www.sangean.nl/English/?opt3=PR-D4&opt5=201 to view this radio. The PRD 4 has a slightly different configuration than the North American version.

With respect to the PRD 5, Amazon has screwed up the listing by subsituting the new Sangean clock radio description in place of the PRD 5 listing. BTW, Universal Radio will also be carrying a clear "prison" version of the PRD 5 radio. In Europe, Sangean sells a black version of the PRD 5 also.

Sangean often announces new radios without ever bringing the radio to the marketplace. Universal Radio has had a listing for the Sangean DRM 40 shortwave radio for over two years marked "Future". Click http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0040a.html to view. Back in 2001, Sangean, according to a German website, was about to release the Sangean ATS 626, a major upate of the ATS 606...this never happened.

The nice thing about Sangean is that when they bring a radio to the marketplace the radio is fully vetted, meaning fewer problems for the consumer.

[Tom Welch]

The Sangean PRD 7 is about a half an inch smaller all the way around than the Sonido and very similar to the PRD 4 sold in Europe in terms of features. Also, the PRD 7 uses 6 AA batteries for run time of 38 hours. Go to http://www.sangean.nl/English/Products/Leaflets/dr_PR-D7%20Black_leaflet.pdf to view brochure.

[Cyril]

Jeff: the long dimension on the D7 is 215mm so technically there may be room to put a 200mm antenna as in the PR-D5 ?

Of course just speculations.

Also, from the specs on the European website, the Sonido/D4 and the D7 really seem very similar... much more similar than the D5 and D7. The difference in size and weight could be mostly due to the differing batteries.

[Tom Welch]

I plan to buy the PRD 7 when it comes out. And I checked this morning, Amazon has the PRD 5 listed again but for over $100 USD, may be there's been a price increase. I know that much of the ham radio gear produced in Japan has been going up in price this last month.

[¾ Blind]

Does the PRD-7 (PR-D7?) display FM's RDS? I've been a radio nut since about age ten, I'm forty-something now and own various AM/FM radios, SW and scanners, including a GE SRII modified to receive SCA, but I've never owned a radio that receives RDS. Perhaps this makes me a 99% nut.☺ I'm contemplating buying the PR-D5 to replace the GE SRII which has a broken tuning string and intermittent on/off switch, repairable for sure but just the excuse I need to get another radio. The clear case model looks kinda neat, prisoners notwithstanding.

[Jeff McMahon]

Yes, the PRD5 and I am almost sure the PRD7 get RDS. I may put my PRD5 up for sale on Amazon soon. It has RDS for sure, as does the Sangean WR-2.