I've always been impressed with the AM sound on my Sangean WR-2, but this evening in my office as I was listening to Angels Vs. Dodgers on 830 AM, the signal was fading in and out with a crackling noise during the fade. Fed up, I took the Sangean PR-D5 from the guest bathroom, put it in the office and, guess what, no signal fade, no crackling, just good solid, assured AM reception. This should be no surprise since the PR-D5 has the biggest AM ferrite antenna you can get--200 mm or 8 inches.
The cost of the PR-D5 is $80, compared to the $140 price tag of the WR-2 (though today Amazon is selling the WR-2 for an unusually low $120). Plus with the PR-D5 you get a telescopic FM antenna instead of the WR-2's wire pigtail antenna.
So if you don't need an illuminated clock display by your bedside, you might consider getting the PR-D5 over the WR-2.
Jeff, I'd had a CCRadio-SW for about a full day now and it is quite unambiguously the case that my PR-D5 is the better MW receiver.
Posted by: Mike W | June 28, 2008 at 09:18 PM
MIke, I ended up buying another PR-D5 recently as I could not tolerate not having the biggest AM antenna. But this new one is acting funny. Sometimes when I unplug and plug in the radio won't turn on. Instead it says on display: Power failure. Today after baseball game, I plugged it back in bathroom and had the same problem. Sad that today I just threw away the packaging. Maybe I should call Sangean or perhaps I can resolve the issue by keeping batteries in it at all time.
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | June 28, 2008 at 10:32 PM
That's a shame, Jeff. When I first got my PR-D5 last August, I had doubts about how long it would last, but comparing it to the CCRadio-SW I just got it strikes me that the PR-D5 has better build quality.
I just looked at the PR-D5 manual and although there doesn't seem to be a reset button, it mentions that you can do a reset by unplugging it, and taking the batteries out, so that the radio has no power at all for at least 3 minutes. Have you tried that since the power problem occurred?
Posted by: Mike W | June 29, 2008 at 07:17 AM
I don't even have batteries in it. But that's a good idea. I'll take it out of power for 3 minutes.
Do you run on AC and batteries or batteries only?
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | June 29, 2008 at 07:22 AM
Well, Jeff. it it ran off 4 D cells the way the original CCRadio and the Sonido do, I'd probably just use batteries. The PR-D5 takes 6 C cells, which is a little costlier, so I use the wall wart by the bedside, and batteries only when I listen in other rooms. I have not had the power problem you mention.
Posted by: Mike W | June 29, 2008 at 07:40 AM
I meant "IF it ran off 4 D cells..."
Always happens when I don't proofread the post...
Posted by: Mike W | June 29, 2008 at 07:42 AM
For now my problem is resolved. I think resetting it helped. I'll put some batteries in it as a back-up; also the batteries may prevent the "power off" display from coming on when I unplug it. Once the power off display flashes, you can't turn the radio on even after it's plugged in so I want to avoid this.
The CC CSW doesn't have the fit and finish of the PR-D5. However, the CSW has amazing FM. Too bad the speaker sounds flat and a bit harsh.
If I win that Sony Oribiter suitcase radio and it performs well, it will usurp the CSW from its throne.
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | June 29, 2008 at 07:48 AM
I have my Sonido loaded with batteries and run off the wall wart. I bought a carrying case for it, so I can take Sonido to another room or even the pool since it runs for 180 hours on 4 D cell batteries, I'm not a big fan of AM radio, so I'll stick with my Sonido radio.
Posted by: Tom Welch | June 29, 2008 at 08:45 AM
Since I listen to Angels baseball, AM is a must.
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | June 29, 2008 at 09:03 AM
jeff, did you receive the radio you won on ebay yet? if so, how s it performing? also, i agree with mike that the sangean has a better build than the ccsw. im having the opposite result however with tuning as my ccsw seems to nudge the sangean in am an fm performance.
Posted by: gerald johnson | June 29, 2008 at 09:07 AM
I usually listen to just one FM local station so I didn't really compare the FM tuners till now.
I find the PR-D5 better on AM and the CCRadio-SW better on FM.
Posted by: Mike W | June 29, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Gerald, the CSW gets better FM but the speaker sound is abysmal for music, fine for talk.
I'm the leader for the Sanyo at 110 and the Sony at 139 but people are on my heels and I may get neither. We'll see.
Read my most recent post and you'll see why I'm not apt to spending money right now.
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | June 29, 2008 at 09:54 AM