The Sanyo RP8880: An Answer to the Grundig Satellit 750?

Tom Welch has provided a link to the amazing looking Sanyo RP8880, very common in appearance to the Grundig Satellit 750. 

Comments

[Tom Welch]

Yes, the Sanyo appears to share design elements with the Tecsun BL 2000, click link below for more vintage SW radios:

http://members.tripod.com/cheryldrake_1/id16.html

[Tom Welch]

Jeff: Here's the English translation of that Sanyo RP-8880 page:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fhkradioer.googlepages.com%2F&langpair=zh-CN%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8

[gerald johnson]

i just recently saw one on ebay for sale. ive had one for about 8 years. it is an impressive radio.

[Carrie]

Okay, I assume it's analog. Looks fantastic.

[Mike W]

One of the members of a Yahoo! radio group I was in posted an image of the RP-8880 last year, and pointed out that the GS750 was based on it.

It was a small image, not that well detailed, so I only noticed the gyro MW antenna and haven't thought about it much since.

After looking at the link Tom posted here, I think the RP-8880 is the nicest vintage I've seen in ages. It's undeniable that the Tecsun people used it as the template - even small details like the way the handle folds away, and the ridges on the gyro antenna, are identical.

And it sold for about $200 bucks on eBay - I'd have sprung for that no sweat.

I hope me & Jeff don't wind up in an eBay bidding war for one of these...

[Carrie]

Mike, I'm bidding on 5 radios right now, one of which looks like a Zenith Trans-Ocean 7000 but is in fact a Sony. I'll let you know what happens.

[Mike W]

Five? You're gonna need an intervention, buddy. Good luck on the Sony, anyway.

[Carrie]

Mike, some of those big suitcase-like 1960-70 Panasonics and Sonys really do get me excited more than today's radios. An intervention indeed.

But I doubt I'll win all of the radios. I won't bid aggressively on all of them, just two.

BTW, I bought another PR-D5. Great AM but I just can't get excited by it, not as much as my C.Crane CSW.

My iMac zonked and a replacement is on the way. As soon as I get my new one set up and receive some vintage radios, I'll photograph them and provide some reviews.

[Mike W]

What with you & Gerald prostletyzing on it's behalf, I have a CSW arriving tomorrow, I figured it would at least stop me from over-bidding on RF-2200's for a while.

The older analogs have fascinated me for a few years, but I only started bidding lately. Funny, it was still common to denigrate Japanese products as shoddy in the 70's, but those Sony and Panasonic high-end sets were really built. I watched a YouTube video of a Japanese radiophile tuning his RF-2200 the other night, and it looked like he was cracking a safe. When I reviewed my GS800 on eham.com years ago, I said it should have "Fisher Price" printed on it. It's just kind of cheap, toy-like. But electronically, the newer sets often work better. Seems like the high-end analog sets hold up really well, however.

As I've posted here before, Jeff, you're on the path to a Collins R-390A and a Kiwa Mediumwave Loop, you just don't know it yet. The new PR-D5 is just another little plastic shotglass of Methadone.

[Carrie]

Mike,

Having the PR-D5 again and comparing it to the CSW, I now know why I prefer the CSW: The CSW gives you big sound with a slight turn of the volume knob. In contrast, you have to crank up the PR-D5 really high and it leaves me with the impression of revving an underpowered engine up a steep hill.

Jeff (using my wife's computer until I get my replacement)

[Mike W]

Yeah, I never liked them two little teacup speakers, but the PR-D5 is a great bedside radio if you don't need a clock radio. I got the CSW for the livingroom, etc, to either sit next to or across the room from, not the best role for the PR-D5. I still refuse to believe the CSW equals the PR-D5 on MW reception, so I'll be testing that first.

[Carrie]

For me, the CSW does indeed equal the PR-D5 on AM.

I'm glad you go the CSW instead of forking out 60 dollars more for a used Panasonic RF-2200.

The CSW satisfies the 2200 craving but in a newer, better format.

Good point about the PR-D5 making a good bedside radio with those small speakers. I moved the PR-D5 out of the kitchen (replaced with one of my BAHS) and moved it into the guest bathroom.

[gerald johnson]

mike w, i feel bad as i think ive been an enabler to jeff in regard to his emerging vintage radio habit!!

[Mike W]

Yeah, Gerald, I was going to include a crack there about you being the pusher-man, but better you say it yourself.

Don't worry, Jeff would have picked up the bug from radiointel anyway, it was just a matter of time.

[jeffrey McMahon]

Mike,

RadioIntel did indeed give me the bug 4 or 5 years ago. In fact, they published my review of the Tivoli PAL, a rather good looking but only slightly above average performer.

Gerald,

If these vintage suitcase radios perform well, I will indeed be hooked and blame it on you. If I'm not happy with them, though, I'll be selling them on eBay.

I'd love to have the resources and know-how to make a line of "Herculodge Radios" that look like the vintage Panasonics, Sonys, and Zeniths and perform like they're on steroids. Now there's a dream.