Well, I suppose this is the "unrelenting" part. Here's the PR-D7 quote from the CCrane FAQs tab : "How good is the AM reception on the PR-D7? The PR-D7 has good AM reception almost as good as the Sonido Radio. The PR-D7's internal ferrite antenna is 8mm in diameter, 4" long and does a good job pulling in stations." And here's a quote about the PR-D5 off Universal Radio's site : "The new Sangean PR-D5 a top quality AM, FM, FM stereo radio with twin speakers. It has a 200 mm ferrite AM antenna for the best possible AM reception" 200 MM is about 8", 100 MM is about 4". I'm thankful for that update. Now let me add a curious fact: As I post this, the PR-D5, which not only has a bigger AM antenna, stereo speakers, tuning knob, and RDS, sells for $72. And the PR-D7, which does not have RDS, has a smaller AM antenna, and has no tuning knob (you have to toggle buttons) and has a slightly larger monoaural speaker, can be pre-ordered at $80. So I ask: What makes the PR-D7 a more expensive radio? Is it the speaker? Very odd.
Thanks to the relentless search for the best AM available from a radio lover who goes by the name of Unrelenting Ferrite Core (yes, radio lovers are passionate about their radios), we now have the official word on the AM antenna strength of theSangean PR-D5, which is superior to the Sangean PR-D7. In the words of Unrelenting Ferrite Core:
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Haven't you ever heard it's not the size, but how you use it? Bigger doesn't guarantee better.
Posted by: Ed | October 05, 2008 at 05:47 PM
You're mixing apples and oranges.
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | October 05, 2008 at 06:26 PM
I remember in the early days of transistor radios, the more transistors it had, supposedly the better it was. Six transistors was quickly replaced by 8, then 10 was the standard. In some radios, they found some of the transistors were just dummies...soldered to the PC board, but inoperative, just so the radio could claim it had 8 or 10 or whatever number of transistors. So don't assume that a bigger ferrite antenna guarantees better reception. It might, and it might not.
Posted by: Ed | October 05, 2008 at 06:58 PM
But I doubt the PR-D5 has a dummy AM antenna.
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | October 05, 2008 at 10:18 PM
I am saying that the size of the ferrite bar alone doesnt mean much, there are other design factors involved in making a great AM radio. What if the AM section has high noise? So then the big antenna pulls in more noise. Not desirable.
So if 8 is good, why not make it 16? Adding a 16" antenna wouldn't make it twice as good a an 8 inch rod, there is a point of diminishing returns. Anything more than what is optimal for the design is, in a way, a "dummy" antenna.
Posted by: Ed | October 06, 2008 at 06:49 AM
Okay, I see your point.
Now tell me this. Are there any big AM antennas built inside dummy radios?
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | October 06, 2008 at 07:58 AM
Not that I know of.
Posted by: Ed | October 06, 2008 at 08:24 AM