Tough Test for the Sony ICF-M350V Proves It to be More Show Than Go

When I saw this Sony ICF-M350V bidding on eBay a week ago, I thought, "What an attractive little portable. It's got PLL synthesized digital tuner and a 3-inch speaker." So I went for it and won the bid for $20 and $10 shipping. Save a little paint on the speaker, the M350 arrived in good shape.

My initial impressions were favorable. Speaker sound was slightly better than average and tuner seemed capable. However, presets were a bit weird. You have to press and hold clock button AND hold preset button at the same time. My intuition didn't guide me to this. Luckily, the Internet did. Overall, the radio seemed like a good buy. But I decided to marinate in the radio a few days before posting my impressions.

A few days later, I decided to test the M350 again, this time outside, and its limitations became more evident. I got some distortion at mid-volume level on 106.7, a rock station. Worse, 89.3 was touch and go, with static regardless of the FM telescopic antenna's location.

Was I being too hard on this M350? Maybe. But then I decided to give the M350 a tougher test: Pit it against my beloved Grundig G4000. Ouch. The M350 didn't stand a chance. Though speakers appear to be equal in size, the G4000 was far more assured in sound. Part of this could be the superior tuner, which enhanced the speaker's intelligibility and fidelity. 

The G4000 grabs FM stations with ease while the M350 falters and stumbles. 

Conclusion: The now defunct $99 will continue to be my official travel radio. The M350? It's made in Malaysia, not Japan. I don't know if this is a factor. In any event, the M350 will probably be a gift for someone who isn't as privileged as I am to compare the M350 to an apex performer like a Grundig G4000. 

Comments

[Ken K.]

My Grundig Yacht Boy 400 (=G4000) is my very best radio at digging out tough FM signals. Like Brooklyn 89.1 and Centenary College 90.9 from Central NJ. It's only for this reason that I keep it. My DX radios can't get these stations clearly.

I never did like the fact that it requires 6 AA batteries, and they don't last that long either.

Excellent speaker sound though.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

yeah, I can vouch for short battery life. Jazz sounds excellent on the G4000. And yes a real FM station grabber.

[Huesby]

Jeffrey,
Most of the old radios selling in Ebay are misaligned badly, you need to adjust them in order to perform great, I bet you that this Sony needs that.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Huesby, I'm ignorant of what "misaligned" means.

[Huesby]

Ooops sorry my bad English... I meant those radios are not adjusted to their right specificatios, You need to adjust their variable transformers and capacitors to extract their peak performance.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

When I start "adjusting variable transformers and capacitors," I enter Zen Master Macho Man territory.

[Huesby]

Jefffrey
If you are a radio lover as you said you are, you should learn how to adjust your radios to extract their peak performance... it's easy and funny, ask Ed to teach you... I bet you are gonna enjoy it too much. Today I aligned a superadio III on AM and FM to make SR2 a run for his money.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

We'll have to see how adroit I am in this radio tech.

[John]

I have a Masterworks Multi-band radio that I purchased at Gilchrist in Boston, back around 1971. Anyone have any links on Masterworks radios?

[Brian (Scooby214)]

I have a few recent Sony portables of about the same caliber as your M350. AM outshines FM, with FM being fair to poor in comparison to other comparably priced modern radios. The worst of mine is my wife's Sony CD Boombox. Its digital tuner is overloaded by stronger local FM stations, causing significant interference with even nearby 6 KW stations. I never turn to my modern Sonys for FM reception (each one was the same way when purchased new).

My vintage Sony has terrific FM reception. I'm sure that a newer high-end Sony would also do better on FM.

[Ed]

Huesby, I screwed up too many radios aligning them (busted IF slugs, etc). I learned to leave them alone, and I surely think it's too dangerous to show others how to ruin their precious radios too! "Leave well enough alone" is my motto.

[Rick H]

I bought a new Sony M350 years ago and was so impressed, I bought two of them.
I have listened to many expensive radios- Sony, Sangean, Realistic, C Crane 2,and never heard a radio with better speaker and audio quality than the Sony M350V.
It also has excellent AM reception.
There must be something wrong with the radio you have.

[Bumper O'Rourke]

I have an OLD M350V - made in Japan. Sound, sensitivity and discrimination are Great - better than a new Sangean PR-D9W I just got ... and am returning.
Also: the Sony is 2/3 the size and uses half as many batteries.

[Robert Gehm]

I recently bought a m350v for $4 in perfect shape !
I love this radio,looks and works perfectly !!!
R.Gehm florida

[Jack K.]

This radio fails as an average receiver. While the Grundig still stands the test of time all these years later, this one shows more than just age.

I bought this radio new to take on a trip to Maine in 2004 with expectations that were never met. Then it died (audio amp) in 2007 and went into a closet. I recently pulled it out while cleaning and before it hit the trash can, I tested it again (I had done so previously, twice, with no change. I actually removed the whip antenna to give to a friend.) This time, unbelievably, it jumped back to life!.

Unfortunately, I was quickly reminded why it was such a disappointment. No FM selectivity whatsoever, AM too wide, can't turn off the very loud beep and FM noise filter is way too aggressive. (Stations either too bright or too muddy.) It's replacement, the M410V, is a better performer, but looks like it belongs in the kitchen or bathroom.

It saved itself from the trash, but will most likely be placed back in the box and returned to the closet once again.