Herculodge

Panasonic RF-5000 Bidding for $266 Plus $33 Shipping with One Hour to Go

Excellent condition RF-5000 seems priced right. If I had room for one and I didn't mind forking out the dough . . . 

Herculodge First Look at the "New" Tecsun CR-1100 with DSP Technology

Back in January of 2009 I wrote a Tecsun CR-1100 review in which I explained that I had to return the unit because of a faulty AM/FM tuner switch. 

So I waited until my replacement came, in May, a good 4 months later, and I decided to keep the radio in the box and try to sell it on Amazon. The CR-1100 was a solid performer but nothing amazing, I reasoned, and with all the radios I own, why keep it? So I put it for $61 and got no bites over the last 2 weeks.

And then I took the radio off the market yesterday. Here's why: It occurred to me that this radio has DSP technology, a new radio innovation explained in tantalizing detail by Kevin, and to add to my curiosity, Ante emailed to say that the Tecsun PL-300, which also features DSP, is smoking hot product, with better performance than the C.Crane CSW/Redsun 2100. 

Ante's information is supported by Kevin's comment:

"Just posted to the Ultralight and IRCA boards is a review of the PL-300WT, and it's what many have hoped: excellent sensitivity (considering the size) and other-worldly selectivity from the DSP filtering. This was specifically for the Tecsun, not for the Grundig G8."

So how can I sell my Tecsun CR-1100 when I keeping hearing all this promising info on DSP? I take it off the Amazon market, open it up and discover two things right away: The radio has Chinese printed on it, not English. Also, there's no AC adapter. 

Of course, today is Sunday and Kaito is closed. Tomorrow I'll find out if they sent me the Chinese version intentionally and if I need an adapter to use the 6V AC. I briefly put a 6V adapter I had in the unit and it worked but I quickly took it out for fear that I might harm the radio. I then put in 4 D batteries and tested it. 

Now the good news: The radio kicks ass. FM is indeed stronger than my C.Crane CSW. For my weakest station, 88.9 KXLU, a slight tilt of the telescopic antenna, grabbed the station and it was loud and clear. All other FM stations needed not antenna adjustments.  Now for AM. I put the Tecsun in the kitchen where I use my Sangean PR-D5. I have to say that while AM didn't blow me away the FM did, the Tecsun held its own against the PR-D5. I didn't get any birdy noise on ESPN 710 the way I do with most of my radios.  Also the Tecsun's speaker is richer than the PR-D5's. Both radios will cost you about $75. 

Now I need to answer some questions:

1. Is this Tecsun different than the model that was sent to me four months ago?

2. Are the Chinese labelled versions better?

3. Did my older version have the same firmware and same DSP?

4. Will my Chinese model work on AC?

5. Is Kaito sending Chinese models, with Chinese print, to customers who buy the Tecsun CR-1100 on Amazon, as I did?

6. Did I get a special unit because I'm a radio blogger?

7. Should I exchange my Chinese model, one that I know works great, for an English model that might not be as good?

Tomorrow I hope my conversation with the people at Kaito will give me these answers.

To be continued. 

Ante Gives Us More Info About the Tecsun PL-300: Apparently a Better Performer Than the Redsun 2100

According to technical details below TECSUN PL - 300 is a better performer on FM, AM, and SW than Redsun 2100.  Dear God, it must be then an amazing radio!  The question is only what is the quality of its speaker!

 

REDSUN 2100

 

SENSITIVITY

FM > 5uv

MW > 0.2 mV/m

SW >20 uv

SELECTIVITY

Wide > 40 db (100x)

Narrow > 60 db (1000x)

 

TECSUN PL 300

 

DSP chip with High sensitivity & Selectivity

·         Noise Limit sensitivity: FM band < 3uV @30dB, MW band <1mV/m @26dB, SW band < 18uV @ 26dB.

 

Kevin Explains How DSP Technology Results in Superior Radio Performance

Here's my take on DSP (Digital Signal Processing). The DSP is presumably in the intermediate frequency (IF) filter part of the receiver where, among other things, you try to isolate the signal of interest from adjacent interference.

Old-style filtering with simple LC circuitry (which is typically what you get on cheap receivers) produces a gentle attenuation/roll-off from the signal of interest, meaning that rejection of adjacent channels (say, rejecting 1280 khz while trying to listen to 1290) is not that good, maybe only 20-30 dB down. Ceramic and other filters (as with the Sony S5W) are even better, and have an even sharper attenuation - the adjacent slopper 10 khz might be 50-60 dB down. However, for a strong local, this will still let quite a bit of slop through from a strong adjacent station.

With DSP filtering, the slope of attenuation can be pretty much infinite, meaning that you can pretty much shut the door on adjacent interference, or to mix metaphors a bit, the attenuation curve looks like falling of a cliff. For instance, to listen to 1290, the filter would let absolutely nothing through outside the range of 1285-1295, allowing both sidebands of the target of interest through, but completely attenuate everything else. It's basically about as good as you can do, and as long as a strong local station doesn't slop too far out of its assigned band, an adjacent channel will be much more readable.

The little Degen/Kaito DE1123 has DSP, and the selectivity is outstanding. So, if the PL-300WT has DSP (likely included on the "radio-on-a-chip" IC used), plus a reasonable-sized ferrite, it could be a fairly hot DX machine.

Hope this helps - Kevin

First Look: GE Super Radio II 7-2885-F

Today Ed bought this at a swap meet for a price so low you couldn't use the money to buy a six-pack of Corona. That's right. He bought this on the cheap. This is an outrageous deal on a radio that is currently selling in excellent condition, as Ed's is, on eBay for $120-160. 

Radiophiles have treasured the GESRII for many years now and for good reason. My first look gives it an easy A grade for AM/FM sensitivity  and speaker sound. The AM beats my Eton/Grundig S350DL and my C.Crane CSW. But I was surprised that my Sangean PR-D5, bought for $70 could hold its own against it. Perhaps I shouldn't have been. Bot the the PR-D5 and the GESRII boast a 200mm internal ferrite antenna.

What makes this GESRII appealing is that it's the letter F. The first letter was A. F was the final one, meaning, Ed explained, that this model had reached its final stage of perfection, being de-bugged. 

However, while the PR-D5 is a very capable FM performer, it can't match the GESRII on FM and is not even close in speaker sound. However, it's digital and new and can be bought at half the price. Most radio buyers will be well served by the PR-D5. 

For me, testing Ed's GESRII fulfilled all the expectations I've had for it over the last 5 years. But I doubt I'd pay more than $100 for one. More than that and it seems the buyer just wants bragging rights. 

My biggest surprise is how high I now esteem the PR-D5 as it could flex AM muscles with the GESRII legend. 

Herculodge Final Verdict on the Grundig Satellit 750: A Good But Not Great Radio Not Worth More Than $160

Greg, a reader from Ann Arbor, Michigan, was kind enough to Fed Ex me his Grundig Satellit 750, which has a Kiwa speaker upgrade. Therefore, I have to assume the stock 750 speaker sound has less fidelity than the one I'll be using by my bedside for the next two weeks. 

As I will be using the 750 as a bedside radio, I'm not too worried about fidelity since I'm not cranking the thing up by any means. All that I ask is that its AM sound not be as harsh and punishing as my C.Crane CSW. Thankfully, the 750 is easier on the ears. 

When I took out the 750, I was amazed like other Tecsun radios at how light the radio is (Tecsun makes many Grundig and Eton radios, including the GS750). I prefer my radios to be heavy like tanks, which is why several months ago I went on a vintage radio spree, getting my grubby hands on some classics so that I could use them as a point of comparison for some of today's radios. 

Here's the bright side of the GS750's light weight: It makes a very good portable radio, much better than I initially thought. It's easy to handle and not as big in person as you might think. If you're a camper or do a lot of outdoor radio listening, I can recommend the GS750. 

One thing I like about the 750 is the way it looks on my bedside table. Its cockpit control styling makes me feel like a little kid on a toy airplane or flying in a pretend rocket to Mars. 

The 750 by your bed says boldly, "You have arrived at the Mothership." Before I geek-out too much, let me transition to function and performance.

The learning curve for time controls, direct key entry, and presets is fairly easy. It took me about five minutes to comprehend the manual; however, I have toyed around with Tecsun radios before, so I am fairly familiar with their functions.

As a bedside radio, it's nice that you can toggle through your stations with the up and down arrow buttons. 

I haven't used this radio at night yet and doubt it is illuminated sufficiently without my needing a pen flashlight. Clearly, the 750 is more of a general table radio than a clock radio, but I'm using it by my bedside because that is where I listen to radio most often and I want to get as many hours in as possible during my two-week loan.

What about performance? Excellent on FM and AM. I was able to eliminate birdy on weak AM stations by rotating the rotational antenna, called a Gyro on vintage Panasonics. 

The FM antenna is huge and can be rotated 360 degrees. There is also an FM antenna button that gives you varying degrees of attenuation to maximize reception. 

I'd say FM was as strong as my current FM champion, my C.Crane CSW. Better yet, the GS 750's AM sounds much better. 

Truth be told, I am more impressed with the GS750 than I thought I'd be. I love its look, its performance is excellent, its functions and options are plentiful without being too busy. 

I think if I were to buy one on Amazon for their sale price of $220 and free shipping, I'd have to put it in the workout room and move the Boston Acoustics Horizon Duo, a completely different kind of radio, in my bedroom. The question is will I buy a GS750? Hard to say. For about $150, I should be able to get a C.Crane CCRadio 2, which may be a better fit in my bedroom. While I am confident the CCRadio 2, made by Sangean, will match the GS750's AM performance and have richer speaker sound, I am not convinced that its FM will be able to compete with the GS750's.

 

Update: After several weeks and comparing it to my $70 Sangean PR-D5 on AM, the GS750 sadly lost that AM battle. My conclusion: The GS750 is a good but not great radio. 

Greg, a reader from Ann Arbor, Michigan, was kind enough to Fed Ex me his Grundig Satellit 750, which has a Kiwa speaker upgrade. Therefore, I have to assume the stock 750 speaker sound has less fidelity than the one I'll be using by my bedside for the next two weeks. 

As I will be using the 750 as a bedside radio, I'm not too worried about fidelity since I'm not cranking the thing up by any means. All that I ask is that its AM sound not be as harsh and punishing as my C.Crane CSW. Thankfully, the 750 is easier on the ears. 

When I took out the 750, I was amazed like other Tecsun radios at how light the radio is (Tecsun makes many Grundig and Eton radios, including the GS750). I prefer my radios to be heavy like tanks, which is why several months ago I went on a vintage radio spree, getting my grubby hands on some classics so that I could use them as a point of comparison for some of today's radios. 

Here's the bright side of the GS750's light weight: It makes a very good portable radio, much better than I initially thought. It's easy to handle and not as big in person as you might think. If you're a camper or do a lot of outdoor radio listening, I can recommend the GS750. 

One thing I like about the 750 is the way it looks on my bedside table. Its cockpit control styling makes me feel like a little kid on a toy airplane or flying in a pretend rocket to Mars. 

The 750 by your bed says boldly, "You have arrived at the Mothership." Before I geek-out too much, let me transition to function and performance.

The learning curve for time controls, direct key entry, and presets is fairly easy. It took me about five minutes to comprehend the manual; however, I have toyed around with Tecsun radios before, so I am fairly familiar with their functions.

As a bedside radio, it's nice that you can toggle through your stations with the up and down arrow buttons. 

I haven't used this radio at night yet and doubt it is illuminated sufficiently without my needing a pen flashlight. Clearly, the 750 is more of a general table radio than a clock radio, but I'm using it by my bedside because that is where I listen to radio most often and I want to get as many hours in as possible during my two-week loan.

What about performance? Excellent on FM and AM. I was able to eliminate birdy on weak AM stations by rotating the rotational antenna, called a Gyro on vintage Panasonics. 

The FM antenna is huge and can be rotated 360 degrees. There is also an FM antenna button that gives you varying degrees of attenuation to maximize reception. 

I'd say FM was as strong as my current FM champion, my C.Crane CSW. Better yet, the GS 750's AM sounds much better. 

Truth be told, I am more impressed with the GS750 than I thought I'd be. I love its look, its performance is excellent, its functions and options are plentiful without being too busy. 

I think if I were to buy one on Amazon for their sale price of $220 and free shipping, I'd have to put it in the workout room and move the Boston Acoustics Horizon Duo, a completely different kind of radio, in my bedroom. The question is will I buy a GS750? Hard to say. For about $150, I should be able to get a C.Crane CCRadio 2, which may be a better fit in my bedroom. While I am confident the CCRadio 2, made by Sangean, will match the GS750's AM performance and have richer speaker sound, I am not convinced that its FM will be able to compete with the GS750's.

 

Update: After several weeks and comparing it to my $70 Sangean PR-D5 on AM, the GS750 sadly lost that AM battle. My conclusion: The GS750 is a good but not great radio. 

Tecsun PL-300 with 500 Presets and DSP Tuning System Buy Now for $50 Plus $24 Shipping

This is an intriguing portable offering, the Tecsun PL-300. 500 presets, Digital Signal Processing (I don't know exactly what that is but it sounds good). I'm confident about the FM stereo sound but less so about AM and speaker sound. But maybe it's good all-around portable radio. 

What I find curious is analog tuner combined with presets. Say what?

Without the DSP technology, as Kevin pointed out, is the Grundig G8 version, selling for $50 with far less shipping on Universal Radio. Why would I want the version without DSP? I'd have to get the Tecsun import. 

640 KFI's John Kobylt Seems to Have an Irrational Hatred for Teachers

Full disclosure: My wife and I are both teachers. My wife teaches sixth grade English and I teach community college composition, so maybe I'm biased. 

But my wife and I have also listened to a lot of KFI's John and Ken over the years and John Kobylt succeeds with the following persona: He is the ranting, bullying know-it-all father at the dinner or breakfast table telling his family what's wrong with the world. And one big wrong that really chafes his ass: California teachers are overpaid losers, worthless peons contributing to the illiteracy of today's California youth. 

This isn't exactly the kind of thing I want to hear from one of the nation's biggest AM afternoon drive-home shows. 

Here is what he said on his show last week: 

Teachers should not care about their salaries, John opined with hostile certitude. Rather, they should teach to help the kids and because they're professionals. Money should have nothing to do with it. And he made the point that if you double a teacher's salary, that teacher does not double in performance. 

No teacher ever made that claim, so John is not using any logic. In critical thinking, that's called a non sequitur. Or to pare his words another way, he's using a Straw Man fallacy, creating an argument that his opponent never used in order to make his opponent look bad. 

What kills me, though, beyond the faulty logic, is John's sneering tone. He reminds me of the bully at the playground telling some wimp that he looks dorky in his baggy hand-me-down jacket. 

If John wants to rant about the dysfunctional LAUSD, that's one thing. But his apparent hatred for teachers in general strikes me as irrational and perhaps rooted in the erroneous idea that teachers are civil servants who should be thankful to work for slave wages. 

Mint Panasonic RF-598 Starts at a Bid of $19

I've never seen this model, a Panasonic RF-598 described in mint condition with excellent sensitivity. 

Panasonic RF-1150 Bidding on eBay

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With a starting bid of $25, this RF-1150 is selling from Canada.