5 Best 2009 Radio Models for the General Listener: Updated

(updated August 29, 2009)

Number One: Best $70 Table Radio: Sangean PR-D5

Sangean PR-D5, discussed here, (and a one-year report card here) has a huge industry max 200mm internal ferrite antenna. I'm not in love with its tiny stereo speakers but for nearby use radio is good. Just don't expect to fill a room with it. Helpful tip: Turn FM from stereo to mono mode and you'll avoid static.

Number Two: Best Clock Radio at Any Price: Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo

I don't want a lot of gizmos on my clock radio. I want simplicity, good sound, and small footprint. The $85 Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo fits the bill. Amazing speaker sound, sensitive tuner, and wire pigtail FM antenna, something I usually hate, is actually welcome by bedside as it's easy to knock over a radio with a telescopic FM antenna. I like that you can toggle through FM and/or AM stations without having to switch band mode. Helpful hint: You can change the position of your radio, horizontal or vertical. The latter makes a smaller footprint and is easier to rotate for AM reception. Update: If you're a heavy FM listener, this recommendation stands. But if you like baseball games and other heavy AM listening, I can't recommend the Solo because AM tends to degrade over time. You might look at the CCR-2 for best AM reception. 

Number Three: Best $160 Table Radio: The C.Crane CCRadio-2

Think of the CCRadio-2, discussed here, as a Sangean PR-D5 on steroids. It has the same big ferrite AM antenna but a bigger speaker. Also its FM is stronger with tuning meter and bass and treble controls, which are lacking in the PR-D5. Update: I've been using my CCR-2 as a bedside radio for the last week. I love the AM reception. My only complaint: The preset buttons make noise when you press them. Your sleeping spouse may not approve. Also, the CCR-Plus got complaints for sticky preset buttons. I hope that is not the case with the CCR-2. 

Number Four: Best $45 Table Radio: The RCA Super Port

A rebranded GE Super Radio III, the RCA version is purported to have better quality control. Incredible AM/FM reception, huge warm sound, but big and ugly and often saddled with an inaccurate tuning dial. But often on Amazon for $42 with free shipping, this is a lot of bang for your buck.

Number Five: Best Portable Radio: The C.Crane CSW (also the Redsun 2100)

Amazing FM and good AM (but loses to PR-D5 and CCR-2 in AM category), the CSW operates on power plug or 4 D rechargeables. The CSW, discussed here,  produces loud sound and is good for washing the car and other outdoor activities.

(updated August 29, 2009)

Number One: Best $70 Table Radio: Sangean PR-D5

Sangean PR-D5, discussed here, (and a one-year report card here) has a huge industry max 200mm internal ferrite antenna. I'm not in love with its tiny stereo speakers but for nearby use radio is good. Just don't expect to fill a room with it. Helpful tip: Turn FM from stereo to mono mode and you'll avoid static.

Number Two: Best Clock Radio at Any Price: Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo

I don't want a lot of gizmos on my clock radio. I want simplicity, good sound, and small footprint. The $85 Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo fits the bill. Amazing speaker sound, sensitive tuner, and wire pigtail FM antenna, something I usually hate, is actually welcome by bedside as it's easy to knock over a radio with a telescopic FM antenna. I like that you can toggle through FM and/or AM stations without having to switch band mode. Helpful hint: You can change the position of your radio, horizontal or vertical. The latter makes a smaller footprint and is easier to rotate for AM reception. Update: If you're a heavy FM listener, this recommendation stands. But if you like baseball games and other heavy AM listening, I can't recommend the Solo because AM tends to degrade over time. You might look at the CCR-2 for best AM reception. 

Number Three: Best $160 Table Radio: The C.Crane CCRadio-2

Think of the CCRadio-2, discussed here, as a Sangean PR-D5 on steroids. It has the same big ferrite AM antenna but a bigger speaker. Also its FM is stronger with tuning meter and bass and treble controls, which are lacking in the PR-D5. Update: I've been using my CCR-2 as a bedside radio for the last week. I love the AM reception. My only complaint: The preset buttons make noise when you press them. Your sleeping spouse may not approve. Also, the CCR-Plus got complaints for sticky preset buttons. I hope that is not the case with the CCR-2. 

Number Four: Best $45 Table Radio: The RCA Super Port

A rebranded GE Super Radio III, the RCA version is purported to have better quality control. Incredible AM/FM reception, huge warm sound, but big and ugly and often saddled with an inaccurate tuning dial. But often on Amazon for $42 with free shipping, this is a lot of bang for your buck.

Number Five: Best Portable Radio: The C.Crane CSW (also the Redsun 2100)

Amazing FM and good AM (but loses to PR-D5 and CCR-2 in AM category), the CSW operates on power plug or 4 D rechargeables. The CSW, discussed here,  produces loud sound and is good for washing the car and other outdoor activities.

(updated August 29, 2009)

Number One: Best $70 Table Radio: Sangean PR-D5

Sangean PR-D5, discussed here, (and a one-year report card here) has a huge industry max 200mm internal ferrite antenna. I'm not in love with its tiny stereo speakers but for nearby use radio is good. Just don't expect to fill a room with it. Helpful tip: Turn FM from stereo to mono mode and you'll avoid static.

Number Two: Best Clock Radio at Any Price: Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo

I don't want a lot of gizmos on my clock radio. I want simplicity, good sound, and small footprint. The $85 Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo fits the bill. Amazing speaker sound, sensitive tuner, and wire pigtail FM antenna, something I usually hate, is actually welcome by bedside as it's easy to knock over a radio with a telescopic FM antenna. I like that you can toggle through FM and/or AM stations without having to switch band mode. Helpful hint: You can change the position of your radio, horizontal or vertical. The latter makes a smaller footprint and is easier to rotate for AM reception. Update: If you're a heavy FM listener, this recommendation stands. But if you like baseball games and other heavy AM listening, I can't recommend the Solo because AM tends to degrade over time. You might look at the CCR-2 for best AM reception. 

Number Three: Best $160 Table Radio: The C.Crane CCRadio-2

Think of the CCRadio-2, discussed here, as a Sangean PR-D5 on steroids. It has the same big ferrite AM antenna but a bigger speaker. Also its FM is stronger with tuning meter and bass and treble controls, which are lacking in the PR-D5. Update: I've been using my CCR-2 as a bedside radio for the last week. I love the AM reception. My only complaint: The preset buttons make noise when you press them. Your sleeping spouse may not approve. Also, the CCR-Plus got complaints for sticky preset buttons. I hope that is not the case with the CCR-2. 

Number Four: Best $45 Table Radio: The RCA Super Port

A rebranded GE Super Radio III, the RCA version is purported to have better quality control. Incredible AM/FM reception, huge warm sound, but big and ugly and often saddled with an inaccurate tuning dial. But often on Amazon for $42 with free shipping, this is a lot of bang for your buck.

Number Five: Best Portable Radio: The C.Crane CSW (also the Redsun 2100)

Amazing FM and good AM (but loses to PR-D5 and CCR-2 in AM category), the CSW operates on power plug or 4 D rechargeables. The CSW, discussed here,  produces loud sound and is good for washing the car and other outdoor activities.

Comments

[Gary]

In which orientation of the Horizon Solo is the ferrite bar horizontal? This is the orientation that should give the best mediumwave AM reception.

Take any portable and turn the radio so that the ferrite bar orientation changes from horizontal to vertical, and you'll notice that the signal strength is greatly reduced.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

I thought of that, but the AM is lousy either way. Great FM, great speaker, but forget AM horizontal or vertical.

[Gary]

The ferrite bar must change orientation with the display bezel. If so, the bar must be pretty short, which would partially explain the poor AM reception.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

It's probably 3 to 3.5 inches. I only put up with 8 now.

[Mike W]

One of the reasons I chose a Solo over the Sangean WR-2 was that the Solo has a real MW antenna input that detaches the internal antenna.

I have (briefly) tried a CCrane twin coil ferrite antenna hard-wired to the Solo. While it did improve some stations, it made for an awkward set up and had only temporary novelty value for me. The TCF went back on my Satellit 800, where it belongs.

I stick mostly to FM with the Solo now, and for that purpose it really is outstanding.

The five radios you've selected are all sensible choices, Jeff.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Hopefully the PR-D9 will compel me to revise the list.

[Mike W]

You know, I was going to make a smart-alecky remark about the "Best of 2009' list being incomplete before the PR-D9 came out, but let it slide.

I have nothing against the other radios in the PR-D? series, but from a simple statistical point of view, the nine is unlikely to beat the five on MW. If it does (or even if it matches the five on MW but looks a little more sensible), I suppose we'll both end up buying one.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

If my blog accomplishes anything, I hope it makes 200mm the standard for AM antennas. Let all radios at least match the PR-D5 in AM performance. That should be a minimum standard. I'm naive.

[Dennis]

A previous review of the Sangean (Almost a Year with the Sangean PR-D5: A Report Card) says:

"The PR-D5 has the biggest ferrite AM antenna you can get at 200 mm. It has no AM filter however so if you get AM overload, the PR-D5 isn't for you. For me, though, AM overload is no problem. The PR-D5 gets me my best AM".

The sentence "It has no AM filter however so if you get AM overload, the PR-D5 isn't for you" makes no sense whatsoever. Get AM overload on what; other radios? "No AM filter". Does that mean it has only one bandwidth? I'm considering getting one but I have three low power (1 KW or less) AM's a little over a mile away so overload is a major issue. Most of my radios do fairly well near those frequencies. I picked up a Grundig G8 recently and am very pleased with it.

"Helpful tip: Turn FM from stereo to mono mode and you'll avoid static". A weak signal and static are not the same thing. "Static" on AM can be caused by lightning or emmissions from equipment such as computers, dimmer switches and those "touch on" lamps. You don't get "static" on FM.

I do not mean to be disrespectful but the person who wrote this does not know how to explain the features and shortcomings of this radio.

[Scooby214]

As far as the orientation of the ferrite rod in the Solo, the Recepter has its ferrite rod running from front to back. It is almost as long as the radio is deep. If the Solo also has its ferrite rod running from front to back, it will always be horizontal, no matter if the radio is in its vertical or horizontal position.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Dennis, if "overload" and "static" aren't the correct terms, please give us some viable options.

[Dennis]

I know what overload is. How close does this person live to the transmitter site?

The unpleasant sound on FM is almost always caused by a weak signal, and switching to mono may help.

FM is transmitted line of sight. If you're driving some distance away from the transmitter site any obstructions (tall buildings, mountains, etc.) can cause the signal to get weaker. When you get back out in the clear the signal usually comes back.

FM was invented specifically to fix the problem of static on AM signals caused mainly by lightning. As we all know another benefit is that the audio quality is far superior.

Have a look at "FM radio" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Howard_Armstrong

Part of it says "FM radio broadcasts delivered a much clearer sound, free of static, than the AM radio dominant at the time".

If you're near a thunderstorm with lightning each time there's a bolt of lightning you'll hear a crash sort of sound on AM, especially on unused frequencies. The duration of that sound is the same duration as the lightning bolt. FM is completely unaffected by lightning.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Dennis, weak FM stations sound really bad. Most people use the term "static," whether it's correct term or not. There's understanding about what it means. What term would you like us to use?

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Scooby, I had a Recepter for 2 years before selling it and my impression was that its fit and finish and overall build quality were better than the Solo's. The Recepter doesn't have a headphone jack though and that killed it for me.

[Scooby214]

Dennis, I agree that the AM we hear from most stations nowadays is low fidelity, as they usually are broadcasting at a rather narrow bandwidth. Add to that the dreaded IBOC hiss found on some stations that are broadcasting a digital AM signal, and many AM stations can sound quite poor. AM can be made to sound quite good, with almost the fidelity of FM. I have a couple of AM transmitters that actually sound quite good (when using a quality AM receiver). My SSTran transmitter, a kit that I assembled, puts out a good sound. I use it to rebroadcast an FM station to my vintage sets. With my Blaupunkt Granada, it nearly sounds like FM. My homebrew tube transmitter has even better sound quality, though it has a shorter range than the SSTran.

In order for me to take advantage of the fidelity of the AM transmitters, I have to use one of my better tube radios or a modern radio with selectable bandwidths. Radios such as the Recepter and the WR-2 may have good AM reception, but they don't sound nearly as good on AM as a vintage set.