Doug's GE SRII Beats His Panasonic RF-888 in Overall Performance

I just received a GE SR II I bought from some guy in Virginia last week. What a radio!!! I have never heard sound like this come out of a portable. Rich, deep, natural bass, nice highs and midrange, the whole audio package. I swear, it sounds almost like a good stereo. I also have a RCA Superadio III (garage radio) and just did a sound comparison. Which really was no comparison at all. 

Maybe I just got a superb SR II specimen (it is an F series, which is supposed to be the best), but it demolishes the SR II not only in sound, but also in sensitivity and selectivity. I can barely get our local classical station on the III, and when I do it drifts constantly to the point where I almost always lose patience and tune to something stronger. 

With the SR II (listening to Brahms right now), it is locked and loaded. Powerful music, no hiss or background noise, zero drift. The SR II is all it's cracked up to be. And more. 

Even more amazing, the dial calibration is pretty much spot on. What a radio. Every radiophile should have one.

My Panasonic RF-888 arrived last Friday, and is a nifty little unit with excellent sound. But I have to say it somewhat pales next to the SR II on FM. Still, I love the retro look and on the top controls on the RF-888. I also like its compact size; somehow, I thought it was larger, but am glad it isn't. Definitely a keeper.

One other thing. Maybe this has been posted/addressed earlier, but Meguiar's PlastX does a bang up job on the plastic/acrylic/plexiglass/whatever dial covers on older radios, covers that are dull or lightly scratched or cloudy, yellow, etc. You put it on like car wax (which is what it looks like out of the bottle) and work it around on the dial, let it dry up a bit, then buff it. I just did this on my SR II and the dial is noticeably clearer, brighter, more new-looking, took all the years of accumulated build-up right off. You 
get the stuff at automotive stores.

Doug

Comments

[Tim]

I'm not surprised to read this review. Last year I bought an RCA Superadio III, due to the glowing praises I had everywhere read about it. I was very disappointed when I finally tried one. The reception didn't even approach that of the CCRadioplus. The tone was harsh, almost tinny, even if you could raise the bass to a thumping level. And of course, the calibration of the tuning needle was way off. In addition, the body of the radio was just immense - a real waste of space for someone crammed into an apartment. I would say that most of the radios I've ever tried were substantially better than the "new" Superadio. Don't waste your money on one.

[John]

I'm also not surprised. I 'm not familiar with the RF-888, but I've always been impressed by the SRII.

[Demetri]

When you find that wimpy radios like the SR or the 888 wont do, just put together your own manly, possibly redneck version: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180438062707

[jeffrey McMahon]

Demetri, that is very funny. Too bad I couldn't drag the photo and post it.

[Doug Rennie]

Tim, everything you say about the RCA SR III is exactly my experience. Supposedly the III speaker set up is the same as that of the II, but the sound on the III is, as you say, tinny and harsh vs. the full, rich sound of the II. As for calibration, the III is ridiculous, a full half inch off on mine, and the selectivity is awful. On our local classical station, the tuning "range" on the III is, literally, the width of a human hair, almost impossible to hit, and when you almost do, even breathing moves it out of range. On the II, I have probably almost a quarter inch of tuning range and it's easy to find the sweet spot and hold it. III's go for around $45-50, but you can pick up a II on eBay for as little as $70 or so (I paid $65 for mine), a true no-brainer.

[Tim]

Demetri -

Does draining that radio interfere with the reception...?

[Angelo]

I might still get a III if Amazon has another crazy sale on them. Recently, it was reported here that Amazon was selling the III for $22.50 and free shipping. That's crazy.

[Jack]

Thanks for the descriptive article, and I will in response place it in my bookmarks. I am always on the lookout for more information regarding RCA SR III.