I just received my Version 1 last week from Kaito USAS, and your Tecsun PL-660 V. 2 doesn't sound all that much different. My backlight illumination function has the 3-second time when I punch any button except the light/snooze, 30 seconds when I press the light/snooze button (rather I guess it does as I have never left it on for more than 8 or 10; just wanted to see how it worked); and the light stays on the whole time the tuning knob is being turned. So apparently no huge differences. BTW, I agree totally with you, and posted same in an earlier thread here: Why do you need an automatic 30 second backlight? Why is this a plus? I prefer the 3 second backlight combined with the continuous backlight controlled by the tuning knob combined with the ability to turn it on longer via the light/snooze button. As for the Ant Gain, I have noticed a difference between DX and Local. Not a dramatic difference by any means, in fact a very subtle one, but a difference nonetheless. Thanks for this posting as I was wondering what improvements I might be missing out on. Seems like not much.
Doug - Are you saying that your antenna gain switch works on MW AM (AM Broadcast Band)? This feature was supposed to be introduced in Ver 3.
The main feature I'd want in the higher versions is the ability to manually switch between 1 and 10 kHz tuning steps, and not always have to use the 1/10 kHz automatic switching. I have a PL-380 which uses the latter, and I am not a big fan of the auto switching.
Posted by: Gary | April 03, 2011 at 10:59 AM
There's a version 3?? I have the version 2 - at least I think I do - and the Loc/DX switch does have a noticeable effect on MW for me.
Posted by: Dan | April 03, 2011 at 02:22 PM
Here's some more info on PL-660 version numbers (from Yahoo TecsunPL660 group, message# 204). Maybe the version number the box is not meaningful.
Tecsun may have bought more pre-printed boxes labeled "Version 1" than the number of "Version 1" radios they produced.
While the serial numbers are pasted on the box later, the version number is preprinted on the boxes.
My box is labeled version 1, but my radio has many of the features that were supposedly added and/or corrected later?!?!
On my PL-660:
1. Listening to a MW/AM station, toggling the "ant gain" switch between the 3 available positions does change the antenna gain.
2. Pressing the "light/snooze" button, the backlight comes on for 30 seconds.
3. Pressing any of the other front panel buttons, the backlight comes on for 3 seconds.
4. When rotating the tuning knob, the backlight will stay on continuously until rotating stops and then it goes off after 3 seconds.
5. The unit allows manual selection of any of the 3 "slow/fast/auto" tuning steps when using the tuning knob.
It may be a later version in a version 1 box.
Is there any way to tell the version number from the serial number?
Posted by: Gary | April 03, 2011 at 02:37 PM
Gary: My experience exactly, 1-5 above. Yet my box has Ver. 1 printed on it. So it sounds as if I have a 2 or perhaps a 3. I just did an Ant Gain MW check with several weak stations. On both, Local produced barely audible audio, Normal a listenable but mediocre audio (say 5 or 6 on a scale of 10) and clear and clean, noise free audio on DX (a 9.5-10). So I apparently don't have the Version 1 my box indicates. Whatever, I am delighted with this radio, every aspect of it.
Posted by: Doug | April 03, 2011 at 04:52 PM
Doug - As best I can tell from the Yahoo group, you have a Version 3 radio, so keep enjoying it. I may pick one up sometime as well.
Tecsun should just put the version information on the radio itself, and not on the box flap.
Posted by: Gary | April 03, 2011 at 05:17 PM
To follow up, my box says version 1, even though I was assured by the ebay reseller that I was receiving version 2 when I ordered it in late December. I do not notice any distortion on AM like the version 1 is supposed to have, but not sure what other upgrades version 2 is supposed to have...
Posted by: Dan | April 03, 2011 at 06:43 PM
Dan - My understanding is that Version 2 should have items 2-5 listed above, but probably not item 1.
Posted by: Gary | April 03, 2011 at 07:48 PM
The version 3 has problems after connecting external antenna. It disconnect some protecting diodes and some static electricity around - finish. My radio has constant noise and some waves of huge noise sometimes. It's most hearable on AM and SW band. Probably wrong circuits assembled in factory. And Im not alone with this problem. Some other people had worse - radio stopped working AM band after connecting external antenna. Version 3 is thus not much improved, rather I would say, this problem occured and I hope it will be fixed in next versions or production runs.
Posted by: mike | June 20, 2012 at 09:47 AM