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

(Re-post)

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. 

 

Comments

[vimal oberoi]

''Desheng PL-390DSP dual-speaker stereo radio dismantling''shows nice ferrite, bigger than earlier PL-310/380 sets,as per comments on Yahoo discussions

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4c78586c0100lm3v.html

[gerald]

ive never been that impressed with super radios. ive has some and other than appealing design it remains a 50.00 dollar radio to me as it was when offered new through ccrane. good sound good tuner nice package, over priced at over 100.00 dollars

[gerald]

off topic but,,, JOHN with the grundig with too much bass,, if youre out there,, try pulling the tone knob out a little. those radios have bass boost feature that is negated when you pull out on the tone knob. try this. i think youll be pleased if you here from john jeff, pass this along