Why Today's Radios Often Sound So Bad

Addressing the poor sound quality of the Sangean WR-12 evidenced by Nathan's video review, Moogbass writes:

The dismal sound quality is the product of younger engineers that don't care to listen to the designs they are creating on their electronic design "simulators" and computer programs. Frequently, the whole of the engineering team isn't even working in the same country.

Also likely, many of these engineers have never heard "good audio" or the classic radios we hold in high regard. Welcome to the iTune/MP3 generation. There is a cost target, a feature list, and a production date...the end. There is never a critical review of the prototype (if even a physical prototype exists) by an experienced panel of listeners. Sadly, I'm afraid this problem is only going to get worse.

The good news is the classic radios will continue to hold their value as long as radio enthusiasts continue to want them.

Related articles

Nathan's Video Reviews of the Panasonic RF-562 and Sangean DT-210

Getting a Lot of Horrible Reception on Powerhouse 640AM Radio

Nick Updates Us on the Defective Sangean WR-12 Radios

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Cambridge Soundworks Radios

Some Radios to Consider and to Avoid When Looking for Strong AM Performance

Carey's Tesslor R601S Tube Radio Review

Amazon Price Break on Sangean CL-100: $30 Shipped

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Comments

[Bill]

I have to agree. The 1958 Zenith Transoceanic 1000 was a fine radio, but it cost $250 in a year when a Chevy Impala WITH the V-8 cost about $2500. One tenth of today's Impala is $2500 to $3000. The Redsun RP2100 I paid about $100 for outperforms the T-O by a wide margin. For most people, paying as MUCH as $100 for a radio would be ridiculous- they want one for the price of dinner at a word-famous (drive-thru!) restaurant.

Radios sound awful because the market won't generally pay the premium it would take to do top quality.

[Gary]

But the RP2100 (aka CCRadio-SW) does sound very good for its price. It's one of the exceptions to the poor sound quality problem.

[Bill]

In my opinion the RP2100 sounds pretty good for any price, considering that it is a portable meant for normal portable use. It's also a rare size for modern portable radios-- mid to large. Tiny sets are all the rage, but a lunchbox sized set will have to be made of crappy parts indeed before it fails to outperform a tiny pocket model. The inherent advantages of a larger speaker and larger antennas are tough to beat, if not impossible.

[Tim]

It seems that the least important part of a radio today is the speaker, as if it's an afterthought. I consider audio quality to be every bit as important as sensitivity and selectivity. So there's nothing more frustrating than a radio that performs well but sounds like a cheap tinny pocket radio. The Sony ICF 7600GR comes immediately to mind.

[Ed S]

I think mediocre audio is also market driven. The average buyet places low cost and convenience above audio quality. There are always niches, like people who bought boom boxes and Proton 300's and 320's. there will always be a small demand for radios with quality sound.

[Huesby]

If a maker wants to build a radio with good sound they have to use large speakers like 5 " or more, with a bigger case and that adds weight and more weigh = more shipping expenses = more retail price = less sales

Anyway the RP2100 sounds and perform good, another one would be Grundig S350 thougt is has less performance but it´s cheaper.

[Gary]

Another radio with good sound quality is the CCRadio-EP, which is also made by Redsun. It's a notch below the CCRadio-SW in overall sound quality, but it's quite a bit smaller as well.

[vimal oberoi]

I agree.Just read ''Conrad Jutson Discusses The Planning and Design of the P780''
http://www.transistor.org/feature/jutson/technical.html
It answers the obvious difference.

[nathanjr]

Audiophilia in recent years has really shifted to headphones, small tube amps, and ways to make digital media sound less digital. One of my friends told me that vinyl sales actually grew in the last year.
The modern equivalent to the radios we love are the speaker docks that hook up to your phone or music player. Just like radios, some are cheap and over-hyped while others have modest marketing but well-engineered. I picture my boys some day looking for vintage iPod docks and debating the merits of their features and sound quality with others online.

[Angelo]

I recently bought a K-Mart AM-FM tabletop radio on E-Bay. The reason I wanted it was nostalgia----I got one of these same radios, new, in the late 1970s. I never used my original one much----in fact, it was still in the original box and I (stupidly) sold it at consignment before I got interested in the radio hobby again. Anyway, it was and is a cheap radio. My parents paid about $24.99 for that thing back in '78 or '79 if I recall correctly----and the switchgear was somewhat cheap---slider caps falling off easily----but the sound and reception both rate pretty good. Not Sony good or Panasonic good----but would rate higher than many of today's radios. It doesn't drift on FM like my C Crane EP does. The speaker isn't the best----but is very good for talk radio----a crisp tone that doesn't cause listener fatigue. Here's the point: It was cheap when it was sold new----but it had to be a reasonable imitation of more expensive Sonys and Pannys that were the benchmark. Today----the "good" radios are nowhere near as good as 1970s Sonys and Panasonics----so the cheapies that are chasing them aren't as good either. Moogbass is right though----there will be a steady or even rising value for the classics as long as there is a strong demand----and I think the demand will be there. There are old geezers who want the performance from yesteryear (and the nostalgia!) but there are also young audiophiles----like the kids playing bass who seek out old tube amplifiers. This runs in cycles----but every once in a while, there is a fad among younger people to find quality things from the past and pay the price----and radios from the golden years fit that category. There's a fascination younger people have with a high quality radio, especially a multi-band----something that really isn't around today, but something they could certainly use once in a while and display.