I paid $130 for mine 8 years ago. Jason says the new one is better and cheaper:
I just bought one last night at my local Radio Shack. They are down to $43 in the store here plus I got a $10 off anything coupon to go back and use next week. It appears to be an improved version of the original 505. Maybe this is the 505P?
It seems to be fairly comparable reception-wise to my Tecsun PL-390 but the speaker sounds so nice compared to the PL-390 and the 390 is stereo vs. the DX-402 being mono!
Radio Havana was loud and clear last night (as always here) and the music they were playing was very bright and comfortable to listen to. I was up at 4AM this morning listening to WGN AM on it and it sounded fantastic - perfect tone for talk. Then I fired up a local classical station on FM just a few minutes ago and it sounded great also. I am able to pick up a few "fringe" FM stations loud and clear that don't come in well on other radios I have.
Like Ken wrote, I won't be DX'ing with it either. I was looking for a nice-sounding, easy to operate radio and I feel like I got a winner (so far).
I think I'll be leaving my PL-390, which is a tad more complicated to use and not the best sounding radio, on the shelf for travel and keeping my DX-402 out for evenings on the deck and early mornings at the kitchen table.
At $33 (if you count the $10 coupon they gave me since it was over $40), I think this might be the best radio deal I've gotten in quite a while.
I can verify that there have been at least two different versions of the Sangean ATS 505. I bought my first one about ten years ago. It was my first shortwave radio. After giving it to a friend, I bought a second one and noticed a number of improvements. Even the physical body of the radio was improved, especially the quality of the buttons.
I do wish Sangean would offer a new improved 505X, as they did with the 909X. Maybe I'll try that Radio Shack version.
Posted by: Tim | July 30, 2014 at 09:07 AM
I also agree after picking one of these up on the cheap recently, I am quite impressed. After figuring out how to switch the tuning steps I am using it to check activity on the Ham bands, and monitor a bit. It's pleasant to listen to, and does SSB quite well considering price and sophistication level. Not bad for $26.99 !!
Posted by: Neil Goldstein | July 30, 2014 at 02:21 PM
I just left my local Radio Shack and now, I assume through the weekend, all clearance items are an additional 25% off. At our area stores, this radio is on clearance at $43.97. The 25% off brings it down to $32.98. On top of that, you will get a $10 off anything coupon to bring back on your next trip (it's dated a couple of days out)since they are also having a $10 coupon with any $30 purchase promotion. I think that makes this radio an absolute steal.
I've been listening to mine daily and I am very happy with it.
Posted by: Jason | August 01, 2014 at 06:30 PM