For some reason, I got into this article without any issue, but some are reporting hitting a paywall. Here's the basic gist of the rant:

"First, it is priced at $107.99.

Seriously.

Who the hell is going to buy a portable radio, even one able to access HD Radio channels, for that kind of money?

Our on-staff Radio Nerd did. One RBR+TVBR follower on Twitter chimed in to report that Sangean models HDR-14, SG-108 (same except for color), HDR-15, etc., are all available from Amazon.

Woo!

But … had we not seen this radio on August 29, we would have never known it exists. And, we bet most of America has no clue this exists, either.

Then again, how many Americans know HD Radio exists in their market. And, if they did exist … would they sound as lousy as some of the digital multicast offerings heard between Dayton and Cincinnati. That’s not to say the programming is lousy. The processing, audio output level, etc., is inferior on many of these “crystal-clear” HD offerings that fade depending on which way the antenna points, given we’re in-between two metropolitan areas."

I'm a happy owner of a Sangean HDR-16.
The Review is accurate..sound quality is good, shortcoming that there's no external FM antenna connection. Recharging the batteries seems not to be needed,,the "C" cells last a long time.
HD Reception in mid town Toronto:
-95.9 CJKX and 94.7 CHKX is quite variable.  
-sometimes Buffalo WTSS 102.5, then maybe WNED.
-WHLO 530 daytime yes, night no 

Looks like a nice little unit. But without AM, it's not for me!

RadioActive wrote:

Looks like a nice little unit. But without AM, it's not for me!

Yeah. For me, the main (possibly only) AM radio station I plan to use it for listening to while walking around is Newstalk 1010 and that's on an HD channel - one of the reasons I bought this unit, to play around with HD radio vs. smartphone data usage for audio streams. And the audio quality improvement with the HD feed for Newstalk 1010 is quite notable in terms of being considerably better than any portable AM radio I've tried in terms of interference while walking around (i.e. with tall buildings around, hills, under overpasses, etc.) - a much more pleasant audio listening experience in the earbuds.

Sadly, Sony has stopped making the kinds of radios that were great for DX. It's hard to find them anymore. I had two of them. One is over 40 years old now and the volume control is noisy and hard to use. The other had its motherboard go and only receives FM - no AM. I tried to get it fixed, but they no longer make the parts.

I was forced to buy something else, a Sangean ATS-405. A nice radio, with SW as a bonus, but it's not the same, 

If you're looking for an amazing pocket radio, I can't recommend another Sangean product enough - the DT200X. It has 19 presets with no restrictions between how many AMs and how many FMs you can save. That's one of my favourite features.

But for such a small unit (it fits in your pocket and is made for headphone listening but does have a small speaker) the AM reception is amazing for something that tiny. FM is good but not as great as the other band. 

I've had a number of them over the years (they don't last forever with me because they get so much use) and I would order another one if something happens to this one. I've never found anything better. 

Sangean DT-200X

RadioActive wrote:

I've had a number of them over the years (they don't last forever with me because they get so much use) and I would order another one if something happens to this one. I've never found anything better. 

Get one while you can regardless! My favourite portable is actually the iPod Nano - great tuner. They don't make them anymore so I'm glad I've got my next one in its box for when it's eventually and inevitably needed.
 

Last edited by RadioAaron (August 30, 2021 4:09 pm)

RadioAaron wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

I've had a number of them over the years (they don't last forever with me because they get so much use) and I would order another one if something happens to this one. I've never found anything better. 

Get one while you can regardless! My favourite portable is actually the iPod Nano - great tuner. They don't make them anymore so I'm glad I've got my next one in its box for when it's eventually and inevitably needed.
 

I remember using an old ipod with the apple tuner dongle I beleive and it worked good!

RadioActive wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

I've had a number of them over the years (they don't last forever with me because they get so much use) and I would order another one if something happens to this one. I've never found anything better. 

Get one while you can regardless! My favourite portable is actually the iPod Touch - great tuner. They don't make them anymore so I'm glad I've got my next one in its box for when it's eventually and inevitably needed.

 
The truth is I have at least two or three of them squirreled away in a cupboard somewhere, just in case. If something goes on the one I'm currently using, I just open up the next. They're usually good for at least a few years, but when something does go wrong with the unit - generally one side of the headphones stops working - I just pull out a new one, pick the presets and I'm good to go. 

As a test, will it pull in a buffalo station being in Toronto lets say?  Atleast lock it in and audible?

RadioActive wrote:

Are you talking AM or FM? It pulls in all of the big Buffalo stations on the AM band (depending, of course, on where you are and how much RF is in the area where you live.) At night, there isn't an AM DX-type station it doesn't pull in after sundown most of the time. That's one of the things that so impressed me - this small little radio pulls in signals from NYC, Chicago, Philly, and elsewhere. Anything you'd expect from one of those larger models, this one does. And it fits on a belt clip or in a pocket. 

In fact, the only thing I don't like about it is the belt clip is a bit flimsy and I've never had one that hasn't broken on me about six months to a year in. But it's a small thing and it doesn't bother me that much. That's what pockets were made for!

Id be more interested in the FM side of things.  I just read also that it wont work on FM without headphones plugged in which is kind of a downer.