Customer Reviews

Coby CX-9 Mini Digital AM/FM Stereo Pocket Radio

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(34)

 

 

First of all, the casing doesn't look half as good as it does in the picture above. Its finish is much rougher, uneven, and cheap.

The radio has poor reception, especially in-building, this is my biggest problem with this unit since it makes it unusable.

Furthermore, the volume levels are not spread evenly, hence, the sound is either too loud or two soft (even between one level and the next).

Also, you can't navigate the preset channels in both directions (up/down), instead, you must click through the whole cycle (and you can't click fast, cause the unit won't respond).

This is a great little radio! It has a nice sound and full bass. I use other headphones instead of the ones supplied, as I have trouble keeping ear buds in my ears. The radio sound with my own headphones is superior to the sound one gets with the ones supplied too.

Pros

- Clock
- The number of preset stations (10)
- Neck strap

Cons

- Poor reception (specially AM)
- A little bit big for a portable radio
- Scan not too exactly

what a nice surprise. good sound,, better than radios ,twice the money .. i am in a difficult area to pick up fm. . the coby comes in loud and clear.

I've been listening to news and music on personal stereos in this neighborhood more than twenty years. I walk fifty miles a week while listening.

The other day when I visited Amazon for another item, I responded to an ad in which Amazon recommended the Coby CX-9 as a quality radio.

This radio has very poor image rejection. As I walk along tuned to one station, a station from another part of the band may take over. This happens with several of my favorite stations. I haven't had this problem with any other personal stereo or pocket radio going back forty years.

This radio doesn't offer a suitable listening volume. A volume control normally has an audio taper (logarithmic) so a listener can set the level in increments of 3 dB. The volume control of the CX-9 seems to be linear. It jumps 20 dB between the second and third click. That's an increase of 100 to 1. With typical headphones, two clicks would be about 70 dB and 3 clicks 90 dB. The former may be too soft, but the latter may harm your hearing and, by blocking ambient noises, endanger your life.

I regret this purchase.

I love this radio. I bought two, one for the house (I use it when I walk the dogs) and one for the car...you know those times when you're listening to something on the radio and you arrive at your destination and you just don't want to miss what's coming next? This radio gets superb reception. I can even pull in the San Diego AM station when other radios were weak. I love that you just hang it around your neck and go about your business. What a concept! Many people don't even realize it's a radio (the earbuds are so small). Sometimes I do use it with headphones for more comfortable listening.

I'm giving this 4 stars for weight alone. I haven't found another am/fm so lightweight. Otherwise, I'd give it 2 as there is plenty wrong with this, but I bought another when I thought I lost the first one. No matter, if it's as fragile as purported, might as well have another on hand for the emergency kit. What's worse, I paid for shipping to get it here ASAP!

Here are my complaints about the first one:

1. One earbud went out almost immediately. I lived with the other, not realizing it would also go out. So, I had to buy earbuds.

2. The controls are such that if tucked into a fanny pack or breast pocket and you bump up against something, it turns on, wearing down the battery. (Hint: when the clock no longer registers, the batteries are failing.)

3. Once you lose the instructions you'll never again be able to set the clock!

All in all I've probably spent more on this little thing than if I'd originally bought something twice as expensive--I just couldn't find something quite this lightweight at the time, nor did I know the earbuds would fail. Still, I won't be returning my extra one but I wish I'd found my formerly "lost" one first.

Addendum 7/2006: The second one broke in so many ways almost immediately, I'm sorry to say. I was so depressed that I just set them (the newly broken, and the previously broken) aside rather than ranting or packing and returning. To get my portable radio fix I finally ended up with a couple of good items.

They are the Sony Walkman FM/AM SRF-59 (also very lightweight) and Sony headphones that I think came with it, but these say nothing but Sony and I don't have the packing slip handy.

I would like to strongly recommend lightweight headphones rather than earbuds as you can move the headphones all around (in other words, not directly over your ears) and still hear, whereas the earbuds must be inserted or they dangle with no set projectory.

In retrospect, had I waited to evaluate this product until the bitter end, I would have given it 2 stars max, but only because 1 of them worked for a while!

So, I was fooled twice and I hope my ignorance will help save you from a similar experience. Go for a Walkman or other long-tested brand.

This AM/FM radio does exactly what I needed it to do. It is small enough and very light so that it very unnoticeable when running with it. I wish the headphone jack was on the top though because I use the belt clip to secure it to my shorts and it is awkward with the jack on the bottom. Not a big deal though. It is pretty simple to use and gets very good FM reception imo. The volume settings are non-ideal as others have noticed -- 2 bars is way too quiet but 3 bars is too loud in quiet settings. 3 bars works in most cases for me though (at gym, running) and I put it on higher setting when mowing the lawn. If I were to go walking with this radio the lanyard is perfect.

Great reception, great size/weight, great price.

Based on some of the poor reviews, I was weary of buying the Coby radio. I'm glad I bought it!

Maybe it's just the particular unit I received, but this radio holds a signal better than any other personal radio I owned. Sure, the headphones are not the best, the finish is mediocre and the illuminated display is not all that "cool." Considering the cost, I'm very satisfied with its performance and with this purchase.

This receiver doesn't work in rural areas. It doesn't work as well as a cheap battery powered fm radio.