Customer Reviews

Eton S350DLS Deluxe AM/FM Shortwave Radio (Silver)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There is still a lot to love about the S350, big full sound, incredible FM reception, generally strong AM reception, good rugged looks. But the drift is a minor annoyance. Worse, two AM stations here in Los Angeles, 1150 and 980 (Dodgers baseball), get overcrowding, meaning two stations are playing at once, and no matter how narrow the filter I get this overcrowding. My 40-dollar GE Superradio III doesn't have this problem. But the GE doesn't have digital readout and I hate finding the sweet spot. So is there a big digital radio that doesn't have these flaws? I hear there is. Soon there will be a radio available called the Redsun 3000, designed by the same maker of the Grundig S350 (called the Tecsun BCL 2000 in China), which is supposed to blow away all the competition. Already the Redsun 2100 is said to be superior to the 350 but has ergonomic problems. As of 9-22-06, the Redsun 3000 is supposed to be only a few months away. Until the Redsun 3000 arrives, you may want to look at the $99 Sonido (made by Sangean). It boasts presets, digital tuning, and adds to its FM/AM a TV band, but has no shortwave.

Final Point: If you're buying a radio for your office and you use a computer, I suggest you get a good table radio with a remote control, like the Sangean WR-2 or its big brother the Sangean HDR-1, a high-definition radio. I point this out because any radio I've used within five feet of my computer suffers from horrible interference. Place the WR-2 ($159) or the HDR-1 ($199 after rebate) on a shelf or cabinet six feet away or so and use your remote to toggle between preset stations. In my experience these remote-control-operated radios are well suited for computer environments.

Update 12-31-06: I've been able to get rid of overcrowding on AM station 980 by turning down the AM/SW RF Gain knob. So I have to give a fifth star to the S350.

I got this radio when Amazon had a special for $35.00; although they noted that it was discontinued, they started to sell it again. Pro's - Great AM DX reception, even during the day. I am able to pick up WBZ in Boston very clear during the early afternoon hours. None of my other radios will even come close. Has a nice back-lit LCD than can stay on all the time. Uses either 4 D cell batteries or 4 AA batteries (nice idea). Light weight with plenty of buttons and knobs. Con's- Does not have preset function or search/scan. You have to use the tuning dial, which can go over or under the frequency; however, the frequency lock works great. A great radio for $35.00; however, I would not pay over $50.00 for it.

AM sensitivity is very good on this model. AM frequency lock is a little difficult to master, however it makes the set drift free. I own two of these. I use one as my bedside reciever and alarm clock. Great battery life and a good all round FM reciever. Shortwave is sensitive for the casual SW buff. Serious SW listeners may want to look at models that include sideband reception. This set does not have it.

I listen to this radio regularly, often several hours a day, and don't think I've replaced the batteries twice in 2 years. All said, a great radio, the AM and FM reception is great, although I've found the shortwave reception to be so-so, the caveat being I live in the city. While camping, I tend to pick up far more channels, albeit fewer than I've managed with other radios.

One wildly annoying aspect is the radio's backlight: it is timed, perhaps 20 seconds. Therefore if you're fumbling with it in the dark (as I regularly do while camping), you need to keep one hand close to the backlight button in order to continually press it.

All said a great radio, although I'm evaluating others as looking for a truly killer shortwave device.

whats there to say,i live on the edge of no where[my choice],where stations,the close ones are 70 miles to over 200 an this radio pulls them in great.I will buy another when this ones gives up[10 years an counting]but then it might out live me.

This review is for the silver model @ $35.00. I could not belive the price & had to get one & see what was up. I think mine is a floor demo as the tape sealing the box had been broken.

The radio is in perfect condition, all functions work fine, all origonal packaging. I recommend this buy for as long as it will last, it is a great price. I enjoy this radio more than my other portables as the sound is much better & I like twisting knobs.

I got a very cost effective deal (under $50) and am well satisfied. As I haven't watched television in decades and have learned to be patient as well, scanning the shortwave bands is a kick - particularly when I pick up something distant. The radio serves well as a portable for regular AM/FM use outdoors. Performance is enhanced with addition of an antenna one can put together inexpensively and with a nickel's worth of creativity. Of course, I'm speaking from the perspective of having assembled a Heathkit about fifty years ago . . .

"Million-Dollar Looks for $100" - Analog w/digital display receivers do not have the stability of digital phase-locked loop (PLL) receivers.

I opened up the back of the radio, before returning it to RadioShack - it was mostly hollow inside, very cheap, low-grade plastic, and with 1960s-grade electronics. The front filter and band switches and tuning knob are flimsy. When putting the radio back together, I was very careful not to over-tighten/cross-thread the screws, but as soon as, one of the screws started to tighten down, the plastic started to crack. Because of the very cheap quality construction, the radio is very light-out-of-the-box, until the 4 "D" size batteries are inserted.

The filters do a minimal job and only muffle the very good audio. The RF gain control can always be set on maximum, so it only acts like a DX/LOC switch. Even the newer model drifts off the tuned frequency, despite a kludged fix, that only causes ergonomic problems - once a frequency locks on, it still drifts, causing one to have to retune way past the desired frequency, to break the lock. The S350 has significant tuning backlash, which is partly responsible for the frequency drift. There are images all over the SW bands, being a cheap, single-conversion superhet. There are no station memories, so anytime the band selection changes, the radio has to be retuned to the desired frequency. The speaker grill is plastic, the digital readout is low-resolution, the antenna doesn't lock into place, and the carrying handle is cheap, smelly, imitation-leather.

Instead, I bought a Radio Shack AM/FM (for AM DXing) model 12-898 for $25; it has digital PLL tuning (prevents drifting), DX/LOC switch, hi/low tone switch, 3" speaker with metal speaker grill, internal ferrite-bar antenna, lock switch, 20 station memory, almost as sensitive as the S350, and much better quality - even the antenna locks into place.

Don't be fooled by the "Grundig" name - it used to be made in Germany, but is now made in China, by Tecsun/Eton. Check out the Tecsun/Eton brand of this radio on Amazon (same junk), and show, "lowest rating first", also, look at the reviews for Grundig G2000A. Tecsun/Eton is becoming known for marketing jazzy, pretty radios that are poor quality/performers; they bought the rights to market products, under the "Grundig" name, hoping consumers will think they are still made in Germany.

With all that being said, with the restructuring of the 50K watt clear-channel AM stations, in the 1980s, AM DXing is not what it used to be, in the 1960s and 1970s. For example, many stations out West now have to use directional antennas, that cannot be picked up on the East Coast. All the hype about the CCradio, Superadio III, and S350 being, "DX machines", is nonsense, and with the clear-channel situation, certainly not worth the extra expense. With the Radio Shack receiver, I can easily pick up WWL 870 New Orleans (1000 miles), WHO 1040 Des Moines(900 miles), WABC 770 New York, and my favorite, WLW 700 Cincinnati - same as the S350. These stations can easily be picked up with standard car radios.

For just, as little as $30 more, one could purchase the Sony ICF-SW7600GR instead, with digital PLL tuning, dual-conversion, SSB, and synchronous detection; or, for $45 + $20 S&H, off Ebay.com, one could purchase a new Degen 1103 with digital PLL tuning, dual-conversion, and SSB (the S350 has none of the above).

i got the radio today, took it out the box, couldnt turn it on. It looks like it is already broken.. Too late to return it to Amazon, Grundig help line is closed as their work on pacific time and i live on the east coast. So i dont know yet, what i m gonna do with this broken radio.It was a gift for my dad I ordered it a month before his birthday, you have 30 day to send it back to amazon. If you buy something make sure you test it before the 30 days goes by. I ll post another review later, if i get another functionning radio, to tell you at least if they work well. So far i dont know, no power with the power supply or battery.Is this purely bad luck or bad quality??2 weeks later...going trough replacement they just sent me another one quickly who works perfectly, .Well I was just out of luck, easy and reliable customer service...Radio workds like a charm, good soung, good reception,would buy again....4 stars now

My 10 dollar portable Panasonic radio has BETTER and Clearer reception than this overpriced crap. Even if the radio is by my window , reception is static and horrible. Don't fall for the GRUNDING name like I did, you can get a high quality shortwave radio for much less. Panasonic makes one for 40 bucks !!! Amazon also carries that awesome panasonic portable for less then 10 bucks. I feel ripped off by Grundig. Boycott this crap.