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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good value, considering its size and price. Get the e100 if you have extra $$$, April 5, 2008
I purchased this radio a couple weeks and so far I am quite pleased with it.
This is an ultra lightweight radio, only a little larger than a deck of cards. I wanted it to serve a specific purpose: provide stable radio reception to keep me entertained when I run. Every two days, I go for a one-hour jog, and despite having two iPods (Shuffle and Video), I appreciate listening to live radio when I run. Ipods are great, but unless you upload content on a daily basis, they get boring. Even if you have ten thousand songs on your iPod, they will all be old songs tomorrow!
Earlier, I purchased and tried a Sony SRF-M37, based on the glowing reviews online. I returned it the next day: terrible sound, poor reception of even the strongest stations in my city, Winnipeg (Canada).
I decided to try the Eton Grundig g1100 after trying it out at the local Source (formerly "Radio Shack"). I haven't found many reviews on this radio online, so I thought I would share my views.
Here's what I like about it:
1) It uses two AA batteries, rather than AAA batteries. This provides plenty of power for headphones, even full sized headphones like the Grado sr80's or Sennheiser HD 485. Both of these headphones, by the way, improve the sound quality immensely.
2) Reception so far has been excellent. I listen to both AM and FM, and all the stations I listen to come in crystal clear when I am running outside.
3) The rubberized coating of the radio makes it easy to grip with one hand. This is great for when you're on the go, which I think is the intended purpose of a radio of this size.
4) Large, easy to read LCD screen automatically lights up whenever any buttons are pressed, or when the tuning dial is turned.
5) Simple, easy operation: Similar to my Boston Recepter tabletop radio, the Grundig g1100 has a simple logic to it: push the power button, turn the tuning knob, turn the volume dial, and you're all set! No knowledge of attenuators, local/DX settings, or the difference between mono/stereo FM is needed to use this radio. If these features appeal to you, consider a different model. If you like lots of features, try the Eton e100: Nice radio, but pricey ($90 dollars in my town).
6) Small speaker gets the job done when you don't want to use headphones. The sound is expectedly bright and tinny, given the size of it. But it works in a pinch: Not great for music, but fine for talk radio. The internal speaker is also handy, because sometimes headphones induce more static and interference in a radio (which I have found not only on this radio but others like my Sony 7600gr). Unplugging the headphones and using the internal speaker often alleviates the interference caused by headphones. I have an Eton e100, which has a better sounding speaker, with a tone switch to reduce the treble. The e100 sounds better, but is more expensive.
7) Headphones sound is clear on FM. With good headphones, it is able to produce decent bass and clear highs, with good stereo separation. The sound is bright, lots of treble, but pleasant. It really depends on the headphones you use. Quiet static is audible but not overbearing like the Sony M37. Sound is better on my Sony 7600gr, but I paid six times the price for that radio, so I expect it to sound better. The Eton e100 also sounds better through headphones, but again, is also more expensive than the g1100.
8) Built in telescopic FM antennae: I think this is why this radio is so much better at picking up FM stations when compared to the Sony M37. Other pocket radios I tried only use the headphone cord to receive FM.
9) This thing just plain LOOKS COOL. The charcoal, almost black exterior, simple uncluttered interface, and manual tuning knob makes it look retro and modern at the same time.
Here are some down sides to consider:
1) No presets: I really wanted preset stations for jogging, but after considering the alternatives, I decided I could live with manual analog tuning. The lack of presets has a bonus of having an uncluttered user interface, lacking the multitude of buttons found on other radios like the Eton e100.
2) You have to press the TIME SET button to view the time. It displays for four seconds. It would be nice to see both the frequency and the time concurrently (the Eton e100 does this).
3) Hold button (which suppresses all button functions) only works when the radio is turned off. It would be nice to use the Hold function while running. The Eton e100 has a hold switch that is functional when the radio is turned on.
4) Analog tuner sometimes "drifts". What I mean is, when I listen to a station like 94.3, the tuner will drift to 94.2 or 94.4. Not a big deal to me, as I know it's an analog tuner with no PLL/digital lock on frequencies. Surprisingly, this doesn't happen too often when I jog; the tuner seems to stay in place well.
5) automatic sleep timer: When you turn it on, it automatically sets it to turn off after a given time. You can vary the sleep timer between 5 and 120 minutes, but you cannot turn it off completely. A little annoying when you just want it to play non-stop. It's probably a good thing, though, to prevent accidental battery drainage.
I've used this radio for a little shortwave listening, and it works fine though not as sensitive as more expensive units. I have a Sony 7600gr for "serious" shortwave radio surfing. I really only use shortwave when I am out at a cabin or camping in the middle of nowhere, where local AM/FM reception is unattainable.
Overall, I am pleased with this simple, easy to use radio that serves a specific role. No, it doesn't do everything perfectly (no radio will accomplish this). I have other radios to use at home (Boston Recepter) or more serious shortwave (Sony 7600gr). And, yes, there are more expensive radios with more features that will probably meet the needs for more demanding users. I like the Eton e100 better, but is costs much more.
If you want a simple, inexpensive, easy to use pocket radio for listening while outdoors, this radio should meet your needs. Drop by a local Source/Radio Shack, bring some headphones, and try it out. One tip: Try out the radio close to an outside facing window or even outside at the parking lot. The inside of an electronics shop, especially in a shopping mall, is probably the worst place to test out radios: interference everywhere!
I hope this review helps you with your shopping. I don't pretend to be an expert on shortwave radio or the intricacies of the innards of the radio. I just know this radio works for my purpose (running outdoors) and my budget of $50.
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by Lawrence Magne
by Lawrence Magne
