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Product Information
Technical Details
| Part Number | 2590-20 |
| Product Dimensions | 11.5 x 11.5 x 4.5 inches |
| Item model number | 2590-20 |
| Color | NA |
| Finish | NA |
| Voltage | 12 volts |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Lithium Ion |
| Warranty Description | 5 Year |
Additional Information
| ASIN | B002MUAGL4 |
| Best Sellers Rank | #13,809 in Home Improvement (See top 100) |
| Shipping Weight | 5.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) |
| Shipping | This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S. |
| Date First Available | November 29, 2006 |
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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
The M12 radio is the first job site radio with an exclusive digital tuner that delivers highest reception accuracy and signal clarity for both AM and FM bands as well as being iPod and MP3 compatible.
Product Description
Includes M12 Lithium-Ion Radio - 2590-20, Auxiliary Input Cord, AC Adaptor, (2) AAA Batteries
Important Information
Bulb Voltage
12 Volts
12 Volts
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:NA|Amazon Verified Purchase
I heard high praise for the Milwaukee 2590-20 M12 Worksite Radio. Incorporating DSP technology, its FM was supposed to be stellar in spite of a measly 6.5-inch rubber-coated telescopic antenna.
My radio, costing $99 with free shipping on Amazon, arrived yesterday. I took the small radio out of the box. Yes, it's small, measuring 7 inches in height and 10.5 inches across. With Gotham City flares and a unabashed red color, a construction worker should be able to spot it amidst the dust and rubble of a jobsite.
The first thing I had to do was get a Phillips screwdriver and remove the back-up battery compartment on the bottom. A single AAA battery keeps time and presets when the radio isn't powered.
I played a few stations around 8 P.M. and was impressed that the weak KPCC 89.3 came in loud and clear regardless of the position of the FM antenna. Was it the DSP technology compensating for the lack of antenna size? I can't say for sure. Other FM stations came in loud and clear with the exception of 88.9 KXLU, perhaps the weakest station on the dial. The DSP proved futile in the face of this lethargic college radio station and I got a lot of static. So for hard-to-find stations, let's be clear: The 2590-20 is no FM powerhouse like the Grundig/Eton S350DL or the C Crane CSW. But to be fair, I don't listen to 88.9 and I'm sure the 2590-20 will meet 99% of people's FM needs.
On AM, I got excellent reception but, ironically enough, the strongest AM station 640 showed up with a little background hum. Rotating the radio minimized the unwelcome sound, but I could still hear it. Go figure.
The speaker sounded loud and clear. I was very happy with the sound on both music and talk. So far so good.
But then the presets. They're a drag. The same odious presets on the C Crane CSW, which I had just happily sold. You get 10 presets (numerals 0-9) for both AM and FM. But there are no individual preset buttons, just one preset toggler that you scroll and you can only scroll upward. This isn't a pure preset system. This should have an industry-wide name. Call it SEMI-PRESETS. So readers be warned.
Comparing the Milwuakee 2590-20 to the Tivoli PAL
I decided to wait until the next morning and compare the Milwaukee Worksite radio to another commonly used "on-the-job" radio, my analog Tivoli PAL. I also wanted to see differences in day and nighttime reception.
Funny, the notorious aforementioned KXLU came in with surprising clarity on both the 2590 and the PAL. I'd give a slight FM edge to the 2590, which grabbed 89.3 with no antenna adjustment. With the analog PAL, you spend a lot more time locking in FM stations.
AM was almost a draw. I got slightly better reception on 640 with the PAL, but the 2590 had better reception on 710 ESPN. Also I should add here that background noise on 640 was less evident in the morning than it was last night. Other AM stations were about equal. Both radios barely received 1260, which on a scale of 1-10 I ranked a 4 for both. In contrast, using my Sangean PR-D5, with a 200mm ferrite, as a benchmark, I ranked 1260 with a 9 score.
Both the PAL and the 2590 are capable performers on both AM and FM and should meet most workers' reception needs.
Both the PAL and the 2590 have an auxiliary for playing an iPod or some other MP3 player. The PAL has a headphone jack; the 2590 does not. The 2590 has SEMI-PRESETS and the PAL does not. Let me say, the worst thing about the PAL is finding stations and locking them in.
Speaker Sound
While the 2590 gets loud and sounds good on both talk and music, I have to say it fell short of the PAL sound. The music tones were far warmer and richer on the PAL. Of course, sound is subjective, but there was a bit of tin and chilliness in the 2590 that I might not have noticed had I not done a side by side sound comparison with the PAL. However, in general the 2590 produces a lot of sound for such a small radio and I believe it will meet most people's listening needs. Also, the 2590 has an equalizer, which the PAL does not, and the cold tones may be the result of too much treble. I got up from my computer just now, reduced the treble and did "warm up" the 2590's sound a bit.
Price
The PAL comes with a rechargeable battery but the price is $220 on Amazon.
The $99 2590 does not include the M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion, which costs about $40. Also you must by the 12 V charger, which costs another $44. So with a slightly better speaker sound, is the analog PAL worth $42 more than the 2590? Putting myself in the shoes of a construction worker, I'd buy the digital Milwaukee 2590 over the PAL unless I could find a new PAL for $150 or so.
I'd give the 2590 five stars if it had a better preset system, so 4 stars.
My radio, costing $99 with free shipping on Amazon, arrived yesterday. I took the small radio out of the box. Yes, it's small, measuring 7 inches in height and 10.5 inches across. With Gotham City flares and a unabashed red color, a construction worker should be able to spot it amidst the dust and rubble of a jobsite.
The first thing I had to do was get a Phillips screwdriver and remove the back-up battery compartment on the bottom. A single AAA battery keeps time and presets when the radio isn't powered.
I played a few stations around 8 P.M. and was impressed that the weak KPCC 89.3 came in loud and clear regardless of the position of the FM antenna. Was it the DSP technology compensating for the lack of antenna size? I can't say for sure. Other FM stations came in loud and clear with the exception of 88.9 KXLU, perhaps the weakest station on the dial. The DSP proved futile in the face of this lethargic college radio station and I got a lot of static. So for hard-to-find stations, let's be clear: The 2590-20 is no FM powerhouse like the Grundig/Eton S350DL or the C Crane CSW. But to be fair, I don't listen to 88.9 and I'm sure the 2590-20 will meet 99% of people's FM needs.
On AM, I got excellent reception but, ironically enough, the strongest AM station 640 showed up with a little background hum. Rotating the radio minimized the unwelcome sound, but I could still hear it. Go figure.
The speaker sounded loud and clear. I was very happy with the sound on both music and talk. So far so good.
But then the presets. They're a drag. The same odious presets on the C Crane CSW, which I had just happily sold. You get 10 presets (numerals 0-9) for both AM and FM. But there are no individual preset buttons, just one preset toggler that you scroll and you can only scroll upward. This isn't a pure preset system. This should have an industry-wide name. Call it SEMI-PRESETS. So readers be warned.
Comparing the Milwuakee 2590-20 to the Tivoli PAL
I decided to wait until the next morning and compare the Milwaukee Worksite radio to another commonly used "on-the-job" radio, my analog Tivoli PAL. I also wanted to see differences in day and nighttime reception.
Funny, the notorious aforementioned KXLU came in with surprising clarity on both the 2590 and the PAL. I'd give a slight FM edge to the 2590, which grabbed 89.3 with no antenna adjustment. With the analog PAL, you spend a lot more time locking in FM stations.
AM was almost a draw. I got slightly better reception on 640 with the PAL, but the 2590 had better reception on 710 ESPN. Also I should add here that background noise on 640 was less evident in the morning than it was last night. Other AM stations were about equal. Both radios barely received 1260, which on a scale of 1-10 I ranked a 4 for both. In contrast, using my Sangean PR-D5, with a 200mm ferrite, as a benchmark, I ranked 1260 with a 9 score.
Both the PAL and the 2590 are capable performers on both AM and FM and should meet most workers' reception needs.
Both the PAL and the 2590 have an auxiliary for playing an iPod or some other MP3 player. The PAL has a headphone jack; the 2590 does not. The 2590 has SEMI-PRESETS and the PAL does not. Let me say, the worst thing about the PAL is finding stations and locking them in.
Speaker Sound
While the 2590 gets loud and sounds good on both talk and music, I have to say it fell short of the PAL sound. The music tones were far warmer and richer on the PAL. Of course, sound is subjective, but there was a bit of tin and chilliness in the 2590 that I might not have noticed had I not done a side by side sound comparison with the PAL. However, in general the 2590 produces a lot of sound for such a small radio and I believe it will meet most people's listening needs. Also, the 2590 has an equalizer, which the PAL does not, and the cold tones may be the result of too much treble. I got up from my computer just now, reduced the treble and did "warm up" the 2590's sound a bit.
Price
The PAL comes with a rechargeable battery but the price is $220 on Amazon.
The $99 2590 does not include the M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion, which costs about $40. Also you must by the 12 V charger, which costs another $44. So with a slightly better speaker sound, is the analog PAL worth $42 more than the 2590? Putting myself in the shoes of a construction worker, I'd buy the digital Milwaukee 2590 over the PAL unless I could find a new PAL for $150 or so.
I'd give the 2590 five stars if it had a better preset system, so 4 stars.
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By J. Nash
Color Name:NA
My compliments to the exhaustive comparative and contrasting discussion of the the previous reviewer. Having said that, one cannot have too high of expectations of a radio designed to get beat up, and costs a mere $99. I own an a Tivoli Audio product, the iPal, and I put these two radios in totally different leagues. A worksite radio, a dedicated worksite radio that is, is designed to do two things: 1) Play loud, and 2) do so in a harsh environment. I believe the Milwaukee does both reasonably well. The Tivoli iPal? Well, it sits on my desk and plays beautiful public radio offerings.
The only other worksite-type radio I have to compare the Milwaukee 2590 to is my second generation Bosch Power Box. Instead of the cheesy 6' wire aerial, I held out for the rubber duck style antenna. When I think of Bosch, I think of the phrase, "You may find better, but you'll never pay less," phrase. Knowing Bosch's history of fine German engineering, I will say that their Model 4410 10" SCM saw is if not the best, the heaviest. As an aftermarket accessory, I sprang for the while plastic pod that attaches to the side for protecting my various iPods.
The 2590's sound is adequate and the styling is very attractive. I like the front hatch area for stowing my iPod Touch when I want to play tunes through the radio, especially when working in basements or other areas that are not so RF signal friendly. If one keeps the radio's utility use in mind, then I'd have no probem recommending it to a friend, no problem at all.
My only criticism of the Milwaukee 2590 radio is that although there is a 12V power supply (it's one of those ugly black cube thing transformers that plug into the wall), someone at Milwaukee totally forgot to design the unit to charge an M12 battery at the same time as the radio is playing off AC power. Like the dual 110AC/18V new-ish Dewalt fluorescent work area light, you can either run off battery until it dies, or you can plug the unit in and run off shore power, but you can't charge an M12 battery.
For me, this single lack of battery charging issue keeps the Milwaukee 2590 worksite radio from getting all five stars. Other than that, the 2590 is the Mini Cooper of jobsite tune shooters.
That's what I think.
The only other worksite-type radio I have to compare the Milwaukee 2590 to is my second generation Bosch Power Box. Instead of the cheesy 6' wire aerial, I held out for the rubber duck style antenna. When I think of Bosch, I think of the phrase, "You may find better, but you'll never pay less," phrase. Knowing Bosch's history of fine German engineering, I will say that their Model 4410 10" SCM saw is if not the best, the heaviest. As an aftermarket accessory, I sprang for the while plastic pod that attaches to the side for protecting my various iPods.
The 2590's sound is adequate and the styling is very attractive. I like the front hatch area for stowing my iPod Touch when I want to play tunes through the radio, especially when working in basements or other areas that are not so RF signal friendly. If one keeps the radio's utility use in mind, then I'd have no probem recommending it to a friend, no problem at all.
My only criticism of the Milwaukee 2590 radio is that although there is a 12V power supply (it's one of those ugly black cube thing transformers that plug into the wall), someone at Milwaukee totally forgot to design the unit to charge an M12 battery at the same time as the radio is playing off AC power. Like the dual 110AC/18V new-ish Dewalt fluorescent work area light, you can either run off battery until it dies, or you can plug the unit in and run off shore power, but you can't charge an M12 battery.
For me, this single lack of battery charging issue keeps the Milwaukee 2590 worksite radio from getting all five stars. Other than that, the 2590 is the Mini Cooper of jobsite tune shooters.
That's what I think.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:NA|Amazon Verified Purchase
This thing is built like a brick! I suspect one could pound nails with it or chizzle ice off a windshield if you were so inclined. I should have read the dimensions better because the pictures are deceptive in that this radio is much smaller than it looks online. Sound exceedes my expectations for such a tiny package. Bass response is solid and the built in bass/treble adjustment is helpful. Keep in mind it only connects to MP3 players/iPods via the 3.5 mm jack so it neither charges nor controls your player so skipping songs requires you to open the compartment and touch its buttons. The radio's heavy-duty buttons are a bit touchy requiring a full press-n-release before they'll acknowledge subsequent presses--this results in sluggish scrolling through the presets. Which are by the way limited to 10 and cannot be directly accessed. The external power cord can limit which outlets it'll work with because the transformer is at the plug rather than in the radio's chassis, though the cord is of a pleasingly thick gauge. The radio reception is fantastic. In our lab it grabs just about any Twin Cities' (St. Paul/Mpls) station we want, including small-wattage, non-NPR public stations without as much as any static. In the pilot plant however only the major commercial stations come in...this room is about 20 feet under ground under a multi-story R&D facility constructed of reinforced concrete, so I'm not sure what electronic signals can get through down there. For reference, no cell phone carrier that we've used has a phone that gets reception down there. Because of this type of jobsite, our mighty red radio will not be in a dirty, dusty environment but a steamy, sloppy one so time will tell how well it endures emulsifier, shortening, steam, and sanitation checmical exposure...I'll try report back with an update. For a work radio it's nearly perfect aside from the quibble on iPod control, but security comes at a price so put it on shuffle and forget it...and that's what playlists are for, right? A simple, heavy-duty, two-button RF remote with iPod control in the radio for skipping songs would have been the clincher for a 5-star rating but certainly pushed the price way up...I'm just sayin'. At it's current price though, move the transformer inside the radio and add another 5 presets or so and this is a 5-star item.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Milwaukee's best radio
Great sound from a small work site radio with 10 AM and 10 FM presets. Works well with my I-pod.
Published 2 days ago by al j.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superior Mini Stereo
Yes 4 hours per battery, you know what your getting. No it doesn't charge.
That being said I'm very critical of consumer items like this generally. Read more
That being said I'm very critical of consumer items like this generally. Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. Garcia
4.0 out of 5 stars
nice radio
Upon opening I was surprised at the compact size (even though dimensions are listed). The presets for radio are one button, so that kinda sucks, but not a deal breaker as the mp3... Read more
Published 4 months ago by ryan m greathouse
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bought this item for Christmas present in 2011 and it has already...
Very disappointed. I bought this item for Christmas in 2011 and it has already stopped working. I don't see any information on contacting the vendor.
Published 5 months ago by Michelle Riley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it, wish compartment was 1/4" taller.
This radio is great. Great sound and weight.
On a full charge I get about 4-5 hours of music, when volume is about 95% the whole time. Read more
On a full charge I get about 4-5 hours of music, when volume is about 95% the whole time. Read more
Published 5 months ago by EliteStripes
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good size, convenient
A great little radio to have in my service van. Stays on for most of an eight hour day on one full battery. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Christopher Deitz
5.0 out of 5 stars
great little radio
This is a powerful little radio. We live in a 'dead zone' for reception, but this radio has pulled stations that we couldn't get before. My husband uses it everywhere.
Published 8 months ago by Skiier
2.0 out of 5 stars
Milwaukee 2590 m12
Although this radio looks really nice, I am completely disappointed on two levels. I listen to AM radio and it is very sensitive directionally. Read more
Published 9 months ago by quinton tschetter
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 stars for what it is
I'm going with 5-stars because this radio excellent at everything it sets out to do.
What it is:
Compact
Solid
Good sound (loud)
What it... Read more
What it is:
Compact
Solid
Good sound (loud)
What it... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Chris
4.0 out of 5 stars
about m12 jobsite radio
Does this radio charge iPod? so far this radio is great in small area or even big area the problem is I haven't see my iPod is charging. Does any one know about that?
Published 9 months ago by jimmy
