Customer Reviews

RCA RP1667 Headset Radio (Digital AM/FM Stereo)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I goal was to find a moderate to low cost portable FM tuner to wear for working out, jogging, walks, office, etc.

I chose the RCA RP1667. It is an FM/AM receiver with digital tuning and 10 presets for each band. It includes a standard pair of low-end headphones and a removable belt clip. It is 2.5" W, .75" D, 3.75" H, requires 2 AAA batteries (full specs at rca.com).

I evaluated solely on FM reception of two channels of interest, [two of my favorite radio stations]. Ann Arbor sits in a valley and has notoriously poor FM reception. (Even my high-end receiver with an indoor Terk antenna struggles.) Using the RP1667, I found [one station] comes in strong nearly everywhere, including several indoor locations. [The other station] is a weaker signal, but comes acceptably (although with some static) with the mono switch engaged.

In addition to this unit, ... I tried [three] competitors... All three were inferior to the RP1667. Only the RP1667 had a mono switch.

In this case, the cheapest was the best (at least for my stations in my locations).

... I have had no problems with the unit so far, and it does what it is advertised.

The unit has ten presets for FM stations, and ten for AM. Unlike other radios, you can only access your presets through smaller up/down buttons rather than seperate buttons, but it works well enough.

I have a couple of problems with it, but none of them are large enough to be a real reason not to buy this. There is no Bass Boost system built-in, so what the station is broadcast in is all you'll pick up. The headphones included aren't worth using, and you'd be best to buy your own better pair and use the included ones as a backup only. There is a quiet hissing noise when it is in use, but it is only noticable when the volume is very quiet, or you are listening to talk radio that has a lot of pauses. The loudness of the hiss does not go up as you turn up the volume. It's really not a big deal, and the quality is decent for the price you are paying.

The biggest problem I have with the product is the fact that it takes two AAA batteries, not standard AA batteries that I use for everything else (Game Boy Advance, Discman, etc.). AAA batteries are more expensive than AA, and you usually only get two in a package.

The reception is decent enough, and I can listen to it while I'm typing this, so there is not extreme interference with my iMac, but then again my old Sony Walkman FX403 didn't have any problems either.

Unlike Sony Walkmans, this does not have a selector for Local / DX Radio, but it's not a big deal, as I was able to walk right by the Edge 102 studios with good reception.

There are three good things about this that I wasn't expecting. The size is a bit bigger than you would think by looking at the picture, but it is still pretty small, and can easily fit into just about any pocket. The unit comes with a built-in (removable) belt clip, and it has a FM selector for Stereo or Mono. This may seem dumb, but it can really help if you have a one-earpiece headphone or if reception is poor.

I would reccomend this product to anybody who is looking for a cheap radio to listen to in the car or on a GO Train. I still haven't tried it in a subway, but I'll be sure to post it here once I do. If you can afford a Sony, go ahead and buy one instead, it's going to be a better radio. But if you just want something that will last you until they come out with Digital Broadcasting walkmans, this is a great choice.

I got this radio to use while riding my bike. I wanted something small with an electronic tuner so I wouldn't have to worry about bumping it and losing the station.

The radio is very compact and fits nicely in my jacket pocket. The tuner is easy to use and well laid out. It allows you to set presets for am/fm and easily move through them with a single button press.

The reception is pretty good, and keeps most stations tuned in even while riding at 60 mph. I would have liked to have a bass boost option on it, but even without it the sounds is acceptable.

I've owned this radio for two years now, and have gotten used to most of its quirks. I like the number of digital presets (10 AM, 10 FM), and the small size. It fits comfortably in my pants or jacket pocket. I also like that it's cheap.

I don't enjoy the persistent soft hissing noise, particularly noticeable when listening to talk radio. My biggest annoyance with the unit is the poor placement of buttons -- the on/off button and the up/down tuning buttons are huge, and the next/prev preset buttons are tiny. I end up hitting the up/down buttons pretty frequently when I want to hit next preset or previous preset. The designers didn't seem to realize that users of a radio with digital presets are unlikely to spend most of their time tuning in stations manually. Unlike other small radios I've owned, the radio doesn't have a "lock" feature, to keep the unit from getting turned off or mistuned. This is annoying, as it gets bumped often enough, and I need to keep resetting it.

The RCA RP1667 isn't a horrible radio, but I definitely wouldn't buy it again.

I bought several radios and returned them all because of poor quality and reception. This radio is definitely what I was looking for. It's compact and I get excellent reception. I bought it for the gym so I can tune into the TV through a FM channel and it is crystal clear. I also use it while I walk and at the beach and have never had a problem. Excellent all around- size, durability, reception, earphones. I LOVE IT!! And a great price! I highly recommend it!!

I picked up this unit 'cause it seemed most highly
regarded in its class here on Amazon. The thing is
not a very impressive little toy, IMHO.

I keep it on MONO all the time in order to cut down
on static from bad reception. Even the most powerful
stations (e.g. KQED in the SF bay area) are regularly
interrupted by static.

The reception is simply poor. Everything else about
it seems okay- I even think the sound is pretty good
when it comes in (and I can be picky about that).
Since I use this for walking the dog, I expect it to
come to an unfortunate early demise. At that time I
plan to try something else.

While not the absolute worst AM/FM radio that I've ever purchased, it's pretty darn close. [I should point out that I'm very picky about such things] That being said, I think that a lot of people would actually be quite satisfied with this radio (as some reviews show).

THE BAD
One reviewer points out the hissing noise this radio makes. Simply unnaceptable! It's certainly extremely noticable when listening to AM radio at low volumes. And as it so happens this is precisely what I wanted this for. It absoultely ruins the experience. Very bothersome/irritating to say the least. It makes me simply not want to listen.

The other major problem I have with this radio is the sound quality. Not great by any means -- even when using better quality headphones. The best way I can describe it is just really brittle and thin. A much better sounding radio is the much CHEAPER Sony SRF-59. The sound on that radio is simply amazing in comparison. The only possible drawback being that it's all analog (which I've grown to enjoy actually). I only wish I had checked that one out before I got this one.

THE GOOD
Seems fairly durable. Among the cheapest available with a digital tuner.

CONCLUSION
If you aren't too picky about sound quality and absolutely must have a digital tuner for whatever reason, then this may be for you. Otherwise STRONGLY consider one of the many better sounding, cheaper, analog radios available.

Get's great reception. Small size is perfect for around the house or working out. Batteries seem to last forever. Headphones are terrible but usable. I already had several other headphones so not a big issue. Bought another for a friend. Would definitely recommend.

I bought two. One failsed after 4 weeks and the second after 10 weeks.

I love it! I get great, clear sound and the reception is very good. I use it to walk in a fitness center and it has cinder block walls. The reception is just fine. Highly recommend it.