Customer Reviews

Sangean PR-D7 AM/FM Digital Rechargeable Portable Radio

5 star:		(177)
4 star:		(47)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I recently read analysis of the Sangean PR-D5 vs. the Sangean PR-D7 radios. The reviews missed the point: These two Sangean radios target different market niches and needs. The PR-D5 is essentially a table radio while the PR-D7 targets folks that need a radio for domestic travel. I'm sure the engineers at Sangean see it this way. Why not buy both radios?

The Sangean PR-D7 has a clean crisp sound with very low noise floor on AM and FM bands, a great improvement over Sangean radios of similar size such as the ATS-505 or the ATS-909. BTW, I've tuned in all the major stations in the greater Phoenix area without a problem including the hard to catch 89.5, a classical station.

I have been very surprised at the overall performance of the PR-D7 radio and listen to this radio on a daily basis. The Sangean PR-D7 ($59) does 90 percent of what the Trivoli Songbook does at 25 percent of the Songbook's $200 price tag.

Still, the PR-D7 could use a multi-voltage AC adapter and a lock switch to be a complete global travel radio (like the Sangean ATS-606). Also, when traveling, cloth pouch would be a really nice touch. And while I'm making my wish list, the PR-D7 in a red or yellow case would be neat and easy to spot in a hotel room so you don't leave it behind.

One of the things I like about this radio are the controls, easy to learn and use, plus you can see the frequency and time on the display.

Update September 2008: I just recently purchased Sanyo's Eneloop AA rechargeable batteries for my PR-D7 giving me greater flexibility when enjoying this wonderful portable radio. I highly recommend Sanyo's Eneloop batteries.

Last week, from my greater Phoenix location, I picked KNX 1070 Los Angeles about 10PM in the evening.

Update October 2009: After owning this radio for 2 years, my little PR-D7 fell off a second story balcony and is now in pieces, so I ordered a second PR-D7 this morning. I suffer from cancer and kidney disease, so I've been in and out of the hospital several times this year, each time, my little Sangean PR-D7 went with me.

One of the neatest features of this PR-D7 is the no hassle recharging of the AA batteries, the radio automatically does this for you!!!

BTW, I ordered this radio from Amazon on a Friday morning and received the radio the next Tuesday morning. How's that for service!!!

Update January 2011: I have since purchased a Sangean PR-D9W radio which is now my go 2 radio.

I was trying to replace my Sony ICF-M410 which is about the same size. I was extremely disappointed I could not find it as they discontinued this model and I was so happy with that radio. In searching for reviews of AM/FM small portable radios, I came upon this one. Not too many reviews (7) but I bought it anyway because I wanted a radio that ran on batteries. I could not be happier with this radio!! Superior in sound and reception to the Sony I had and a BIG PLUS is that you can use rechargable batteries (I have been using the eneloop) and charge them in the radio! Doesn't get any better than that and I LOVE having the option of using the electrical adapter (which comes with it) or use it with the batteries only. There is no weather band or tv band on this like the Sony, but I really mostly use the radio for AM reception and talk radio which is excellent (FM is also). I highly recommend this radio for anyone looking for a truly portable radio with great sound, reception and a compact size. I also love the volume knob and the display which has a lighted clock along with the channel. Oh, I forgot about the sleep timer too that I love. Hope this helps.

I received this as a gift from someone who knew I would use this for the purposes of travel, which I infer would be suitable for this "portable radio".

Pros:
-Decent to good build quality. I knocked it off the windowsill from almost a few feet above the hardwood and its fine--no rattles. Fit and finish is outstanding, but the glossy surface is less desirable in this application. Why not use something textured or rubberized instead?
-Rechargeable feature works fine with my Eneloops. I can play the radio ~ 8 hrs a day for a week before the batteries start to wear down.
-Pretty good sound quality to my untrained ear, and can get loud!


Cons:
-Awkward button design. The power button sticks out more than the others, which means the radio gets turned on and off in your pack. A low profile sliding toggle button mounted topside would work much better. Heck, all the buttons could have gone up there, to make room for a jumbo display. Also, the front mounted buttons make one-handed control of the radio impossible when it isn't standing against a wall.
-Reception isn't as great as the reviews indicated. I get better in my 08 Nissan truck.
-Feature set doesn't justify the price. Where is support for RDS, which is standard in Europe and Latin America (this is a travel radio right)? Some rubber feet would be nice. How about the ability to receive S.A.M.E. weather messages? And the AC adapter isn't even dual-voltage? Whiskey tango foxtrot?

I applaud Sangean for making a nice little unit that gives the Songbook a run for its money, but I still think there is room for improvement in this radio.

~BOTTOM LINE~
Pros:
1- All the top FM stations in my area come in lound and clear... Crystal clear. No static at all after having locked on an FM station.
2- The single speaker is good enough. Nice and rich tone.
3- Digital tuner lights up when you push any button so you can see the station and the time clearly.
4- If you load it with rechargable batteries, this radio will recharge them. (the Sanyo eneloop rechargables are excellent) Be careful to unplug the adapter when the red light indicates a full charge or else the circuts overheat and the batteries feel hot to the touch. I had that happen to me once. Thought I fried it but after taking the batteries out and allowing it to cool off for 30 minutes it was working fine again.
5- Functions as a alarm clock.
6- AM is also very good. Nice and clear.
7- AC adapter is included.
8- Last but not least, it looks damn good on your table.

Cons:
1) Only 5 presets for each band. I wish it had 10.


~Hope I was helpful.

I use a portable radio a lot, and I hate throwing away exhausted AA alkaline batteries. But most radios perform poorly on NiMH rechargeables because of the lower voltage and because old-style NiMH batteries self-discharge in a few days or a couple of weeks to the point that they need recharging again. This radio can use NiMH batteries with no loss of performance due to lower voltage. I recommend Sanyo Eneloops because they self-discharge much more slowly than ordinary NiMH batteries.

One word of caution though. You can recharge the batteries using the provided plug-in adapter, but because the recharge will be in series the batteries will not be recharged individually. This works OK for one or two recharges, but then the batteries tend to get unbalanced -- some will be higher voltage than others -- and performance will suffer. You will also observe a loss of energy capacity (the need for recharge will become increasingly more frequent). If you recharge the NiMH batteries in a good charger like a Maha or a La Cross, however, the cells will be charged individually and there will be no observed loss of capacity.

This is a nice looking radio with good sound because of the size of its speaker. However its size is its major problem if it wants to be called a portable. Weighing in at over two pounds, it's not something you'll casually slip into your carry-on. I also wonder about the reliability of the buttons over time. They don't feel as solid as those of the old Sony radio it's replacing for me.

I work in a country where the power goes off regularly, sometimes for days at a time. I use it as a clock radio so I need it to wake me up every morning whether the power's on or not. The best feature for me is the rechargeable battery setting. With rechargeable batteries installed, the radio will function whether power is on or off and when power is on, the batteries are kept recharged. So far I've used it without power for a week (two hours a day) after which the battery indicator still showed a full three bars.

Nov. 30, 2010: A post script. The battery indicator malfunctioned about a month ago. It now shows that the batteries need recharging even when a fresh set is put in. Annoying, yes, but I still give the radio 4 stars. Still, anomaly or not, you might want to consider this until I hear (if ever) from the folk at Sangean.

****

As I've owned 20 or more radios in my lifetime, I've had the good, the bad, and the ugly. The PR-D7 is definitely in the good (4.5 stars) rating range, and does everything that was expected, but my expectations were a bit higher since I also own an MP3 player size Sangean AM/FM radio that has been the best I've ever owned. I keep hearing about CCrane, and even have their catalog which, surprisingly, has Sangean radios in it.

I've owned one CCrane and returned it because it wasn't half the "power" in pulling in stations as the Sangean. Sorry for the long preface, but comparisons are in order, and I rarely hear about Sangean. As many of your know, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and those of your who know the Bay Area know that we're in seven mini-climates with hills and mountains (defined by whether you come from a Plains State or the Rocky Mountains). FM which is line of site is particularly difficult in this area especially since I live "over the hills" and listen to classical stations, almost all from the Peninsula (next to the Pacific). Both Sangeans pick up these stations extremely well, and the PR-D7, though not stereo, has a wonderful 3" speaker ... "wonderful" if you prefer the bass range.

For AM stations which are affected by everything from sun spots to weather, this Sangean - without moving it so the internal ferrite antenna is pointed correctly, is spot on in picking up stations from Sacramento (60 miles as the crow flies, 75 if he's walking) to San Francisco (28 miles but over the Berkeley Hills). I've yet to have interference even from power tools being used nearby during a construction project.

So why not 5 stars? Well, we bought it for the bathroom, and it's a little larger than I would have liked - not huge, but not exactly portable in a "pocket" sort of way. It looks good, not like an appliance. It's controls are easy, and I especially like the way you can switch bands very easily, read the "dial," and set the 12 (I think it's 12, but I'm only using 7 AM and 4 FM) presets. And, while I like the fact that it not only uses rechargeable AA batteries, but recharges them with the supplied AC adapter, and charges them in about 90 minutes! However, we do not have sufficient plugs in the bathroom to have the cord strung out and left plugged in. That's not the radio's fault, so you may actually rate this as 5 stars.

In fact, there's one more plus, and I'm going to change my rating to 4.95 stars - if you've read this far: I can hear the radio over the shower. Now, why -.5 stars? Because there is no tone control. There are times when I could use a little more treble.Sangean PR-D7 AM/FM Digital Rechargeable Portable Radio

This is the best book shelf radio I have had in a long while

The digital tuning is excellent, and why I purchased it. Selection with the tuner and reception with the rest is great. It is in the basement of my house below grade and behind a lot of concrete, yet I have no difficulty receiving stations 60 miles north and 40 miles south any time of the day.

I work in an older building that has metal walls which limits reception for radios (although I do have a window). This radio is very solid, has great reception, and a good clear sound. I started using it with regular batteries, however the radio drained these very quickly so now I am using the rechargeable batts. They seem to last longer. I would highly recommend this radio, it's worth the extra $$.

I have been using this radio daily for the past month and I have yet to recharge the batteries. This is in contrast to my previous portable, several years old, that seemed to require this frequently.

Since there is an option for recharging without removing the batteries, it is even more convenient.

Additionally, living in a semi-rural location, the excellent reception this radio provides is a significant benefit.
Worth the price.