• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Got my Sangean DT-120 today and I'm impressed with this little receiver

gar hi

gar hi

I was wondering for a week after I ordered it on Amazon if I did the right thing or if it wouldn't be any better than my SRF-M37 Walkman but I was not disappointed.

The FM sensitivity is noticeably better. On the local station 92.7 KHBC with my Walkman for example, I will start to lose the signal if I move a certain way sometimes or place the receiver down on the desk in a certain place but the signal from the same station stayed completely there 100% of the time when I did the same thing in the same place with the DT-120.

The AM sensitivity with the DT-120 is noticeably better than the SRF-M37.
During the day, our locals which aren't too strong sound stronger and I can even hear a couple Honolulu stations, though very weak, whereas I can't hear any of them during the day on the SRF-M37.

Nighttime reception of signals from the mainland and Honolulu is noticeably better too, though not as good as on my large PR-D5 but that's to be expected.

And the DBB bass boost function actually makes the weak AM signals sound stronger!
The selectivity is better too. Not as much interference from adjacent frequencies.

The function controls on the receiver are a little different than the traditional DT-120 pictured on Amazon but I'm not complaining at all.
There's no manual tuner on the side. The tuning is done by two buttons on the front and the volume control is where the tuner knob is on the traditional DT-120 and that's a little thing you push up or down.

I don't care at all for are the earbuds for listening that came with it but I just use my usual headset that I use on the Walkman.
Also, the volume doesn't go up as loud as the SRF-M37 but other than those two things, I'm sold on this receiver

It takes two AAA batteries and I like the 90 minute automatic shut off function.

The receiver is a lot smaller than I thought but it is SO solid just as I expected a Sangean product to be!


Here's a quick photo I took of the receiver to show the very small size and how it differs from the traditional DT-120.
(I just happened to be holding it in the exact null of KPUA so that's why no signal bars)

For the small size and convenience of this thing, it can't be beat.
 

Attachments

  • DT-120 photo.jpg
    DT-120 photo.jpg
    32.3 KB · Views: 28
Thanks for posting, Gar. You sold me! Of course, I was already leaning in that direction.

As most of those on this board know, I have two SRF-37s. And certainly, for what they are, they're good little radios. But I've felt for a long while that it would be just a matter of time until someone came up with "a better mousetrap" for that market segment. From all I've seen and read, Sangean appears to have done just that.

For me, the two biggest drawbacks with the SRF-37 are the poor selectivity in the presence of strong AM signals as well as "so-so" sensitivity on FM. The DT-120 appears to be an upgrade on both counts. I've got a few very busy weeks ahead of me, ATM, but I'll see if I can pick one up within the next month or so. Who knows, maybe come January, I'll be giving it the "Honeymoon Island" test! :)
 
What still amazes me is how tiny it is.

The photo I posted doesn't even give a good enough indication of the small size.

When you hold the SRF-37 in one hand and the DT-120 in the other comparing size and weight, it's like WOW!
 
Shows how good performance one can get with a SiLabs chip and Sangean's rep for designing and making good radios.

I know some others have had a few 'duds' from Sangean or Sangean-made products (defects), but the only problem I ever had with a Sangean radio -- aside from a DX-398 tuner that needed several shots of cleaner to work better -- was the negative battery spring solder joint going weak (DX-398 again), which was an easy fix (works great now).

Now Sangean has an HD version of the PR-d15 that looks promising. They seem to be the last manufacturer of radios for people who want to hear something over the air on a new radio that isn't in their car.
 
Those of you considering the DT-120 may wish to
download the user manual here:

http://www.sangean.com/support/download_content.asp?did=285

Note that it refers to the DT-120 II.

A check of the reviews on Amazon shows there are two
versions of this set.The second one (II) seems to be a
revision using the Silicon Labs IC.

This was implied by Hawaiigar in his review when he
mentioned the signal-strength bar display.

Also the second version uses two AAA's for the SiLabs
three volt board.

The Amazon reviewers mentioned one problem:
When changing batteries the radio would not restart.

One reviewer said Sangean told him to wait 8-12 hours
for the electrolytic capacitor across the battery (which
holds up the memories) to drain,then the radio would
work normally (but with no memories).

The user manual above cautions you have three
minutes to change dead batteries...whether this is
a issue or not is unknown...perhaps Hawaiigar might
wish to experiment with his for the rest of us.
 
I didn't see my latest version with the tuning buttons on the front and volume on the side listed in the manuals.

Had to have been a very recent change. And a good one at that.


The DT-180 is the same thing as the DT-120 only black. Here's a detailed review on that I found on YouTube.

Of course, this is still the standard version with the volume on the front and tuning on the side but it gives you a real good indication of how it works and how small it is too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu3gG_dZSgE
 
I had the DT 120,but there was so much overloading on the FM, I returned it. That was several years ago. I bought the 160,which i figured was the logical successor to the 120. I didn't know Sangean had an updated version of the 120.
 
Thanks,Hawaiigar.

The Sangean manuals are confusing...they seem to have a problem with
what "revision" and "version" are.

Several Amazon reviewers were adamant in their desire to get an old-style
version 1 DT-120 saying "that's the one with one AAA battery not two".

Yet the manuals show version 1's with two AAA's?

Other reviewers said theirs lasted only a year or even less due to QC issues.

Of course you have to take some of this with a grain of salt...the DT-120
version of that TV ad selling a knockoff of a 50 dollar Super-Duper flashlight
would probably go like "Got one,pushed the buttons way too hard,dropped it
off the house,put in boiling water then froze it in ice and finally ran over it
with the truck.

Stupid thing quit working...cheap junk!
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom