Sony HD & Radiosophy table radio at BestBuy, Savannah-GA.

[radiopilot]

I stop this weekend to buy a new Siruis Sat radio for my son's car, and low and behold did they not have both the Sony and Radiosophy HD radio contenders side by side on the shelf touting the HD radio slogan posters...

So I quickly went into action and tried out the radios, my daughter, wife and son both tried out the radio but said they were ugly and of no use to them... Hahahahaha..

Not only did neither of these radio pick up any signals not even the analog broadcasts (white little antenna was strung up on both units) in FM or AM but it was the cheapest looking radios on the shelf compared to the other table radios, the other radios DID pick up signals there... in fact the 'old time' Crosley radio (nostalgic) with phonograph player outdid these radios hands down!

Savannah radio stations are not broadcasting HD yet or for some time so why are they selling these radios? The guy in the electronics section said he has not sold a single one from the inventory at this Bestbuy!

So you have to say WHO is buying these radios if not radio geeks?

Radiopilot

 

[amfmhd]

I don't think Savannah is very high on the list of markets that anyone cares about for HD Radio. I'm not even sure it is on the list. The goal is to get the top 20 markets up with as much HD as possible. Then add other large markets and sooner or later the small markets will come around. I can't remember the numbers but it was something like this. 80 to 85% of the total population live in the top 20 markets.

Best Buy buyers force feed inventory to stores. I doubt the buyers realize that many small radio markets don't have HD Radio, yet.

But I don't have much good to say about anyone at Best Buy or Circuit City.

 

[Radioman100]

I stop this weekend to buy a new Siruis Sat radio for my son's car, and low and behold did they not have both the Sony and Radiosophy HD radio contenders side by side on the shelf touting the HD radio slogan posters...

So I quickly went into action and tried out the radios, my daughter, wife and son both tried out the radio but said they were ugly and of no use to them... Hahahahaha..

Not only did neither of these radio pick up any signals not even the analog broadcasts (white little antenna was strung up on both units) in FM or AM but it was the cheapest looking radios on the shelf compared to the other table radios, the other radios DID pick up signals there... in fact the 'old time' Crosley radio (nostalgic) with phonograph player outdid these radios hands down!

Savannah radio stations are not broadcasting HD yet or for some time so why are they selling these radios? The guy in the electronics section said he has not sold a single one from the inventory at this Bestbuy!

So you have to say WHO is buying these radios if not radio geeks?

Radiopilot

That's weird. I thought people here were touting the Sony as a very good analog performer. I know mine does a great job for me, both with analog rimshots and HD stations.

I was sold on it when I played with one at Fry's and it picked up a difficult rimshot from over 80 miles away (analog only) with nothing but a wadded up dipole on the shelf behind the radio.

 

[Len14043]

Not only did neither of these radio pick up any signals not even the analog broadcasts (white little antenna was strung up on both units) in FM or AM but it was the cheapest looking radios on the shelf compared to the other table radios, the other radios DID pick up signals there... in fact the 'old time' Crosley radio (nostalgic) with phonograph player outdid these radios hands down!

Radiopilot

Thats ironic. My HD-100 receives several out-of-market FM stations better than the highly ranked GE SuperRadio and CC Plus. Please let me know the brands and models so I can check them out. If there is a radio with an FM section better than the HD-100, I would like to own it.

 

[radiopilot]

That's weird. I thought people here were touting the Sony as a very good analog performer. I know mine does a great job for me, both with analog rimshots and HD stations.

I was sold on it when I played with one at Fry's and it picked up a difficult rimshot from over 80 miles away (analog only) with nothing but a wadded up dipole on the shelf behind the radio.

Yeah, that is what alot of people here are saying, but I'm telling you from the perspective of someone who just walks into the electronics stores, sees a radio and turns it on expecting some results, and these two HD radios did not even come close to any decent reception, the store is within 5 miles fo most transmit antennas, so either the stores are massive metal cans (but why did the other analog radios pick up the broadcasts?) or the small antennas supplied with these radios are worthless?

Radiopilot

 

[radiopilot]

Not only did neither of these radio pick up any signals not even the analog broadcasts (white little antenna was strung up on both units) in FM or AM but it was the cheapest looking radios on the shelf compared to the other table radios, the other radios DID pick up signals there... in fact the 'old time' Crosley radio (nostalgic) with phonograph player outdid these radios hands down!

Radiopilot

Thats ironic. My HD-100 receives several out-of-market FM stations better than the highly ranked GE SuperRadio and CC Plus. Please let me know the brands and models so I can check them out. If there is a radio with an FM section better than the HD-100, I would like to own it.

You must have the radio somewhere close to the outside window and have a better antenna than those at the store, because I'm telling ya these two HD radios were worthless!

I will go this weekend again and take my camera with me and post the shelf at BestBuy, along with the radios playing much better than the Sony and Radiosophy... How can the general public get a good sense of quality for these products at these stores if these units can't even pick up a signal?

Radiopilot

 

[Mike Walker]

Sadly, the worst place in the world to judge performance of a radio, is in the store where radios are sold. I've never been able to tell ANYTHING about reception that way. Which is why it's necessary to have a liberal return policy. Just as with speakers, you have no idea how it will perform until you get it home.

The only HINT that a radio may be a "hot rod" is if it picks up several stations in a situation where it really shouldn't...like in a store in the lower level of a suburban mall, with no proper antenna. But again, just because a radio DOESN'T do this, doesn't mean it's a dud. I've been unable to get ANYTHING on GE SuperRadios in lots of stores. I don't think that means it's a dud!

 

[Radioman100]

That's weird. I thought people here were touting the Sony as a very good analog performer. I know mine does a great job for me, both with analog rimshots and HD stations.

I was sold on it when I played with one at Fry's and it picked up a difficult rimshot from over 80 miles away (analog only) with nothing but a wadded up dipole on the shelf behind the radio.

Yeah, that is what alot of people here are saying, but I'm telling you from the perspective of someone who just walks into the electronics stores, sees a radio and turns it on expecting some results, and these two HD radios did not even come close to any decent reception, the store is within 5 miles fo most transmit antennas, so either the stores are massive metal cans (but why did the other analog radios pick up the broadcasts?) or the small antennas supplied with these radios are worthless?

Radiopilot

Have you ever been to a Fry's store? It's like a Best Buy on steroids. Huge concrete and metal building. That's where I decided to buy the Sony, based mostly on its impressive analog reception, though its HD capability was also very good. This was with an antenna that was wadded up behind the radio on the shelf.

I'm just saying your reporting this is weird. Many people, including some names you would recognize as anti-HD types from this board have spoken highly of the Sony radio and its analog reception capabilities.

 

[radiopilot]

That's weird. I thought people here were touting the Sony as a very good analog performer. I know mine does a great job for me, both with analog rimshots and HD stations.

I was sold on it when I played with one at Fry's and it picked up a difficult rimshot from over 80 miles away (analog only) with nothing but a wadded up dipole on the shelf behind the radio.

Yeah, that is what alot of people here are saying, but I'm telling you from the perspective of someone who just walks into the electronics stores, sees a radio and turns it on expecting some results, and these two HD radios did not even come close to any decent reception, the store is within 5 miles fo most transmit antennas, so either the stores are massive metal cans (but why did the other analog radios pick up the broadcasts?) or the small antennas supplied with these radios are worthless?

Radiopilot

Have you ever been to a Fry's store? It's like a Best Buy on steroids. Huge concrete and metal building. That's where I decided to buy the Sony, based mostly on its impressive analog reception, though its HD capability was also very good. This was with an antenna that was wadded up behind the radio on the shelf.

I'm just saying your reporting this is weird. Many people, including some names you would recognize as anti-HD types from this board have spoken highly of the Sony radio and its analog reception capabilities.

I won't begin to refute your reality of where you shop and the products you buy and how you rate them, I'm telling you that if there are others on this board who live in SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, walk into the BEST BUY store on ABERCORN STREET and do the test yourself, then come on this board and report the same as I have then we can put this to rest!

I tell you when I shopped for my son's Sirius radio, we checked out the mobile radios and they WORKED right on the display board with the various speakers, as did other stereos, boomboxes, and table radios... we went through the whole gambit.

I know you all want to say that I'm for the anti-HD crowd, but I'm telling you I've heard HD radio before (first hand) and know what to look for... these radios on these BestBuy shelves as they are and promoted aren't going nowhere!

Radiopilot

 

[Mike Walker]

You're right, Radiopilot. The "aren't going nowhere". A double negative. Which means a POSITIVE. If they "aren't going nowhere", then they ARE going SOMEWHERE...out the door!