Thinking of Buying an HD Radio

[wpxt]

I am thinking of buying an hd radio. I will most likely go to Best Buy but I want to know if they have good quality hd radios. Can anyone help me?

 

[ddsparxx]

Unless you are thinking about an Insignia "walkman", you may be better off looking at Amazon, where I got my Sony HD tuner, or Crutchfield, or Ccrane. I haven't looked in the Best Buy store recently. The Insignia component tuner is no way near as good as the Sont XDR-F1HD. Sony appears to make the best HD stuff.

 

[ddsparxx]

My typo error--I meant Sony, not Sont.

 

[tomservo]

I've had iffy luck with the Insignia portable, so you need to be willing to check it out in the parking lot to make pure you didn't get a dud. The current generation works well enough, but the RDS feature is partially broken and doesn't always work.

Where are you located and where do you plan to use the radio?

 

[spunker88]

Best Buy doesn't really have the best prices on stuff compared to online. Unless you have gift cards to that store, or if its something on sale, you aren't really getting a deal. But on Black Friday they have really good prices, so thats something to look into.

If you already have a stereo system that can accept input from RCA jacks or an MP3 player, you can hook the Sony XDR-F1HD onto it and get a great AM/FM HD system preferred by most DXers and its under $100.

There is also a version with built in speakers and ipod dock, but its a bit pricier.

 

[dxer720]

I got my Sony XDR-S10HDiP (the one with speakers, mentioned earlier) online for $80.

It's an excellent radio. Very good reception. The sound is great for a table radio. I don't own an iAnything.

The only disadvantage is that there is no back-up. The radio loses all it's settings (presets, sound settings, clock & alarm) after, even a brief power interruption.

 

[KB1OKL]

I've got a Sony XDR-F1HD, it's a good FM analog radio as long as you don't play it with the windows closed during the summertime, the AM sections about par with all the rest of the new radios and HD reception? Terrible like all HD reception.

 

[radiogooroo]

I've got a Sony XDR-F1HD, it's a good FM analog radio as long as you don't play it with the windows closed during the summertime, the AM sections about par with all the rest of the new radios and HD reception? Terrible like all HD reception.

That's odd. I have an XDR-S3HD and the HD reception on it is superb.

 

[KB1OKL]

I've got a Sony XDR-F1HD, it's a good FM analog radio as long as you don't play it with the windows closed during the summertime, the AM sections about par with all the rest of the new radios and HD reception? Terrible like all HD reception.

That's odd. I have an XDR-S3HD and the HD reception on it is superb.

Of course you're going to say that, you work for HD radio stations.

 

[RedWingCJS278]

I second dxer720 on the Sony XDR-S10HDiP, far and away the best radio I've ever owned. If you're going to bother with HD radio, this is the product you want. I have a CCrane 'FM Reflect' dipole antenna hooked up to it, and the reception couldn't be any better if I had an outdoor antenna. Bear in mind I live in an area with very poor ground conductivity, but I routinely receive stations from 50 to 60 miles away on a regular basis. Better than average AM reception, too, especially with a good antenna like the Terk loop. The only drawbacks are the lack of backup, and the heavy power cord which does not disconnect from the unit and gets very hot. But, these are minor drawbacks all things considered.

 

[wpxt]

I've had iffy luck with the Insignia portable, so you need to be willing to check it out in the parking lot to make pure you didn't get a dud. The current generation works well enough, but the RDS feature is partially broken and doesn't always work.

Where are you located and where do you plan to use the radio?

I live in Sanford, Maine. I will be using it at home. dxer720 can you buy the XDR-S10HDiP at a store or only online? By the way how did you get it for $80 since sonystyle.com has it for $149.95?

 

[radiogooroo]

I've got a Sony XDR-F1HD, it's a good FM analog radio as long as you don't play it with the windows closed during the summertime, the AM sections about par with all the rest of the new radios and HD reception? Terrible like all HD reception.

That's odd. I have an XDR-S3HD and the HD reception on it is superb.

Of course you're going to say that, you work for HD radio stations.

Then why have I said in other threads that my BA Receptor HD has disappointing performance? It sucks both analog and HD.