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Sangean SR-1 Pocket Size AM/FM Stereo Receiver with Built-in Speaker & Earbuds

Sangean SR-1 Pocket Size AM/FM Stereo Receiver with Built-in Speaker & Earbuds

List Price: $39.95
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Product Info Reviews

Features:
  • Pocketsize AM/FM stereo receiver
  • Deep Bass Boost circuitry
  • Built-in speaker
  • Requires 1 AAA battery
  • Includes stereo earbuds


Description:

Sangean makes some amazing portable radios, and the SR-1 seals the company's reputation for packing high-quality sound components into the smallest possible space. Measuring only 3 inches high by 1.5 inches wide and 0.5 inches deep, the miniscule radio requires only one AAA battery to pump out hours of FM or AM sound.

The SR-1 comes with a pair of earbud headphones, but to really see what the radio can do you need to attach a pair of quality headphones to it. It can amplify the signal to amazing levels with no distortion, and the DBB (Deep Bass Boost) feature really comes into play when the SR-1 is connected to headphones that can handle the resulting low-frequency boost.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the radio is its outstanding reception. We tested the unit all over the place and it was able to pull in signals in a basement office that other radios couldn't even pick up outside. We were able to crisply tune in stations with the dial control, but there's no digital tuner, and not having the ability to store and instantly recall stations can be a drag. The other big downside to the SR-1 is that it uses headphones to augment the built-in antenna, and reception suffers greatly when headphones aren't plugged into the unit. Fortunately, there's a bypass switch on the side that lets you listen to music through the built-in speaker even if headphones are attached.

To be honest, the built-in mono speaker doesn't sound so hot, so you'll be missing out on a lot if you don't plan to use headphones. If you can live with that limitation--and the fact that you can't pick up the weather or TV bands--the SR-1 is an excellent little radio that delivers sound quality and reception that is far out of proportion to its size. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

  • Extremely compact
  • Great reception
  • Excellent sound quality and volume

Cons:

  • Included earbud headphones don't do justice to the unit
  • Impossible to create station presets
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