Grundig S350 AM/FM Shortwave World Band Radio

Grundig S350 AM/FM Shortwave World Band Radio

Product Description
Amazon.com Review
Shortwave-radio aficionados rejoice: now you can pick up a fully modern radio with a design that hearkens back to the early days of your hobby. The Etón S350, which is actually produced by the respected European electronics manufacturer, Grundig, offers a great feature set for listening to radio broadcasts from distant shores. The design is suitably rugged for use in the field, or you can use it at home as a simple, yet powerful AM/FM receiver and alarm clock.

Design
If you long for a return of the fashions of years past and you're a fan of the retro design aesthetic, the S350 is right up your alley. Everything from the blocky, silver and black case to the oversized dials and switches will take you back. While the design gives the radio a solid look, we were a little disappointed that the E350--unlike many radios made 20 years ago--is completely made of plastic (with the exception of the speaker cover). While the plastic knobs and controls are made to look metallic, they don't quite deliver the solid feel of metal--something that would be nice in a rugged field radio. This quibble aside, the controls are responsive and well positioned, and the case does feel solid. The prominent tuning knob is designed well with concentric gross and fine dials. These are made all the better by a big, easy-to-read monochrome LCD display that lets you step through frequencies with extreme accuracy. It's a minor detail, but the padded carry handle is a nice touch, too.

See all of the S350's features.
Features
At the heart of the S350 is its robust digital tuner section. FM tuning offers an AFC (Automatic Frequency Control) mode that automatically picks out the strongest stations -- great if you're someplace with a crowded FM dial. You can also switch the AFC mode off for fine-tuning less powerful stations. Although the S350 sports just one speaker, you can listen to FM stations in stereo through a pair of headphones.

AM tuning can be switched between narrow and wide sensitivities to control interference. Further tuning refinements are available via the low pass filter switch, as well as a handy RF gain dial. Both of these features can also be used when tuning one of the three shortwave bands. And if you're serious about shortwave, you'll be glad to know that the S350 can accept external antennas that can augment reception from the built-in, telescoping one. There's also an antenna port for enhanced FM reception.

In addition to a headphone output, the S350 has stereo RCA line-out jacks for connecting the unit to an amplifier or home stereo. The radio supports battery and AC power, but we were in for a surprise when we opened the battery compartment. Not only can the radio run on four D batteries, but there is also another, smaller compartment that accepts four AA cells--a nice little bonus if you need temporary power and you only have the smaller cells on hand. Lastly, the E350 offers basic sleep, alarm, and snooze functions that were fairly easy to set and use. The LCD has a backlight button, so nighttime viewing is no problem.

Tuning In
FM tuning is very impressive. Because the radio can tune frequencies down to the hundredth decimal place, you'll easily tune problematic FM stations, or perhaps stations you've never heard before. Meanwhile, testers with very little experience or understanding of shortwave radio were able to quickly tune in stations from as far away as Japan and Russia (Etón includes a handy crash course on shortwave tuning in the user's manual). Our only complaint in the tuning department: it's impossible to keep a station tuned on one band while tuning on other bands. For example, with an FM station locked in, switching to shortwave and tuning there changes the tuning on the FM band when you return. This is understandable on an analog tuning dial, but we didn't expect it from a digital tuner.

Pros

Exceptionally accurate tuning

Advanced filtering and interference control

Fun, retro styling

Cons

Plastic knobs and case

Cannot "lock" stations while tuning on other bands

What's in the Box
S350 AM/FM Shortwave Field Radio, AC adapter, user's manual.

Product Description:
Get AM and FM channels and six shortwave bands with this compact Etón radio. Features LED tuning indicator; telescoping antenna; built-in speaker; earphones; and a leather-quality pouch. Silver. Imported.

Grundig S350 AM/FM Shortwave World Band Radio

Eton S350DL AM/FM Shortwave Deluxe Radio Receiver (Black)

Average customer rating:

Great for the price and the looks!
BUY IT! Its the one you want!
Excellent for the price
Great Radio
Recently got mine. Very nice and compliments my collection well...

Eton S350DL AM/FM Shortwave Deluxe Radio Receiver (Black)

Manufacturer: Eton
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Shortwave & All-Hazard Radios | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Electronics Available for International Shipping | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics

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Terk Technology AM-1000 Advantage Passive AM Indoor Antenna
Grundig M300R Mini300 Handheld Shortwave Radio (Metallic Red)

Product Features:

Modern, high-performance field radio combined with classic styling, rugged construction, and military-style controls
Accurate tuning across the AM, FM, and shortwave bands
Features large tuning knob and a concentric, independent fine-tuning control knob
Stereo line-level output, and jacks for supplementary AM, FM and shortwave antennas
Can be powered with the included AC adapter, or via four "D" or four "AA" batteries

ASIN: B0009X6QH4

Amazon.com Review

Experienced shortwave radio aficionados rejoice: Now you can pick up a fully modern radio with a design that hearkens back to the early days of your hobby. The Etón S350 Deluxe, which is actually produced by the respected European electronics manufacturer, Grundig, offers a great feature set for listening to radio broadcasts from distant shores. The design is suitably rugged for use in the field, or you can use it at home as a simple, yet powerful AM/FM receiver and alarm clock.

The S350 Deluxe: Rugged, retro, and ready to tune in the world. View larger.

Easy-to-use, durable controls. View larger.

This radio offers plenty of connectivity options.

Design
If you long for a return of the fashions from the film Breakin' and you're a fan of the 80s design aesthetic, the S350 Deluxe is right up your alley. Everything from the blocky, silver and black case to the over-sized dials and switches will take you back to the "Ghetto Blaster" era. While the design gives the radio a solid look, we were a little disappointed that the E350 Deluxe -- unlike many radios made 20 years ago -- is completely made of plastic (with the exception of the speaker cover). While the plastic knobs and controls are made to look metallic, they don't quite deliver the solid feel of metal -- something that would be nice in a rugged field radio. This quibble aside, the controls are responsive and well-positioned and the case does feel solid. The prominent tuning knob is designed well with concentric gross and fine dials. These are made all the better by a big, easy-to-read monochrome LCD display that lets you step through frequencies with extreme accuracy. It's a minor detail, but the padded carry handle is a nice touch, too.

Features
At the heart of the S350 Deluxe is its robust synthesized digital tuner section, meaning the tuner is analog, but frequencies are displayed on a digital readout. FM tuning offers an AFC (Automatic Frequency Control) mode that automatically picks out the strongest stations -- great if you're someplace with a crowded FM dial. You can also switch the AFC mode off for fine tuning less powerful stations. Although the S350 Deluxe sports just one speaker, you can listen to FM stations in stereo through a pair of headphones. The large, comfortable headphones were a welcome surprise when we pulled the unit out of the box.

AM tuning can be switched between narrow and wide sensitivities to control interference. Further tuning refinements are available via the low pass filter switch, as well as a handy RF gain dial. Both of these features can also be used when tuning one of the three shortwave bands. And if you're serious about shortwave, you'll be glad to know that the S350 Deluxe can accept external antennas that can augment reception from the built-in, telescoping one. There's also an antenna port for enhanced FM reception.

In addition to a headphone output, the S350 Deluxe has stereo RCA line out jacks for connecting the unit to an amplifier or home stereo. The radio supports battery and AC power, but we were in for another surprise when we opened the battery compartment. Not only can the radio run on four "D" batteries, but there is also another, smaller compartment that accepts four "AA" cells -- a nice little bonus if you need temporary power and you only have the smaller cells on hand. Lastly, the S350 Deluxe offers basic sleep, alarm and snooze functions that were fairly easy to set and use. The LCD has a backlight button, so nighttime viewing is no problem. Thankfully, unlike the S350, the S350 Deluxe allows you to set the clock while the radio is operating.

Tuning In
FM tuning is very impressive. Because the radio can tune frequencies down to the hundredth decimal place, you'll easily tune problematic FM stations, or perhaps stations you've never heard before. The S350 Deluxe adds another improvement over the S350 in the tuning department, as well. The addition of new shortwave/AM frequency lock circuit improves stability to reduce tuning drift.

With very little experience or understanding of shortwave radio we were able to quickly tune in stations from as far away as Japan and Russia (Etón includes a handy crash course on shortwave tuning in the user's manual). Our only complaint in the tuning department: It's impossible to keep a station tuned on one band while tuning on other bands. For example, with an FM station locked in, switching to shortwave and tuning there changes the tuning on the FM band when you return.

Pros

Exceptionally accurate tuning
Advanced filtering and interference control
Fun, retro styling
Headphones in the box!

Cons

Plastic knobs and case
Cannot "lock" stations while tuning on other bands

What's in the Box
S350 Deluxe AM/FM Shortwave Field Radio, AC adapter, user's manual.

Amazon.com Product Description

Get the best of both worlds: A modern and high-performance field radio combined with classic styling, rugged construction, and military-style controls. The Etón S350 Deluxe AM/FM Shortwave Radio also features highly sensitive and selective analog tuner circuitry that ensures reliable, accurate tuning across the AM, FM, and shortwave bands. Other features include a large, full-range speaker for clear sound; a line-level output; separate bass, treble, and RF gain controls; and wide and narrow bandwidth filter controls. All this and more is contained in a case that's only 12 inches wide and weighs under 3.5 pounds. It's a great way to tune in to local and international news, music, and sports wherever you roam.

Design and Controls
One look at the S350 Deluxe and you'll think you've stepped back in time. However, the classic design conceals technology that's anything but retro. The large, integrated speaker offers full-range sound while the digital frequency readout displays accurate frequency stepping for all three bands. The bright LCD screen also displays clock and alarm info. Precise tuning is handled by a large tuning knob and a concentric, independent fine-tuning control knob. You also get variable RF gain control, a rotary volume control, independent bass and treble control, and a low-pass filter for shortwave and AM reception. Controls for clock and alarm functions are arrayed above the LCD display. A built-in telescopic antenna handles FM and shortwave reception, and there's a built-in ferrite bar antenna for AM.

Tuning and Bands
On the AM band, you'll get tuning between 530 and 1710 KHz, while FM tuning is available from 88 to 108 MHz. When tuning in shortwave, the S350 Deluxe offers continuous coverage from 3 to 28 MHz. This includes 13 international broadcast bands: 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 22, 25, 31, 41, 49, 60, 75 and 90 meters. As mentioned, the S350 Deluxe is built with high-quality tuner circuitry that maximizes accuracy, while offering an AM/shortwave frequency lock system.

Connections and Power
The S350 is equipped with a number of connectivity features, including a stereo line-level output, and jacks for supplementary AM, FM and shortwave antennas -- great for boosting reception when you need it. A stereo headphone jack makes it easy to listen to the radio in full stereo without disturbing others. The unit can be powered with the included AC adapter, or via four "D" or four "AA" batteries.

Extras
Unlike its predecessor, the S350, the S350 Deluxe allows you to set the radio's clock and alarm while the radio is still playing. A sleep timer will shut the radio off after a set interval, and last but not least, a convenient, strap-style carry handle makes it easy to take the S350 Deluxe along on any jaunt.

What's in the Box
S350 Deluxe radio, AC adapter, stereo headphones, and user's manual.

Product Description

The eton S350 DL Deluxe Radio Receiver is an analog receiver with digital display of AM, FM and international shortwave bands. It has exceptional play-time and offers a wide range of listening choices. It's the perfect choice for the radio enthusiast. L & R line level outputs and stereo/mono switch 90 minute sleep timer automatically turns the radio off Earphone jack Powered by four D batteries; Also comes with AC adaptor Dimensions - 10.5 x 6.5 x 3.5 Weight - 3 lbs, 9 oz.

Customer Reviews:

Great for the price and the looks!.......2007-05-16

The radio does what it says and it's fun to play with. It's a pretty solid radio with an antenna that's almost 2 and a half long. The speaker is amazing and the option to connect to an external is great. It's not very heavy and overall, it's pretty sweet for a SW under $100.

All that being said there are some things that should be known (these don't necessarily bug me, but might bug others)

1) The shortwave range is fairly limited without some sort of external antenna.

2) The bandwidth knob could have been built a little better. There's a lot of play and it feels like I could rip it off without trying to hard.

Once again though, I want to say that these are VERY minor problems.

Buy it now if you can, it's a fine piece of equipment for the price.

BUY IT! Its the one you want!.......2007-04-29

I have had quite a few shortwave recievers, and this is by far the best one I've ever had! (Under a thousand dollars). It holds up to abuse, lasts forever on a set of batteries, and has fantastic reception! The "hard" antenna works far better than any other model I've ever owned, and if you take the time to hook up a "soft" antenna, look out you'll get so many signals you will have to use your gain and filter switch to sort them out. I have nothing at all bad to say about this model, infact I now own two! If you want a pocket unit, try the Grundig mini-300, but if you want to listen to shortwave from all over the world, save money on batteries, have crystal clear reception, and ease of use, this is it! It really isn't as bulky as you think, and you'll never regret owning this one!

Excellent for the price.......2006-11-08

This is an excellent follow on to the orginal S350 and enhances the design to a higher end product. This is an analoge tunner with a digital readout, so it is a step back in time. However with a more stable front end and less drift, larger speaker, and stero headphone output, it improves the radio so that it has added good value to an already very sound design.

I wondered how a single conversion radio stacks up against a double or triple conversion receiver and for most people they will never notice any difference with this radio. I have collected 25 such radio's and enjoy this one as much as all the rest. Like a good compact car that gets good gas milage, the Grundig S350DL gets very long life from its batteries.

All in all a very competent and enjoyable Radio at retail price and if you can find it on sale even more so.

Great Radio.......2006-10-04

I've been using this radio for a few days now and really like it. It's above average. Forget the guy that says it has cheap knobs, plastic case, etc. It really does feel sturdy, has good selectivity and pulls in the distant stations as well. The only drawback that I wish this radio would have is some sort of memory for selected stations. But I can easily find my favorites manually. It's a lot of fun and the quality is evident. I would definitely recommend it based on price/quality. Another plus that is lacking in most radios of this type is the big speaker. Most Short Wave radios have a tiny speaker which is really bad. I don't know why they do this??? I would gladly pay more money for a bigger speaker with some sound to it.

Recently got mine. Very nice and compliments my collection well..........2006-07-17

I purchased my Eton here on Amazon for $99 and received mine several weeks ago with great anticipation. The wait was worth it, since the digital tuning and very good reception make the radio well worth the price paid. I own a large collection of shortwave radios and feel that this radio competes well with some of my classic 70s/80s era receivers which are extremely selective and cost more than the Eton/Grundig hardware.

The only minor dig I have is the cheap nature of the tuning knob and the desire for a venier tuning control. I can fudge the tuning with a bit of a fine touch, but it does take some attention, especially with some stations that drift in and out. For casual listening, this radio is extremely stable and very good for field use and trips. I fired mine up out of the box and was immediately impressed with the solid feel and large high-quality antenna. The leather grip and heavy-duty feel more than compensate for my tuning knob complaint and I feel that this unit competes well with my smaller Grundig radio that sees active use when camping and hiking.

I am uncertain if the AM band is tuned using a ferrite internal antenna with this model and will be testing the unit with an external antenna to see if DXing AM stations is possible with this model... It probably is a standard ferrite antenna but it sure would be nice to find I can extend the function of the S350 for this pleasant hobby of DXing remote AM stations.

One other nice modification would be for Eton to evolve the S350DL to support a simple circuit for memory of stations. It would be a logical thing to do and would be worth a few extra dollars to have some more intelligence built into the rig.

Overall, for the $99 I spent, a very good deal and a radio I'll own for a very very long time. If this is your first Shortwave radio, it is a good purchase and a good introduction to the hobby.

Eton S350DL AM/FM Shortwave Deluxe Radio Receiver (Red)

Average customer rating:

Watch for a Price Drop on this Radio
Same cheap junk as Grundig S350 !
Total dud, horrible reception, picture looks good but it's cheap plastic
More of a Good Thing with Stellar FM

Eton S350DL AM/FM Shortwave Deluxe Radio Receiver (Red)

Manufacturer: Eton
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Shortwave & All-Hazard Radios | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Electronics Available for International Shipping | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics

Grundig M300R Mini300 Handheld Shortwave Radio (Metallic Red)
Passport to World Band Radio, New 2006 Edition (Passport to World Band Radio)
Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave World Band Receiver with Single Side Band Reception

Product Features:

Modern, high-performance field radio combined with classic styling, rugged construction, and military-style controls
Accurate tuning across the AM, FM, and shortwave bands
Features large tuning knob and a concentric, independent fine-tuning control knob
Stereo line-level output, and jacks for supplementary AM, FM and shortwave antennas
Can be powered with the included AC adapter, or via four "D" or four "AA" batteries

ASIN: B0009X6QHO

Amazon.com Review

AM tuning can be switched between narrow and wide sensitivities to control interference. Further tuning refinements are available via the low pass filter switch, as well as a handy RF gain dial. Both of these features can also be used when tuning one of the three shortwave bands. And if you're serious about shortwave, you'll be glad to know that the S350 Deluxe can accept external antennas that can augment reception from the built-in, telescoping one. There's also an antenna port for enhanced FM reception.

Tuning In
FM tuning is very impressive. Because the radio can tune frequencies down to the hundredth decimal place, you'll easily tune problematic FM stations, or perhaps stations you've never heard before. The S350 Deluxe adds another improvement over the S350 in the tuning department, as well. The addition of new shortwave/AM frequency lock circuit improves stability to reduce tuning drift.

Pros

Exceptionally accurate tuning
Advanced filtering and interference control
Fun, retro styling
Headphones in the box!

Cons

Plastic knobs and case
Cannot "lock" stations while tuning on other bands

What's in the Box
S350 Deluxe AM/FM Shortwave Field Radio, AC adapter, user's manual.

Amazon.com Product Description

Connections and Power
The S350 Deluxe is equipped with a number of connectivity features, including a stereo line-level output and jacks for supplementary AM, FM and shortwave antennas -- great for boosting reception when you need it. A stereo headphone jack makes it easy to listen to the radio in full stereo without disturbing others. The unit can be powered with the included AC adapter, or via four "D" or four "AA" batteries.

What's in the Box
S350 Deluxe radio, AC adapter, stereo headphones, and user's manual.

Product Description

Grundig eton S350 DL Deluxe Radio Receiver is an analog receiver that recieves AM, FM and international shortwave bands. It has exceptional play-time and offers a wide range of listening choices. It's the perfect choice for the radio enthusiast. L & R line level outputs and stereo/mono switch 90 minute sleep timer automatically turns the radio off Earphone jack Comfortable carrying case Powered by four D batteries; Also comes with AC adaptor & stereo headphones Dimensions - 10.5 x 6.5 x 3.5 Weight - 3 lbs, 9 oz.

Customer Reviews:

Watch for a Price Drop on this Radio.......2006-04-04

The old (Silver) Grundig/Eton S-350 is being phased out. (see my review on the S350). The Eton S350DL series is the replacment...For more on this, visit the website of "Passport to World Band Radio" (passband.com) under "Receiver News: Update to Edition 2006" (near bottom of the page).

The S350DL (with headphones eliminated from the package, see S350DLR, S350DLB and S350DLS) will then drop to about the same price as the old S350. Right now, some of the older stock of the S350DL (with headphones still included) is being sold off at cheaper than the normal price...shop around.

I do not own a S350DL, but it has been reported that this model reduces the "drift" problem observed on the S350, and provides STEREO reception through the headphone jack. Perhaps Eton will now offer this radio in more colors, since it is dropping the silver model... a nice "electric blue" or "emergency yellow" like they use on some other models (crank-power and pocket) would go well with the blue display illumination.

Same cheap junk as Grundig S350 !.......2006-03-11

"Million-Dollar Looks for $100" - Analog w/digital display receivers do not have the stability of digital phase-locked loop (PLL) receivers.

I opened up the back of the radio, before returning it to RadioShack - it was mostly hollow inside, very cheap, low-grade plastic, and with 1960s-grade electronics. The front filter and band switches and tuning knob are flimsy. When putting the radio back together, I was very careful not to over-tighten/cross-thread the screws, but as soon as, one of the screws started to tighten down, the plastic started to crack. Because of the very cheap quality construction, the radio is very light-out-of-the-box, until the 4 "D" size batteries are inserted.

The filters do a minimal job and only muffle the very good audio. The RF gain control can always be set on maximum, so it only acts like a DX/LOC switch. Even the newer model drifts off the tuned frequency, despite a kludged fix, that only causes ergonomic problems - once a frequency locks on, it still drifts, causing one to have to retune way past the desired frequency, to break the lock. The S350 has significant tuning backlash, which is partly responsible for the frequency drift. There are images all over the SW bands, being a cheap, single-conversion superhet. There are no station memories, so anytime the band selection changes, the radio has to be retuned to the desired frequency. The speaker grill is plastic, the digital readout is low-resolution, the antenna doesn't lock into place, and the carrying handle is cheap, smelly, imitation-leather.

Instead, I bought a Radio Shack AM/FM (for AM DXing) model 12-898 for $25; it has digital PLL tuning (prevents drifting), DX/LOC switch, hi/low tone switch, 3" speaker with metal speaker grill, internal ferrite-bar antenna, lock switch, 20 station memory, almost as sensitive as the S350, and much better quality - even the antenna locks into place.

Don't be fooled by the "Grundig" name - it used to be made in Germany, but is now made in China, by Tecsun/Eton. Check out the Tecsun/Eton brand of this radio on Amazon (same junk), and show, "lowest rating first", also, look at the reviews for Grundig G2000A. Tecsun/Eton is becoming known for marketing jazzy, pretty radios that are poor quality/performers; they bought the rights to market products, under the "Grundig" name, hoping consumers will think they are still made in Germany.

With all that being said, with the restructuring of the 50K watt clear-channel AM stations, in the 1980s, AM DXing is not what it used to be, in the 1960s and 1970s. For example, many stations out West now have to use directional antennas, that cannot be picked up on the East Coast. All the hype about the CCradio, Superadio III, and S350 being, "DX machines", is nonsense, and with the clear-channel situation, certainly not worth the extra expense. With the Radio Shack receiver, I can easily pick up WWL 870 New Orleans (1000 miles), WHO 1040 Des Moines(900 miles), WABC 770 New York, and my favorite, WLW 700 Cincinnati - same as the S350. These stations can easily be picked up with standard car radios.

For just, as little as $30 more, one could purchase the Sony ICF-SW7600GR instead; it has digital PLL, SSB, and synchronous detection - the ICF-SW7600GR is many times the radio compared to the S350 (I'de be kicking myself, if I was stuck with the S350).

Total dud, horrible reception, picture looks good but it's cheap plastic.......2005-09-28

I read reviews for a few hours online looking for a radio that had excellent FM and AM reception. This was supposed to be one of the best. The picture looked great and the switches and dials looked like brushed metal with a stamped metal body. Grundig is a well respected name of solid German manufacturing.

This radio was a disappointment right out of the box. The weight was light, the body, switches and dials were light plastic and felt as if they would break easily. And I was shipped a radio branded as an "Eton" instead of a Grundig which I understand is the same company, so perhaps that doesn't matter, but I still felt like I was shipped something I didn't order.

Reception:
I bought this because I live in New York City and have a place deep in the Catskill mountains in a steep valley. Both have their reception challenges. The challenge in the city is interference with other stations. The callenge in the country is no reception at all.

My city experience:

In the city I have a 25 year old JVC dedicated stereo tuner I got at a tag sale for $10 with a piece of speaker wire coming out the back for an antenna. I get my favorite independent stations (the ones in the high 80s and low 90s) but with a lot of static and agressive positioning of the speaker wire depending on the station, if the Nigerian cab drivers are talking over a similar frequency or if the fire station behind my apartment is radioing in a call. My other radio is my car radio, which works better than the stereo component tuner. I figured a $150 portable radio would beat both of these. WRONG! This expensive piece of junk does not recieve my favorite station WFMU 91.1 FM AT ALL! Nothing but static, not even a hint of speaking voices or music. It does get my other favorite station NPR 93.9 FM but the interference with a salsa station a few ticks up the dial is so bad that I have to listen to All Things Considered with accompanyment of congas and timpany.

My country experience:

Now this is marketed as a "field" radio. Maybe it works better in the "fields" and was never intended to work among the crowded airwaves of the USA's most densely populated city. I will use it this weekend and see. I'll update this review next week.

For now, I have nothing good to say about this radio. If I find that in the country I get a full range of stations, I might keep it. But if I had to choose right now, I'd send it back. With a nasty note to boot.

More of a Good Thing with Stellar FM.......2005-06-30

The S350 DL Deluxe is essentially an upgraded version of the popular Grundig S350, which features analog tuning with a digital read-out. The improvements on the Deluxe version are as follows: Longer telescopic antenna, an AFC switch for FM to grab stronger stations over the weaker ones; the elimination of "drift" whereby the station "drifts" away from the chosen station; a bigger stereo speaker; and the ability to listen to stereo with the included very nice headphones.

The question for many will be is it worth the extra fifty dollars for the deluxe version. For me the answer is yes. I want stereo and I want the elimination of drift.

As the owner of both the regular S350 and the deluxe version, I can say that both are nearly identical in AM/FM reception. What stands out in the deluxe radio is the brighter stereo sound. In the case of both radios, what really shines is the FM reception. The S350, in both versions, grabs everything on the FM dial.

The internal ferrite AM antenna is such that to improve AM reception, you need to angle the radio, moving it left or right, until you find the sweet spot. It's pretty easy and is a normal procedure for all the dozen radios I own, whether they be digital or analog.

If you're looking for a similarly priced radio with digital tuning and presets, you might want to check out the Tivoli Songbook. You'll be getting a beautiful sound and an attractive package. But while the Tivoli gets above average reception, it's still not quite as strong on FM as the Grundig S350.

For a cheapter alternative, fifty dollars will buy you a Degen DE1107, which I assume will be eventually released as a Kaito 1107. It's an analog radio that presumably has the best FM reception, tied with its digital cousin the Degen/Kaito 1103, and has a decent speaker. You might want to check that out as you're getting similar performance as the Grundig for a hundred dollars less.

Postscript: For those who are disappointed with this radio and have dismissed it in their reviews, may I suggest that some environmental factors, like interference, can be so insurmountable that no radio can overcome them.

Update: AM stations 980 and 1150 overload and bring in two stations at once. Highly annoying. Lack of separation and filter. Maybe AM is "too good." My Kaito 1103 has excellent separation and gets these stations with no overload.

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