Radio Reviews

Although Sony is the creator of "MiniDisc" and has release several diffrent models of Minidisc Players and Recorders, i recomend you shop around for diffrent brands before you buy, I bought a sony Minidisc player model (MZ-R50) sold on the Brand Name and the sleek sexy design, (it's orange), Now its broken, after a few months of use the right headphone channel stoped working, I can't say that i have lost trust in sony as being a good manufacture but they don't stand behind thier products as well as they say. the price of getting it repaired was estimated to be twice the cost of the player itself because of labor. You can buy an affordable Panasonic or Kenwood Minidisc players for a better price.

I got this MD player as a birthday gift and I can't stop using it! I can now get all my Mp3 files onto a tiny disc!
great value for your money

The Sony MZ-E25 Portable MiniDisc Player was the first and the best player available for its price. Music is just the start of minidiscs. Don't bother buying a DVD player. Movies and computer games and programs are the next applications to be utilized on minidiscs. These minidiscs are going to be the future of digital information. Their excellent skip protection and inability to be scratched is just a few of the reasons to purchase one. Buy one now to get a head start on the craze.

As an inexpensive multiband Walkman this unit is quite nice. Its performance is good on FM and TV, but DO NOT buy this if you want a sensitive AM radio. It does OK with local stations, but is not for the AM DX enthusiast. The tuning is nice with an easy choice of next-step or next-channel. The memories are also straightfoward and a nice convenience. The unit came with surprisingly nice headphones.

Having had several other walkmans, I was extremely pleased with all of the features on this particular product. I especially like the more compact size, the extended battery life, and I've found the preset tuning easy to set and simple to use. I enjoy the TV tuning as an added bonus.

I boought this walkman because at my job I am allowed to listen to music. Jerry Springer and my soaps make the day slip by. This reception is great and all the availble presets make this a great walkman.

Small in size but does a good job boardcasting.I added a good ant.Wilson Little Wil.I have a 03 Nissan Altima,it fit in the storage bin on console,great fit.The speaker does a good job.Good CB radio.

The editorial product review is incorrect.

The Pro520XL has been mounted in my Jeep now for several years. It has been exposed the elements and has taken a beating off road and has never had a problem.

read the other reviews- why would a person try to sell you this product, what do they get out of it by listing every feature in colorful detail? It seems odd to me...

This is actually a review of Sony CFD-E75 CD/Radio/Cassette Boombox (Silver), exact thing except color. I "borrowed" this from my wife when I found I didn't have any cassette players (except in a car) and had to listen to a cassette. I was impressed by the sound quality for spoken word cassettes. Everything sounds normal like a human is talking! I've also listened to music cassettes and music CD's and am just amazed at how good this sounds. The "wheel" for selecting CD tracks is a great idea and is used for tuning the radio when in "radio" mode. That makes it easy to find your station.Speaking of which, this model has a "real" three section, rotating antenna, not a skinny little wire hanging out the back What won me over though was the FM AND AM reception on the radio section of this item. We live in an area where the big broadcast antenna are on a hill real close to our home so we've always had problems with radio reception. A good adjustable Bass with the Sony "Mega Bass" button does change the sound noticably. I like the styling and I keep the thing on the night stand next to my head so haven't needed the remote. I guess I'll let my wife keep that. HA HA

This was a good purchase. She swears she got ot for considerably less than the price shown. But even at the price shown, I think it's darn well worth it!
Highly Recommended!
John Row

I just received this cute little number in red for a gift! It looked too small to be functional but I was pleasantly surprised! The sound quality is fabulous and it reaches all areas of my condo. Not only do you get radio but cd, cassette, and a clock radio!!! Now for once in my life I can chose what I want to hear when I wake up or as I go to sleep.
I found this Sony so portable that I have taken it to several picnics and other outside events. It tucks nicely into my car. In my bedroom, it does not overpower anything else-perfect size!
Another plus is the availability of headsets in case I want to crank the tunes in the middle of the night and not disturb my elderly neighbors.
The price is great, features fabulous and colors spectacular so what are you waiting for?

I already own a couple FRS, the Motorola 289, & these are the best available.

I bought the FR540 for my kids. I like the fact that I can communicate w/ my wife where ever we go someplace. But I started thinking that when we go to amusement parks or anywhere there are large crowds, that I can't communicate w/ my kids. At one time, we lost track of them & let me tell you how nerve racking that was.

I've looked at most models of FRS here on Amazon.com, that I considered would be perfect for kids. I decided & bought the 540's since they are very compact units. Not too heavy for the kids to carry around. They are also very easy to use, I set them to the channel(s) I want to use, channel lock them, & viola, we can keep in contact.

Only real gripe I have about the FR540, I can't seem to find carry cases for them, like the Body Glove cases I have for the 289's. What's nice about having a case is, they usually supply them w/ neck straps. I don't feel comfortable having the kids just clip them to there packs or shorts. It seems that it would be easily lost. I've rigged my own carry strap, but it doesn't protect the FRS, which is another reason I like having carry cases for them. So if you use this item, & have a carry case that fits the 540, please let me know. Last gripe is these take 3 AAA batteries, compared to the 3 AA the 289 uses. It would be nice to have just one type of battery to buy. Oh well, can't have everything, can we? Lastly, I am a bit concerned about the fold down antenna. It doesn't seem as sturdy as some other models, I hope I am wrong about this.

I am only giving these FRS a 3, since they have not been field tested as of yet. Audiovox claims a 2 mile range, that I would like to check out. Even if it's just a mile or so, that is fine w/ me. As long as I can stay in contact w/ my kids in an amusement park or similar situation, then my money was well spent. But it sure is nice that I can use a different brand of FRS, set the channels, & we are all in contact.

These are very nice FRS, if you are looking for a pair that are very compact, easily carried, & have many features found in the more expensive models, then this is for you. Sound quality is also good, now I need to test its distance.

Finally had chance to really use the 540. First of all, they work wonderfully w/ the Motorola 289's I have. I can communicate w/ the kids, no problem. Only realy problem is keeping the kids from playing w/ them, oh well.

Here's some afterthoughts........the 540's work good w/ the antenna folded down, you can walk some distance while in the down position. But, you need to have the antenna upright if you want to have a strong signal, so you can't have the antenna down when you are far apart.

Reception is good, a bit of static comes in when the battery wears down, don't know if this is apparent w/ other FRS. As stated it's very easy for kids to use, I channel locked their 540's, so all they have to do is press the talk key to communicate.

Fairly durable, one of my kids went tumbling down a hill w/ the radio around her neck. It took the punishment, works well, but have some minor scratches. The radios almost got soaked when the kids went to pet the dolphins.

I did find a couple carry cases w/ neck straps. Amazon.com sells a Case Logic carry case in their radio accessories section that fit the 540 nicely. Only gripe is, it's not a real snug/secure fit, but it works. I really needed a carry case w/ a neck strap & this model you can cinch them some, so the radios are not dangling low on your kids.

I still think that the 540 is a good radio. If it just had the same performance as the Motorola 289, I would give it 5 stars. I did get the extended warranty on the radios, I just don't know how durable or long lasting the 540's are.

I like this product because it is very useful. THis could help anyone for working in the yard or skiing or snowbaording when you are on the mountain so you dont get lost.

I used this radio for a long time. The reason I finally got rid of it was that it could not automatically switch between the walkie talkie and the fm radio. If a call came in, you heard a tone and had to manually switch to frs. The earphone jack is a mono jack, not stereo. The screen is rather hard to see, changing functions can be very confusing, and the volume goes from rather soft to louder than desired. WHAT VOX?

I just bought them yesterday,a and it worked great. When I tried it around our house this afternoon, it worked flawlessly. I can hear my partner very clearly. The FM radio is a great feature, so is the fold-down antenne. The only cons I have with this radio is the volume for the FM radio. When I used the included earphones, it was too loud, and when I listened to the radio again, using my own headphones, that I had for a long time, I can only hear the sound from the left side of the headphones. I didn't do that much research on this product, but it was the first time I got a good deal with our a lot of research.

i purchased two last week and used it for the 1st time this weekend. i tell ya, this is one heck of a radio. i split up with my wife at the mall and we were able to contact each other all day long with no static. at opposite extreme points of the mall we were about .5 miles away from each other and the radio performed flawlessly. between our calls we were able to listen to the built in FM radio via the supplied earphones. very good reception too. on the way home we tested the radio's range. at 1 mile reception was clear with a litle static. at 1.5 miles there was more static but it was good enough to communicate. at 2 miles a lot more static but stll decent clarity. not bad for a busy location with lots of 4-6 story buildings between us. buy it, you won't regret it.

This is an extremely basic cassette/radio player. The radio dial is analog. Unless you have a very strong signal, station signals fade in and out which can be quite annoying, especially if the stereo/non-stereo is affected. A mono option would be nice in such situations to cut down on the hiss. There's no bass boost and no tone control. No microphones or input jacks, so all you can record is the radio. There is a headphones jack, however.

...

I work in an industrial workplace, where any radio has to take its chances with getting banged about, so I don't want one that I'll scream in horror when I see it smashed. This Casio (...) fits the ticket. Durable enough to stand casual bumps and tight enough to keep the dust and dirt out of the innards. The radio recieves the full range of local AM/FM, even through the steel and concrete walls of the building. The cassette player is smooth, the door stays tightly shut, and it has clear reproduction. The volume can be nice and loud, with no loss of fidelity, for when the background noise is intrusive. The built-in mic works like a charm. Battery life is fair, about what you would expect out of a couple of AAs.

It looks very cool model with silver & blue combination. Also this model creates very nice stereo sound with compact body. The price is very reasonable for this spec and design. I like it !

This is a good radio dont get me wrong however, let me explain. I have had one for about three years then the problems started. The main thing is now it transmits intermediately and the problem is in the new design. It seems to save money (not yours) they have put a couple of small circuit boards with non repairable components on the main board. eventually with the bouncing and jarring these crack. My tech. cannot repair it and cobra doesnt want to sell him the parts. So i basically have a small boat anchor. Plus he told me that the sound tracker models are mainly junk. the only two he recomended were the classics and he told me that for the money the unidens are best deal and withstand the abuse better. (he doesnt even stock a cobra). I am a truck driver and the radios do go through some rough riding. I have switched to uniden!

I think mike need to buy one again so he will know that they are very good & that the one that the one that he brought was a bad one so Mike Please buy one again to see what happen Because they are good I will tell anybody to buy one so whoever want to buy one go ahead & buy one & that way you will not believe mike trust me Mike is wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cobra are good !! because I have one for along time & it is still working real Good & I wish peoples stop complanl about cobra
because they must have got a bad one & Cobra are good
& I will never stop getting Cobra brand because my Cobra
work real Good

God bless you
Dayrider

P.S.
Jesus Love you mike

I also could not get it to use the feature that automatically sets the time as an NYC resident.

Works great. All the features work. I highly recommend this product.

I recently purchased this radio without reading the reviews. After I ordered I read that the auto-time set feature did not work in NYC. I was prepared to return the radio when it arrived because that was the main reason I purchased it. It arrived and the auto-time set feature works fine. I live in upstate NY, near Albany so maybe it is just a problem with the NYC area. Being able to set two wake up times is also a great feature.

It does what it says. The instruction booklet comes right out and says the weather radio stations are weak and may not come in. That was the case, but I managed to route the antenna in a way that it picks up the weather channel fairly clear, although there is a lot of background static which changes in intensity depending on whether or not someone is moving around in the room. My girlfriend really appreciates the separate Hour/Minute buttons. She stuck with her old clock radio for well over a decade because most of them have forward and reverse buttons to set the time which she absolutely hates. The ALARM RESET button is a nice feature, every other clock radio requires flipping a switch to OFF and back to ALARM again. I've worn out several clock radios this way, so a button is a welcome change. It's recessed in order to prevent pushing it accidentally when you're half-asleep. It also has a fairly nice, modern appearance and matches most other electronics (i.e. my VTech 2.4GHz phone) as well as the black furniture.

My primary gripe with this clock radio is the quality. It's built cheap. Made in China so no big surprise. Mine was brand new (everything sealed with factory tape) but still had a couple small scratches in the silver paint. Pushing the weather radio button ON and OFF results in a loud audible pop sound. I had a hard time getting a 9V backup battery in it, because the metal "tangs" that snap onto the positive battery terminal were misshapen and bent. I had to get a small screwdriver and bend them into place. I leave the display on the HIGH setting because the brightness doesn't bother me and all the segments light up evenly which looks better. On the LOW setting, several segments of the display are noticeably dimmer than the others while overall the whole display seems to flicker.

Overall, for the price it's pretty good. We had been wanting a weather radio and a more modern looking clock radio to replace the old woodgrain one, so this clock radio does the job of both in one neat package.

I have mixed feelings about this alarm clock. It has some great features, but also some flaws. I gave it 3 stars mostly due to the poor quality of the antenna (a wire that you have to move around just right to hear the weather radio). A sturdy metal antenna would have worked much better. My antenna arrived damaged. The warrenty is limited -- I sent it to the manufacturer and they charge you $5 to get it sent back to you, plus you have to pay to ship it out. So, it cost me about 1/2 the original price just to get it working properly. Very disappointing, and due to poor quality of the antenna.

Other than that, the only significant flaw (that bothers me, that is) I see is how small the Sleep button is. It's difficult to find in the dark, and it's made flatter than the rest of the buttons (it's on the top left of the front of the clock). This makes it hard to press the button, too.

The alarm does have some very nice qualities. Being able to listen to the weather when the news on TV isn't on and it's stormy (so can't turn on the computer) is very handy! Make sure you have a NOAA weather station in your area before you buy, because the signals are weak and you may not be able to pick it up at all.

The slow-to-wake buzzer is really nice. It helps you wake easily, rather than jumping out of your skin. It starts to almost nothing to a fairly loud buzzer. You won't sleep through this buzzer.

Also handy is the Reset button. This resets your alarm for the next day. You don't have to remember to turn the alarm on everyday, because it just resets it to the same time for the next day.

If you're buying this for the Hi/Lo dimmer, I wouldn't recommend this clock radio. It works, but it isn't very dim. I leave it on dim all the time because the Hi setting is so bright.

I like the :
1) Easy to read display
2) Alarm Reset - single button turns off alarm and resets it for next day and it is easy to find
3) Easy to use
4) Displays PM & Alarm On
5) Single Buttom to listed to NOAA Weather
6) Looks good, but if your are up very close has a bit of a painted on finish appearence - the finish could be better.
7) Single Alarm - most radio alarm clocks have two alarms, but as I never used that feature and it caused confusion on what I was setting more than once, I very much like that there is only one alarm.
8) Picks up AM, FM, and Weather great - I am in a city.
9) Great Price - I prefer this radio to my almost new ...radio that it is replacing !