Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)My goal was to find a moderate to low cost portable FM tuner to wear for working out, jogging, walks, office, etc.
I evaluated solely on FM reception of two channels of interest, WEMU 89.1 (jazz and NPR, a very strong signal) and WUOM 91.7 (NPR, a moderate signal). Ann Arbor sits in a valley and has notoriously poor FM reception. (Even my high-end receiver with an indoor Terk antenna struggles.)
I tried at least 5 other units within a short period of time of purchasing the SRF-M35. These units are:
RCA RP1667 ($20) - Meijer
Jensen SAB-50 ($25) - Target
Koss PP260 ($30) - Meijer
Panasonic FR-SW200 ($50) - Meijer
RCA RP1876 ($20, with cassette) - Walmart
I have little doubt that among the 6 I tried, the SRF-M35 unit is the best with regard to tuning sensitivity. Sound quality was also very good, but of course very much a factor of the strength of signal.
I did not expect that the Sony would be my first choice. I thought that there was a good chance Sony was trading on its reputation and name. I was wrong. The Sony was the best of the bunch (and the list above is in order of my other preferences).
The SRF-M35 has no mono switch, instead uses a blend-to-mono circuit. This works pretty well on music. However, for talk radio, e.g. NPR (generally a mono program), I would have preferred a mono button to further reduce background noise. The RCA did have a mono switch that I used, and I liked this feature. However, the headphones I use have a mono switch, and this essentially reduces background noise as effectively as if the mono switch on the RCA tuner (I'm not sure I understand why, but that's what I observed.) You could also get a mono mini-plug converter from radio shack to go on the end of your stereo headphones, although this is less convenient.
The Jensen was a very good performer. I disliked its smaller buttons and preferred the one-button-one-preset approach that Sony uses. It also has a bass boost that cannot be disabled. It sounds good on music, but is a little annoying on talk. However, it did hold stations well, was the smallest of the bunch, and has a cool arm-band. If I was a jogger, I might have picked this one instead.
The RCA was a good performer as well. See my review of it. Before I tried the Sony, it was my first choice. It didn't hold stations as well as the Sony, and I wish it had a lock button. Also, there is no clock. It was a good performer, and I think I would have been very happy with it.
I cannot speak to long-term durability of the Sony, as I've only had the unit a week. Also, I am less likely to subject it (or me) frequently to the rigors of jogging.
In short, Sony provided the best in this class. I tried several comparably priced units, and was expecting Sony to be no better than the rest. I was surprised by the improved performance of this unit as compared to its peers. It is slightly more expensive, and in my view, justifiably priced.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony SRF-M35 Walkman Portable AM/FM Radio
I can't tell you how much I hate the fuzzy static sound a radio makes when it drifts off the the station. Now I don't have to hear it ever again...and neither do you! This Walkman« Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Radio features a Digital Synthesized AM/FM Stereo Tuner to precisely lock in the most powerful signal for virtually drfit-free reception. There's also 15 Station Memory Preset Tuning that lets you instantly switch between memorized stations at the push of a button!
Click here for more information about Sony SRF-M35 Walkman Portable AM/FM Radio
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