ETON YB300PE AM/FM Shortwave Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I might have only given this radio three stars, but I think it gets a fourth for the performance it delievers at it price level.
AM and FM reception are quite good for a little radio like this. Shortwave reception is mixed. On one hand, you can pick up many stations, not just the big high-powered broadcasters that you get on low priced radios (BBC, CBC, etc.). On the other hand, they come with a lot of noise and fading distortion, and you get nothing but a local/DX switch to try to improve the situation. There's no ability to micro-tune, switchable audio or bandwidth filters, etc. I therefore feel that this is definintely an above-average radio on SW for its price, but that enthusiasts should spend more money and get something that will make distant or weak stations more pleasant to listen to. (Then again, I have come to believe that internet broadcasting is going to render SW obsolete in the U.S. and similarly developed countries, so maybe a mega-buck radio is just an unncessary expense.)
Sound quality through the internal speaker is poor. I assume this is because Grundig made a design decision to minimize battery consumption, size and weight, but that comes at the expense of a decent audio section. The sound is adequate for desktop or bedside listening of voice broadcasts. But music is tinny and the radio doesn't have enough juice to play across a mid-sized domestic room without distorting. Headphone listening is significantly better. If you think of it more as a walkman-type radio with a courtesy speaker for when the phones are inconvenient, you'll probably be pretty satisfied.
The radio is pretty easy to operate, looks good, and doesn't feel cheap. The sleep timer is a nice convenience. There are a couple things that bugged me though. One is that you have to shift between high and low shortwave bands, and cycle through FM and AM to get from SW2 down to SW1. Annoying and anachronistic. The second is that you lose your presets and clock time when your batteries go dead. I wouldn't have minded some more presets either, since I like to set favorite short-wave braodcasters on several of their frequencies to pick the clearest signal at any given time.
The radio is a good value, especially when it is discounted. With the "PE" version, not only do you get an above-average radio for the money, you get the ac adaptor, headphones, wire antenna, cheesy case, and a booklet, too. Some of their competitors make you buy this stuff separately for a good $20 or so.
Finally, a word of warning. There is some older stock of this radio floating around that appears identical to current production but has less frequency coverage than the current model (and may lack some other electronic impovements too). I actually got stuck with one of the older ones.

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If you love to hear broadcasts from around the world, here's a tool that makes it fun and easy. The Grundig Yacht Boy 300PE features precise AM, FM, and shortwave tuning via a digital PLL system. Plus, because it weighs in at 13 ounces and measures less than six inches across, this radio is easy to take along wherever your travels take you.
Design and Controls The 300PE's integrated speaker offers pleasing sound while a built-in antenna on the top of the device handles FM and shortwave reception. The front of the unit features a large LCD display that shows frequency, time, sleep time, and symbols for the sleep timer and alarm activation. The display can be temporarily illuminated for night viewing. A keypad below the screen allows illustrious shortwave listeners to directly enter their shortwave band of choice, giving instant access to known broadcasts. Other controls on the front panel include band selection, clock settings, push-button up/down tuning, and scanning. Meanwhile, the back of the radio sports a flip-out tilt stand.
Tuning and Bands With support for AM (520-1710 kHz) and FM-stereo (via the headphone jack) plus shortwave from 2.3-7.8 and 9.1-26.1 MHz, the 300PE's digital tuner offers exceptional tuning accuracy. AM band tuning is in 9 or 10 kHz steps, which is selectable via a switch inside the battery compartment, while shortwave tuning is in 5 kHz steps. A DX/local switch lets you switch between short and long range AM broadcasts. In addition to the direct frequency entry method, rapid tuning is possible with the quick station scanning function. You can also store up to 24 memories so you can access your favorite stations with ease.
Connections and Power The 300PE operates on three "AA" batteries, or via AC power. A 3.5 millimeter headset jack is provided, as is an external antenna jack for enhancing shortwave and FM reception.
Extras The radio's built-in 24 hour clock features an adjustable sleep timer that turns the radio off after a set interval. In addition to an AC adapter, the radio ships with a handsome vinyl carrying case, batteries, a pair of stereo earphones, and an external wire antenna.
What's in the Box YB300PE radio, 3 AA batteries, AC adapter, portable wire antenna, stereo earphones, carrying pouch, carrying strap, and owner's manual.

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