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- Verified Buyer
I moved into a new home and could not pull in decent AM/FM radio — not even with a Yagi antenna that worked well in a former residence. Despite the fact that most of my radios and receivers have digital PLL tuners, stations from various geographical areas fight with each other for the same frequency — not only on AM but FM radio and not only at night but even in the middle of the day! Reception was so bad that most of my radios — even when run on battery power to eliminate the electrical as a source of interference — could not pull in more than one or two nearby AM/FM stations. (On the flip side, sometimes the radios I had on hand received stations hundreds of miles North or South of me on AM but not the ones located in my own area — hence my use of the "Bermuda Triangle" of AM/FM radio in my review title.)I listen to a well-known nightly talk show that broadcasts on a 50,000-watt AM station that can be heard outside of the state where I live — but in my current home it was entirely usurped on all but two of my radios (an ancient iHome iPod/Clock radio and a BOSE Wave radio, with only the BOSE holding the station with any reliability). Buying another radio was a must if I was to listen "live" to my daily program. (Don't ask me why, but I much prefer live radio over podcasts, iHeart radio and the like.)After searching the web, I came across a blogger who does nothing but review all manner of AM/FM radio. He said that the Sangean PR-D5 was a bargain that had flown under the wire for many radio enthusiasts. He rated it 4.5 stars so I jumped on Amazon and ordered the PR-D5.This purchase is only my second for the Sangean brand. The first was a shower radio with a mono speaker reviewed elsewhere on Amazon. My Sangean shower radio developed finicky buttons after a couple of years of use such that attempting to change volume will, instead, change the station. This, too, was among the radios in my new home that can't grab and hold AM/FM stations reliably (meaning next to nill). However, after reading the review of this model — and appreciating that the AM antenna is 200mm, which is about as generous as they come — I took the plunge.IMPRESSION4.5 stars: Does what I need and pulls in — and more importantly holds — the desired AM/FM frequency. This, alone, makes it well worth the cost for those of us who live in areas where reception is particularly challenging. (That's not to say I now have a perfect AM listening experience, however. I still experience AM drift at night, however it doesn't lose my station entirely to fade-out, which is a significant achievement considering how many radios could not even tune the frequency to begin with.)1 star: Audio sounds as if it is muffled by a thin pillow, especially on AM. Whether on AM or FM, the sound quality is not much improved over my mono-speaker Sangean shower radio. This is disappointing because I was really excited to order a stereo radio given the fact that so many radios I own are unusable in my location. Moreover, it's also becoming harder to find anything in this size or smaller in a stereo (two-speaker) design. One of the great mysteries of the universe is why manufacturers are selling Internet and HD radios, even, paired to a monaural speaker. Is this 1954? (But I digress….)3 stars: The controls are not as intuitive as I expected considering how straightforward the layout per the product images. I am accustomed to picking things up and being able to program and set the time on the spot. With this radio I had to consult the user guide to set the clock and even to operate functions that I had in fact attempted to do correctly. As an example, I tried to set the station presets as I do on my other Sangean — by holding in the button for a couple of seconds to save the station — but instead the radio responded as if I had selected an existing (factory?) preset. I then consulted the user manual thinking I had been wrong about how to go about setting presets. Turns out, I had to apply more force to the button to trigger the preset memory. Another thing I don't care for is that the sleep button shares its function with the on/off button. As a result, I had a similar experience in attempt to set the sleep timer. I held the button in to trigger the sleep function but all I kept getting was "60 minutes" (the default). Again I had to consult the user manual to confirm that there were other increments to choose from, and how to cycle through them. Because some button functions are shared and/or are very specific about the level of pressure they require to operate — and because my Sangean shower radio apparently wasn't the exception for having buttons malfunction per other Amazon reviews — I fear the longevity of the use of the sleep button, which is a must-have feature for my needs, may be limited. On the plus side, I do like the ease with which it is possible to change volume and frequency, as compared to my Sangean shower radio. The rotary knobs make it quick to change the station or the volume — an improvement, I think, over having to repeatedly hit an Up or Down button (as is the case with the shower radio).4 stars: I like that this radio comes with the AC adapter. A trend I noticed while shopping for a radio is that manufacturers are increasingly leaving the adapters out as a secondary (separate) purchase. Not so with this radio. Although I intend to operate the PR-D5 mostly on the C-batteries, it's nice to know that I can plug it in to an electrical outlet. That said, there is a note included with the product stating that because of FCC energy efficiency requirements for AC adapters that the adapter may cause interference to the AM band.3 stars: The form factor of this radio is attractive (I bought the silver/white version). That said, there is no carrying handle and when the C-batteries are inserted it becomes a bit difficult to use because the unit becomes somewhat heavy. The surface is slick so my concern is that it will eventually be dropped.CONCLUSIONI rate the PR-D5 three stars, overall, is because the audio quality is a let-down. On the AM band, at night, the sound becomes a bit muddier — meaning even less treble — which doesn't help. FM stereo is better but not particularly enjoyable. (In fairness, however, I am spoiled by a Harman/Kardon audio receiver paired to Klipsch speakers, a Bose Wave radio and the Sony XDR-F1HD — the latter of which has somewhat of a cult following — so I may be pickier than most although I'm far from a true audiophile.)The drawback to this model, much like the Sangean shower radio I own, is that the factory-set EQ is not optimized for talk radio in the least. I find this especially odd when you consider that the top selling point of the PR-D5 is the exceptional AM sensitivity. Because I purchased this radio mostly for AM reception, it's disappointing to have to turn the volume up louder than I might otherwise if the audio were optimized for talk. (In particular, this is not ideal for nighttime listening when you might prefer more treble to improve talk radio audio in lieu of a volume boost.) As a workaround, I hooked my PR-D5 to external speakers only to find the sound was largely unimproved. (If I had to guess, the circuitry's main emphasis is to minimizing the intrusiveness of interference, where present, so that hiss/static are not accentuated the way it is on radios with full-range sound — hence the audio-quality trade-offs.)If I had to do it all over again — and since I'm still within the return period I just might — I'd pay more and spring for the Sangean PR-D15, also sold here on Amazon, which adds bass & treble controls, the option to run off of rechargeable batteries and, notably, a carrying handle. In short, I'm still on the fence as to whether or not this particular model is a keeper.UPDATE (October 2018):I'm dropping this from a three-star to a two-star review because the FM tuner went on the fritz — fortunately within the one-year warranty period so I intend to seek service and update my review a third time depending on the outcome. Upon scan or manual tune it began dropping from ~88.x frequency to the 70s and refused to go any higher. (In my area — any area in the U.S.? — there are no FM stations in the 70s frequency range.) I left the batteries out for more than three hours only to have the same issue upon installing new batteries. I then consulted the manual just to ensure that it wasn't on some European (?) band — but no dice. (Unlike other Sangean radios, this one doesn't come with a "Reset" in the menu. Leaving the batteries out for a couple hours is the only reset method.)I own three Sangean products, and two of the three have suffered "glitches" (the third is also under a year old — but I bought the extended warranty for that one and not on this one). My advice to anyone who buys this brand is to buy the extended warranty. Judging from the reviews and my own experience, longevity isn't presently a strong point. Like me, you may very well need it.January 2020 Update:I had my FM tuner issue repaired under warranty shortly after posting the previous review update, and the radio has been working fine ever since. I don't use it much, however, because AM volume sags and spikes — and the muddy sound to AM radio overall – makes it unsuitable for low volume (nighttime) use. Not long ago, I bought the C.Crane EP Pro — which is unique for its integration of C.Crane's "Twin-Coil" ferrite antenna. The C.Crane EP Pro doesn't allow the volume level to spike and sag alongside the signal fadout/drift the way this Sangean does. It's still subject to the limitations of my hilly geography but it does a better job keeping the volume level consistent after dark while listening to AM radio. That said, I'm still in a "Goldilocks" predicament because I need the sleep feature that the analog EP Pro — for all its improvements in audio clarity and volume consistency — lacks. While this is not a bad radio for a DXer, it seems to be lacking in the selectivity needed to stop competing (often distant) stations from cutting in on what you are listening to. In conclusion, I wish I had not tried to spare a few dollars and had just sprung for the top-of-the-line model from C.Crane from the outset.This radio is great for Dxing AM or FM signals. Out of the box the FM is stellar. AM's audio is a bit muddy (bassy) but can rival the more expensive PR-D15 model with a small modification to the volume PCB that brings the audio out of the mud. It takes 2 resistors (about 20 cents) and good soldiering skills since its all SMD technology. If you understand tone control circuitry and can trace the PCB circuit (what I did) or can get a schematic it really easy to mod. Overall nice radio, but fantastic with a small mod. Why Sangean couldn't have done this at the factory I don't know. The PR-D5 is better than the D-15 IMO since it don't have the soft muting on AM which I hate when DXing with a DSP radio.UPDATE: A comment about the snooze function. There is a falling-to-sleep snooze function. With the radio off, press and hold the power button. While still holding the button down you will see 60, then 45, then 30, etc. Release the power button for the number of minutes you want. This will shut off the radio after that many minutes, a kind of a snooze function. What I would like to see is a real snooze function, where when the alarm goes off, press the snooze button, turn off the alarm for 10 minutes, and then it comes back on. Has anyone figured out how to do this?---------------I just bought this radio through amazon.com and received it 2 days ago, to replace my bose wave radio III; not because the bose sounds bad in general (It sounds pretty good, though the bass is way over-emphasized; you know what they say, No highs, no lows, must be bose!), but the bose can't receive my favorite station clearly (classical WQXR in New York - I'm in northern New Jersey). Always lots of static on weak signals, even with a bose-supplied external antenna.To be fair, my nightstand (where the bose used to live) was in a very noisy corner of the room. I unplugged EVERYTHING around it, even the cable modem and wireless router in the living room, and nothing helped - there must be some very noisy old wires in the walls (it's an old house). I tried the bose in other parts of the bedroom and still I got the static/poor sound on weak stations, even with an external antenna.One solution would be to get an internet clock radio, but they all seem to have problems and are pretty pricy. And I don't think you can get internet radio + good FM + great AM.I got the Sangean PR-D5 to help solve that problem. Unfortunately even though I did get a better signal with the D5 in that noisy corner, there still was noise in the sound. I moved the D5 around the room and found a spot where the nightstand could be if I reoriented the bed. Once I did that and had everything in place I put the D5 on the nightstand in its new position and voila! Clear signal and beautiful music. Of course it doesn't sound as full as my bose, but my solution is to hook it up to some powered computer stereo speakers, through the D5's headphone output. What a great solution. This morning I woke up to a very full, beautiful sound. :)) I probably will invest in some better powered speakers in the future, but for now it's great.When I put the bose onto the nightstand in the new nightstand location, the sound was still full of static and was unlistenable, even with an external antenna. Shame on you bose! If you're going to create a better sounding radio, make the FM and AM receiver electronics excellent FIRST.A few things about the D5. Many comments you have heard before:* The D5 power supply is definitely noisy. I tuned in my favorite weak WQXR station, switched it to FM stereo, and I could hear added noise when I plugged in the power supply, and less noise when I unplugged it (with the 6 C cells installed). I'll have to get some rechargeable C cells and charger. :( They should make it so that it recharges rechargeable batteries internally when plugged in, like other models; or supply a power supply that has no sonic signature.* The backlight goes off when it should be switchable to stay on all the time, or turn off automatically as it does. A minor annoyance.* Make it so you can set the preset to wake to on the wake up alarm, instead of just whatever the current station is (bose lets you do this). If I am AM DX'ing at night (DXing: listening for weak, long-distance stations) I don't want to hear static in the morning if I forget to reset the tuning.* AM DXing is great, IF you are in a place that isn't noisy. First, move all over the house find an electrically quiet place for a listening area, and then have fun DXing. If you are hearing lots of AM noise and you can move to an area where you don't hear that noise, don't blame the radio.* 1 kHz tuning on AM should also be an option (not just 9 and 10 kHz), for those who are more picky in their DX'ing. But I'll let this slide, since it really is intended for the general listening audience* Tone control (bose, are you also hearing this?)* Redesign: move the display between the two speakers, and the controls above, so when fumbling in the dark the hand can be on top of the radio and you can do it one-handed. Simple ergonomics. I doubt they actually used the prototypes at home before finalizing the design.* A separate AA battery to hold memory, so you can have the radio without 6 C batteries and keep memory when unplugging it.* Provide a well-designed handle for carrying the radio. It could easily slip out of your had carrying it.* Radio is small enough that a slightly larger version could be made, with really good sounding, larger speakers. A real bose-killer.FM reception is very good, but AM reception is exceptional. I have a Tecsun PL-660 AW/FM/Shortwave radio, and the AM reception with it can be quite noisy. To help the bad AM on the Tecsun I got a couple of passive loop AM (MW) boosters - a Grundig and a classic Select-A-Tenna (these can passively boost the AM signal by induction when set right next to the radio and tuned to the radio frequency). The Select-A-Tenna is huge and gives a noticeable boost to the AM signal on the Tecsun, but with the D5 the effect of the Select-A-Tenna isn't that noticeable, which means the internal D5 antenna is pretty much already boosting the signal as much as it can be boosted without external help. I attribute to the excellent, huge AM ferrite antenna in the D5, and the implementation of the D5 AM circuitry.I'm sure I'll think of more later.Even for it's minor weaknesses, 5 stars for this great little radio! It's my new star techno-gadget.I bought this radio 13 years ago. I have used it daily since I bought it, using batteries. It has worked fine with one exception. I used it in the bathroom when showering for several years and it nearly ruined the on/off switch inside the radio. Now to turn it on or off, I have to press the power button several times. Makes me sad because I love this radio. I am worried someday it won’t power on, but so far so good - knocking on wood! If it quits entirely, I will purchase another one without hesitation.We purchased this radio as a gift for my father-in-law who spends most of the year at his cottage. Reception is not the best there. Not knowing much about AM/FM/short band radios, I relied heavily on internet research and reviews already posted regarding the Sangean radio products, settling on the D5. Many thanks to those knowledgeable people out there who are somewhat fanatical about their hobby! We tried the radio out at my home prior to wrapping as I have very poor reception where I live as well (I use satellite radio mostly). It worked well for the few local stations we have. Same proved true in northern Ontario where the gift was destined. I rated a 5 and although it hasn't been tested at the cottage yet, I am confident. The reception I have witnessed so far is good to excellent, the sound quality (from my perspective) is excellent. The radio will be used mostly for news and weather updates, although the fact that my father-in-law can plug in his I-pod and listen to his favorite country hits as well really made him happy. Another selling feature was that it could be operated by battery as the cottage is powered by gen-set which is not always running. The radio has a sleek design, is not too big physically (so can be placed on a narrow counter/bar where real estate is precious) and is very user friendly. It's very difficult to purchase a general purpose radio anymore without all the unnecessary boom-box crap that comes with them. I'm confident he will get many years service from this radio. I placed this radio on my wish list as well, giving occasional hints to my wife!First impression is that the sound quality on AM at lower volumes is boxy, stuffy, not sharp or direct in tone as you would expect from other brands (such as Kaito, Sony), lacks clarity, dull and kind of muffled sounding. After a week or two of use, I see that this more mellow sound is less tiring to listen to over longer periods of time. It seems to be lacking in the treble department on AM. FM sounds brighter with more treble which I like. CBC Radio One - FM 91.5 sounds very nice. I see some other Amazon reviewers have noticed the same things about the AM sound but give it time and it will grow on you. I am OK with it now. A reviewer on another website, RadioJayAllen, describes the sound as "a bit on the dull side and mellow sounding". However, after a week or two of use I am getting used to the sound and am liking it now.AUX shows the speakers to be lacking in audio dynamic range (my guess based on the sound). Sound is not sharp compared to one of those Bluetooth speakers that cost a $100 or more CAD.Reception is strong as many reviewers have mentioned and is expected due to the large ferrite bar for AM reception. It can pull in CJAD 800 in Montreal from Ottawa but with static. Radio is in a concrete building and about 15 feet from a large window. I bring the radio next to the window and CJAD comes in loud and clear. It's all about placement, living in a concrete building.The positives about this radio are the station pre-set buttons allowing me to go from channel to channel at the touch of a button. I have about 3 AM stations on pre-set buttons and 3 FM stations but I mostly listen only to CBC Radio One on FM. The convenience of having the pre-set push buttons are also heavily influencing my overall evaluation and decision. If the AM band sounded better, this radio would get a 5 star rating from me. As is, I would give it 4.5 stars. BTW, the Panasonic 2400 radio is surprisingly very good too and for the stations I want to listen to, pulls them in like the Sangean. This is by no means a real test as I would have to go to a location with bad reception and go through the whole dial and compare station by station. But I don't have time for that.I bought this radio late in September, and have been a great fan of it ever since. Loved the simplicity, loved the sound. Until today.I turned the radio off last night when I was going to bed. Tried to turn it on this morning, to hear the morning news: nothing. It does NOT turn on.Checked that the radio was plugged in: yes. Checked that the outlet was working with another appliance: yes. Even checked that the batteries were good: yes, top of the range for 'good'. Read the manual: no instructions for radio won't turn on.Not only am I disappointed, but I'm out $100 plus tax! Expensive lesson.I originally purchased this radio because it was supposed to have great antenna reception which was needed as I go camping a lot. After using it for the last year when I go camping I have found that the reception is not very good. 3 of my friends who I go camping with pull in many radio stations when I can't receive any signal. They all have radios that are 25 years old and older. One is a 2.5"x4" pocket radio with no external antenna and they all get better reception than I do.I researched a lot to find the best am radio to use while camping. I wanted to listen to baseball games and the station was far away. This radio worked brilliantly for bringing in the station I wanted. After a few months the radio would randomly shut off and say pwr fail. I phoned the company and they told me how to reset it and I thought I was all good. However, when I got it out again for camping this summer , the problem came back and now I was out of the warranty. The power cord also doesn't work any more and the problem is more frequent. I really loved this radio and it did what I wanted, better than expected, but I guess the one I got was a lemon and I don't really want to spend another $100 dollars to buy another.
