Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Customer Reviews for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Model: NS-R5111
SKU: 8222666
UPC: 600603110573
Stay pumped during workouts with this armband radio that lets you listen to your favorite radio stations while jogging or hitting the gym.
Average Customer Rating:
2.125 out of 5
2.1
 out of 
5
(16 Reviews) 16
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot 16 reviews
5 stars
2
4 stars
1
3 stars
2
2 stars
3
1 star
8
31% of customers would recommend this product to a friend 
(
5 out of 16
)
Customer Reviews for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo
Review 1 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo
  • Featured

Insignia NS-R5111 AM/FM Arm Band Radio Review

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Computerhobbyist
from NY
on 08/02/2011
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Durability
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Reception
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Dependable AM/FM Reception, Attractive Design, Sturdy Build Quality, Inexpensive
What's not so great: N/A
Acoustic Simplicity. Sonic Perfection. Superior Design. Overachievement to the max. Economical Price. These are just some of the characteristics that make the Insignia NS-R5111 AM/FM Stereo Arm Band Radio a formidable contender in the portable audio universe. This unit’s performance and feature set is consistent and commensurate with some of the more expensive AM/FM portable radios on the market. The Insignia radio features a rugged body construction, excellent radio reception, quality headphones, and a convenient arm band for comfortable placement of this unit during the morning exercise routine. This portable presents all of the amenities and comforts that a radio or exercise enthusiast would want. My particular model sports an attractive and bright yellow appearance that always reminds me of a beautiful summer day. The Insignia radio offers ergonomically positioned controls, AM/FM reception, and a water-resistant design for private listening sessions while sitting poolside or relaxing at the beach. This unit’s hold feature is extremely useful as I know that the great song I’m listening to won’t be disturbed by an accidental button press or if this radio suffers a slight fall to the ground. The LCD display gives me much needed time, station, and preset number information instantly, so that I can make an accurate station selection as circumstances require. The included stereo headphones fit snugly on my ears and offer a fatigue-free listening experience. The Insignia NS-R5111 arm band radio’s preset tuning feature is by far this portable’s best attribute. It’s very convenient to skip from station to station at the press of a button to find the best programming on at the current moment. This portable radio does a fine job for news, sports, talk, and weather broadcasts on the AM band. I don’t notice too much noise or the need to reorient the radio to get high quality reception for my favorite AM stations. Late night AM DX reception is possible with this portable as long as suitable atmospheric conditions are present. FM stereo reception is clear and consistently very good. The music comes in with great fidelity and with solid bass performance. The Insignia arm band radio features a headphone cord FM antenna that pulls in all the FM stations that I need or care for. FM stereo reception is always dependable, with accurate results both at home and outdoors. This unit demonstrates better than average sensitivity and selectivity broadcast AM/FM reception performance for this product category. The Insignia portable radio operates on two AAA batteries. I can’t recommend the batteries that are included with this unit. In my view, Duracell Ultra or Energizer Max alkaline batteries extract the most battery life and audio performance from this handsomely designed Insignia portable radio. The Insignia NS-R5111 AM/FM radio includes the following step-up portable features: digital AM/FM tuner, AM frequency range: 530-1710 kHz, FM frequency range: 87.5-107.9 MHz, FM stereo/mono reception, 20 AM/FM stations presets, 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo headphones, headphone cord FM antenna, built-in AM ferrite bar antenna, LCD display, digital clock, hold feature, battery life indicator, water-resistant, wearable oval design, power, preset, stereo/time set, memory, band selection, volume up, volume down, preset tuning/manual seek tuning controls, volume level indicator, belt clip, arm band, 2 AAA battery operation, battery compartment, and operating instructions. The Insignia NS-R5111 arm band radio features the following dimensions: Height: 4-3/10”, Width: 2-1/5”, Depth: 1”, and Weight: 4.2 ounces. The Insignia NS-R5111 AM/FM portable radio also includes a 90 day parts and labor limited manufacturer warranty. The Insignia portable radio is just a joy to use. I believe that your acquisition of the Insignia AM/FM Arm Band Radio will bring you a high quality personal audio experience for many years to come. Good Luck. Enjoy.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+2points
15out of 28found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Should have bought the Sony

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: ernie14
from North Aurora, IL
on 01/09/2012
Value for Price
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Sound Quality
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Durability
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Reception
1.0 out of 5
1.0
I was replacing a Sony armband radio and didn't need the extra features it had, since I primarily only use the am band when I'm working out. I bought the more basic and cheaper Insignia and I got what I less than what I paid for. The reception is terrible and the sound quality, even with the better headphones I purchased is lousy. Spend the extra and get the Sony.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 3 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

AM reception sucks

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: Anonymous
from Coral Springs,Fl
on 09/15/2010
Value for Price
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Sound Quality
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Durability
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Reception
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: Not much really
What's not so great: Radio reception which kinda defeats the purpose of getting this.
I bought one and FM was ok but AM had this background high pitched sound that got worse if you moved the radio. Exchanged it for another one, thinking maybe I bought a defective one but nothing but the same. In today's age, you should be able to buy a decent AM/FM radio for 20 bucks. This is the 3rd "Insignia" branded item I have bought and had problems with. Name brands only unless Best Buy changes their manufacturer of this $%#$.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+9points
11out of 13found this review helpful.
Review 4 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Don't waste your money.

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: f15muttley
from Florida
on 09/02/2010
Value for Price
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Sound Quality
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Durability
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Reception
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: It quit working fairly quick.
What's not so great: Everything else.
I was just looking for a simple radio to listen to while working out. Looked similar to the Sony, so I thought I would take a chance (the SONY metal strap wears out so fast)--don't make the same mistake. The only positive for this radio is that it quit working fairly quickly! Terrible sound, poor human engineering, lousy radio reception and thank God, it finally quit after 3 months. Guess it just doesn't pay to be cheap sometimes!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+16points
18out of 20found this review helpful.
Review 5 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Good value for the money

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: WoodyK
from woodbury,mn
on 07/30/2010
Value for Price
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Durability
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Reception
4.0 out of 5
4.0
What's great about it: Able to catch good reception in twin cities area for FM
What's not so great: Step change in audio volume, need smoother control
I live in an eastern suburb of twin cities and needed this radio for the bus travel to Mpls downtown and I can tell you that this piece gives good value for money. I get good reception throughout my travel and in the Mpls skyways and buildings. Since, it is a small radio, there may be some positions which introduces static, but one can managea.
I do not use the headphone supplied as I have an ipod and use the same set for both. Also, the ones which came with this radio were too tight and gave me a headache.
One drawback I see is that the volume control is digital but not smooth, which means that it changes in steps and in quiet env like work, I prefer lower volume than the smallest step available, which is not possible.
I listen mostly to NPR, but I can receive all the stattions in FM very clear without any static. I haven't tried AM stations yet.
it was the cheapest in the store and I did not expect more fro this radio that what it gives me right now.
i can't comment on durability yet, but carry in a sac and it has broken yet. It looks pretty robust.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+4points
5out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 6 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Armband Radio

Customer Rating
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Posted by: Elephant670
from Kansas City, Kansas
on 04/23/2010
Value for Price
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Durability
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Reception
4.0 out of 5
4.0
What's great about it: The sound and price is great
What's not so great: The connection for the headphones start to crackle after a while
It isn't bad for the price. It was too bulky for me at the gym. The arm band wasn't comfortable to me. It's easy to program.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 7 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

This radio stinks

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: RB05
from Placer County California
on 02/05/2010
Value for Price
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Sound Quality
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Durability
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Reception
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: it was cheap
What's not so great: most everything
This is not worth your time - I just bought a few months ago to use on my 4 mile walks daily - the headphones are junk - the part where it connects to the radio does not work well so only one ear works - the radio reception is horrible!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+4points
5out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 8 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Piece of S@@T

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: nlsuns
from glen mills pa
on 09/30/2009
Value for Price
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Sound Quality
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Durability
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Reception
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: Nothing at all
What's not so great: Everything about it sucks
I bought this radio to take to work with me to listen to the games and radio and I couldn't get a single radio station in! Don't buy this piece of S@@T
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+3points
5out of 7found this review helpful.
Review 9 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

A Piece of Junk

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: djones121
from Fairfax, VA
on 09/15/2009
Value for Price
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Sound Quality
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Durability
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Reception
1.0 out of 5
1.0
What's great about it: Nothing
What's not so great: Turning on
I could not even get this piece of junk to turn on. It would go to the HOLD mode, but would not turn ON. The rubber buttons are hard to use and I couldn't set the time either. Don't waste your time even considering this product. This is unfortunate because it is getting very difficult to find any armband radios for sale for some reason.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+3points
5out of 7found this review helpful.
Review 10 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Insignia® Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Customer Rating
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Posted by: MJG23
from Greenfield, WI
on 05/27/2009
Value for Price
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Sound Quality
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Durability
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Reception
2.0 out of 5
2.0
What's great about it: compact design, easy set up, display
What's not so great: reception bad...even sitting outside, fuzzy
Bought to use to listen to play by play during Brewers games. Was sitting outside at home...fuzzy reception, unless i turned it just right. Same at ballpark.
I like the design...easy to set up, easy to read, but poor reception. Sorry!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+3points
4out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 11 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Overall not worth buying

Customer Rating
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Posted by: CharlotteReviewer
from Charlotte, NC
on 06/18/2008
What's great about it: Price
What's not so great: Poor reception
My ultimate conclusion may not be surprising, given the price, but I have to conclude this radio is probably not worth buying.
One's reaction to the radio may depend on location and stations desired. My intended use of the radio was listening to the local PBS station while walking for exercise. I could probably have used it satisfactorily for this purpose (reception on that station was OK), but I discovered that other similar radios are able to get more stations and better reception on most of those that this radio does receive.
Though I could have probably used the radio for what I want to use it for more than 99% of the time, I decided to return it and spend just a few dollars more for something of obviously better quality
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 12 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Poor reception

Customer Rating
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Posted by: TechTFA
from Northwest GA
on 02/25/2008
What's great about it: Price; fairly lighweight
What's not so great: Poor reception while running; Earphones broke
I was hoping this would be a good running radio for the price. However, it only picks up 4-5 stations, and they full of static while I run. There are many other stations in the area that I can pick up with my alarm clock radio. The reception is fair while walking, so it might not be a bad option if that is what you primarily do. Also, the left earphone went out after a few uses, so I had to spend an extra $10 to get a decent pair.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 13 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Poor Quality

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: RadioMan
from Bay Area, California
on 01/22/2008
What's great about it: cheap
What's not so great: bad reception, poor wiring on headset
I found the reception quality to be poor. The sound is noisy and comes in and out when you move around the radio and headphone wire. For a device designed to strap to your arm during exercise, this is unacceptable. A week after buying the radio, my headphone wire broke and I can only hear sound in the right earpiece. Overall, this product is of poor quality.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+1point
2out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 14 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

" Starless "

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: fernando
from Miami, Florida
on 09/29/2007
What's not so great: everything...
I got excited with this radio price and the above reviews. To the point of buying the 2 years extra replacement warranty offered by Best Buy @ $ 6.99. Originally, I bought this radio for my Bus commuting. I was NOT able to hear anything. To my dismay, problems continued when walking outdoors. Nothing wrong with the volume, which was adequate. It is basically a poor intermitent reception, sometimes with static. I had previously already unwinded and straightened out (without stretching ) the headphones wire which happens to be the antenna. Talking of headphones, they would slide upon walking. Never mind jogging.
Reminds me of another cheap radio I wasted my money with elsewhere. RETURNING to outlet branch FIRST thing in the morning. Thank goodness for Best Buy great returns policy. Still, I might be given the same brand another chance with the MP3.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+1point
2out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 15 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Great Portable Radio

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: JAR11
from Atlanta, GA
on 09/11/2007
Overall this product is fantastic. I recently purhcased this product, to use when doing yardwork. Don't want to risk damaging an ipod while working in the yard. For the money, this AM/FM radio is the best thing you can fidI was concerned about the volume control and that has been great. I have used it when jogging as well. the radio always gets a great signal. Unfortunately it has fallen few times, but the product is very resilient and hasn't skipped a beat. The radio also allows for 10 preset AM and FM station which is more than enough.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 16 for Insignia™ Armband Radio with AM/FM Stereo

Listen to the Tunes

Customer Rating
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Posted by: MrMcMath
on 08/16/2007
This radio works fine and does what it's supposed to. It's convenient because it comes with a velcro armband so you can strap it to your arm. You can also clip it to a belt.
Reception is fairly good, especially on AM stations. I found it to lack a little on FM stations when tuned to transmissions in the gym for watching TV channels.
Overall, it's a good value.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+8points
9out of 10found this review helpful.