Customer reviews for HD Radio Portable Player
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HD Radio Portable Player
When you're on the go, listen to your favorite HD and FM radio stations using this portable player that features a belt clip for easy portability.
Overall rating:
3.8
/ 5
(325 reviews)
Rating breakdown 325 reviews
5 Stars
136
4 Stars
89
3 Stars
29
2 Stars
32
1 Star
39
73%of customers recommend this product.
(
238 out of
325)
Customer reviews for HD Radio Portable Player
Review 81 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: sjuffe
from Mount Laurel NJ
I too bought this the first day out. I like the size of this little guy. It's just right for me. The buttons are in a good spot, and fairly well spaced out between them for me. The sound out of this little guy was VERY good. Of course, if you use better headphones/speakers then the sound will be better. The case seems to pickup finger oils and its not that easy to get rid of them. The reception on this was difficult. At home in my house great, in my truck only at the windows. I tried this at the four different sites I work at and found it to need a clear line to the sky (but yet at home it was fine). I'm not sure why that is, more play is needed. For the $50 price tag this was great buy, one I support others in even though I usually don't support buying store brands like this.
What's great about it: Size, layout, sound
What's not so great: Case picks up finger print smudges, earphones, and play/charge
I would recommend this to a friend!
Read Comment (1)
Comments (1)
McJay
Missouri City, TX (Houston area)
Additional information about McJay could not be loaded.
No AM but constructed pretty well
July 25, 2010
I had a gift card and bought this at my local Best Buy. To say HD Radio is an afterthought to them is an understatement. I asked the guy where the HD Radios were, and he pointed me to this peg by some 3rd party iPod car chargers or something. I don't think they had any table models at all. I wanted this one anyway, so I got it for $10 less than anticipated. The sound quality is pretty great with HD sub-channels. My local NPR (gag) affiliate has great classical and strings sub-channels. I've yet to see if some of the sub-channels on other stations have fewer commercials.
Regardless, between yesterday and today, I remembered or realized that AM has digital channels too. Why doesn't this unit have AM?? I didn't even pay attention to the box when I bought this unit. I incorrectly assumed that HD Radios would receive ALL available content like the SAT receivers do. I was wrong. So, that was a delayed disappointment. I see other reviews here where people are talking about AM stations. Huh??? I think some of the FM sub-channels play the company's AM station, but it sounds like ultra-compressed submarine quality (like most of XM/Sirius). My market only has a couple of AM HD stations, apparently, but I would have liked that capability and better sound quality. It's possible that the AM subs would have been paid programming and other garbage like that, but I won't know I guess. AM is pretty unbearable with the commercial load and stupid jingles all the time, so maybe I should not care.
HD Radio is a neat concept, and the theme sub-channels are interesting. However, I don't like how this unit follows the pattern nearly all manufacturers do with portables: only FM matters to people who buy Walkman type devices. WRONG. The ONLY portable I've ever seen in stores that has AM as well as FM (plus analog TV, Weather) is that Sony unit that is $40 and has not changed in 10 years at least. It's the gray one with the 5 rubber buttons on the front. I've heard that the UK is forcing all digital broadcast radio similar to how we did that with television. I wonder if it's the same format as this.
The radio itself seems well-built, but sometimes buttons have to be pressed twice. I think that's a software issue, but I don't know. The HD reception is spotty, but that didn't surprise me in the suburbs.
For the next release, I would recommend adding AM and maybe an internal recorder so somebody could record some talk radio in higher fidelity. This would probably bump the price up by 50%.
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Review 82 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: hihat
from New York, NY
This is my first HD radio, and it's a pip! I'm really blown away by the stunning sound quality.
Now granted, I am using Bose Earbuds instead of the cheapo earbuds packed in with the radio. Clearly, you do NOT have to use the supplied earbuds for proper reception!
I compared the sound of my favorite analog classical FM station, WQXR, to the sound of the public radio's HD2 station, and as good as WQXR sounds, the HD was MUCH better. Better fidelity, greater dynamic range, complete absence of noise of any kind.
I also find HD much LESS prone to signal interruptions and sound glitches than analog FM, both as I walk around the city listening to the radio and sitting listening to it in my apartment.
Really the only negative I can cite is the way the screen becomes completely unreadable in bright sunlight. If you have your favorite stations preset, however, you should be able to find your way around the dial without a problem.
The other hassle I encountered was convincing the sales people at the local BB that this radio existed and that the store indeed carried it. They didn't know what it was, insisted they didn't stock it, and even suggested I look for an HD radio at Radio Shack!
So -- if you want to purchase one of these splendid little radios at a BB store, you'll have to be persistent (hint: look in a locked cabinet in the mp3 department).
IMO it's well worth the effort!
What's great about it: Superb sound, extra stations, onscreen program information
What's not so great: Included earbuds, screen invisible in bright sunlight
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 83 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: aerospaced
from No. Va.
I was disappointed with sound quality of the satellite radio in my car so I bought this inexpensive HD radio and connected it to my car using the headphone output into the aux input of my car radio. IMHO the sound quality when listening to HD stations is a huge improvement over FM or satellite. Excellent freq response, dynamic response and stereo separation. Very close to CD quality sound. Reception is so-so - forutnately I live about 25 miles from DC so its okay with occasional switching back and forth between HD and normal FM while drving. No problem while using it home. Anything further away however would probably be a problem. It was a bonus to find a couple of new stations that I didnt know existed. I am in process of upgrading the earphones that came with it in order to take full advantage of the excellent sound this little radio provides.
What's great about it: Sound quality is excellent, inexpensive, charges quickly, good battery life, portable
What's not so great: Display difficult to see in daylight, no bass or treble controls, quality of earphones
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 84 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: cplaw
from Los Angeles, CA
Right now, I'm listening at home to an hd subchannel on my Sony noise-canceling earphones, and the sound is great.
As far as I can tell, I am receiving every subchannel broadcasting in my area. This includes several AM stations that have secondary signals on sister FM stations, including two all news stations and a popular talk station.
I drove sixty miles and back today, and got signal most of the way, except in an area near some mountains. Yes, it cut out occasionally, but the AM stations on the FM signal sound much better than over AM on my car radio. (I'm using my aux. input on my car stereo.)
Even when I can't get HD signal on FM, the analog comes in very nicely. It is the best small analog FM receiver I've owned.
No, it isn't perfect. You won't get perfect HD on a small portable unit. Once you accept that, you'll be happy with it.
The graphic display works fine, even though it isn't elegant.
I think it is an excellent value.
What's great about it: Price, usability, graphic information
What's not so great: Reception not perfect
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
5
Review 85 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: JimInNH
from NH
Field tested for several days. There are at least 18 HD stations/channels in my area. Number of HD stations this device can receive while moving/driving = 0. Number of HD stations this device can receive while stationary = 2. When you can get a station the sound quality is good but not astonishingly better than regular analog FM radio. The device does switch between analog and digital signals when HD is available but the switch is not clean .. usually a delay of 2-5 seconds where there is absolute silence .. that's right .. no sound whatsoever. I would only recommend considering this for purchase if you live in the heart of a major metro area where HD towers are very nearby .. otherwise don't waste your time or money. If they really want to make this HD Radio thing fly they will need to have much better transmission of the signal.
What's great about it: When it does work it works well.
What's not so great: No reception.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Sound Quality
2
Durability
2
Review 86 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: ClaudeB
from Houston, TX
When I first turned this little radio on, it immediately locked on to our PBS HD station 40 miles from my location. I was stunned, since I have a very expensive Cambridge Sound Systems HD table radio and I have to use an amplified antenna with that HD receiver, and it frequently drops the HD stations. This little radio has a very good HD receiver in it. I would highly recommend this radio to anyone who wants a very small portable HD receiver.
What's great about it: Ability to capture HD stations 40 milles away.
What's not so great: Battery not replaceable
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
4
Review 87 for HD Radio Portable Player
Customer Rating
5
Hear it like it is, and see who is playing what.
on October 5, 2009
Posted by: uncleG
from OC, Ca
Initially I got this for my desk at work,I have poor reception and hoped it would improve. If the radio station comes in good with a regular radio it can pull in the HD signal, if the station has one. It sounds very good with the supplied earbuds, better with high quality ones. I have pluged it into my home radio aux in and even my car radio aux input and could hear a big difference in sound quality.The background noise is very low,high notes sounder cleaner and the bass notes are full and punchy.If you like music to sound it's best HD radio is the way to go and this is a quick and easy way to get it.
What's great about it: excelent sound ,song and artist information,plays on anything with aux input.
What's not so great: Has 3 sets of tuning buttons(manual,scan,preset)1 set and a mode button would be better
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 88 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Comeover
from IL
I am reviewing Version 01.00.00 of this product (as displayed on the Menu)
This gadget is a cheap and easy way to see what all the fuss is about HD Radio. If you want to listen at home or in the office and don't want to spend the hassle getting your car stereo replaced, this is an option. You'll need to plug it into a mini USB cable to charge it for a few minutes after you take it out of the box.
The RF performance is not too shabby, the antenna is the headphones or whatever wire you have plugged in to the device. So sometimes to pick up analog FM stations properly you have to move the unit and your headphone wire all over the place.
The HD Radio performance is what I would expect out of such a relatively small device with a tiny antenna (the headphone wire). It picks up all the HD Radio channels that are listed on the HD Radio station guide for my city. There are occasionally artifacts or clipping, but overall the performance is good in my eyes.
The sound quality of the HD chanels is only as good as the radio station can compress it, it'll sound the same no matter which HD radio you play it back on. If the station is broadcasting 3 HD subchannels, they have to compress each one more to make it fit into the frequency, so those channels may have a lower fidelity sound to them. Again, this is not a fault of the device.
The radio does not offer enough preset slots. It has 10, but I see no reason a simple firmware update couldn't fix this. They could potentially bring it up to 99 if they wanted.
Sometimes you will see a brief error when switching to HD-1/2/3 presets that you have made ("Channel no longer available") but shortly thereafter it soon remembers how to reset back to that channel. Again, could possibly be fixed with a firmware update.
Let's hope that they eventually provide a way to hack these devices, update the firmware, etc. Otherwise, you need to purchase the 2 year Black Tie Protection for $9.99 in case failures occur, as this device only comes with a 90-day Parts & Labor warranty.
Add more presets and an AM tuner and this device would be even better.
4 stars out of 5
What's great about it: An affordable way to listen to HD Radio, charges on standard USB mini cable
What's not so great: Not enough presets (10). Some tuning issues, and slow tuning, no AM band
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
3
Review 89 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: rockyd
from Staten Island, NY
Sound quality is great with my own headphones. FM reception is flawless. HD reception is very poor on most stations. Same as in my new car which has HD radio. Radio stations will have to boost the power if this is going to work. I don't believe that it is the fault of the radio, but rather the transmitter. HD Radio is not ready for prime time. The radio stations need to boost the signal.
What's great about it: FM Reception
What's not so great: HD Reception
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Sound Quality
4
Durability
3
Review 90 for HD Radio Portable Player
Customer Rating
5
My first HD radio is also the best!!!!!!!
on November 6, 2009
Posted by: hippieman
from Owensville, OH
I live in a small town about 30 miles east of Cincinnati and I was a little weary of trying HD radio. I heard of weak reception in rural areas like mine. Also, I couldn't afford the $150 + price tag. I saw this portable HD radio online for $50 and decided to give it a try. I'll admit I was shocked. Every Cincinnati station came in. Only one was hard to keep coming in. WYGY-HD1 (97.3-1) was the toughest to get in HD, but it was staticy in analog. I couldn't recieve dayton stations in HD, but they had better reception in analog than any other radio I own. This radio has made me a believer in HD. It is a well built unit. I have no complaints. Also, using a patch cord, I can hook it up to my home stereo. This radio can hook up to anything with a 3.5mm aux in jack. I will definitely recommend this unit to all my friends and family. Insignia has made a product that is certain to bring HD radio to the average american.
What's great about it: Easy to use, extremely low price, strong tuner, great sound
What's not so great: nothing
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 91 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: DH100
from Rockville, MD
I commute to DC on a Marc train. No static sounds great. Look at your area and see if you have enough HD stations. DC has 29 stations. Frederick, MD 25 miles N. of my home has 2. Each station has two or more sub channels. I like to listen to NPR, BBC, music, talk, sports etc. If the DJ is too close to the mic you know it. Well recorded music is flawless. Presets allow you to move through your station quickly. Additional information like who is the singer and song are nice. Be carful, device is plastic and will scratch the display cover. Smaller than a cell phone. Glass window would have been nice. Like an ipod. Check your area on the web and see how many station you have. Best thing.. no static on HD station. If you can't get them, you just get silence. No speaker, but you can get a little speaker if you like. I did for the office. Great little device. And you can jack into your car stereo if you have a plug type like for your ipod. DH
What's great about it: Cristal clear sound
What's not so great: Lots of plastic
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 92 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Mascon
from Jeffersonville, IN
This is my first experience with HD radio but not my first with portable radios in general. In fact I've owned several portable Sony AM/FM portable radios over the years... all of which were great. However I have to say that the Insignia Radio is the very best FM radio I've ever had. The reception is phenominal! The keyboard is laid out with great thought and is very easy to use. I shouild point out that one must read the simple instructions that come with the device to learn how to operate it quickly because there are so many features. I am satisfied with the fact that it has 10 presets since in the Louisville area it fills all these and with HD+ it store in sub storage making the actual number of presets more than ten. I am extremely pleased with this radio and have had it for over three months and it works perfectly everytime. Thank you Best Buy for being the first to offer HD in this portable size!!!
What's great about it: Excellent reception
What's not so great: Can't really find anyu problems with it
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 93 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: MarkinGastonia
from Gastonia, NC
Sounds Great! Looks nice! I've wanted HD Radio for a while, and Now I have it in a hand held format. Like it a lot!
What's great about it: I Have HD Radio in my hand.
What's not so great: Doesn't have AM for AM HD Radio.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 94 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Mittatron
the LCD display rarely doesn't work. I've experienced this problem with all 3 units I've owned. there are rare occasions when the LCD display doesn't work when you turn on the radio but the radio is working.
my third unit has reception problems while it is charging. this is something that I didn't experience with my previous two units.
the latest firmware finally allows you to save HD-2 and higher on the presets. my previous 2 units only allowed for the primary station to be saved on the presets.
What's great about it: new firmware saves HD-2 & higher on the presets
What's not so great: it feels like my third unit might break like my second unit.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
2
Review 95 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: fmlistener
from tacoma wa
You have to scan through channels and it is a bit slow but reception rarely cuts out compared to others. Battery life good charging but time slow. Great for price.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
4
Review 96 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: LAIDBACK
from Pittsburgh PA
I was very happy with the radio, until I moved further out to the suburbs of PIttsburgh. Cannot receive any HD channels at all. My location is near the Airport. Not sure if the signals are too low, because I am near an airport or not. Now all I can receive are FM channels. It is very dissappointing to find that out after enjoying the HD channels for only 6 months.
What's great about it: Reception was very good
What's not so great: Be careful where you live. Cannot pick up signals
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
4
Review 97 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: OldGeek41
from Greensboro
Have used this for several weeks now and am very pleased with all aspects of unit.
What's great about it: price/features balance
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
4
Review 98 for HD Radio Portable Player
Customer Rating
5
A Neat Little Device for Listening at work
on August 10, 2011
Posted by: KCsFinest5
from KC
I enjoy listening to sports talk radio and decided to pick up an HD radio because my favorite station has been advertising their new HD station. I, like many of you, found the cheapest portable available. I am very critical of electronics, but I can honestly say that this is a great product. I believe the current price tag is due to low popularity of HD radio. However, if you are looking for a neat little radio that is small and looks nice, this is your radio.
Pros:
-Small size
-Attractive design
-Optional work-out band included
-Rechargeable battery
-Price
-Easy to use
-Small size
-Attractive design
-Optional work-out band included
-Rechargeable battery
-Price
-Easy to use
Cons:
-Sometimes signal gets weak while inside (usually a few 10 second periods everyday)
-screen could be bigger
-Sometimes signal gets weak while inside (usually a few 10 second periods everyday)
-screen could be bigger
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 99 for HD Radio Portable Player
Customer Rating
5
good sounds
on April 19, 2013
Posted by: hdtunes
from MISSOURI
Verified Purchase:Yes
I like this hd radio but availablity is low. I tried in all over the country and it wasn't available for months.
My Best Buy number: 0085115477
My Best Buy number: 0085115477
What's great about it: no static no commercials
What's not so great: tried to get from mid december til end of march
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
3
Review 100 for HD Radio Portable Player
Customer Rating
5
Great portable HD radio
on October 25, 2013
Posted by: khart2237
from Bergen County, NJ
Verified Purchase:Yes
I bought this product because I wanted an HD radio that wasn't subject to data and programming restrictions like I have come across with streaming radio on my phone. Although I'm a 90s kid, I prefer radio calls with the Giants and Jets games than I do listening to Joe Buck droning on like he always does on TV. I wanted something affordable that didn't produce shotty sound with constant static or white noise. I wanted a clear, HD sound and something that had a digital tuner rather than trying to rotate a dial around manually to try and find a sweet spot for a radio station. This product gave me all of what I was looking for and I am completely satisfied with the product. So now when I'm raking the leaves or exercising, I bring this little guy with me and I can hear every radio call of a sports game clearly and without any static. Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a radio of this sort.
My Best Buy number: 2844386227
My Best Buy number: 2844386227
What's great about it: Great value, easy to use, and outstanding sound
What's not so great: Battery life could be better and the holstering clip they package with the device isn't great.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5