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 161 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: malpayne
from Round Rock, TX
I was happy to find an HD radio under $50, but soon discovered that this low price came with a cost of poor design and performance. Reception is bad -- really bad. I live in an area where signals are strong, but the HD signal is constantly dropping out. The armband is a really poor design and to get it to be tight enough to not slip, it will cut off circulation in your arm. The ear buds are cheap and proprietary, and the casings around them are so poorly designed that they rattle as the cords swing as you walk. The programming and selection button design has to be the worst of all. You use the same buttons to program the mere 10 presets that you use to select the same presets. Since you cannot actually change a station until the HD signal is completely tuned in, moving through the presets is very difficult and in many cases you actually put the system in programming mode and accidently change your presets. It's better than no radio at all, but still it needs a lot of refinement.
What's great about it: The price
What's not so great: Bad reception, cheap and uncomfortable armband, poor programming design
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Sound Quality
2
Durability
2
Review 162 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Nicole801
from SLC, Utah
I got this radio as a christmas present for my boyfriend however looking at other reviews I decided to have him open it early. It worked great! He loves it so much. You should get better headphones for it. I think whether or not the reception is good depends on the area you live in so it could really be hit or miss when you buy it. I would say overall it's a sturdy little radio. It kind of sucks that it doesn't come with an AC adapter, you have to plug it in to your computer to charge it. I however was able to use my charger for my blackberry pearl to charge it and it worked fine. Over-all I am very pleased with this product.
What's great about it: It's an Hd radio that is portable, duh!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 163 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Chicolini
from Silver Spring, MD
I love this thing! It has great reception, well within expectations of a digital receiver. It may help that my headphones have a long cord. The included headphones are marginal.
What's great about it: small size, easy to use, included arm band
What's not so great: Poor included headphones; I use Shure SE210 - sounds fantastic
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 164 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: hogleg69
from Seattle, Wa
This HD radio is great it hooks to my big stereo and it works like a jimmy jam
tihs is so cool and no interfarence no need for ant.
tihs is so cool and no interfarence no need for ant.
What's great about it: everything
What's not so great: no preset equalizer modes
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
4
Review 165 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: TomFoolerly
from North Texas
I already have another radio/mp3 player. I use the radio more than the mp3. With the HD Radio function, you can get more station content and information on songs playing. The buttons are easy to use and the ear buds are okay. You can go to HDRadio.com and find HD radio stations in your area.
What's great about it: Instructions and carry case are good. USB Cable is standard for charging
What's not so great: Does not get AM HD Radio
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 166 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Geezerama
from Westminster, CO
Until this unit appeared, HD radio was an expensive novelty with few choices of receivers to choose from. This refreshingly low-priced receiver allows you to listen via headphones while out and about, or plug the audio output into your stereo system for around-the-house listening. It relies on the headphone cable as its antenna, which limits the reception somewhat. Rechargeable battery has decent playing time, and recharges using USB port on your computer or by means of other chargers which you probably already have (helps keep the price down.) A very good value!
What's great about it: Great unit for getting started with HD radio.
What's not so great: Reception could be better if an external antenna connection was provided.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
4
Review 167 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Anonymous
from Joplin, MO
I really like this radio! Picks up the local Joplin, MO HD radio stations. I purchased it to hear the News-Talk Station on 102.5 HD2 and it sounds awesome and works great. The price is great too! You can't beat the radio for the price.
What's great about it: Sounds, Great Pulls in HD Radio
What's not so great: kinda of small, Short Battery Life, But you can charge it while listning
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 168 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: cloudermelt
from Cleveland, Ohio
I just bought this a few days ago and I love it. The station I listened to changed formats and I found out that they play the same format in HD (So far, I have not even heard a commercial) It appears that the reception is based on the 3.5mm cable or the headphones being plugged in and I have yet to try it inside a building while at work, but I love this thing! I only rated it a 4 on durability because I have not had it long but it seems pretty sturdy.
What's great about it: Small size can be worn on an armband (included)
What's not so great: Reception without being plugged in
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 169 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: mustanggary
from Monroe, MI
I returned this item as I was unhappy with the volume. On the highest setting it was not loud, and I never listen to anything that's loud.
What's great about it: Displays song title and artist
What's not so great: The volume was not loud enough on the highest setting, and I don't like loud!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Sound Quality
1
Durability
4
Review 170 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: gmp1226
from Marengo, OH
This is my first HD radio after getting rid of my satellite radio due to costs. I live about 35 miles from most of the stations that have an HD signal and I get them loud and clear. To use in a car, I bought a 6 foot cable at radio shack to "extend" the headphones. Even though I plug it into my aux in on my car radio, the extra cable works well since it is the antenna for the radio. I also use my better headphones instead of the ones that came with the radio. They weren't the best quality, but they were ok.
What's great about it: Good sound quality, good reception
What's not so great: included headphones could be better quality
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 171 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: sonic429
from Cincinnati, OH
I bought this radio because favorite station in Cincinnati went HD only, that was back in Spring of 09, I missed the station, and was so fed up with what was left to me on regular FM I bought this and another HD radio for my car.
Needless to say when I saw that I could get this portable deal for $50 I had to have it. I could not tell you how pleased I was to get my station back in crystal clear HD (which is not High Defenition by the way, Hybrid Digital, think of it as CD quality as opposed to radio quality) but also found a 2 other stations that played alternative music. I also love tthe fact that its commecial free, some stations have DJ's some don't, but the interuption is nominal or non existant regardless.
The Radio itself performs admirably, the reception is usually pretty good, it does have its hit and miss spots, but that seems to be the nature of digital rather than the radio itself. The internal battery is great too, 15 hours is plenty to last me all week at work being used off and on. The earbuds aren't top of the line but you knew that already didn't you, and the armband is hit or miss, personally I threw it off to the side, fits just fine in my pocket.
There are some aspects that could have been better: the button layout and user interface could have been a bit more intuitive and the volume button just feels akward, I had to check the manual to figure it out, but it does work fairly well once you figure it out, and the screen isn't the greatest. My biggest gripe about it however, is that the presets only save the HD1 stations, most of the time these are just digital versions of the analog stations, much of the draw of HD radio is the free extra stations, it's a shame that I have to switch to the station I want, wait for HD2 or HD3 to come up, then manually switch, it's by no means a deal breaker, but it is a nusance especially if you switch stations with any frequency like me.
While it may sound like I griped quite a bit for someone who gave the product 4 out of 5 stars, I must say I truly enjoy this radio, in fact I am listening to it as I write this review. Considering its at a $50 price point and there are basically NO other alternatives for portable HD, the next step up is the Zune HD which starts as $220. If you are sick of FM, this is a great alternative, no commecials, no subscription fees, just music.
Minor quibbles aside this is a great product for a great price.
Needless to say when I saw that I could get this portable deal for $50 I had to have it. I could not tell you how pleased I was to get my station back in crystal clear HD (which is not High Defenition by the way, Hybrid Digital, think of it as CD quality as opposed to radio quality) but also found a 2 other stations that played alternative music. I also love tthe fact that its commecial free, some stations have DJ's some don't, but the interuption is nominal or non existant regardless.
The Radio itself performs admirably, the reception is usually pretty good, it does have its hit and miss spots, but that seems to be the nature of digital rather than the radio itself. The internal battery is great too, 15 hours is plenty to last me all week at work being used off and on. The earbuds aren't top of the line but you knew that already didn't you, and the armband is hit or miss, personally I threw it off to the side, fits just fine in my pocket.
There are some aspects that could have been better: the button layout and user interface could have been a bit more intuitive and the volume button just feels akward, I had to check the manual to figure it out, but it does work fairly well once you figure it out, and the screen isn't the greatest. My biggest gripe about it however, is that the presets only save the HD1 stations, most of the time these are just digital versions of the analog stations, much of the draw of HD radio is the free extra stations, it's a shame that I have to switch to the station I want, wait for HD2 or HD3 to come up, then manually switch, it's by no means a deal breaker, but it is a nusance especially if you switch stations with any frequency like me.
While it may sound like I griped quite a bit for someone who gave the product 4 out of 5 stars, I must say I truly enjoy this radio, in fact I am listening to it as I write this review. Considering its at a $50 price point and there are basically NO other alternatives for portable HD, the next step up is the Zune HD which starts as $220. If you are sick of FM, this is a great alternative, no commecials, no subscription fees, just music.
Minor quibbles aside this is a great product for a great price.
What's great about it: Portable HD Radio! Great Price
What's not so great: A Few Missing Features
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 172 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: EAColocciaJr
from Rochester, NY
I really wanted to like this radio. I received it as a gift from my wife to use on my 30-minute commute to and from work to listen to NPR. It was unbearable. The NPR HD channel could cut out as many as 12-15 times in 20 minutes, each time the interruption could last for seconds to minutes. I can't really blame the terrain, I'd be on the highway, cruising along a flat stretch, and suddenly the radio would cut out. It just didn't work well enough to rely on. I am disappointed. I really wanted this radio to work.
What's great about it: Small, easy to use, has a rechargable battery
What's not so great: Lousy reception, channels cut out often and for extended periods of time
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Sound Quality
4
Durability
3
Review 173 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Mandogeek
from Pittsburgh, PA
If you are buying this to use when you our outside it is probably a decent product. Do not purchase this to use in you car. I had planned to use this in my car by plugging it into the iPod input on my car stereo. That part worked, unfortunately, the reception was poor. With HD radio you either have a signal that is good or you have no signal at all. With poor reception, the signal would just go away.
What's great about it: compact size, digital and analog station reception
What's not so great: poor reception in a car, battery only charges via USB port
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Sound Quality
3
Durability
3
Review 174 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Shangrila78
from Minneapolis, MN
This product works great. The reception to the AM station I am interested is spotty at times but that might be a function my location (44th floor). Overall a very good value for the price.
What's great about it: Very good product for the price
What's not so great: Reception at my office (44th floor) is not so great
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
4
Review 175 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: LabattZ
from Everett, WA
Reception is relative to your location and is best used on your person outside.
Indoor reception decreases dramatically (ie: inside a gym or office building).
When you get a good signal, you get great audio. Mini usb charging is great, std 3.5mm jack headphones act as the antenna, unit is small and fits in the palm of your hand. HD sub-channels (broadcaster-specific) are a cool bonus to the increased sound quality.
For the price, it's a great way to experiment with HD Radio.
What's great about it: Very small footprint, easy to read LCD, good battery life, any (3.5mm) earphones will work
What's not so great: earphones as antenna, un-necessary buttons, no bluetooth option
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 176 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: lennyd831
from port huron michigan
For the money this radio is great I get great reception even in metal buildings the sound quality is great and the headphones are very cumftorable much more so than ear buds this is a great buy.
What's great about it: the reception is great I pull in a lot of stations I could never get on a portable radio
What's not so great: the battery still goes dead even when not being used
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 177 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: Ruralmaletx
from Carrollton, TX
First HD radio purchased and am pleased with it. OK
What's great about it: Just to be able to listen inside a building without static
What's not so great: not sure headset came with is best suitable
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4
Durability
5
Review 178 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: FASV
from MIAMI
I ALREADY OWN AN INSIGNIA STAND ALONE TUNER CONNECTED TO MY OLD ONKYO RECEIVER VIA OPTICAL. GREAT SOUND.I ALWAYS LIKED FM RADIO DUE TO THE " SURPRISE FACTOR" DJ'S USE TO PLAY MUSIC. WITH AN I-POD OR MP3 YOU ALWAYS KNOW THE MUSIC AVAILABLE;NOT SO WITH RADIO.
THIS LITTLE GADGET EVEN IF DOES NOT HAVE DIGITAL AM( THERE'S NO TOO MANY DIGITAL AM STATIONS ON THE AIR); HAS A GREAT SOUND. THE PROVIDED HEADPHONES ARE ONLY OK TO PRODUCE A GOOD SOUND. HOWEVER; TRY TO USE A BETTER ONES FROM A WELL KNOWN BRAND AND YOU WILL NOTICE THE IMPROVEMENT.THE FACT ONLY HAS 10 PRE-SETS IS A DRAWBACK.THERE IS STILL NON-DIGITAL FM STATIONS ON THE AIR AND YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE AND USE THOSE FEW PRE-SETS WISELY.
HD FM IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT OVER ANALOG FM. THE SOUND IS SHARPER WITH GREAT STEREO SEPARATION AN A TOTAL ABSCENCE OF NOISE. ALL HD FM RADIOS " BLEND" THE SIGNAL TO REGULAR ANALOG FM IF THE SIGNAL IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO TRIGGER THE DIGITAL FM CIRCUIT. THERE IS WHEN YOU WILL NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE!!!.
HAVING EVEN THREE FEEDS USING THE SAME FREQUENCY IS GREAT. FOR SOME REASON HD2 ALWAYS SOUND BETTER THAN HD1 AND HD3 IS USED MAINLY FOR TALK RADIO AND SOME AM STATIONS.
I RECENTLY READ HD FM WAS ALMOST DEAD... REALLY ??????
THIS LITTLE GADGET EVEN IF DOES NOT HAVE DIGITAL AM( THERE'S NO TOO MANY DIGITAL AM STATIONS ON THE AIR); HAS A GREAT SOUND. THE PROVIDED HEADPHONES ARE ONLY OK TO PRODUCE A GOOD SOUND. HOWEVER; TRY TO USE A BETTER ONES FROM A WELL KNOWN BRAND AND YOU WILL NOTICE THE IMPROVEMENT.THE FACT ONLY HAS 10 PRE-SETS IS A DRAWBACK.THERE IS STILL NON-DIGITAL FM STATIONS ON THE AIR AND YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE AND USE THOSE FEW PRE-SETS WISELY.
HD FM IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT OVER ANALOG FM. THE SOUND IS SHARPER WITH GREAT STEREO SEPARATION AN A TOTAL ABSCENCE OF NOISE. ALL HD FM RADIOS " BLEND" THE SIGNAL TO REGULAR ANALOG FM IF THE SIGNAL IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO TRIGGER THE DIGITAL FM CIRCUIT. THERE IS WHEN YOU WILL NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE!!!.
HAVING EVEN THREE FEEDS USING THE SAME FREQUENCY IS GREAT. FOR SOME REASON HD2 ALWAYS SOUND BETTER THAN HD1 AND HD3 IS USED MAINLY FOR TALK RADIO AND SOME AM STATIONS.
I RECENTLY READ HD FM WAS ALMOST DEAD... REALLY ??????
What's great about it: DIGITAL FM (HD),VERY SMALL, AWESOME SOUND QUALITY.BUILT-IN RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM-ION BATTERY,COLOR SCREEN
What's not so great: NO DIGITAL AM ( NO BIG DEAL).ONLY 10 PRESETS.HEADPHONES ONLY OK.TRICKY STATION PRE-SETTING .
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
4
Review 179 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: MrMarkSr
from Indiana
I was surprised with the sound of this little radio it sounded like a big home entertainment system, it has really beep bass sounds. I like the LCD screen it tells the artist and song info, and other info sent from the radio station, like the weather and events around town, its a really cool Radio I am almost 100% satisfied with it, the only downfall is there is no AM radio band, and AM also has HD channels. I have an HD radio in my car now for four years I love it. I have been waiting for a personal HD radio Now I have one. Thanks.
What's great about it: Its HD Radio, Sound Quality
What's not so great: There Is No AM Band
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5
Review 180 for HD Radio Portable Player
Posted by: doggiedad
from Utah
Best purchase ever. Love to hike and listen to radio. This thing gives great reception, lots of radio channels are being developed for HD. Only portable HD I could find. Long battery life, rechargeable, great sound, Bought over internet, picked up in store, saved $10.Wish I would never have bought a portable satellite radio and paid subscription cost
What's great about it: No Subscription, great reception
What's not so great: Hard to read in bright light
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
Durability
5