Sangean PR-D5 Portable Radio with Digital Tuning and RDS (White)

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.

Bought this for our bathroom radio (no electricity, don't ask).Sound: Very good, solid. The sound leans more to the bass than I would have guessed. I listen mainly to public radio, so the bass helps with the voices (with my prior radio, I turned the bass way up and the treble down). My kids listen to contemporary pop, so again bass is good.The player has a stereo/mono switch. I couldn't hear much difference between the two, which was good and bad. A little stereo separation may have been nice, but practically difficult given the size and speaker placement. On the other hand, I notice a big difference between stereo and mono on our regular stereo receiver, so much so that I always need to switch it to mono to cut down on the fuzz sound. Here, no fuzz.Reception: So far, rock solid. Our prior radio, a great RCA model, had some problems with reception but the stations here came in spot on. I'm using the antennae fully extended against an inside wall.Size: Most surprising. The player is much smaller than I had guessed. It is a bit narrow, so that freestanding I suspect it may be a bit tippy. There are four rubber pads on the bottom. There is no handle or loops for a strap. A ridge extends on the back side, just below the cut out for the antennae. If you put your hand over the top, with your fingers under the ridge, your thumb can control the buttons of the front easily.The tuner and volume are on the right side. I suspect that confusing the two will be common, with the tendency to reach for the top button (tuner) to control the volume. The buttons adjust the volume nicely, no clicks, just smooth control.The body is completely plastic but feels like good quality. The speakers are set back slightly from the covering grill, presumably to avoid damage.Set-up: Tuning the stations in to the presets is easy. There are only five presets, no second level for another set of five presets. This is OK but it would have been nice to have two levels. We often use the two levels in other equipment to differentiate between kids and adult stations.The sleep function will be nice, in case we walk out and forget to turn off the radio. Haven't used the alarm. The LCD panel light up but then shuts off, to preserve battery life I presume. There's a clock. There's the obligatory external auxiliary device (a/k/a iPod) plug-in on the right side as well.There is no weather radio, which is a disappointment. How difficult would it have been to add that in?Power: Six C-cell batteries. I guess the C size was a compromise. D's would have been too heavy and AA two light. Still C sizes are harder to find, especially in rechargeables. Still, if this player is anything like the RCA, the batteries may last years. Also, there's a plug in on the right side for AC power and a wall wart comes with the unit (not used by me, see above).Hated to see our old radio die after twenty plus years, but this will be a great replacement.October 2011: Battery life is short. My first set of five C cell batteries lasted about 40 hours. My guess is that the display drains the batteries as radios themselves don't generally suck much power (our old radio, no display, used to last years on a set of batteries). Replaced with rechargeables and am getting just a little less play time. Be warned.Other than that, we love this radio. Sound is great for the entire family. I particularly like listening to public radio programs.One unexpected use was the auxiliary plug in. My kids plug their MP3 players in while taking a shower and I use for podcasts. I don't know if this use drains the battery more or not.June 2013: Still going strong. Batteries (rechargeable) last about three weeks in our house (four people, in the bathroom), mainly radio listening, probably about an hour a day.

I bought this radio from Amazon way back in 2011. This is the main radio I have listened to 99% of the time over the last 10 years. I keep it right by my bedside. It's taken a number of spills on the floor but it still has the original antenna from 10 years ago. The radios strong suit are it's excellent audio fidelity and good volume level. It's weak point is that it lacks a handle to carry the radio around. The speakers are so small but the sound they get out of them is amazing. I always use the AC power adapter and I do keep batteries inside the unit in case of power failures in the area. You look at the radios styling and it looks like a bedside radio, not really a radio that would be carried to different areas of the house. From what I've heard the 6 C cell batteries do not last that long in this radio if you don't bother using the included AC adapter. One of the radio strong suit is that large 200mm ferrite bar antenna. Anybody considering listening to distant AM radio stations through skip propagation or ground wave should have a larger sized ferrite bar in their radio. Sometimes static on the AM bands can be overwhelming at times when I use this radio. The lighted dial is really a necessity for a bedside radio. The Cords feature that displays the radio stations does not work very well at night due to the short time the display is illuminated. This has been my main radio to wake myself up to over the past 10 years. I would just use a radio station to wake myself up. The radio does have a beeping alarm in the auxiliary function mode but it's not very loud at all and it's not something I would rely on to get myself up in the morning. I would always have this radio and another alarm clock set to wake myself up. I could not be late at my job and a good way to avoid that is to have two different alarms set. If I bough this radio again I would spend the little extra money and get the model with the handle. If you keep the radio for 10 years like me you will need a handle to make better use of the radio. It certainly is a reliable radio, almost like a pet rock. The only problems I have now is the 5 radio station selector switches are not that accurate anymore, sometimes they pick the wrong station and the AC power chord has a slight short and needs to have the wire bent a certain way to power up the radio.

Let me start off by saying that I am the type of person who always takes reviews with a grain of salt, and I rarely comment unless I have a very strong opinion one way or another. I did read lots and lots of reviews about radios because I found that being in SW Virginia I don't have options of places to see one of these in person so I relied very heavily on what people told me about their experience.I got this radio about 2 months ago and it hasn't been off much since! I have taken it to work with me, had it on the back patio, used it as a bedside radio, and even entertained a small party with it (it is very loud and clean for a radio of its size)Thoughts:-No handle on top makes transport tough but this radio is super light so it is easy to get over (I think the AC adapter on the power cord weighs more than the radio itself- but don't be fooled this little guy is sturdy and very well built. The buttons and knobs are all very crisp and exceptional)-Digital tuning, in my opinion, is a very dangerous thing. No minor adjustments means you either get the station or you are out of luck, but in my experience with this radio so far, the tuner is dead on.-It is sturdy-I work in a greenhouse and it got knocked off of a table onto a concrete floor from about three feet up and one little scratch later, it is still playing like a champ.-The AM reception is out of this world. I googled "clear channel stations" and went all the way through the dial one night and correctly identified all of them. I live in the the mountains of SW VA, and reception of any kind is difficult but this radio does the trick. I go to bed with 650 AM out of Nashville playing and it sounds like Eddie Stubbs is in my bedroom the reception is so good. Most people think I am a bit old fashioned for it, but I love listening to 740 out of Toronto for big band music and then switching to the Grand Ole Opry out of Nashville. It is fun and sounds great!-The AUX input is great for plugging an ipod in. Don't be fooled into buying one of those ipod docking radios because the sound quality and radio reception on those in the same price range don't compare to this with a $10 adapter cord from Walmart.-FM is great as well. I listen to a station that is about 50 miles away as the crow flies that usually only comes in well in a good car radio but this radio get it fine.-Haven't tried the battery power option on this yet but with spring camping and fishing trips coming up, I will probably give it a whirl.If I had more money, I would buy one for work, and one for home. Everyone laughs at me because I carry it around with me now.The thing that will amaze you is how talk and music sounds on this radio. You don't know what you are missing until you hear it on a radio of this quality- and for half the price of some of the radios in its class. My buddies went from mocking me for spending $60 on a radio in the day of smartphones and high speed internet to asking me to bring it upstairs from my bedroom when they stop by after work so that we could listen to it.

Half the price of my Tivoli Songbook, the PR-D5 has superior AM/FM reception, dual stereo speakers, and easy-to-use ergonomics, making it even better than the Sangean single-speaker Sonido. As a bedside radio, it has even better FM reception than my Sangean WR-2 but it lacks the WR-2's depth and heaviness, qualities I like in a bedside radio. For a lighter, portable radio with no remote, go for the PR-D5. If you want more luxury in your radio (remote, numerical volume indicator, heavier feel) and don't mind a slight compromise in FM reception, you might want to check out the Sangean WR-2, which is compatible with an upgraded FM antenna attachment.One question many will have is why the PR-D5 goes for about 15 dollars less than the Sonido. The answer most likely is that the 2.5-inch stereo speakers on the PR-D5 don't have the richness nor the depth of the Sonido's 3-inch monoaural speaker.Update: Ironically, I don't like listening to talk radio on dual speakers. This is not a technological issue, but psychological. The voices don't seem as focused as they do on the Sangean WR-2's monoaural speaker. So if you're a heavy AM talk radio listener, you might want to opt for the WR-2.Second Update: To really test the FM on the PR-D5, I tried to pull in the weak college station 88.9. The PR-D5 pulled in the station with clarity, even better than my Eton S350. The verdict: My PR-D5 is my best performing AM/FM radio, even better than the Eton/Grundig S350. That says quite a lot. Even more astounding, the PR-D5 is 15 dollars cheaper.Third Update: I brought my PR-D5 to my work office and like all the digital radios I've tried it suffered compromised reception. I succeeded more with my Tivoli Model Three (same as the Model One with the additional clock). So for your office, if it's full of computer interference, you might want to go with an upscale analog radio like the aforementioned Tivoli Model One or Three.Fourth Update:Power supply stopped working and Sangean replaced my entire radio two or three years ago. Since that time, my speakers have gradually suffered distortion to the point that I no longer use my PR-D5. Mind you, this distortion took place with normal use.These speakers were a bit muffled to begin with, as most people agree is a problem with the PR-D5. But distortion made this unusable.I now recommend a more superior Sangean, the CL-100: Better FM, better crisp speaker sound. And it's cheaper than the PR-D5.