ETON 960 Classic AM/FM Shortwave Radio by Eton
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Digital camera reviews of ETON 960 Classic AM/FM Shortwave Radio
Digital camera Review: Good Looking, Bad Engineering
Summary: 1 Stars
This is an absurd piece of junk. If you intend to limit its use to light local AM and FM broadcasts or pretending you're Flash Gordon it may suffice, as long as you have a home palatial enough to accomodate it. However, even with a decent long wire shortwave antenna you will need either a lot of patience or very strong stations, because tuning the clumsy slide-style tuner is almost impossible to do with any degree of precision. Even in an area of good radio reception this unit requires a quality antenna for any, including the strongest, stations, especially on FM. You will need -- and this is not a myabe, you will will will need -- separate antennas for FM and AM, and don't underestimate the headache this may represent for you, not to mention the extra expense and rat's nest of wires needed just to bring static down to acceptable levels. And you won't get away with just a cheap FM dipole antenna: the one I tried did nothing for this gigantic colossus, and I had to use a powered FM antenna. (I had to try three until I finally tuned out the static on FM). The feel is mushy, and in fact, the knobs aren't even firmly set in place -- whatever it is that they're are attached to moves around as you rotate the knobs, as if they didn't finish putting the thing together inside the case. It surprised me how shabbily made this fairly cool-looking radio was when I first started messing around with it. There are two things about this radio that are unforgivable: NO HEADPHONE JACKS! Even as I write this I can't quite believe it, and feel like one will appear, it will have been cleverly hidden -- but no matter how hard I look, how much credit I give them for ingeniously disguising the thing -- it's not there. So if you're going to use this bedside, just remember that it will always be a group activity, and using it to record anything is ruled out for you. This is absolutely beyond belief, considering that a jack would have added about four cents to the cost of this behemoth. Equally irritating is that the line input for using an auxiliary sound source -- your cd walkman, say -- is absolutely terrible. You need to turn the unit way up just to hear what you've attached, and then it comes through sounding like a damp toilet paper and comb kazoo. I don't know how they could have possibly failed to do this properly, but please do not buy this device if you expect to listen to your cd player through it. The sound will kill you. The wooden case is nicely made, but beware, it is much bigger than you might expect, about the size of a medium-size microwave oven, and it needs even more space than its footprint alone would suggest, because two of the three speakers are on the side. Bottom line -- if you really like the way it looks and you don't mind static on most stations, if you never intend to listen to an auxilliary player through it, if its use as a shortwave is limited to maybe BBC and other big-output stations, AND if you both never want to use headphones or record anything, then this might, just might, do the job. Or you could get a real radio nd use something else for decoration.Digital camera Review: Grudig 940...great for XM
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this radio(the first edition) about 6 years ago, for the looks and as a conversation piece with my Cigar Humidor and 1900s work desk. The tuning was iffy, the lighted dial poor, shortwave? Who Cares? Really didn't get it for that...the piece acted as a great conversatiion piece for several years, until my wife purchased a XM radio set-up for my birthday last year.....the AUX function was perfect, the dim lighting didn't matter(because of the XM)...and the sound is much better than some of the nimrods on this site claim.....all-in-all it's still a great conversation piece, and now thanks to XM, a nice useful radio...especially when playing the Old Time Channel on XM.....perfect!
Rate it a 2 for the first five years of ownership, rate it a 4+ now.
Digital camera Review: It is a copy, what were you expecting??
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all, let it be known that I am an amateur radio operator, so I know all about "tuning around" to pick up a station or two. I already own over 15 various radios, some that transmit, some that only receive. I have always enjoyed hunting for some foreign shortwave broadcasts. With that being said, I bought this for $[...] including shipping. The FM sound quality is absolutely awesome. Three speakers with bass/treble controls. I pick up all of the local FM stations without any antenna at all. The AM local stations are great as well. I bought this for its looks and to listen to AM talk radio in the hamshack. It has exceeded those expectations. Good, clean sound. Rich bass. Now for the SW bands. You need to understand that Grundig makes the worlds finest SW receivers and has been doing so for years. Some selling for over $500 USD. This one works. Do you just sit down and dial in a foreign broadcast and expect it to sound like your FM local? Nope. Should this be your first/primary SW radio? Maybe, if you are patient and don't mind spending some time tuning around a bit. I picked up evening English broadcast of Radio Havana with no problem. Antenna wire from the radio to the ceiling. The only thing I did with this rig was out of the box, I dialed in AM 1000 local broadcast and saw the frequency dial was off a bit, so I opened the back (careful, HIGH VOLTAGE) and adjusted the tuning knob/string. Right on the money now. Then right to SW1 at 6000 Megacycles, and there was Cuba. Found some others no problem. Put up a simple wire antenna and you will be amazed. Will this tune as easily and accurately as the Grunding 800 that retails for $450? NOPE. I like the radio. Looks awesome. Sounds great on AM and FM. It does pick up SW with some practice. I would say for under $100 it is well worth it as the total package. To the previous bloggers that say they cant pick up FM, wont tune right, etc etc, I dont know what the problem is. Maybe they should stay with a push button Sony AM/FM/telescopic antenna. They sell for $20 bucks. Is this radio worth over $100? NOPE. Does it look like it should be? YUP.Digital camera Review: Looks great, sounds great.
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm pleased with the Grundig 960 my wife and son gave me for Christmas. No, it doesn't have quite the reception ability that my Grundig "Yachtboy" does, but it does pull in a good number of shortwave stations, both foreign and domestic. And it really dresses up the room. It also makes a portable CD player sound good when plugged in. My only complaint is that the tuning knob is a bit stiff. Otherwise, this is a "keeper."Digital camera Review: Nice radio depending on how you use it
Summary: 3 Stars
Hello everyone its Vince the radio man. I have been a buff and collector for many years and I love to do compares . Its was very interesting to see the great variation of ratings on this radio from you folks out there . As I read them I understood and related to all of them . Depending how you use this radio it good be a 1 or a 5 . It is an authentic looking "retro" radio that is pretty well made . The wood cabinet and the gold paint trim are done very nicely . The sound quality is typical of what a '50s radio sounded like ...not great bass nor high highs but a punchy mid-range . This radio does have some very good features and I have gotten unbelievable performance out of mine. First off ( and this will sound a little silly) it has a ground screw . Very valuable if you know how to properly ground a radio. This will greatly increase your reception on AM and SW . I have DXed Europe and Asia on AM!!! on this radio with a Terk AM advantage antenna and a nice ground . You must also connect an RCA cable to the Aux. inputs and complete the ground by connecting the cable to a receiver or tape deck that is plugged into the AC .True its analog , but you can get ( sometimes better) performance from and analog tuner that isn't weighed down with those overly clean filters that the digital radios have . It also has an aux. in to use the system from another source , nice . Yes , mostly its a show piece, but if used correctly and if you buy the newer model that has the built in fine tuning ...you'll be very surprised as to what this thing can do . Buy it if you are a collector or want something unique .