Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave World Band Receiver with Single Side Band Reception by Sony
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Digital camera reviews of Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave World Band Receiver with Single Side Band Reception
Digital camera Review: A major disappointment.
Summary: 1 Stars
I did a great deal of research before choosing the Sony ICF- SW7600GR to replace a still working, but held together with tape, Realistic DX-370. The vast majority of the reviews I have read at Amazon and elsewhere are quite positive for this radio. The annual publication, Passport to World Band Radio, describes it as "One of the great values in a meaningful world band radio.", and gives the Sony ICF-SW7600GR it's, "Passport's Choice" designation, indicating they believe it to be, "La creme de la creme".
My personal experience with the Sony ICF-SW7600GR does not substantiate this opinion. With the Sony, I can receive AM and FM commercial local broadcast stations quite well, better than my Realistic DX-370, but intelligible shortwave or SSB reception is non existent. Addition of the accessory AN-71 antenna only increases the sound of the unintelligible noisy, (signals/broadcasts?), punctuations heard at scanning stops while maneuvering through the various meter bands. Even my old Realistic DX-370 picks up some SW broadcasts with just it's whip antenna at the same locations within the concrete confines of my condominium.
A call to the local Sony facility here in Honolulu lead to the suggestion from a technician that I should perhaps read the manual more carefully. I wouldn't discount the possibility that I am missing some important step or function in the operation of this radio, but I have indeed read, re-read and studied the manual like no other manual before.
This is very frustrating. I had such high hopes for the Sony. Any suggestions as to what I may be missing or doing wrong?
Yesterday, a friend of mine brought over his Eton E1 XM radio to show me, which exhibited truly amazing SW performance on the patio of my condominium. If I can't resolve the performance problems I'm having with this Sony ICF-SW7600GR, I'm going to spring for the Eton E1 XM.
Digital camera Review: not as good as I expected
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought it as a gift for my dad in China. I researched several days on internet before the purchase, and bought the best one I could find as a shortwave radio.
I tried it as I traveled to China. The product is as good as I expected. (1) It is not so easy to learn how to use it. It come only with English manual without multi language user instruction. It took me several days to find oversea broadcast in China. (2) The voice quality seems to be okay and the frequencies are locked. But, afterall it is shortwave radio quality. I haven't listened shortwave radio for years, and cannot make too much judgement on that. (3) It doesn't come with power adaptor.
But, if one want to buy a GOOD shorterwave radio, there are not too many options.
Digital camera Review: Good as allways
Summary: 5 Stars
I buyed this product to replace a ~25 years old Sony ICF7600D. A good product does not need too much changes, as this 7600 series did.Digital camera Review: Great little radio
Summary: 4 Stars
Pros:
Solid Construction
Good Selectivity
Good Sensitivity
Easy to use controls
Cons:
Slightly wobbly whip antenna mount
No memory labeling
Scan is only in band, not continuous
Digital camera Review: GREAT BUT HAS SOME FLAWS
Summary: 4 Stars
This Sony portable has excellent sensitivity and selectivity. With about a 7 foot long wire at ground level, sitting on a patio, it picks up a lot of hams. The other basic specs are probably just as good. Well built, with good controls layout and feel. It's nice listenig to AM in the SSB mode, probably better then the sync detector. BUT----IT HAS FLAWS. 100 memories are provided, but you can only scan 10 at a time!! (it has ten banks), and after it scans the 10 channels, IT STOPS SCANNING! (I may be wrong, but when I hit scan it cycles once only.) They designed it so you can enter the frequencies of ten world broadcast stations, each in its own memory bank, and then scan it to see what channel is stronger. But then you can only enter 10 stations, right? If you listen to utility, you can do the same, as well as maybe hams on different bands. Being able to scan ALL 100 channels is best! However, moving the frequencies around, like from VFO to memory, scanning up and down from each memory, or entering a memory, or VFO setting, into the two very clever holding channels, is very good. Another flaw is that the SSB pitch control is on the side of the radio, like most radios. (I have an old Sangean that has the pitch control on the front.) Also, you can't plug in an external antenna in the jack because it supplies a DC current. It was designed for some Sony products. You are forced to clip the supplied roll up wire to the radio's whip. The audio quality on SSB is outstanding, almost as good as the old high fidelity McKay Dymek receivers. But the audio warbles-a little unstable. I hear that the older model 7600G was more stable. Of course you should get this set, especially if you like single sideband like me. A budget model would be the Kaito 1102, a little smaller, with decent sideband. The Eton 1 is the best, but it's very large and expensive.