FM Stereo/AM Digital Tuning Portable Radio with Protective Bumper (Black)

I own both the PR-D18 (which I've had for several years) and this PR-D19, which I just got. Lots of reviews on here of both, so I'm mainly going to compare, since both are truly excellent radios. Sangean knows how to make a radio; it's not a sideline for them; they're committed to radios and it shows. (For the record, I'm not affiliated with the manufacturer or with anyone selling this or any other radio. This is my review of my own radio that I paid for myself at Amazon's prevailing price.)Compared to the PR-D18 (the single-speaker monaural version) this PR-D19 offers better reception on both AM and FM. This is said after a side-by-side comparison of many fringe signals. The difference is most significant on AM, as the 19 brings in weak signals with noticeably less noise. The wide/narrow bandwidth control is also a really nice addition to the 19, which the 18 doesn't have. It makes more difference on AM and it could really help with super-weak signals you're trying to listen to, but of course if you narrow down the already-tiny AM bandwidth, you do hear it (the sound gets muddy) but it's an option for very weak signals. Given this radio's sensitivity, you'll probably never need to use this control, but it's good to have.UPDATE: In further use of this radio I have found the narrow bandwidth setting to be quite useful on FM. You do not hear any appreciable reduction in audio fidelity when you select the narrow setting on FM (as you do on AM), so at first you're tempted to think it's not really doing anything. But I tried it on some really weak, distant FM stations and found that the inability to receive these may actually be due to adjacent-channel interference, and switching to narrow bandwidth will eliminate that and clear up the weak station so you can hear it. The effectiveness of this control on FM makes at least two or three FM stations listenable at my location that NO other radios I own will receive cleanly, making the FM performance of the PR-D19 even better than I originally thought. Don't forget to try this setting if you own this radio and have an FM station you find hard to receive.FM is very, very close to the 18; in fact I could search out just a few weak signals to discern any difference at all, but the 19 was just a touch more sensitive on FM than the 18. Sangean, in its radio wisdom, intelligently has set the stereo threshold on the 19 fairly high, so it won't try to get a stereo signal unless the signal is suitably strong. Or, you can just lock it into mono by holding down the display/mono button. This is a huge plus, compared to other radios that will go into stereo mode even if it means extra hiss, often without giving the listener any other option. (Make no mistake, though, this radio operates easily in stereo on the vast majority of stations - many 50+ miles away. The stations resolved by the 19 clearly in mono are weak stations that most other radios probably wouldn't receive at all.)Size-wise, the 19 is only about an inch longer than the 18 and maybe just a small fraction of an inch thicker; otherwise the dimensions are identical. Nice. There's probably not anyplace you could take the 18 where the 19 wouldn't fit.One really nice feature of the 19 that the 18 lacks are the top-mounted presets. Generally I'm not a big preset user because they're usually not much less trouble than just tuning in a station. (This is especially true on radios with hundreds of presets, where you have the problem that you never remember what's on what preset anyhow, so they're almost pointless, and it often takes several button-presses to activate a preset, anyway, so I'll just tune it in manually.) But here, on the other hand, you have presets right on top of the radio, which is excellent because you can activate them by feel, and with a single button press, which is perfect in a dark environment. Plus, because you press down on them, you can use them one-handed. (With front-mounted buttons for presets, you have to hold the radio or at least support it from behind, otherwise you'll just knock it over rather than successfully pressing the button.)In terms of sound quality, Sangean often tends to go for a warm, bass-biased sound. People who like the old-time radio sound love it. I'm happy with the way this 19 and the 18 sound (the tonal quality of the sound is identical) but if I had my druthers, I'd like it to sound a little more brassy. I know what Sangean is trying to do, or I think I do anyway, because some people perceive the brassy sound as cheap, like an early transistor radio, and they don't want that. I'd enjoy the presence of a tone control that would allow the listener some say in the matter, however.Battery usage on the 18 is moderate and I expect this to be similar from what I've seen thus far. I have seen a few complaints about battery life in other reviews of both of these radios, but you have to keep in mind that these radios produce a lot more audio power than other small radios, and the amplifier is what consumes the lion's share of the power in a radio. I'd suggest buying a set of rechargeable AA batteries and a charger (about $15 in total) and never worry about battery life again. If you want, you can keep a set of AA alkalines in a drawer so you can put them in and still use the radio while your rechargeable batteries are being charged.Finally, the Aux-in feature is a great addition to the 19, which the 18 doesn't have. Easy to play music streamed from your phone or tablet. Some have suggested Bluetooth for this radio but I'm just as happy with the 3.5 jack - just plug it in and go with no need to go through the hassle of pairing.(One suggestion for using Aux-in: I am seeing reviews of other audio equipment in which people are reporting that they have damaged the speakers of a radio or other equipment by using aux-in. While I have not heard of that happening with this radio, it can happen on any equipment with this capability. To avoid this problem, turn off the radio when connecting a cable between the radio and your phone, tablet, or other audio source device. This is to avoid loud crackling noises that can occur due to electrical interference when making the connection, which can damage the speakers. Then start playing the audio on your output device at a low level and then turn the radio on. Adjust the volume on the output device so the level coming from the radio’s speakers during aux-in play is no louder than a radio station produces at the same radio volume setting. You can switch back and forth from aux-in to a radio station briefly to compare the volume you’re getting with aux-in to that of a station. When you are using a device that has its own internal amplifier, such as your phone, failing to perform this test can cause you to force more power through the speakers than they can handle, potentially causing damage or outright failure.)The PR-D19 is an excellent radio that has "just right" controls, features and complexity. You can set the alarms and all that, or you can just turn it on and listen to it. And, reception-wise, this is just about as good as it gets.

I listen to a radio program that doesn't come in strongly with my "normal" radio. I wanted a radio that gave me options to make it PORTABLE if I wanted. I have numerous products that use AA and AAA Batteries, so I have very good rechargeable batteries, and an excellent LA CROSSE charger (worth any price if you use batteries a lot). Batteries are expensive and horrible for landfills. I haven't spent money on batteries for YEARS. I found very few specialty-radios that used AA batteries, although I only looked for an hour or so.This radio is a nice size (almost identical to an old VHS tape or a paperback book), and definitely boosts your ability to get certain radio stations. It is NOT a magical cure for picking up radio from 100 miles away. I can't get "98 Rock" which is 45 miles from my house, and barely can make-out "97.1 Wash" which is 20-30 miles from my house. This product works perfectly for my main purpose which is a talk-radio show, not a strong signal but it is close and this radio clears up my problem quite nicely.I listened to some music stations to test the speakers, and I would say that the radio puts out a little more BASS than I prefer. But I suspect that many would say the speakers are very decent. Battery life is very good. Good rechargeable batteries (which I use) actually have more mAh than alkaline batteries. I've been listening to the radio at a moderate level for 15 hours now, and the 4 AA batteries seem to have half of their life left. My volume level is not soft but I'm not filling up a garage either. The battery-indicator on the screen is a nice touch.The rubber bumper makes it more durable I guess, but this isn't a US Army radio. The antennae sticks out 26.5", and is the only thing I would worry about if the thing ever fell or got bumped. I would say that the body and the antennae would take some abuse though. Wild guess - the antennae screw looks like it is made to replace an antennae if needed. I like that there isn't a carry-handle on it. It is the size of a paperback book - a handle seems silly.This is a very good, utilitarian radio for someone that doesn't need very many frills, and maybe has a hard time getting in certain stations on the TOY RADIO's that come in alarm clocks and so-forth. 4 AA batteries probably give DAYS of listening time.

Great radio. The stereo function, rarely if ever picks up with my local stations. And turning it off and on, i always have to turn the stereo to mono so it doesnt do it mid songs and cause distraction from the music. But it works well, picks up stations well. And sounds great.