- Receives AM/FM transmissions
- Pocket-size (2.5" x 4.25" x 1")
- 10 preset stations per band
- Stereo/mono switch
- Deep bass boost improves sound
Leave it to a small overseas company barely decades old itself to create the solution. The Sangean DT series of radios have long been considered the "pocket DXers" of portable radios, DX meaning distance listening, and this most recent design ups the ante and raises the bar by lowering the weight and shrinking the size. Weighing in at slightly less than a cell phone, with dimensions on par with an iPod, it's the device of vintage performance and modern size that many serious radio listeners have been waiting for.
And a serious radio it is. For example, The stereo-mono-speaker switch is a blessing on many different levels; weaker FM stations that cause most radios to bounce noisily back and forth between mono and stereo mode can now be forced to mono for a much cleaner signal. When you're ready to listen using the speaker, you can just leave your headphones plugged in they become the FM/TV antenna. Alternately, a length of antenna wire is included, plus the plug is standard mini 1/8" size (not the rare sub-mini size found on some other DT series units) which means that any antenna with a mini plug can be used for ultra-long-distance/rural listening.
Sensitivity is nothing without selectivity, which is the ability of a tuner to pull in a weak station that's right next to a strong one on the dial. This is where the cost-saving measures of other manufacturers become annoyingly obvious, and where the little Sangean shines. Here in Southern California on the FM dial, between 88 and 90Mhz there are at least *ten stations*. In the space of 2Mhz! I had no idea prior to owning this radio that so many were there. Any other radio might be able to pick up a scant few of the more powerful stations with some antenna positioning and tuning trickery, but the Sangean gets them all casually, no hassle or drama. AM reception is similarly impressive; KOA Talk Radio out of Denver, Colorado, nearly a thousand miles away, comes in audibly and regularly without the aid of an antenna.
Once you've tuned that rare station, you'll want to enjoy the listening experience, and the good news continues here also. The small speaker is nicely balanced and seems specifically designed to bring out the human voice, so that when listening to a weak/distant station, voices stand out from the static. The real joy begins when you use headphones the included earbuds are cheap (as they should be, the purchase price should go towards the actual radio, not earbuds) and only adequate, but a quality set of headphones will produce an amazing high-fidelity sound. The bass boost helps balance out cheaper earpieces, and with better sets, pushes the bass into DJ territory.
There are a couple negative points the interface relies on a single set of up/down keys, which means a third button has to toggle between tuning and memory presets. It's a little stilted and requires some practice before you can scan presets without looking. Also, using the headphone input as an antenna means you can't listen to FM or TV without something plugged into it. But these are small issues in light of pure tuner quality.
So is the Sangean right for you? You don't have to understand any of the technical fine points or jargon above if you notice a difference in reception between your car radio and your portable, or if a friend's radio seems to get a station you can't, you're ready for the DT-210V. Fifty dollars for a pocket radio might seem steep, but then other portables don't provide fifty dollars worth of performance. If you take radio listening seriously, it's time for an equally serious radio you can take with you; the Sangean DT-210V nets my highest recommendation.
(Six month update Despite hours of use daily and a few rough spills, my DT-210V still looks, works, and sounds the same way it did the first moment I took it out of the box. Using the same rechargeable batteries I picked up when I purchased the radio, I haven't spent a penny more on powering it, either. I attempted to make a short list of AM stations I could receive with the DT-210V, only to find days later that I've thus far pulled in 126 stations from 12 states and 2 countries [best catch so far: KOKC out of Oklahoma City, OK, 1,135 miles away and as clear as a local station some nights]. Incredible!)
(One year update No change. 1000+ hours of use and my DT-210V is unfazed. I've since gotten a pair of professional studio monitor headphones and have found that songs played on FM music stations are EQ'd identically to the same songs played from a reference CD player the 210 is perfectly balanced and actually makes a great portable reference receiver!)
(Two year update I've since replaced my Sangean with a Japan-only Sony SRF-T615, which is smaller and has better-yet reception. But I'll definitely be holding on to my DV as it has better audio quality, can be turned up louder, and is still only half the price of the Sony.)
(Three year update My DV is now pulling classical-music-for-infant duty; Thanks to the diminutive design of the 210 combined with the wire antenna, it easily tucks away inside a bassinet with the antenna either hidden under the mattress or suspended outside the crib, so the entire setup is completely out of the way of both child and parent. I've tried a few other, cheaper portable radios in this role, but inconsistent reception and concerns about a metal whip antenna near a crib made them a non-option. The DV easily and dependably pulls in the local classical station, providing quiet and faithfully reproduced nap time music for baby.)
(Five year update I still prefer this radio for working outdoors, thanks to the great reception and loud speaker; I turn it up and place the radio facing outwards in a cargo pants pocket presto, the sound follows me wherever I go, no headphone wires to get tangled in. This model has since been replaced by the DT-400W, and long-distance listening with powerful portables like these is now a hobby called "Ultralight DXing", the enthusiasts of which regard the Sangean DT series among the best.)
Buy Sangean DT-210 FM-Stereo/AM PLL Synthesized Pocket Receiver Now
I am a daily radio user, and carry this unit around with me everywhere. I listen to baseball & football games, music, talk radio, news, weather, AM & FM, you name it. I've now purchased two Sangean DT-210V's from Amazon in as many years, but the second one is currently dying the same death that ended the first one. The design is very user-friendly, and I use every feature; presets, headphone/handsfree, station scan, etc. I would put the reception this unit gets up against any other portable on the market. It's great, even in remote areas where others lose it. But the chronic problem which I thought was unique to #1 is now afflicting #2... the power button. On both units I've owned, it slowly begins to malfunction, then stops working altogether. My second one is currently in its final stages. Sangean, if you ever get a copy of this review, please redesign the on/off switch to be more durable. Maybe less plastic and more metal parts, if only at that point of contact. You have a loyal customer here, but I can't afford to replace this gem of a radio once a year. It's sad, because the reception, the clarity, the ergonomics of the radio want to live a longer life, if not for the on/off switch.Read Best Reviews of Sangean DT-210 FM-Stereo/AM PLL Synthesized Pocket Receiver Here
I had my eye on this radio for a few days and purchased it when it came up as a Gold Box Special. I'm very glad I did.This little radio does a great job, especially for AM purposes, where my favorite newsradio stations are. I had no trouble tuning in on my favorite stations (AM and FM) including one station that broadcasts from Tampa, FL that I'm able to pull in from the opposite coast. The TV does quite well, but my area only uses 3 or 4 channels within the 2 to 13 range, so I hardly use that band area.
The only surprise (for me) came with the needed use of an antenna for the FM and TV stations. Normally, the wire for the ear buds works as the antenna, but if you use the on-board speaker (which works great) you'll need to use the included antenna wire which plugs into the ear bud jack. But that's not a big overall deal.
The first day I used it I accidently dropped it on the brick floor with no ill effects. One battery popped out from the impact. It still works fine just a few tiny nicks in the front.
I'm glad I didn't buy a cheaper radio, which is what I had originally set out to do. I like this radio. It's easy to handle, it's already taken a beating, and it works really nice. I look forward to using it for years to come.
UPDATE: Five months later and I have fallen deeper in love with this darling little radio. It's been dropped and slobbered on countless times (on tile, brick, and concrete flooring) by a 1 year old toddler. It still looks and runs great. (The lock feature comes in VERY HANDY when dealing with a curious toddler. Super feature.) My husband has complimented me on choosing this radio...it's helped us through Hurricane Charley and helped beat off boredom the days without power afterwards. I do not regret buying this radio and would gladly buy it again and again and again if I had to.
Want Sangean DT-210 FM-Stereo/AM PLL Synthesized Pocket Receiver Discount?
I've been a radio broadcast engineer for almost 25 years. I've been an electronics experimenter and radio nut for even longer, since I was 12 years old. I've had quite a few small radios through the years, but this is the best performer so far. I was disappointed by other "Walkman" type radios. This has the best AM & FM reception of anything I've owned. Here is what I like about it. The mono/stereo mode switch for FM is great. I would rather listen to a clean mono signal than a noisy stereo one. This is especially useful for public radio news/talk programs. I don't know why NPR stations don't program their audio processors to go into mono mode during talk programming, they would increase their fringe area coverage and make a lot of cheap noisy portable radios sound better. The FM stereo reception is slightly better than the Sonys I have. The Sangean is one of the very few that lets you select the mono FM mode, a big plus for me. Also, many small radios get overloaded by strong local transmitters. This tuner is much better near one 50,000 watt FM transmitter I work near. I can still tune weaker farther away signals when I'm 3/4 mile from the 50kw tower. Someone complained in another review that it doesn't have a local/distant switch...it doesn't need it. The AM tuner is excellent, especially considering the small size of the radio. If it has a ferrite bar antenna rod, it must be small. They must have some very low noise high gain semiconductors to get such a good signal-to-noise ratio with a tiny AM antenna. The AM tuner is very sensitive and selective. I can listen to WWJ 950 AM from Detroit during the day, about 80 miles away. You can barely detect a station on 950 with my Sonys. At night, I can DX many AM stations. I was listening to hurricane Katrina coverage at night on WWL 870 AM in New Orleans. I live 20 miles north of Lansing Michigan. The TV audio reception works great, but I haven't really used it. I can get channels 5,6,8,10, and 12 where I live. The audio is weaker on TV, probably because the deviation is only 25 KHz instead of the 75 KHz used on FM. They should design these so the audio gain increases about 10 dB when tuning TV audio. That way you wouldn't need to turn up the volume when going from AM/FM to TV audio.Someone complained about the power switch...mine works fine. The earbuds are good for listening in bed. I use headphones while walking my dogs. The box says it has 25 presets, 15 FM and 10 AM. Mine doesn't. It has 10 FM, 10 AM, and 10 TV. A minor issue. The 10 presets for TV are stupid, since there are only 12 VHF channels. It's easy enough to use the +/tuning to get the TV channel you want.
The audio sounds great with plenty of level to drive headphones. The small speaker works OK, but you can't get much volume without clipping distortion. 95% of the time I use heaphones. The "Deep Bass Boost" (DBB) works fine with headphones, but I prefer a flat response.
I think the DT-210V deserves 5 stars, simply because it's the best pocket size radio I've tried. The reception almost equals a car radio. That's respectable for a tiny shirt pocket radio operating on 3 volts.
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This is a great radio. I had earlier models of this radio for many years and I was pleased with them. When I first this new model, I was a little concerned. The radio looks flimsy at first, but I have used it daily for several months and it is more sturdy than I first thought. Also, unlike previous models from the same manufacturer which used an earplug with a "mini-plug" that was hard to find, this radio uses a regular earphone. It receives AM, FM, and the sound of TV channels 2-13. I use it all the time and am very pleased.
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