New Sony XDR-F1HD Radio on Order

Mass. Wine Guy · « **on:** 27 Apr 2011, 06:55 pm »

I think this qualifies as cheap and cheerful (please move, if not). I managed to find a place that sells, or at least says it sells, the Sony XDR-F1HD radio. This unit's gotten a ton of positive attention and I'm hoping it will fit in well with my little two channel system.

eclein · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 07:09 pm »

Good for you man...enjoy!!!!!!

rtate · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 07:19 pm »

Is this the one you mean ??

http://www.zwee.com/gadgets/audio-and-ipod-gadgets/sony-xdrf1hd-hd-radio/

I think I might order one too !!

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 07:47 pm »

That's the one, rtate, but that site didn't work when I hit the order box. If they have the radio it's a great price.

Wayner · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 08:11 pm »

I own one and it is an awesome tuner. It does have a short term memory issue, it will loose programmed stations with a short power outage or if you unplug it for 15 minutes.

Other then that, it is very, very good (regardless of cost).

Wayner

doug s. · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 08:47 pm »

this is a decent tuna, but if you're an fm fanatic like i am, and want to do serious, not casual listening, its dry, sterile presentation will result in listening fatigue after a while, especially w/hd broadcasts. it doesn't compare sonically to a quality wintage tuna. (many offerings in the $50-$200 range will sound better.) and it sounds better in analog mode than in hd mode. but no tuna at any price, imo, will surpass the xdr-f1hd's signal-grabbing abilities. i have found mine much more listenable when run thru a tube buffer stage. and, others have been impressed w/the mods offered by mike williams of radio-x tuners. (punker-x on audiokarma). the forced analog option is a nice feature, as well as the other upgrades:

http://radioxtuners.com/
http://radioxtuners.com/Sony%20XDR-F1HD.htm

doug s.

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 09:04 pm »

Thanks, Doug. I will definitely look into these mods.

Wayner · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 09:38 pm »

Quote from: doug s. on 27 Apr 2011, 08:47 pm

this is a decent tuna, but if you're an fm fanatic like i am, and want to do serious, not casual listening, its dry, sterile presentation will result in listening fatigue after a while, especially w/hd broadcasts. it doesn't compare sonically to a quality wintage tuna. (many offerings in the $50-$200 range will sound better.) and it sounds better in analog mode than in hd mode. but no tuna at any price, imo, will surpass the xdr-f1hd's signal-grabbing abilities. i have found mine much more listenable when run thru a tube buffer stage. and, others have been impressed w/the mods offered by mike williams of radio-x tuners. (punker-x on audiokarma). the forced analog option is a nice feature, as well as the other upgrades:

http://radioxtuners.com/
http://radioxtuners.com/Sony%20XDR-F1HD.htm

doug s.

It's an $80 tuner. The real problem is the stations, not the tuner. There are several stations in the Minneapolis area that broadcast quality HD and you can tell the difference. The mods Doug is talking about are not worth the effort, IMO.

Wayner

WGH · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 10:32 pm »

Quote from: Mass. Wine Guy on 27 Apr 2011, 06:55 pm

I managed to find a place that sells, or at least says it sells, the Sony XDR-F1HD radio.

For the money this little tuner can't be beat, I have 2 and love the quiet signal. My shop FM reception has always been plagued by high voltage power lines in front and other assorted noisy gremlins but after installing the XDR-F1HD the signal has a silent, black background.

Let us know if the order goes through. It looks like this little tuner has been discontinued, I even saw one on eBay for $300 and one just sold on Agon but I don't know for how much.

Wayne

MLS · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 11:16 pm »

I have had one for two or so years but it is not connected to anything right now. But if you have a trouble spot for reception this tuner can usually overcome the issues.

Scott

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Apr 2011, 11:19 pm »

I haven't had FM forever. What's a good simple antenna? Cheap, too.

WGH · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 12:24 am »

What type of antenna depends on your location and distance from the transmitter(s). I like the FM antennas from Solid Signal, no hype and good prices. Add a mast, a chimney or eve bracket, a 75 ohm transformer if the antenna doesn't come with one, and some coaxial cable and you're good to go. I never have had any luck with indoor antennas but all our stations broadcast from a mountain top 19 miles away.
http://www.solidsignal.com/cview.asp?mc=03&d=over-the-air-tv-antennas-supplies&c=AM-FM%20Radio%20Antennas

75 ohm transformer

Actually at home I watch over-the-air HD TV so I use the TV antenna with a splitter and it works perfectly. At my shop I use a Winegard HD6000 Prostar ($19.99).

Wayne

Phil A · « **Reply #12 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 01:06 am »

I'm not much of a radio listener. I do have an HD Radio tuner in the main system pre/pro and some stations sound really good and others do not. I actually like the variety and quality I get with 320kps internet radio. I'm listening to Linn jazz right now in the office system as it is built into the Pioneer 1120 rec'r and the Squeezebox Touch has it in the main system. I got the Squeezebox Touch from Logitech many months back off with a 40% off coupon and it is really easy to navigate. It is connected to my network and DAC and other than tuning the HD Radio stations in the memory presets on the main system pre/pro I also got several months back, I have not listened to HD Radio on it. I agree the problems are the stations with HD Radio

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 01:07 am »

I think I'll need to go with an indoor antenna, as I am technically challenged.

Phil A · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 01:11 am »

Quote from: Mass. Wine Guy on 28 Apr 2011, 01:07 am

I think I'll need to go with an indoor antenna, as I am technically challenged.

I know several people who use this - http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73503

Depends on your location. Some put it in a room corner on an outside wall behind stuff so it is not noticed as much

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 01:26 am »

Then again, maybe I should get this Internet radio. It also plays music from my computer.

Phil A · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 01:31 am »

Quote from: Mass. Wine Guy on 28 Apr 2011, 01:26 am

Then again, maybe I should get this Internet radio. It also plays music from my computer.

doug s. · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 09:27 am »

Quote from: Phil A on 28 Apr 2011, 01:11 am

I know several people who use this - http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73503

Depends on your location. Some put it in a room corner on an outside wall behind stuff so it is not noticed as much

i (and almost everyone else i know who has tried that) has gotten MUCH better performance w/a $5 dipole that you can find at radio shack/etc. rabbit ears or a dipole are the best bet for indoors, if you cannot mount a yagi either indoors, in the attic, or on the roof.

doug s.

doug s. · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 09:39 am »

Quote from: Wayner on 27 Apr 2011, 09:38 pm

It's an $80 tuner. The real problem is the stations, not the tuner. There are several stations in the Minneapolis area that broadcast quality HD and you can tell the difference. The mods Doug is talking about are not worth the effort, IMO.

Wayner

i agree that most commercial fm broadcasting quality is crap - usually due to extreme over-compression. but, if you have stations broadcasting quality (hd doesn't qualify) analog signal, then the problem is the tuna, not the station. (anyone who has done the forced analog mod to the sony will tell you it sounds better in analog than in hybrid digital, when comparing a station that broadcasts in hd to its own analog signal.)

the mods to the li'l sony are good for someone w/marginal reception. i agree, if you have good reception, and you really like to listen to fm as a critical listening source, your money would be better spent elsewhere. $300 judiciously inwested in a properly serwiced wintage analog tuna will have sonics comparable to your megabucks analog and digital rigs. but, if you have a noisy station that you really like, the sony needs at least to be run thru one of those ~$100 chinese tube buffers found on ebay to be able to actually sit in the sweet spot and listen to it. if you can actually listen to a stock unbuffered xdr-f1hd in the sweet spot for more than 15 minutes or so, then you can't hear well, or your rig is veiled...

doug s.

Mass. Wine Guy · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 11:54 am »

Quote from: doug s. on 28 Apr 2011, 09:39 am

if you can actually listen to a stock unbuffered xdr-f1hd in the sweet spot for more than 15 minutes or so, then you can't hear well, or your rig is veiled...

doug s.

Hmm. The critics rave. I do listen to music pretty seriously. I don't want it to hurt when I listen to this Sony.