Small Retro Radio

Along with the feel of a table radio from the mid-20th century, you also get good AM/FM/shortwave reception plus the bonus of being able to use Bluetooth and SD/USB storage to play audio. FM and shortwave both come in very well, with sensitive and selective reception. The dial comes alive not only with the warm glow of this radio’s dial light but a wide selection of stations. AM reception is not quite as good as FM and shortwave. I think this radio may be calibrated for 9 kHz AM spacing, not 10 kHz as we have in the United States. This isn’t as big a problem as it sounds like it would be; you can still get a good selection of AM stations, but you do notice that some of these are stronger and louder than others. For example, 720 kHz is an active broadcast frequency on both 9 kHz and 10 kHz spacing plans. I notice that this station comes in stronger than, say, 650 kHz, which is only an active frequency with 10 kHz AM spacing. Again, not a huge deal because you still get the other stations, but you just have to turn the radio up a little bit because they’re quieter. The Bluetooth and USB/SD card functionality both work fine. The radio pairs up quickly with my phone and plays audio, and it recognized the USB device I used with no problem. The audio quality has a good balance of bass and treble with a hint of that “warm” sound old radios used to have. There’s also a fair amount of power behind the sound so you can play this radio loudly enough to hear it in a large room or outdoors. Here is the only concern I have with this radio. I do not like that it has a “non-replaceable” battery. This radio is too nice to have it quit working one day when the internal battery stops holding a charge. If the owner is careful not to overcharge the battery and not to leave it completely discharged for a long period of time, the battery would probably last for several years. But still, the rechargeable battery should be in a battery holder behind a regular battery door so the user can replace it if that ever becomes necessary. I did take the back off of the radio and I noticed that it is an 18650 battery inside - a widely available battery - but they have wired it in directly. It could be replaced by someone with some tools and a small amount of experience working on such things, but this should not be necessary to replace a battery. Other than that one thing, there’s nothing here not to like. It’s nice to have a traditionally styled radio that also can play modern forms of media such as audio files from USB and SD storage devices. And the price is certainly more than fair for an audio device that works well and sounds good.

Full disclosure: I work in broadcasting (former FM DJ and radio news anchor), so to say the least -- I'm a bit of an audio snob. But I'm also a pragmatist. I'm looking at this radio through the eyes of someone who remembers what radios used to cost, and how they used to sound. That said, let's dive in. I paid $23.00 for this little guy -- free shipping -- and it arrived within two days. Initial thoughts: -- It's cute as all hell. -- It's plastic (of course) but it has a solid feel to it. -- It arrived fully charged -- turned right on. -- Others have complained about the lack of smoothness in the volume knob; I had the same problem at first, but once you start using it, the knob smoothed itself out, allowing a nice variable volume control. -- Bluetooth pairing with my MacBook Air was instantaneous. -- The sound is awesome* (*FOR A UNIT THAT COULD ALMOST FIT IN YOUR POCKET, COSTING ONLY $23!!!) Doing a deeper dive: -- The two silver knobs (selector and volume) have a decently solid feel, but use them GENTLY, especially the selector knob; each of the 4 positions are quite close to each other, so a light touch is best. -- The radio dial. It lights up in a gorgeous period-authentic golden glow, and stays on even during bluetooth mode when you're not using the radio. It has a tight, solid, and precise feel to it, even if the dial markings are pretty far off (CBS-FM here in New York City -- 101.1 -- was between 102 and 103). Frankly, this is not a big deal for me; once you figure out the stations on the actual dial position -- very few analog dial radios (especially in this price range) have ever been exact. -- Use the antenna. Despite being non-directional, it helps tremendously with pulling in the stations. -- FM sounded great, but AM was actually the big surprise here. AM talk radio sounds so rich and full, you'd almost swear you were inside the station, listening to a studio monitor. -- This little guy also does a fair job of pulling in shortwave. BUT -- don't get too excited -- and don't buy this just for the shortwave. If you're really serious about shortwave, get an actual shortwave radio. Still -- it does a good job of pulling in overseas signals -- as long as you're patient, deliberate, and delicate with the dial. Review: Here's where my audio snobbishness is tempered by my pragmatism and experience. I remember how much "transistor" radios used to cost back in the day (1977): the equivalent of $70 in today's dollars, AM only, with an (at best) tinny-sounding little speaker. To get this kind of sound -- AM, FM, *and* shortwave (not to mention the unheard-of-in-1977 ability to plug in 2,000 hours of programming with a chip the size of your fingernail, PLUS the ability to connect to basically the entire WORLD via bluetooth) -- one would have had to spend upwards of $700 (of today's dollars) back in 1977. So -- for 20 bucks and change -- this little guy is a gem!! Final analysis: I'm planning on using this radio primarily for music and news in the kitchen (which is why I needed both AM and FM). This radio delivers a bigger punch, wider range, and richer sound than the "table radios" (with much bigger speakers) of the '60s-'80s. It's more than enough to fill my 1920 10x12 ("closed") kitchen with rich sound. *BONUS*!!! It takes a mini-SD card onto which I'm going to download my old-timey radio shows, and have on my bedside, as I drift off to sleep, back into the 1940s. FINALLY, A WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT THE BATTERY: It's a sealed battery that can be charged only via USB. ***IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS AND NEVER PLUG THE USB INTO A CHARGER THAT PUMPS MORE THAN FIVE VOLTS OF DIRECT CURRENT INTO A MAXIMUM OF 1000 MILLIAMPS PER HOUR ("DC5V/1000MaH").*** Not all USBs are created equal. Some of the new wall adapters and power strips have built-in USB chargers that push out 5 volts of DC power into as much as 2,400 Milliamps per hour. That kind of power will ultimately fry the radio's battery; it's like trying to fill a shot glass with a fire hose. This little guy needs to sip power, not gulp it like your MacBook. Look carefully at the charger's output before you plug it in -- and when in doubt -- DON'T. FINAL THOUGHT: Given its tiny size (but big sound), this little guy is perfect for college dorm rooms ... on your desk at the office ... in the kitchen or (extremely well-ventilated) bathroom (use common sense and don't give it a steam bath or allow it to get wet). It's also a great gift idea for housewarmings, Secret Santa grab-bag-style gift exchanges, etc. Enjoy!!!

I bought this for my mid-century kitchen. It’s adorable and more than functional! I immediately tuned it to a favorite radio station and wow! The sound is incredible for such a tiny little thing. It’s perfect for the kitchen and at some point I will load all my cds onto a drive or card and use this in my sunroom as well. No problems with the volume control as others have mentioned.

Great little device! Radio interference here on AM and SW is horrid so I can't speak on those. FM and BT are wonderful. BT is no hassle and the rig connects repeatedly with no issues. Plenty of volume and tuning is nice and close to where the stations say they are :-). Many radios I have had, the dial had quite a variation :-). Not a problem, just noting in passing for those who are used to digital dead-on-the frequency LED/LCD displays. If I MUST have a complaint about this rig, it would only be that it uses a rather older USB plug rather than USBC, but I think I have at least one of every USB connector ever made so no worries really :-). It comes with one anyway so not a problem...

My local drive-in movie theather uses these vintage radios as a rental for the whole retro vibe! I loved it so much I had to get my very own to use at home and of course at the drive-in. It looks so cute on the kitchen counter and brings the ease of really anything vintage. The volume is excellent, easy to tune, and the price couldn't be beat.

This little Radio is much better than expected. It actually sounds pretty good. It has a decent amount of power, certainly its no party speaker but for general use its great. The FM tuner works nice and the USB playback also works great. I cracked mine open for a mounting mod, the single speaker has a pretty impressive magnet and voice coil. The also designed a reflex port in the rear for bass. Definitely a great buy.

I really liked this little radio but to just stopped working at 6 weeks. I’m bummed….

Love, love love this little radio. Good for travel

Solo el color me gustó , no lo esperaba tan pequeño mide como 12 cm súper pequeño y las estaciones de radio no se escuchan bien . Demasiado caro para el producto que ofrecen

Es un buen radio 📻, aunque lo esperaba un poco más grande, sintoniza muy bien las estaciones de radio, tiene buen volumen y claridad. Me gustó mucho la luz de fondo que trae la rueda de sintonización, un aspecto muy vintage. La batería tiene buena duración.

Muy buen radio, tiene excelente volumen y el toque retro, lo hacen mejor!

Suena padrisimo, mi mamá feliz, tiene buen volumen, hermoso diseño, es pequeño pero potente, bello bello. Agarra bien las estaciones, el usb, todo Mi mejor compra

Fue regalo para mi mamá y está feliz con él. No tiene que preocuparse por cambio de baterías, con sonido fuerte y claro, con excelente recepción y además es bonito.