Sony XDR-S3HD HD radio hands-on
We like:
- Gorgeous, mid-century modern design.
- Clear, easy to read display, even uses RDS.
- Phone-like reception meter even works with AM/FM.
- Decent enough sound output.
- Massive friggin power brick. Oh, and it can't be unplugged from the unit.
- Annoying to scan channels with the dial.
- Included aux cable looks like it will fit your iPhone. But it doesn't.
- Actually still blinks 12:00 if you don't set it. Sheesh.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shawn @ Aug 18th 2007 10:22PM
"Actually still blinks 12:00 if you don't set it. Sheesh"
And this bugs you because...?
korockid @ Aug 19th 2007 1:41AM
guess who can't recognize a joke?
Brad Eleven @ Aug 19th 2007 6:12PM
...because for that price, it ought to set itself.
Kevin Murphy @ Aug 18th 2007 10:26PM
Too bad the "HD" in HD radio doesn't stand for HiDef. It actually doesn't stand for anything but a brand name (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hd_radio). And unless you think that a 96kbps Mpeg is High Definition sound, it's just a little bit better than FM and noticeably worse than CD.
Mick @ Aug 18th 2007 10:40PM
I was so excited when I first heard of HD radio. I was then teribly disappointed to learn it was low bit rate. I have shunned Ipods and MP3's for this reason, they sound tinny and compressed. Looks like real HD radio is a ways off yet.
Michael @ Aug 19th 2007 5:37AM
Mick, no real need to shun either mp3s or iPods if you rip your tracks at a higher bitrate than the default 128 kbps. True, by its definition the mpeg codec used to rip and compress tunes does strip out pretty much ALL depth and fidelity if taken down to far - say, 64-128 kbps. If you select a much higher bitrate (or even lossless compression) such as 320 kbps as I do, one can end up with tracks that are nearly identical to CD quality. Depending on where one does the listening, usually the compression is practically unnoticeable. Background noise while driving or lower than optimum dynamic range headphones or auto sound systems usually have much more impact on sound quality at that point than the codec itself does.
As for so-called "HD radio" well, I'm both a Sirius and XM subscriber and I think the benefits of that pay for play system far outweigh anything I've heard about HD radio. I can listen to any type of music imaginable, commercial free, coast to coast without ever changing the station should I choose to do so. Add that benefit to near CD quality digital sound and believe me, I'll gladly pay the $ .43 per day it costs me.
http://www.myspace.com/scoobarama
Eds @ Aug 19th 2007 3:46PM
I happen to think that blinking lights are still a good thing. First comes an alarm clock that can set itself, next comes complete domination by robotic overlords. Seriously, it's a slippery slope.
kpfeif @ Aug 19th 2007 10:58PM
I'll stick to my beautiful Tivoli One radio, thanks. There's just something special about that great analog tuner.
K_G @ Aug 26th 2007 7:52PM
"Included aux cable looks like it will fit your iPhone. But it doesn't."
So it is an Iphone world now and everything must conform to it?
How about trying some other DAP, including a ipod, before complaining about it....Given than any headphones but Apple's require an adaptor for use on the iphone, I don't see how this is some great failing on the radio's part...this is a result of the non-standard iphone output jack.