|
Sony XDR-S3HD HD Radio | 
| Brand: Sony
Category: CE
List Price: $199.00
Buy New: $159.99
You Save: $39.01 (20%)
New (7) Used (4) from $132.04
Rating:  69 reviews
Sales Rank: 1516
Color: Brown
Media: Electronics
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 7.9
Dimensions (in): 11.9 x 6.8 x 4.8
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: XDR-S3HD
Model: XDR-S3HD
UPC: 027242713895
EAN: 0027242713895
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
| |
| Features:
| • | High-definition tabletop radio with FM multicasting and alarm | | • | Digital tuning control | | • | Backlit LCD display | | • | Alarm time setting with radio, buzzer, or line-in source | | • | Wireless remote control included |
|
| Accessories:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Product Description
The Sony XDR-S3HD HD Radio receives multiple program streams over a single FM frequency with FM Multicasting. Text based information such as artist name and song title scroll across the LCD display. The easy to see large, full-dot backlit LCD display features adjustable brightness, contrast and display modes. AM is upgraded to FM fidelity, while FM can deliver CD quality sound. It is different from satellite radio because these signals are transmitted from public accessible radio stations. Best of all, no monthly subscription is required. The wood-based cabinet with simulated cherry finish is designed to fit into any decor with style.
Product Description
Experience more choices, crystal clear sound, and no subscription fees. HD radio gives you more channels to choose from so you can hear more of what you like. Enjoy music the way it was meant to be heard with AM stations that deliver FM sound quality and FM stations that sound like your favorite CDs. All you need is an HD radio receiver. HD Radio, Discover It.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 64 more reviews...
 Sony understands this marketspace... this one is the best... December 22, 2008
J. Aldridge (New York)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have now owned this HD radio from Sony for eight months and feel it truly deserves a five star rating. I am a very methodical purchaser. My review comes in short- and long-form; so you are welcome to read the quick overview on why I recommend this Sony unit over the others I evaluated, or a longer blow-by-blow on other HD radios I considered and evaluated.
The shortstory...
My two primary listening stations both are HD, and the difference in reception for them makes all the difference. While this one point would have been true for all the models I ultimately tested and compared, it's great to have the first promise of HD confirmed with such a positive sound improvement. For the Sony, (as a smaller detail since I use it bedside,) I like the three levels of backlit illumination for the display, the lowest of which is practically non-existant so no problem for those buyers driven crazy by excessively-bright or uncontrollable illuminated displays. All the features and details seem to have been thought through carefully: choice of wake-up sound/radio/beeping alarm, wake-up volume if a radio station is selected, etc. The one minor problem (I agree with customer Dan's review about the slight power supply hiss at extremely low volume levels) is overshadowed by the quite amazing performance in virtually every other area including phenomenal richness of sound. In short, I think the key thing about the Sony XDR-S3HD HD Radio is that Sony has researched the category for tabletop radios, both mono and stereo, over the years so intensely, that they have an easy task of designing radios that fit well to the purchase-intent. That's the short, if you want to read the excrutiating details of my background research pre-purchase, they follow below but you have the option of just running with what you've read for now -- for me -- Sony has gotten it right in a big way with the S3HD radio...
The backstory...
I did user-review, manufacturer technical spec, and price checking/shopping and then went to stores. I auditioned in-store (with the manufacturer's supplied antenna) the Sony, Sangean, Boston, Cambridge Soundworks, and Tivoli (satellite model) comparable models. Aesthetically my eye found the Sangean, Sony, and Cambridge winning on design, case, fit, and placement of controls, remote, and connectivity. Those three models look pretty different one to another but I found all three to have extremely high manufacturing standards in construction and interesting design ideas in general vis-a-vis looks.
Aurally to my ear, the Sony, Cambridge SoundWorks and Tivoli were the strongest contenders with the richest range of sound. You have a blend in this category of how the bass is handled: in cabinet, rear-firing, downward-firing, fuller-range mid-drivers in front, so I think there is a high level of subjectivity to how you feel about the bass reproduction. You can change the bass reproduction somewhat, emphasizing or deemphasizing by controlled placement near or away from a wall, kitchen counter back-splash, desktop, etc. You could get each of these three units to sound very similar by choosing placement carefully.
At this point into my search I knew I had to eliminate some candidates by assessing the shortcomings that I personally wouldn't be able to overlook:
-- initially I included the Tivoli out of a sense of loyalty and aesthetics, but as I began to compare I needed to eliminate it because I had already decided my purchase would be HD radio only and I was not going to embark towards revenue-based satellite radio, so other than the lack of an HD-model at that time, the Tivoli was excellent and you can add a second extension speaker for stereo seperation and sound. I think other reviewers have dealt with the quality of the Tivoli analog alarm clock so no futher mention needed about that.
-- IMHO, the Sangean has an outstanding fit and finish, and its looks are undeniably attractive and sleek, plus the lighter color of the faux wood case makes it rather unique in category, you could pretend it is somewhere between cherry and a light-grained oak, but for all of its luxe features the sound was either too boomy with the volume elevated or too welterweight on mid- and lower-volume levels. Loved the looks but could not get the sound reproduction adequately tweaked. It's unfortunately, because I thought many other features on the Sangean were really nicely executed.
-- I eliminated the Boston because of the nature of the quality of the plastics in the unit, it has one of the higher price tags and it did have the separate satellite speaker which was cool, but the unit seemed oddly manufactured and very lightweight, lightweight to the point that I worried about it giving any resistance whatsover to the slightest tug of a connecting wire or power cord accidentally touched. They could have just weighted it up somewhat in quality of components given the price. Sound was more than decent, remember, these are the "can't live with... [some aspect]" eliminations, so take this with a grain of salt... you might love everything Boston and could live with the weight... I couldn't.
-- I would recommend that the Cambridge is the strongest alternate to the Sony. Fit and finish is immaculate, sound is great (to me) at most volume levels and the all-critical display-illumination glow could be controlled up and down. Also handy was the headphone jack on the side instead of in the back, but the telescoping whip-style antenna did not seem to dovetail stylistically with the rest of the unit. It is simple to replace it with an aux antenna, I think most tabletop radio fans would do that, but it just seemed somewhat awkward. Both black and white cases are really nice, so if you need a case-color choice or one that complements a specific look of kitchen, table, desktop and you like the slightly retro-styling, I think you need to at least find a Cambridge dealer and listen intently to it.
I bought the Sony based first on sound, secondly on it's rich and (I like them) angular lines of styling... rich and no-compromises-modernist looks. It's performance characteristics have all of the reviews and specs-as-published and while somewhat complicated at first, the remote works as promised and become more intuitive with use, if you read the instructions with the remote even *once* you will zip along with it after that. HD scan and regular FM scan both work fine, both my NPR station, and two university stations in my area have alternate programming on the multicast channels, so that conveniently adds to content choice and performs the second promise of HD very well. Since I purchased the unit, three more stations in my town have converted to HD, so choice is burgeoning for me. I have had zero manufacturing or technical issues. With the supplied FM antenna, I've fixed all glitchiness to my FM reception and the signals are stronger, clearer. I'm debating a Terk aux antenna but only to see if I could push the reception up to more stations, not to necessarily improve current reception.
I've noticed recently that practically the exact same shape and config of this radio is now available from Sony as an all-black, slightly more contemporary iPod/iPhone charging/playing unit and that it has the song-tagging feature. So I applaud Sony for upgrading practically the same guts, wrapping a sleeker, gloss-black aesthetic onto the chassis and making this slightly different contempo look available for close to the same price.
For now, for me, this is the HD unit of choice for tabletop placement.
 not to good November 11, 2008
Tommy Long (Chester, IL. United States)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this hd radio and it worked good at first about a week ago it started to good wild the clock won't stay set i set it and it does good for about a half the day and it has to be set again. The display is a nother thing it does what ever it want to it goes bright and than dark . I would tell people not to buy it not worth it money!!!!!!
 A complete waste of money November 9, 2008
Chantal Croneen (Rye New York)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The concept of HD radio seems to be fundamentally flawed in that there are very few radio stations which are available in HD but not on FM. The sound quality through HD is no better... in fact worse than FM and the only advantage is that you can see the title of the song which is playing.
The radio itself is very disappointing... terrible base, and very thin sound and no depth.
Don't buy it
do not buy this item October 19, 2008
John Mcgivern (St.Paul)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
this item is consantly freezing up. It resets itself. I have to continuely unplug the radio. this is a piece of junk. you only see refurbed items, no new items in stock anywhere. because they suck!
HD Radio is Great October 14, 2008
T. Ellison
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Sony XDR-S3HD HD RadioThis is an excellent product with great sound quality... easy to set up and convenient remote control. Very good reception and easy tuning and presets.
|
|
|
PlasmaTvSpot.com | |
