I have been a MW dxer for a couple years. I have some regular shows I like to listen to as well on MW and wanted a radio that sounded good.
I have always looked at the C.Crane stuff but never really bit the bullet. And with the old version of this radio there were many reviews of display failures. It just seemed to be a bit expensive (for what it was) to become a paper weight.
I have a couple radios so I decided to do some comparisons and decide if it was worth the money invested. The first thing you notice about the CCRadio is how good it sounds. The tonal balance is very nice and it is a pleasure to listen to. There are separate controls for treble and bass and they work great. The radio is very simple to operate and I didn't even have to open the manual to set the time, this is nice to me as I get older I really enjoy simplicity.
When I first got the radio I was disappointed. Trying it at very first on FM was great. Switched to AM and that went down hill. I am not much of a battery person. I have some good rechargeable batteries and the work great on my 7600GR, but I was not intending to run another radios on batteries. The static on AM was really bad when plugged in. Which it is the only radio I have that has this problem (I run all my radios plugged in (except the 7600GR)). So, I broke down and loaded batteries, glad I didn't give up on it and send it back. I ended up calling C.Crane and was told it could run 250 hours at medium volume on a set of 4 D batteries, nice.
I have done a couple nights of comparisons. Here is what I radios I used:
CommRadio CR-1a with QX loop 3.0
Kaito 1103
Sangean ATS-909x
Sony 7600GR
Sony ICF-2010
I noticed right off the bat that the clarity and sound of this radio is just top notch. It even sounds better then my Bose Wave Radio (not as loud of course).
All the portables did a very good job hanging with each other. The CR-1a with the loop was about the equal of the CCRadio without the good sound. The combination was not better and sure did not have the great sound. The 2010 was probably a tad (and I mean tad) more sensitive and the sync was nice, but due to great sound the CCRadio could take a barely readable signal and make it readable, very very good sound. I also like the AGC in the CCRadio the best. Both Sony radios are known for having very good AGC settings but they would "pump" a little where the CCRadio would not. Of course the CommRadio was just as good in the AGC department, but we are comparing apples and oranges there, the CR-1a with the loop is a 750$ combo.
I now think the CCRadio is the best MWDX rig I have. It was well worth the money and I really enjoy listening to it. On FM it seems pretty decent as well. I am going to buy a plug filter and see if that corrects the plug in noise. All and all a 5 star radio with great sound and just a pleasure to listen to, better sound then anything I ever had in a radio.
Go get one .
I have always looked at the C.Crane stuff but never really bit the bullet. And with the old version of this radio there were many reviews of display failures. It just seemed to be a bit expensive (for what it was) to become a paper weight.
I have a couple radios so I decided to do some comparisons and decide if it was worth the money invested. The first thing you notice about the CCRadio is how good it sounds. The tonal balance is very nice and it is a pleasure to listen to. There are separate controls for treble and bass and they work great. The radio is very simple to operate and I didn't even have to open the manual to set the time, this is nice to me as I get older I really enjoy simplicity.
When I first got the radio I was disappointed. Trying it at very first on FM was great. Switched to AM and that went down hill. I am not much of a battery person. I have some good rechargeable batteries and the work great on my 7600GR, but I was not intending to run another radios on batteries. The static on AM was really bad when plugged in. Which it is the only radio I have that has this problem (I run all my radios plugged in (except the 7600GR)). So, I broke down and loaded batteries, glad I didn't give up on it and send it back. I ended up calling C.Crane and was told it could run 250 hours at medium volume on a set of 4 D batteries, nice.
I have done a couple nights of comparisons. Here is what I radios I used:
CommRadio CR-1a with QX loop 3.0
Kaito 1103
Sangean ATS-909x
Sony 7600GR
Sony ICF-2010
I noticed right off the bat that the clarity and sound of this radio is just top notch. It even sounds better then my Bose Wave Radio (not as loud of course).
All the portables did a very good job hanging with each other. The CR-1a with the loop was about the equal of the CCRadio without the good sound. The combination was not better and sure did not have the great sound. The 2010 was probably a tad (and I mean tad) more sensitive and the sync was nice, but due to great sound the CCRadio could take a barely readable signal and make it readable, very very good sound. I also like the AGC in the CCRadio the best. Both Sony radios are known for having very good AGC settings but they would "pump" a little where the CCRadio would not. Of course the CommRadio was just as good in the AGC department, but we are comparing apples and oranges there, the CR-1a with the loop is a 750$ combo.
I now think the CCRadio is the best MWDX rig I have. It was well worth the money and I really enjoy listening to it. On FM it seems pretty decent as well. I am going to buy a plug filter and see if that corrects the plug in noise. All and all a 5 star radio with great sound and just a pleasure to listen to, better sound then anything I ever had in a radio.
Go get one .