Not EVEN the same. I expected a repackaging at first too, but it isn't the case. Much better scanners. With these, the Chinese are actually starting to rival the older Japanese scanners.
You will need new software, since these scanners have far more capabilities.
In my case the 96 and 2096 were much more confused by our (difficult to monitor) local simulcast p25 system. The PSR scanners are an improvement. They have several features not found on other scanners, and I have found each one of them useful. For those serious about federal monitoring, and those who live in places like Texas, NAC decoding will be a Godsend.
Personally, I love the per-channel audioboost feature too. I hate it when I am scanning a lot of different things, then one channel comes up that is just far quieter than the others, and I can't hear it well. This feature solves this.
The way signal bars work on scanners tends to be just silly, and GRE actually had the foresight to include adjustments for this too. Nice.
I also find many uses for the various LED / DISPLAY / AUDIBLE alarms. In a sea of transmissions they can get your attention when something special happens, right off the bat.
Digital sound quality and sensitivity are just outstanding. My PSR-600 lets me dial the squelch down and pull in the faintest signals, much like my old PRO-2006 did.
The PSR-500 does have a cheap look and feel in some ways, but the performance is just too good to pass up. My case makes creeking noises if pressed in certain places on the side, the original antenna was loose and did not fit well, and the radio is rather large, and the grey face is kind of ugly. I have learned to live with the creeking sounds now and then, and replaced the antenna with a dimaond RH519 which is far better anyway, and fits tight as can be, along with outstanding performance. I will live with the looks, and enjoy the performance.
The 600 may not have the beautiful display, or the knob, or the intermod rejection that the 996 has, but is in every other way better, in my view. Much more like the old Jap scanners in the sensitivity area.
