Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave World Band Receiver with Single Side Band Reception, plus External Plug-in Antenna
by Sony
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave World Band Receiver with Single Side Band Reception, plus External Plug-in Antenna
Customer Review: Very nice radio, though a bit expensive.
Summary: 5 Stars
Overall, I give it 4.5 stars. After reading many favorable reviews of this radio, I bought one as an "upgrade" from my 1991-vintage Radio Shack DX-440. The Sony is a high quality receiver with some nice features, but I think it's overpriced. For $150+ the standard accessories should include an AC adapter, rechargable batteries and an earphone. Shop around if you plan on buying one and try to get it on sale.
Good things:
- Well made, solidly built.
- It's compact! Like the size of a paperback book.
- Excellent sensitivity and very good selectvity.
- The synchronous AM feature works as advertised to reduce interference.
- 100 memory presets.
- Fully adjustable attenuator control (RF gain). Very useful when signals are too strong.
- Audio line-out jack (see below).
- Single side band (SSB) reception. Required for listening to HAM operators and certain other signals.
- Dual clocks.
- Display is recessed to reduce damage/scratches.
- Included clip-on reel antenna really helps reception.
Not-so-good things:
- The audio. It generally sounds muffled on shortwave broadcasts and just "okay" for regular AM/FM reception. Using ear buds helps, but the best option is running the line-out into an external amplifier.
- Small, recessed switches on sides of radio can be difficult to find by touch and hard to operate.
Minor negatives:
- Battery life is average, plan on using rechargables.
- Controls and features not 100% intuitive. Read the user's manual.
- Small display.
- Backlight could be brighter.
One last note: I don't understand why some reviewers claim the sensitivity is poor. As I write this in Colorado, the receiver is sitting on the floor with the antenna tucked away, and Radio Havana is booming in loud and clear. :)
Customer Review: Very Solid Shortwave Radio
Summary: 5 Stars
I've decided to go ahead and review this product after owning it for 3 years now. I originally purchased the Sony ICF-SW7600GR from Amazon back in 2005 after looking off and on for a small portable shortwave radio for months.
I'm not an expert in shortwave equipment or a DX nutter. I just wanted a small unit that could get really good reception for not a lot of money. I read many reviews back in 2005 and settled on the Sony. It was a little more than the Grundigs, but right out of the box I was able to get all the shortwave regulars (Havana, China, Japan, Germany, Holland, Vietnam, Italy and in the early hours I even get Australian ABC). Also able to get crystal clear reception on local and regional AM stations and FM stations.
The speaker isn't going to blow you away, but you get much better sound after plugging in your stereo-capable earphones.
Battery life is superb and there's an easy Sleep Timer near the power button (one touch setting). I never went on the search for an A/C adapter since battery life is exceptional and allows for more "portability" . . . since the Sony ICF-SWC7600GR is a "portable" radio after all.
The radio itself is rather small; however, it's built like a tank. It's definitely heavier than it looks. Gives it a solid build feel.
I also use the radio as a receiver for my Sirius satellite plug-n-play system when I have parties at the house. I turn on the satellite radio (which throws off signal to your desired FM frequency) and put the Sony on the back deck in order to simulcast the music around my house.
Overall, if you don't mind spending $120-$150 for a solid, well built SW portable radio, get your hands on this unit before they're no longer available. I'm glad I did.
Customer Review: Great Radio
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a Yacht Boy 400 before I got this (the YB died after six years). It has all
the functionality of the Grundigs except the sound is not at Grundig's five star
level, more like four or three and a half. However, your not getting one of these
radios to rattle the ductwork are you? One thing I loved over the Grundig is that
when you scan through frequencies you don't get those annoying silent gaps. Just
a clean walk through the ether, the sound rolling along as you listen for a "hit".
Also, it takes only four AA's to the YB's six. The build is about the same in terms of heft,
and you get a long roll up antenna too, though you clip it ON to the pull
out one built into the radio instead of plugging it into a port, though you can
buy one to do that if you like. A great feature is the synchronus detection
that helps you lock on to those stations that fade in and out. The SSB works well,
and the bonus LSB for morse code is interesting, if not immedietly useful. There
are dual local/UTC time settings that are quick to setup and the usual "clockradio"
mode that makes it great when taken on the road. I love the "sleep" setting that
quietly will turn the radio off after a predetermined time, great for when you
listen to the BBC as you drift off, or a long winded numbers station.
Its hard for me to say "get this, its better than the G3" because they are so
closely matched, but for me the selling point was that the Sony was just easier
to use, more intuitive, with better manuals.
If you want a versatile, well built, intuitive, multi-band world radio thats
portable, easy to power and sensitive, this one will not disappoint you.
Customer Review: Small Radio, Big Features, Excellent Quality
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought a Sony ICW-SW7600GR from Amazon a few months ago and I am very happy with my purchase. There are many portable radios on the market these days and this radio is among the best currently produced. It is well equipped with features including dual conversion and synchronous detection and, as a consequence, it performs very well. FM reception is very good and this compact radio picks up many stations that are otherwise faint or beyond the reach of other, similarly equipped radios. AM sensitivity and selectivity are also quite good, so the 7600GR is capable of picking out faint stations without the interference of other nearby signals. SW and SSB reception are very good, as well. As compared to my Kaito KA1103 and Grundig YB 400PE, the Sony's reception is clearly superior on all bands, despite the strong performance of the Grundig and especially the Kaito. The audio quality of the little speaker on the Sony is not as good as those on the Kaito or the Grundig, however, but if you use earbuds or headphones the issue is moot. The controls and displays on the Sony are complicated and require careful study of the instructions to understand, but once you master them the controls are manageable. Battery life is acceptable, although I would recommend acquiring a set of rechargeable AA batteries for the Sony. Fit, finish, and construction quality of the 7600GR are excellent as one would expect from electronics produced in Japan, and this is a strong point that separates it from units assembled in China. My Kaito KA1103, for example, suffers from QC blemishes that aren't a problem with the Sony.
Overall, the Sony ICW-SW7600GR is a terrific portable radio that will provide you with many years of useful service. I give it two thumbs, way up!
Customer Review: WOW!! A super radio for shortwave listening.
Summary: 5 Stars
My Sony was delivered today so I took time to check out it's features against all the hype about this radio. All I can say is WOW!! This radio is intended for voice and not music so it excels at doing just that! Many reviews downgrade this radio for sound quality and if it was bought for music I can see why. But Sony designed this radio for shortwave use so the sound quality for that is just fine. I like the tone set to "news" since it even improves what music I listen to.
It takes awhile to read the manual (and you DO need the manual) but once that is done this radio is a winner for the shortwave listener like me. I added it to my small collection of Shortwave radios after trying others that just didn't meet my needs due to their small size. This radio is a hunk of shortwave power on the go! It's much heavier than I though it would be but then again it's NOT a pocket radio. For the travel I do this radio will always go along so I can keep up on my Shortwave listen and news outside of the U.S.
I do have one concern that I'll have to be careful of......The antenna mount. On this radio the antenna is very long when fully extended and really gives the joint a real workout if you're holding it. I wrap my index finger of my left hand around the antenna base to support it if I'm holding it and that helps a lot. Being as heavy as this radio is I don't see it as a walkabout radio just moved from place to place which I think is the proper way to use this radio.
On Balance I see this radio as 4.9 out of 5 with antenna weakness being that missing .1