Receiver reliability problems.

[Chuck]

Maybe it is just me.  I have several HD radios that we use around the radio station because of their much better than average analog reception.  A couple of them are running translators.  The HD part is never used. We are strictly analog.

In the last week or so, I've been bit twice.  Our nearly two year old Sangean HD-1 took a dump during the middle of a remote.  It had made some odd noises prior to this that sounded like static or adjacent channel interference. We just figured it was bad reception at the remote location.  Now it just makes white noise, like it was tuned between stations or had no antenna. (It does have an antenna).  Since it is out of warranty, it is probably going in the dumpster.

I replaced it with a nice new Sony XDR-F1HD fresh out of the box.  I never thought about checking it out prior to the next remote need.  It was defective on first power up.  All it says on the screen is "Sony XDR-F1HD - Wait."  The clock works, but no radio.  That is very un-Sony-like.  It has gone back to Sony for replacement, and we are now using a GE Super Radio which has given several years of dependable service.  It doesn't look very cool, but at least, it works.

Has anyone else had above average failures, or is this just an isolated instance?

[ddsparxx]

I think this is what Sony does to its HD radios/tuners. When I turn my XDR-F1HD on, its screen says "XDR-F1HD" and the word "Wait" blinks. I wait for a few seconds during this warm-up, or whatever it is, and then the tuners starts working. I think there is nothing wrong with the tuner. I also have the XDR-F3HD table radio; when I turn it on, it says "XDR-F3HD" and "Wait" for a few seconds and the radio starts.

[Chuck]

I think this is what Sony does to its HD radios/tuners. When I turn my XDR-F1HD on, its screen says "XDR-F1HD" and the word "Wait" blinks. I wait for a few seconds during this warm-up, or whatever it is, and then the tuners starts working. I think there is nothing wrong with the tuner. I also have the XDR-F3HD table radio; when I turn it on, it says "XDR-F3HD" and "Wait" for a few seconds and the radio starts.

This one says, "wait" forever. It never moves on to the next stage, nor is there ever any audio.  It is clearly defective. Sony thinks so too and gave me a repair authorization number and service center address.  Still, it is very inconvenient, and I have to pay the shipping to Laredo, TX where they "fix" these things.  Worse yet, I was at a remote site with no working tuner.

Obviously, I should have checked it before leaving the station, but Sony stuff usually works. So much for that delusion.

[ddsparxx]

You must have gotten the defective tuner. Sorry to hear about this.

[KG6VSW]

Although I'm extremely happy with my Sony XDR unit, I have occasional issues with it, and have heard the same from other DX'ers.

My Sony runs 24/7, generally recording an open frequency for FM DX purposes, and a few times I've found it switched off, or switched to AM 530, and completely frozen. No buttons on the tuner or remote function. The reset button will work, but the buttons will still be frozen so the unit will sit in "standby" state with no way to turn the tuner on. Each time this has happened, the only way to fix it is to leave it unplugged for at least several hours, and it usually becomes functional again.

I've read from other DX'ers that it will sometimes freeze when faces sporadic behavior from HD signals, or have other glitches similar to my issue.

Thankfully my unit functions properly 99% of the time, and the excellent performance is worth the glitches for me.

[ddsparxx]

Sometimes when my unit has "HD" blinking and there's no audio, I just press the tuning buttons and back to the station I was listening to and the tuner goes back to working.

[Chuck]

The adventure continues.  This morning I received an email form Sony, an excerpt is quoted:  "The estimated charge for your exchange will be $74.62. <snip> Please contact us at your earliest convenience by phone or email to approve or refuse this estimate."

This unit was purchased on July 27, 2009.  Since it was mail order, I didn't receive it for about a week after that date, and it sat on a shelf until I needed it last week.  Sony says it was actually manufactured in April of 2007.  I didn't know they'd been making these things that long.  Obviously, I should have returned it to the seller, rather than to Sony, but when I discovered the problem, I called Sony Tech support to see if there was any "quick fix," like holding in the reset button and powering it up.  When they couldn't help any further, they guided me to return it to their "Customer Satisfaction Center."

I spent quite some time on the phone this morning with a nice young lady from Sony, who was quite helpful, despite my probably grumpy behavior.  You'd probably be grumpy too if they wanted $74.62 to fix something that you paid $79.00 for brand new.   Hopefully, the problem is resolved and I'll be getting a replacement in a week or so.

I have three of these radios, and have found them to be excellent analog performers.  My only previous problem has been the problem of switching "off" at the slightest power glitch, and then reverting to "530 AM" when it is powered on.  There is a warranty busting cure for that, but this radio has been untouched.

Mostly I was wondering if others have had problems with them too.  They do run very hot, and that is a concern for long-term reliability.

[rbrucecarter5]

I've got both - neither have given me any problems.  I've used both for HD and analog, primarily analog due to excellent reception characteristics.

[Nick]

There are many analog radios that still work today after decades of service. I have a boombox older than me (and I can legally drink) that still functions well. That boombox had, in the past, been left on 24/7 for 9 months of the year, 2 years in a row, plugged into a computer to stream a radio station, and it never hiccuped.

[ddsparxx]

The early boomboxes made in the 70s and 80s were fun to have around, but today's boom boxes are garbage; those with CD players and lousy digital tuners.