Sony SRF59SILVER AM/FM Walkman Stereo Radio

Sony is offering a nearly-free gift. For fifteen dollars, you can purchase a phenomenal AM and FM Walkman radio complete with headphones. Light as a feather, the SRF-59 is so sensitive that Internet groups have popped up just to discuss its use. Sony's radio has become the standard in a new category of 21st century portables known as ultralights. Hobbyists who relish exotic long-distance reception have heralded the SRF-59 as a technological miracle. The unit houses a little printed circuit board with two integrated circuit chips. One is a self-contained complete AM / FM tuner and the second is the audio amplifier to drive the headphones. Due to its concise nature, its single AA battery lasts for over 100 hours. The SRF-59's performance is comparable to other radios costing hundreds of dollars. Sony's ultraweight Walkman has been compared favorably to legendary units such as the GE Superadio, The Sony ICF-2010 and the Sangean CC Radio. If you are looking for the ultimate receiver to hear distant ball games or talk shows, this is it. Seasoned DXers, the skilled sophisticated listeners who often homebrew their own equipment, have devised several modifications for the radio itself along with ideas to augment its circuitry with powerful outdoor antennas. Even as a stock unit, right out of its plastic bubble packaging, SRF-59 owners have heard AM radio stations all the way across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from places like Japan and Saudi Arabia. The SRF-59 truly has enormous ears. After using Sony's miracle for several years, only a few criticisms can be made. The headphones are only average quality. Tuning the Walkman is a little fussy. The knob provided to adjust what station you are listening to is pretty tiny even for petite thumbs. With ferocious abuse, you can wear out the radio. After about a year of pounding during train commutes, and walking across Manhattan, I had to buy a new one because I wore out the tuning capacitor. The SRF-59 is worth the price of admission. I used to listen to WWKB in Buffalo, New York, on AM radio, while sitting in an electronic noise nightmare (a steel Metro-North commuter train) on my way to New York City. WWKB was 300 miles away! Whenever you need a little casual entertainment, the SRF-59 can't be beat. Leave one in your purse or coat pocket or in your attache case. The SRF-59 is low maintenance. You don't need to download to it. It almost never needs a battery. You can hear amazing things nearly everywhere you go. It weighs so little, you'll have to feel into your pocket just to know it's there. For in-depth information, take a look at two radio hobbyist web sites: [...]. As a dyed-in-the-wool radio listener, I couldn't recommend a purchase more highly! At this incredibly low price, you can't miss!

After reading some of the negative reviews on here, I'm wondering exactly what those people were expecting? But I guess you can't please everybody. In my opinion, this radio is just what I needed. I'm quite surprised and pleased at the quality of the stereo sound for the small size, and I have no problems with the reception. I just needed an inexpensive, simple, small, personal, portable radio that I can wear and listen to while I'm working so it doesn't bother anyone else in the room. This little unit fills the bill for me. It's surprising to find out how hard it was for me to find exactly what I wanted. I didn't want to spend a fortune, and while I found other radios that might work, many of the choices were just beyond my budget. Then I ordered this one, and when I fired it up for the first time, I was more than pleased. I like the fact that it uses only one AA battery too. Very economical. After using another brand of radio for a few years, this one is a real step up for me. But I guess I'm easy to please. This is a great little radio for what it is. I don't think you could beat it for the price.

Like to listen to the radio, but aren't in an environment where you can use a portable unit? Want to have AM/FM on your hip without risking your pricier MP3 player? Want radio that goes everywhere you go and lasts nearly forever on a single AA battery? This portable radio just might be for you. This little radio is stashed in the glovebox of my work truck and I use it on the job site, when walking, or in the back yard when I am moving from place to place that makes having a stationary radio impractical. Based on my experience of this radio.... Pros: * Reliability - This radio has proven to be utterly reliable over time, despite knocks, drops, bumps, and the occasional splash of water. It's nothing fancy, but it does AM/FM just great. * Features - This is a basic product, yes, but it has a couple of thoughtful features that really count. One is an on/off switch that is not tied to the volume control. Other typical transistor radios have the on/off tied to the volume control, where as you lower the volume the wheel will ultimately 'click' and turn off the radio; the great advantage of a dedicated on/off switch is that the volume setting remains exactly where you left it. If you are choosy about this sort of thing, as I am, you will really appreciate this little touch. The other thoughtful touch is the addition of a DX switch. For old-time transistor radio users, this will be familiar: it allows a boost to bring in distant radio stations with a weak signal with improved sound. (less background hiss) My favorite daily-listen news station is some sixty miles away, and this switch really comes in handy. These are minor things in an otherwise no-frills radio, but they combine to increase the radio's performance and usability. * Value - I think the value is good. Having said that, I would have preferred the price to be a couple bucks less if it came without the marginal headphones, which are terrible. (conversely, I would have paid a couple bucks more if it had come with the excellent Sony earbuds that I ended up getting anyway) Decent value for around fourteen bucks, then, but not the steal that is the excellent Sony transistor radio: Sony ICF-S10MK2 Pocket AM/FM Radio, Silver * Battery - Battery life is outstanding, and it gets there with a single AA. Grab a four-pack of quality AA batteries and you've got yourself months of daily use. Or, use Sanyo's outstanding Eneloop rechargeable ni-mh batteries, like I do: Sanyo Eneloop 8 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries These are the best AA batteries I have found for small electronics, bar none. I also like things that run on AA batteries, in general, because they are inexpensive and utterly ubiquitous. * Reception - This has proven to be good in my experience. The tuning is old-school analog dial and require finesse of the finger to tune in your stations. That's just fine by me, as it's super-reliable and keeps the cost down. The antenna comes in the form of the earbud/earphone cables and works well enough. Unlike a stationary radio, your Walkman 'antenna' will always be shifting and swishing around, giving you variable reception especially with some dimmer stations. All things considered, reception has been generally impressive. Cons: * Old school styling - Well, if you are yourself old school, as I am, you may well see this as a positive thing! Personally, I have no complaint about the styling as it is, after all, just a basic transistor AM/FM radio. (But remember when a Sony Walkman was hip and cutting edge? I do!) This reviewer thinks the styling is clean but basic. It's no Ipod, but then it doesn't aim to be, either. * Headphones - are awful. No, really, they are. Will they do the job? Yes, and they are perfectly adequate to transmit sound. BUT: they are utterly bargain basement and the sound isn't a match for even moderately priced earbud-style phones out there. I ditched these in favor of the very good Sony 'buds, at a very reasonable seven bucks: Sony MDRE828LP/SLV Lightweight Earbuds (Silver) While these are not top of the line, they pair well with this Walkman. I've become accustomed to earbuds and really prefer those to headphones that make my head hot. This is my preference creeping in, and your mileage may vary. * Size - The two cons above are, for me, quibbles. The size, however, could use to be smaller. True, the unit weighs little - under a few ounces with battery - and the size is about the dimension of a pack of cigarettes. (or a deck of cards, for us non-smokers) So, while it's not huge, it is also a lot bigger than some MP3 players that allow for zillions of songs as well as FM reception and come tiny enough to clip on your collar. Would I like it if this came smaller? Yes, I would. But I also have to allow that it is an unfair comparison to MP3 players and admit that when I wear this Walkman on my hip I really forget that it's there. So, smaller would be nicer, but it's not a deal breaker. Other thoughts: I like this player because I don't have to worry about it getting knocked about when I am on the job, in the garden, or anywhere else. It's a small investment and so I don't worry about breaking it or losing it like I would my Ipod. It has also proven to be robust, durable, and easy on the batteries. I would rate it at five stars rather than four if it came with quality earbuds (or came without any and was a few bucks cheaper) and had a slightly smaller profile. As it is, though, this is an excellent solution when you want a small, tough, reliable AM/FM radio to use on the go. Recommended!

On receiving the radio, was disappointed to find that the foam covering the supplied headphones just fell apart after just wearing them for a matter of hours. I would have thought, considering that the radio was quite expensive the headphones would be of the same standard.

Habe den Radio täglich 2 Stunden beim Walken im Gebrauch, mußte bisher noch nicht die Batterie wechseln. Der Empfang ist sehr gut! Einzig die Kopfhörer habe ich gewechselt weil ich lieber INEAR Hörer benutze! Werein einfaches Radio zum Walken oder Joggen möchte ist mit diesem wirklich gut bedient!

I love this little radio - small, compact, takes only one AA battery and is long-lasting - reception is clear and works pretty much everywhere except tunnels (I listen to AM radio) - it's size is a little bit bigger than a flip cell phone. Fits in breast pocket, the clip is very secure and can clip to belt, bag, anywhere. Headphones are the kind I like and came in handy didn't need to buy separately. Of course, always great shipping with Amazon.

This is my third little Sony radio, I LOVE it. company whilst out walking or working in the garden. It is light weight, fits in my pocket or handbag, the headphones on this one are great, with good clear sound. My previous radio's had little ear phones, which I think I prefer ,as they wrap around the radio when not in use, and were equally great sound to the headphones. I found the reception to be great, finding that there were only couple of woodland tracks and Scarborough seafront that I couldn't get any reception. Battery life is long, and I only use approx. 4 batteries per year. (I do buy best quality batteries). Delighted with my purchase and use it all of the time.

A fantastic radio for the money. I use it when out walking. Local stations come in very clearly with terrific stereo. I particularly like the over-the-head earphones which are provided with the Walkman. Ear buds are useless for me. I can never get them to fit properly.