Sony Dual Band FM/AM Analog Portable Battery Radio Home Audio Radio Black (ICF-19)

The Sony ICF-19 is a very good value for the price. On the one hand, it is a basic radio with controls for volume, tuning and on/off band selection. But don't let that fool you: the sound from the speaker is excellent, loud and clear and not too bassy. Great for listening to music and talk radio.The tuning needs to be done slowly as you move the dial up/down the band until you see the red light come on indicating you are properly tuned into the station. The battery life is advertised at 400 hours or better using 3 'D' cell batteries.It looks like this radio may have been targeted for European countries with the affordable price and long battery life.I've been using this portable radio a lot around the house and find that the audio is both pleasing for music and talk stations. There is no carrying handle but there is a nice indentation at the back of the radio which makes carrying it around very easy.In summation, this is a great find, very affordable price, great sounding radio with long-lasting battery life. It's definitely a winner if you are looking for a great sounding radio at a great price.

I’ve grown to appreciate the Sony icf-19 for its reliability and ease of use. I wasn’t initially impressed with it because some of the reviews had me believing that this thing had spectacular audiophile sound, but that’s not the case; it sounds like a $30 radio, and is no match for my Sangean in terms of sound quality for music listening — don’t get me wrong it’s decent and it’ll sound pleasant playing tunes in the background while other tasks are being carried out; it’s just not for critical listening, imo. Having said that, where this radio really shines is its tuning capability and its long-lasting battery life. The icf-19’s reception on both the am and fm band blows away my Sangean and pulls in a ridiculous amount of stations...stations that are reduced to mostly static on my Sangean. Maybe that has to do with the fact that my Sangean has a wire antenna and this Sony radio has an aluminum antenna. Not sure, but I can listen to all kinds of news radio on the am band all week without issues. Also, I’ve had this thing since early July mostly to listening to 1010 Wins and CBS Radio and the battery’s still going strong — I estimate that the radio is on about 5 hours a week; however, it was playing practically 24-7 for 4 days straight when my neighborhood experienced a power outage. This radio kept me updated on the outage and was playing music almost constantly during those 4 days. That’s when I was won over! That’s when this dinky little radio turned into my “old reliable.” Lastly, the build quality seems good and I can imagine the Sony icf-19 lasting for quite a long time with proper care. My only gripe I really have with it is that there’s no carrying handle and Sony only provides a cheap strap. There is, however, a carved groove on the top rear to nestle your fingers for handling, but I would’ve preferred an actual handle. Small nitpick. Other than that it’s a great little radio!

So, I've owned this SONY ICF-19 for about a month.Unlike some other reviews, I have no issues with tuning, and it seems to tune similarly to the old variable capacitor radios I once owned. The tuning scale is moderately accurate. There is a tuning indicator that I find helpful.The sensitivity is nothing special, but it is adequate for casual listening. I live in an urban area. Some stations that I have had difficulty receiving with other radios (either due to the station's low power or a distant broadcast antenna) I have noticed I have problems receiving on this ratio, too. Have not seen any frequency drifting over time.This radio uses three D-cell batteries. The battery life seems to be good, which is important because this radio cannot use AC power. Oddly, for a portable radio (again, no AC power option), there is no carrying handle (the somewhat similar SONY ICF-506 has such a handle; yet it can connect to AC power-what gives, SONY?), though it has a indention on the back of the radio that makes carrying the radio slightly easier. The radio does come with a carrying strap, but it is just a piece of nylon and is a poor substitute for a handle, in my opinion. The radio is pretty stable sitting on a table, being somewhat deep in its dimensions, having a flat bottom and, with those batteries, having a decent weight. No dial light, but can't really expect such at this price. That would have been a killer feature.For the price, sound quality and volume are OK. I listen to talk radio, however, so not sure about music quality. The build quality and materials seem good. I appreciate that SONY did not try to make the radio "retro," as it has a nice, modern appearance. Controls work well.Overall, I give it four stars: it does nothing great, but it is a good price and seems that it will last awhile. I love the D cell batteries. It ought to have a handle, though. Still, would recommend.