a bit dissapointing ...
For a Sony product in this price range the overall quality of the unit is very poor ... it's appearance is cheap and the performance of the tuner inside is indescribably poor as well I would not make the mistake of buying Sony ICF-SW12 Shortwave World Band Receiver Travel Radio again
A pricey little travel radio; good, but with caveats
I got this radio before spending a month in Germany in 1997. (I'm surprised to see it's still around.) Generally, it served me well. It sounds like a small radio, but when you're traveling, that's okay ... usually you want news/information, or just background music. It sounds to me like a quality transistor radio, maybe a bit better (but not much). The sound is very clear, however. The on/off/band control is a sliding switch that can be a nuisance to use. It's very stiff, and easy to slide past the point you want it at. Ditto the volume and tuning controls on the side ... they can take a lot of control to get where you want them to be. I bet that those with limited hand strength or use would find this a difficult radio to use. Sensitivity seems ... Read More
An Alarm Clock that also has Shortwave -not a "radio"
I've been a radio buff for many years have a large collection and love to do compares . This unit is an Alarm Clock , not truley a "radio" . And the alarm does NOT interact with the radio, its analog ,therefore it cannot turn the radio on as an alarm . Buzzer only! It does not have a DC adaptor jack . It must run on batteries only. It has an earphone jack .No FM Stereo. If you plug headphones in you will only hear it out of one side . Sony could have easily put a mono adaptor inline so you would hear it through both and should have for the price . The tuner like many Sony products has very good sensativity . But , the controls are so small you need the hands of a brain surgeon to fine tune it . If I was travelling and intended on DXing I would ... Read More
Cute and light, but...
This short wave radio also comes with a built in alarm clock. The problem is that it stopped working all of a sudden after just a year. The warranty only lasts for 90 days and Sony will repair it, but the repairs cost more than the radio!
steady global travel companion
This radio has been a steady companion in my travels to remote areas of Africa and SE Asia during the past 3-4 years. The top portion of the antenna snapped off after 2 years of frequent usage, but this hasn't affected reception significantly. My only wish would be to have a volume control on the alarm, and stereo reception in earphones - to block out bush/jungle noises!
