Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Sony World Band Receiver ICF-SW7600GR

Category: Receivers: General Coverage

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Sony World Band Receiver ICF-SW7600GR
Reviews: 78MSRP: $180
Description:
Portable shortwave receiver.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00784.3
SUBU Rating: 2005-03-10
First Impression is Good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am in to SWL after a long gap of 20years!!!(may be to go into becoming a HAM which fizzled out in my school days due to various reasons) Bought 7600GR after a long search on the net and reading almost every review.I have a 10 year old Sony ICF-SW10(12 band analogue)which I thought would suffice.Can't get any station and if I put out a longwire through my apartment window, I get a local station all through the SW, MW and LW bands.Then I thought to keep myself to only MW and FM with my Bose 321 but not satisfied I almost decided upon a AM/FM tuner.Then came across SWLing and 7600GR. A great radio for a beginner like me I should say. The FM reception beats even the Bose 321 which has a dipole to help. The stations more than 100 miles away come in clean without much multipath distortion even with the stereo EP plugged in. Even on AM 7600GR beats the Bose who has a loop (shielded loop from a website)kept outside on the balcony.Today morning I successfully listened to All India Radio transmitting from Delhi(I am at Abu Dhabi in UAE - 2500kms from Delhi) with just the whip.I am yet to start SWLing seriously(GR is only 2days old)but I am sure my money is well spent on the GR. Checked out Sangean 909 and Grundig YB400.Grundig was just $5 cheaper than GR so why to settle for a poorer built?
K8AND Rating: 2005-02-26
Rock Solid Radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hello,
I have just recently aquired a brand new Sony ICF 7600GR and I must admit that you get alot of features for a good price,be sure to shop around for the best price. I have previously owned
two Grundig YB 400's in the past few years and after having something break on both I finally made the decision to go with the Sony ICF-7600GR and I am not disappointed. First of all the radio is about the same weight but smaller in size then the YB 400 so my first impression of the radio is that it's built to last and is built much better
then the Grundig 400,it's actually made in Japan
and not China as the Grundig is. After getting aquainted with the radio it's fairly easy to navigate to whatever frequency you want to go to.
The Fm Stereo through the headphones is very
clean and crisp. The nicest thing about the
radio that makes it stand out from the Grundig
is the fact the 7600 has a VARIABLE signal attenuator whereas the grundig does not. Also,
I have not used the Synchronous detection very
much but it's nice to have it. In addition,
this radio has a "line out" jack on the side
for hooking up to another receiver or maybe a tape recorder that's in addition to the headphone jack. The battery drainage is very low compared to the Grundig,even though the radio doesn't come with an adaptor it might be a good idea to
get 4 AA rechargable batteries and then you
don't have to ever worry about the introduction
of "commericial power" hum or another wire
hanging from the side of the radio. Since I am an amateur radio operator I have used the Grundig 400 and now the Sony 7600GR for Sideband reception and I really think the Sony does a better job in picking up amateur radio sideband transmissions,it actually has a switch on the side where you can chose upper or lower sideband making tuning stations on sideband easier then
the Grundig. This Radio is very sensitive and selective and it's amazing how well it locks on
stations AM,FM or Single Side band. I live within two miles of an FM broadcast station that runs thousands of watts and the Variable Attenuation
is great for usage on the FM broadcast band,if
I am tuning really close to the frequecy of the
nearby FM broadcast station I can tune in
stations clearly by having the attenuation all
the way and when I get farther away from
the "power house" on the fm band I am able to adjust the
attenuation to correspond with the lesser desensatation...But with the Grundig,you
only have ALOT of Attenuation or no attenuation,
you can't adjust the level....
I must admit that the speaker audio is not superior compared to the built in speaker
in the Grundig YB 400 but I really feel that
the other features, especially the quality build of the Sony makes up for it. You can easily tune or scan in 1 or 5 KHZ steps . It does have 100 memories but only 10 at a time can be used which is kinda ackward but I suppose it's a good way to break up your memories up so you could
make one bank of 10 memories your favorite FM
stations,another bank favorite AM stations and
the next bank all the frequencies for VOA....and so forth.. While in a bank of memories (up to 10 per bank) you can instantly access them with
the numeric keypad,or scan them for activity.
Although this unit does not have an S-meter
or tuning meter,the little "tune" indicator
in the upper left hand corner of the LCD unit works and is nearly as useful as the tuning meter from the Grundig 400. There are also many sleep and alarm functions which I have not tinkered around with... Considering the Price
with the features this is a keeper!

Good Luck and I'll look forward to seeing new reviews on this one,the 7600GR is the apparent
prodecessor to other 7600s since the line came
out back in the late 90's or late
80's....
K4IDX Rating: 2005-01-21
Well worth it! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I own a Grundig YB400PE in addition to this, so my opinion is based on the comparison between the two. For superb audio and easy to use features, you want the Grundig, but for excellent build quality and exceptional SSB for a portable, you DEFINITELY want the 7600! I live in the SE USA, so reception here is pretty much always good, but I have been able to tune in some good SW stations like Radio Australia, Radio New Zealand, and some other less powerful stations quite easily. On the SSB I've heard other hams from Europe, SA, and Oceania as well. I use mine for travel and nighttime listening and would highly recommend it over other Chinese made brands such as Sangean and other Grundig models. By the way, PAGE is supposed to remain on the screen...it uses NO battery power and simply tells you which of the pages of programmed memories you are currently accessing, so don't let this influence your decision in a negative way!
KR3DX Rating: 2004-12-31
Great for its size and price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The following are my personal observations/opinions: The 7600GR replaced a Radio Shack DX-398 (Sangean 909) that died. (See both of my reviews of that radio and the problems that I had with it.) My 7600GR is more sensitive on LW / MW than the 909. SW sensitivity is a tough call because I can't do an A / B comparison due to the 909's demise, but the Sony is AT LEAST as sensitive (and probably more). The receiver is MUCH better than the Sangean due to the synchro AM and the continuously variable SSB fine tuning. The 909 tuned SSB in 40 Hz steps with the "tuning dial", which I found VERY awkward to use. You had to select between "fast", "slow", and "stop", with the "step" button and then you might be as much as 20 Hz off freq. The 7600GR has dedicated 5 kHz and 1 kHz tuning buttons, then the "SSB fine tune" knob can get you within a few Hertz of the desired freq. I much prefer the dual button system on the Sony compared to the "Tuning Dial" on the 909. Neither system is close to the tuning dial on a ham rig, but the Sony's is MUCH easier to use. The synchro AM mode with its selectable sideband function is VERY effective at eliminating QRM that is coming from either above or below the desired freq (but not when there is interference on BOTH sides of the desired signal, of course). Has anyone noticed that the variable attenuator works in the FM mode also? This is not an FM broadcast band DX machine, but the attenuator will come in handy when overload occurs when using a big antenna. The FM IF bandwidth seems wide, meaning that it will cope well with the typically overmodulated (over-deviated) signal that so many stations transmit. The "AM mode" selector switches for "norm", "sync", "LSB", "USB", preclude the ability to memorize the mode along with the freq, but I believe that switches provide better IMD performance than can be obtained with diodes. (which would be required if the "mode" was chosen by a microprocessor)
Battery life seems MUCH better than on the Sangean 909, very important since this is a PORTABLE radio. Overall, the Sony 7600GR is an excellent receiver the for small size and price. Most areas that can be "nit-picked" are ergonomic/firmware issues. The LCD could be bigger. ("PAGE" is printed on the display, it isn't generated by the liquid crystal matrix, that's why it is always visible) An "S" meter would be nice, one that would indicate full scale only during a direct lightning strike on the antenna, not like on most receivers where a few microvolts read "full scale", rendering them pretty much useless. The single LED backlight for the display times out after 10 seconds even with external power applied to the radio, the 909's would toggle on and off with external power application, and turn itself off during battery operation. "AM BAND" must be held down and either the "UP" or "DOWN" buttons must be pressed to step through the SW broadcast bands, the 909 had dedicated "BAND" buttons and no need to hold "SW" down while simultaneously pressing another button. The Sony doesn't have RDS capability, something that I do not miss. The case on the Sony seems very thick, sturdy, and durable, much better than the thinner plastic on the Sangean. Keeping in mind that the 7600GR is NOT a ham receiver, it's performance is exceptional for a small portable. This radio seems to have been designed as a piece of consumer electronics for the non-technical user (is anyone surprised?) so its "features" are not quite ideal for trolling the ham bands (read, "no tuning knob for locating CW or non-channelized SSB signals") but considering that ALL non-ham SSB is channelized (marine, aviation, military, CB) the lack of a "tuning knob" eliminates a lot of confusion for the general public. This radio is made in Japan (NOT China, Taiwan, Korea, Formosa, Indonesia, Thailand, Phillippines, Vietnam, etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum.......) and the build quality seems excellent compared to the crap that comes out of the rest of Asia. So, the Sony 7600GR is a great, small, portable, sturdy, 150 kHz to 29,999 kHz, AM, syncro AM, SSB, FM stereo receiver at a price that can't be beat. Any questions?

73,
Denny
W2DI Rating: 2004-12-29
For price it's a 5 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had several SW radios in this price class and feel the SW7600GR is the best for my needs at a reasonable price. Sitting in the living room and listning for MW, SW or FM broadcast or SSB/CW on the Ham bands works great with only the the whip antenna. Very sensitive, clear audio and selective enough in all modes. I can always hear WWV at one or more of their frequencies.
Battery life is excellent! This is important to me. I really dislike using radios when I know they are eating batteries. I haven't timed the battery life but I can see 4 good alkalines last many hours.
Only things I would change is adding a tuning knob and eliminate sound blanking between tuning steps - very annoying. (Anyone know of a mod like the one for Radio shack receiver that eliminates this?)
Maybe 4.5 would be a better overall rating, but for the price and performance I must give it a 5.
73. Joe -- W2DI
CLYDEMCCLARAN Rating: 2004-12-28
Enjoyment Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
While this is no "2010", I was pleasantly suprised regarding the sound and clarity of this receiver. I received one for Christmas and I was amazed at the clarity of RCI and CBC without extending the antennae. Other major broadcasters such as the BBC come in quite well with only a small extention of the telescoping antennae. One hundred memories is afforded in this marvel, which beats the 32 my 1988 vintage Sony 2010 has. Amateur and sideband reception is very audible and sensitivity is fine.
I have not evaluated longwave. The keypad is substantial and has a firm feeling, unlike other modern portables these days. My drawback: I wish this model had a tuning knob.

Admittedly, my listed rating as a "5" appears fraction high as it is more accurately portrayed a 4 and three quarters in my book. But, it is deserves better than a "good 4" due to sound quality, clean sensitivity, and ease of use w/o studing the instruction book extensively. The AM and FM definitely desrves a full 5 in every respect. For $200 or less, it is the best on the market.
KC0LXP Rating: 2004-11-19
Satisfactory Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The '7600 is a nice radio, but lacks a few features. The radio has good receive. It has good selectivity, and the Synch AM is handy.
The controls have a solid feel. The radio operates fine using four 1.2V NIMH cells. My radio, connected to external adapter, did fine from 4.5 - 6.0 VDC. This has become my "everyday" radio, surpassing my Sangean 803 because of the synch AM. I didn't like the lack of a tuning knob, or the way when manually tuning at 5khz step, how the radio jumps back to the beginning of the nearest band. The antenna 1/8 miniplug didnt float my boat either. My display constantly displays the page icon also. However, the radio has great audio,
and runs fine from NIMH batteries, very important in our throwaway world. If you don't require a tuning knob, this is a good radio. It also survived 3 months in my camping backpack without failure, which gives it my satisfactory rating. :)
WORLDBANDDX Rating: 2004-11-07
Excellent portable DX'ing receiver! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After buying this receiver two months ago, i bought an aftermarket adaptor and set up a mini "station" at my desk. One evening with the '7600GR proved to me why this radio is in such a different league from the portable competitors. Although the controls are somewhat awkwardly placed at the side, the incredible flexibility immeasurably adds to the enjoyment of listening. The NEWS/MUSIC filter switch is useful, unlike what Passport reports in their review, often blocking out unwanted interference and clarifying the intelligiblity of speech (keeping in mind that it is not a 'true' filter). The Synchronous Selectable Sideband locks onto most signals with ease, even the 100KW RNZI signal from Auckland (i'm listening in Northern New England!). AFRTS and BFBS in SSB are also easily accessible, as the fine tuning knob is a continous tuner over +/- 1.5 khz. Listening to mainstream stations such as BBC, VOA, DW, RFI, and CRI is effortless! What is even more interesting, however, is that DX catches such as Voice of Korea of Voice of Moldava are listenable with this receiver - I have recorded their broadcasts from Pyongyang and Chisnau respectively. I would advise purchasing the accessory AN-LP1 active loop antenna, as it is a welcome addition.
Before i bought this radio, i spent months researching other brands, including Sangean and Grundig. Grundig's quality is (unfortunately) terrible, the plastic wearing after only a month of daily use. The '7600GR is heavier than is competitors, but has a metal speaker and a heavy-grade plastic back to provide protection and support. My two caveats would be:
a) No tuning wheel
b) Difficult to find (i had mine shipped from the UK).
W4TQT Rating: 2004-06-30
OK Time Owned: more than 12 months.
No tuning knob and no signal strength meter. These are the main negatives for me.

In response to the previous poster, the word "PAGE" also stays on my display even when the radio is off.

I would not buy the radio again and I have been thinking about putting it on eBay. Not that there is anything defective on mine. It probably works exactly the way it was designed to work. I just did not realize how much I would miss an analog tuning knob. It wouldn't be so bad if the audio didn't go dead briefly during each 1 KHz tuining step. This doesn't happen if you keep the tuning button pressed continuously but then it sweeps too fast to be very useful.

If you would not be troubled by my above two main objections I could recommend this radio. I think what I really wanted was a radio that could also be used as a field strength meter. And this is not it.
NAYY99 Rating: 2004-06-30
A nice radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a new ICF - SW7600GR receiver from J&R music world about three weeks ago.The word ''PAGE '' constantly appears on the LCD screen,( even when radio is off and without batteries).Could some one tell me that, is it a standard feature in the radio or there is some fault.