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Reviews For: HALLICRAFTERS SX- 115

Category: Receivers: Amateur Radio

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Review Summary For : HALLICRAFTERS SX- 115
Reviews: 14MSRP: 595.00
Description:
Deluxe ham band receiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00144
W2ST Rating: 2009-04-07
A superb boatanchor Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own many old receivers -- some, like the SX-115, from the days when they were first made. In its day, only Collins made a radio that could compare in raw RF performance, but -- because of its design -- it couldn't hold a candle to the SX-115 audio.

Part of the SX-115 desirability is its physical build and appearance which -- like its sister the SX-88 (which it outperforms) is magnificent.

Why a reviewer would rate this a 3 based on price is beyond me: by that standard many current top-end radios should be downgraded. In performance terms, the SX-115 remains superb.
KB8QEN Rating: 2009-04-07
Currently overpriced Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned three of these receivers over the last thirty years. While they are a nice receiver and play well, the prices they seem to fetch are indeed way out of line with the performance returned. There is a reason this is a fairly rare receiver. Fact is back when they were new there were other radios that worked as well or better that cost a lot less. That fact remains today.

Unless you are just a speculator looking for an "investment" avoid paying the market price for this one.

If you are seeking a good measure of performance for the dollar spent you may be short changed.
WB6MYL Rating: 2009-02-07
The Pinnacle for Bill Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I do not want to fall into the trap of "reviewing another reviewer" as we all have different opinions about equipment that has varying degrees of condition and integrity (esp. with vintage equipment); I personally believe the SX-115 is/was Bill Halligan's best receiver (boy, this will spur debate); as the first review stated, the quality is just superb; I am experiencing more drift than he indicates as my rig doesn't "settle down" until about a half an hour; the audio is just wonderful! Full and rich and a pleasure to listen to the 40M swap net on; I have A/B compared the rig with the SX-88, SX-100, SX-117, and there is no comparison; The 115 was Bill's attempt to compete with the A-4, then the S/line, but the HT-32/SX-115 was losing out because (IMHO)of the large sizes (subsequently replaced by the SX-117/HT-44 twins but the quality was never the same). The sensitivity is not quite the par of my 590A and it is a little more noisey than the TR-7 or a 390A, but that audio makes up for a lot. If the receiver had come out slightly earlier, I think it would have been better received, but the price tag of $595 for a ham in that era was a lot of money, when for slightly more money, your receiver could have been adorned with the Collins emblem. Still very desireable and collectable as such. Thank you.
KA8DLL Rating: 2006-12-15
Deluxe ham band receiver Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The SX115 is a deluxe ham band receiver. It clearly is the brother of the SX 101 and the HT 32. It is considered by many as beinging the best ham band receiver made by Hallicrafters ever. When seen on EBAY,in good condition, it always sells for more than the original price of $595.00. Weighing in at 40+ lbs. it still weighed some 30 lbs. less than SX 101. Compare that with the DRAKE 2B weighing approx. 30 lbs. less than SX 115. The SX 115 was designed to compete with Collins 75A4. It didn't cost as much because it did't have the mechanical filters. By the time SX 115 started production, 1961 the 75A4 was retired and the Collins new receiver was 75S3. The battleship construction of the SX 115 was old school compared to a Drake 2B and the 75S3. It seems strange that the SX 115 was produced from 61-64 during the time of the much smaller 75S3, 2B, And Hallicraters own SX 117. Keeping that in mind the SX115 is most deluxe of the Hallicrafters line. It's many features are: triple conversion, transmitter vfo, multi loop agc,multi selectivity positions, readout of approx. 1/2 khz, multi mode noise limiters, super stability, and a sculptured front panel. To sum it up this radio babies the operator in every mode of operation. Even though the SX115 is a much bigger radio than the DRAKE 2B the Hallicrafters was smart by making it only 2 inches wider than the 2B and hiding the size 18inches vs 9 inches in the length. A row of equipment would make it look smaller. What did you get for your approx. $250.00 more than a Drake 2b? Well, The construction of the vfo with gears and transmission links built to last a lifetime for one. It is possible to accurately split a 1khz segment into 2 equal parts. Compare this with the string drive of the 2B (which is really pretty Good) with all possibilities of slipping and catching of a piece of string. Five degrees of selectivity vs 3 for the 2B. Weighted tuning knob for just the right feel for long hours of tuning, and extremely attractive knobs,s-meter, and chrome. Simply stated the SX115 doesn't drift, period. It is as stable as a rock after10 minute warm up. There is no cheapness in construction such as the copper platted chassis of the 2B. Like so many luxury items, such as, a Questar telescope or a Rolex watch its qualtity is priceless.