Tecsun PL 990x Full review performance and why it is high end receiver PART 2 of 3

Performance, options and how good the radio is in general use

[@Foulball0206]

It can be expensive for me if I keep listening to your great reviews. Thanks

[@user-zn9uf6fe4v]

You are the King 👑 of radios, thank you for your great videos 👍

[@1crazynordlander]

Subbed. Great subject material. Very thorough. I watched your Top Ten videos and was about ready to order the PL-680. Then I heard your negatives on it about the AM broadcast band was lacking in your opinion. It sounds like you are satisfied with this radio's performance on AM broadcast band. I am a new ham radio operator and want something I can take with me and listen to my favorite SSB ham nets. Also I want it as a bedside radio for AM/FM broadcasts. Thanks for sharing. Where can I buy this? This Anan-Co company I am not familiar with but will order it from there if you can give me some testimony if they are trustworthy. Sorry I worry about buying from overseas sources.

[@sailawayteam]

About the audio quality of the 990x. Mostly it is said that 880 and this unit has very good audio. But all I ever see/hear in reviews is crackly AM sound, which doesn't exactly show the full potential of the speaker. How would you compare the radio's BT sound against an average BT speaker, such as JBL Charge (in price range $100-150) or similar BT speakers? Thanks!

[@OfficialSWLchannel]

no crakly AM sound at all

[@714SNF]

thx for the video, how does this unit compare to the tecsun 660?

[@appalachianunderground8474]

I have one coming from Amazon tomorrow, it’s a 990 , not a “x” . Is there a significant difference? I’m looking forward to trying it out…I have more radios than sense lol 😂….hope I made a good move in purchasing this radio. Thank you for your channel…it’s always helpful when I need info on this awesome hobby ✝️🇺🇸🤙🏻🅰️ ….on second thought, this is actually becoming more than a hobby. With the world we like in , information over the airwaves is more of a necessity.

[@ernietech-101]

It is an excellent radio

[@garywest3763]

Thanks for this Excellent, and detailed Video of your experiences with the PL-990. So what I am hearing from this video, is the 990 say vs the 660, you are getting More features that can allow you to find freq. or sound on freq at a Faster rate. I like the ability to be able to find what I am looking for with Less search time, a Good Sensitive radio, that has the ability to hook an external antenna(s) and switch off Internal Antenna, being able to calibrate the Freq to make for a More accurate tuning radio. Sounds like some Great features and a Upgrade to me. I also Like the Longer Lasting 18650 Batteries, I keep several, charged and ready to go all the time. That said I am Keeping my PL-660 as it runs on AA batteries, that you can find everywhere. Love my PL-880 as it is my Favorite, I am very disappointed with my Sangean ATS 909, it is my worst radio, sits in a Box as I never use that radio, it may get gifted to a relative. My PL-990 is on the way, should receive it today.

[@maureen3134]

After a year or so, how do you like your 990?

[@pappydc12]

Like Maureen says, "How do you like the 990?" I have the 660 and the little 310ET. I like both but want to "maybe" get the 880 or go ahead and get the 990. Maybe then gift the 660 to a friend. (Lovely wife would ask, "WHY do you need more radios?"). Would I even use the Bluetooth feature on the 990? Can you have too many radios?

[@larrybragg7406]

What is the difference between the 990x and 501x?

[@zbruch66]

Hi, thank you for the perfect review! Please explain the difference between Tecsun PL 990 and Tecsun PL 990x

[@lancekirby5141]

The PL990x is for outside of China and has everything in English, the 990 is intended for China market and the manual is in chinese.

[@carpman4767]

Good review

[@caoimhin7122]

Thanks! I've been looking at upgrading my PL-880 to the PL-990x. By the way, do you know if the PL-880 can be calibrated?

[@lovetheblue6659]

This radio is “oh so close”! This is what would have put this “over the top” for me: * Variable RF gain with switchable AGC for greater SSB clarity - Like the Tecsun S-2000. * A record mode for the built-in Micro SD card MP3 player. The fact that it doesn’t have this functionality is almost criminal. Somebody please explain to me what I’m suppose to use the built-in MP3 player for without a record mode??? Since the radio does have Bluetooth and everybody has a smartphone I can just use that functionality to listen to music or a podcast. Heck - I don’t even have anything laying around that records to a Micro SD card. But if I could easily record rare SWL finds to the card - Now that ability would *clearly* put this radio ahead of the 880. So no radio is perfect - But this radio is “so close” ...

[@roblingelbach]

May I ask, (hope this question is not misplaced) does the bluetooth go both ways- can you control the radio, and also feed, from the radio, bluetooth to an external speaker/whatever

[@StratmanII]

I'll hazard a guess that Tecsun's engineers may have experimented with MP3 recording to the SD card, but somehow the recording mode introduced internal noise which they couldn't solve when the 990 was designed. That would certainly earn this radio worse reviews. Having said that there are already digital voice recorders for dictation but then none of them have a built in shortwave radio. As shortwave receivers are very sensitive to EMI, it could be possible that the MP3 player's digital circuitry interferes with shortwave reception. I don't have the PL-990 yet but I think the unit can't play MP3 files while listening to the radio simultaneously. Another possibility is that the MP3 player circuit operates independently from the radio's electronics and they're not integrated with one another. It's like the MP3 playback feature is an added on afterthought.

[@billpecos3514]

You can listen audio books.

[@jamesmao375]

Right on the spot!

[@markmontgomery9722]

love my 880

[@bubbaschwartz]

I saw a kit version what's with $283 price do you get something better?

[@woom3]

Big difference to my sangean 909 non x ,the pl-990 is miles ahead in every part,great sounding radio.

[@OfficialSWLchannel]

PL-990x (990) blows the Sangean 909 and 909x away

[@Radio_Activity]

@@OfficialSWLchannel That's quite a statement as the 909/909X are superb performers. No variable gain on the 990X like on the Sangeans. A two/three way switch isn't good enough for many loops. Botched sync. Something we're paying for. No ability to name pages. I'm sure it's a fine radio but there are so many misses.

[@MrKeys57]

wow! must be the best shortwave receiver in the world...!

[@zvjezdaniput6121]

How do you do that 'calibration'? Can you explain? And one more thing! Can this radio portable receive some CB's? You know....some amateur band? Air band? Some 'handy talky' comunication? HF? :D ( sorry i had to say it lol, i know it sounds silly) Waiting for you answer 'cuz i truly like this 990X

[@greggaieck4808]

Gilles your Tecsun Pl, 990x is cool

[@greggaieck4808]

Gilles iam thinking tensun Pl, 9,90x receiver

[@richardmillican7733]

I'm in the UK, is there any broadcast stations in North America using LW?? When I spent time in central Florida in the 90s LW was completely dead!

[@OfficialSWLchannel]

LW in North America is used for Non Directional beacons at airports..

[@roblingelbach]

@@OfficialSWLchannel am I wrong in recalling that LW is used for submarine comms? been a while since I DXed LW, but when I receive my just-ordered PL-990, maybe I'll also get an external LW loop.

[@vahanyazarian3705]

I like my Tecsun R911 hooked to a30 ft. wire and a5 inch pm speaker.

[@rbranjan9982]

I hope you meant the 990 or 990x and not R911...?

[@MrKeys57]

@@rbranjan9982 There´s no wrong in having an analog radio, they work good as well

[@sa6kod154]

If you have got a tecsun pl 660, would you recommend upgrading to a 990x or a pl 880? ( I have got a pl 660, I am wondering about upgrading to pl 880 or 990x? ) 73 de SM68481

[@OfficialSWLchannel]

definitely is an improvement over the 660, but if you get the 880 it is similar in performance and less expensive. What might make you go to the 990x ... external antenna use disable internal ferrite on the 990x...not on the 880

[@sidneycavalcant]

@@OfficialSWLchannel qual o comparativo em relação ao PL 680 e PL 990 ?

[@mojitojl8171]

Do all orders for the 990x from anon-co come from Hong Kong?

[@OfficialSWLchannel]

yes

[@rbranjan9982]

I think there is an anon-co in Europe too (Germany or Denmark or Netherlands). Their prices are in Euro and they have a different warranty program. It is perhaps a different franchise outlet for Anon-co HK. The HK one is good too. Even despite there being a pandemic slow-down for most of mail items from China and elsewhere, the HK company sent me one by Fed-ex (only option available) which arrived in like 3 or 4 days (HK to Canada). Very good service, prompt feedback. Overall I am very satisfied with all that!

[@perditaolio4163]

I've bought this radio. Nice thing. To my opinion the S/N-ratio is bad. A lot of noise at the background, even when you listen to a MW broadcast-station with a high dBu in the display. This should be better. Maybe it's because I'm used to a Kenwood R5000 and JRC NRD535D. Nevertheless it's a complete radio with nice features.

[@roblingelbach]

interesting feedback... I've just ordered the 990 and will 'be on the lookout' for what you mention re S/N. Would like to ask: does the tuning and scanning mute RX between stations? Am I alone in wanting a more analog approach where one can hear the weak interstitial noise to determine what's happening?

[@roblingelbach]

OMG I've just learned by continuing to watch this video that "There's no Muting!!!" when tuning -- this is fantastic.

[@lardissantissime]

Money is not a question for me: wich one is better? PL-990X or H-501X??

[@jetsneh1]

I would choose the pl-990x...it's small enough to carry around and it sounds almost as good as the 501x;

[@DiegoOrtiz-hi4uz]

Recibe esta radio la banda aerea