Tecsun PL-680, Qodosen DX-286 and XHDATA D-220 on KCBS Pyongyang 11680 kHz

[@qutube100]

The SYNCH on pl680 is surprisingly effective and works well on dipping sw signals such as these!

[@swlistening]

Indeed, I actually used it last night on some other signals, works very well!

[@fancee54]

I recently purchased the XHDATA D220,and it has great reception on all bands, I'm very pleased with it, thanks for the video!

[@swlistening]

Hi Daniel, thanks for commenting! Good to hear that you are happy with the D-220. It is a really nice little radio.

[@lew9223]

Enjoyed your video, I have that d-220 in my cart for a while now, might be time to press BUY 😃 I have the little xhdata d-328 which pleasantly surprises me on SW. Thanks, best wishes from Scotland

[@swlistening]

Hi Lew, thanks for your comment. If you need another radio I will recommend this, but I think if your D-328 is serving you well, then you probably don't need this one. Unless you want something really small that you can carry around anywhere.

[@oz_dx]

Nice comparison and great reception! It seems the transmitter produces some noise now.

[@swlistening]

Thanks! You are right, it does seem like there is some noise.

[@theshortwavearchive35]

Wow! That is really good reception of KCBS. I've heard this broadcast quite a few times. Unfortunately it sounds like they have a distorted signal which is unfortunate because they played really good music 😞. I always like catching shortwave stations that are for a domestic audience, especially when they use a 50 kW transmitter since it seems like it's the lowest they can go without being too low power. These days you would think domestic broadcasting on shortwave is no more but I'm glad to see so many stations still broadcasting domestically.

[@StratmanII]

I thought I was the only one who felt that KCBS pushed their audio output gain past 11 o'clock on the dial. Their broadcast audio is loud to the point of distortion!😀

[@theshortwavearchive35]

@@StratmanII They seem to "enjoy" doing that as well with VOK broadcasts. I'm very lucky that the broadcast to North America (at leat at the time I listen) isn't distorted.

[@StratmanII]

@@theshortwavearchive35 Gasp! Maybe they're using the same home brewed RF amplifiers assembled in some dingy basement in an unmarked warehouse in Pyongyang! 😳🇰🇵

[@theshortwavearchive35]

@@StratmanII Probably, with North Korea you never know 🤣

[@swlistening]

@theshortwavearchive35 Thanks Liam, I always enjoy catching KCBS. Like you, I quite enjoy the music, it is less militaristic than what one hears on Voice of Korea sometimes. The music in the recording sounds almost jazzy to me, really quite nice. This is what North Koreans would listen to if they are still awake late at night :-) Fortunately there are still some domestic SW broadcasts. In China there are very many, also in Brazil and other South American countries, and here in Africa also. There are several domestic SW stations in Ethiopia.

[@Hiram8866]

I still love picking up signals from North Korea as it is so detached from the world. Reminds me of 80s shortwave.

[@swlistening]

Hi Glen, indeed. It's like the days when we could listen to radio stations from behind the iron curtain. It was like getting a glimpse into societies that seemed somewhat secretive at that time.

[@F4LDT-Alain]

Hey André, nice comparison, thanks for sharing. VoK always is a good station to tune in for such comparisons. I did the same recently with my PL-330 and the D-220 as you know. Again, the small radio really shines here. Not a world of difference with the two other much more expensive top notch radios here. Apart from more cyclic fading and a signal cutoff effect that I've noticed on mine too. Again, the analogue PL-680 sounds much more natural to my ears, if a bit noisier here.

[@swlistening]

Thanks Alain, yes, not much difference between the two more expensive radios, but the analogue PL-680 does sound a bit better. This is not VOK though, it is KCBS, their domestic service. It uses a weaker transmitter than VOK, this one is 50 kW. So the D-220 performance is really quite good here.

[@swlistening]

Oh, just to add, I agree with you that the D-220 performs pretty much the same as the other two radios. Surprisingly good little radio.

[@F4LDT-Alain]

Oops. Sorry, thanks for correcting me.

[@StratmanII]

@@swlistening Andre, if you think the PL-680's speaker sounds rich, the R-9700DX sounds even bassier! I couldn't believe my ears when I tested it. Unfortunately my copy has a defective tuner and it was just awful when stations are clumped next to one another. I don't experience this with the XHDATA D-368 or the D-219. I've already returned the R-9700DX and really miss that nice backlit frequency dial. 😞 Even Anna (Anon-Co) had informed me that she can't guarantee her company's stock of R-9700DX won't have the same problem as the one I had for 12 days.

[@swlistening]

@@StratmanII Wow, sounds like the R-9700DX has a great speaker! Pity about that defective tuning. It was quite apparent in the video you sent me a week or so ago. I am quite happy to have a very good analogue radio now, the PL-680, so I will probably hang on for a bit before I get the R-9700DX. Still looks like an interesting radio to me.

[@robintyson591]

I see the D-328 is approximately the same price, but has a rechargeable battery, SW is divided into 9 separate bands, and also plays SD card music. Wouldn't it be a better buy?

[@swlistening]

Hi Robin, yes, these two are priced relatively similarly and I think the D-328 should be a very good radio. I don't have one, but I have a D-368, which I think is very similar to the D-328 in terms of sensitivity. I think the D-328 and D-220 are aimed at different segments of the market. The D-328 is more of a DXing and music listening radio, while the D-220 is more of a daily use, pocketable, carry around everywhere type of radio. It also has a nostalgia factor - it is just like the very simple pocket radios from the past. It is very good on SW, yes, but I think most people would use it more for FM and MW, and for some fun on SW, not serious DXing. Some people would probably also use it as an emergency radio and a camping radio exactly because it is so sensitive and because it uses regular AA batteries. In an emergency, or when camping, a rechargeable battery will not be very useful. Personally I like the D-220 very much because it is so simple. It is just a very simple radio, with excellent reception on SW, MW and FM. I like that.

[@ditto1958]

I love these “comparos” Pretty impressive performance from all three radios

[@swlistening]

It's fun to compare quite different types of radios, I always enjoy it.

[@StratmanII]

@@swlistening Too bad you couldn't lug the Hammarlund, Barlow Wadley and the Kenwood to your conference though. It would be the SWL King's Ultimate Comparison! 😅

[@swlistening]

@@StratmanII True! For that I would need lots of extra baggage allowance 😀

[@Xitrun]

Amazing comparisson, thanx a lot! Would tecsun 501 be better than 680?

[@swlistening]

Hi Andrey, my pleasure! Unfortunately I don't own a Tecsun H-501x, so I can't give you an opinion based on my own experience. The 501 does have some additional features that the PL-680 doesn't have, such as a dedicated port for an external MW antenna (something that I would enjoy using!), stereo speakers and Bluetooth. It also uses an analogue circuit and a DSP chip. The PL-680 is full analogue. But without actually testing one, I can't say if the 501 is better. It does seem to have a very loyal following, it seems to be a very good radio.

[@MayanMe365]

Thanks ! 3 great radios !

[@swlistening]

My pleasure, glad you like them!

[@basilkatakuzinos659]

Got the RF 2200 back from being serviced, caught KCBS in what I feel is comparable quality to your pl-680. Also listened to a news story on Zimbabwean independence last night ( I believe from Voice Of Africa)

[@swlistening]

Hi Basil, nice to hear that your RF 2200 is back! KCBS is always a fun station for me to catch, because it comes from such an isolated country. The Zimbabwean news you heard might have been VOA Studio 7, their Zimbabwean service.

[@StratmanII]

Your little Q sure looks very nice resting on the apartment's sofa, Andre! With the SWL King, he doesn't have to chase shortwave signals - the signals chase him ! 🌍 📻😎👍 The score between us is now 4:1, I should think. D-109, D-609WB, D-219, DX-286 vs PL-680. Dis nie regverdig nie, my china! 😭

[@FamtechVideos]

🤣🤣🤣 O jirre!

[@swlistening]

I wish the signals would always chase me 🤣 But I have been quite lucky here in Cape Town, indeed. On my way back home later today, the Cape Town trip has come to an end.

[@FamtechVideos]

@@swlistening I am not surprised, it looks like you were on High Level Road, close to a bus stop. I used to go up there a lot to take the bus to Irwinton Station. Route 105 mostly has its view blocked out by buildings, but towards the end, only at the terminus at Queens Beach you get a view. Meanwhile, from Civic Centre to Old Fire Station is when you have a view of the city.

[@StratmanII]

@@FamtechVideos Remind me to hire you as my daytime tour guide when I visit Cape Town someday, Deniz! I want to try going up Table Mountain and find out if I could get one of those rare South American radio stations that Andre always scores with my DX-286! 🤗

[@FamtechVideos]

@@StratmanII Ok sounds good!

[@Homer19521]

The next time you do this same compare, do it blind folded & let the viewers vote which is analog & DSP.

[@swlistening]

Very good suggestion, thanks for the idea!

[@FamtechVideos]

@@Homer19521 😳

[@FamtechVideos]

@@swlistening 📻 Time for us to wait and see. Maybe if I do HAM radio, I can broadcast your programs.

[@barmaley-division]

For some reason, seeing the cheapest radios successfully compete against expensive ones is very satisfying. That's why I'm not going to abandon my cheapest SI4732x receiver (XiaoK); when it comes to SW, it has proven to be superior to the TEF6686 implementation I have. This D-220 is simply great for the money (±8$ or whatever they want for it). Great video, as always! 👍🏻

[@swlistening]

Thanks and I agree with you, it is always great to see that cheap radios can sometimes perform just as well as much more expensive radios! One should never underestimate a radio just because it is cheap.

[@StratmanII]

You ought to check out the ATS-25 Max Decoder or the ATS-25 AMP. I've never seen so many features in a small box running on an ESP32 microprocessor and an Si 4732 DSP tuner chip. Puts my Tecsun PL-909 to shame when it comes to SSB demodulation at a fraction of the price! Si 4732x? Is that a new Skyworks DSP chip, a new version of the Si 4732? 🤔

[@barmaley-division]

@@StratmanII Oh, ATS-25x, good, let's discuss it. Being based on the same chip, is it even needed? -> Do those software-driven bells & whistles matter indeed? I mean, the main issue with all those cheap S4732x-based receivers, is that the full specs is HUGE, and to get most of it (like on SSB - getting rid of the annoying and useless BFO control and reducing tuning step to get rid of the annoying muting-glitching-clicking), one has to upgrade firmware on their own! *Those* are necessary improvements, manufacturers don't give a s*t. I really doubt the new ATS-25x addresses the ugly hissing on SSB - this entire functionality was an afterthought by the chip designers; to fix it, a really sophisticated combo of firmware & hardware would be needed. At least, they added bluetooth... ATS120 has it too... In a much convenient form factor/cabinet. The entire ATS-20x/ATS-25x series is a UX disaster IMO; I don't need a quasi-desktop receiver which has critical controls (like power switch or headphone out) on its back 0__0 - it's neither desktop, nor pocket receiver. Operating radio with stylus - is it a joke? I would rather consider ARESQ AQ1 (occasionally sold at 24$) for the same firmware upgrade options and UI, just to play with it... Finally, the only thing I would care most is reducing muting effect while tuning @1kHz step, but I believe on the new ATS-25x it's the same like on my 13$-worth XiaoK, if not worse. So, what's the most useful and unique option on the new ATS-25x in your opinion? *SI4732x - "x" means "all that follows"/the rest of the nomenclature. 🙂

[@StratmanII]

@@barmaley-division _Being based on the same chip, is it even needed? -> Do those software-driven bells & whistles matter indeed?_ Yes they do. _I mean, the main issue with all those cheap S4732x-based receivers, is that the full specs is HUGE, and to get most of it (like on SSB - getting rid of the annoying and useless BFO control and reducing tuning step to get rid of the annoying muting-glitching-clicking), one has to upgrade firmware on their own!_ My ATS-25 Amp doesn't have any of those issues that you claim. No glitching or clicking. Its customizable BFO control is the best I've seen on any low cost DSP receiver. Hardly being "useless" in any form. Name me any XHDATA or Tecsun receiver that lets the user upgrade its firmware in the comfort of their home, and ask any Choyong LC-90 multi band Internet radio owner if they're furious with Choyong for allowing them to self-upgrade their LC-90's firmware on their own. _Those are necessary improvements, manufacturers don't give a s*t. I really doubt the new ATS-25x addresses the ugly hissing on SSB - this entire functionality was an afterthought by the chip designers; to fix it, a really sophisticated combo of firmware & hardware would be needed._ Practically any DSP receiver that runs on the Si4732 or 4735 tuner emits some hissing on SSB. Some are downright uglier than others. _The entire ATS-20x/ATS-25x series is a UX disaster IMO; I don't need a quasi-desktop receiver which has critical controls (like power switch or headphone out) on its back 0__0 - it's neither desktop, nor pocket receiver._ UX disaster, but the ARESQ AQ1 isn't one? I don't see what the problem is, as the ATS-25 Max Decoder is neither a desktop nor a pocketable receiver. Which governing authority had decreed that the ATS-25 Max Decoder needed to look like an ICOM 7800 and weigh 55 lbs? Or being able to slip into your back jeans pocket like a svelte smartphone could? Even if the power switch or headphone out is at the front, the case dimensions would become larger still and you'll find other ways to diss the ATS-25 Max Decoder II or ATS-25 Amp. I regard this receiver as a lightweight and compact front-facing receiver that sits nicely on a horizontal surface. _Operating radio with stylus - is it a joke?_ Only to you, maybe. When the capacitive touch screen is only 2.4 inches diagonally, a stylus will help with touching precision vs using your forefinger. Even the Malahit SDRs can be operated using a stylus. I like my Malachite DSP1 V3 on 1.10d and am considering upgrading to the DSP2 running the ver 2.4 firmware. _I would rather consider ARESQ AQ1 (occasionally sold at 24$) for the same firmware upgrade options and UI, just to play with it..._ Please let me know when the ARESQ AQ1 finally comes with a front facing power switch and headphone jack, so that I can play with it too. _Finally, the only thing I would care most is reducing muting effect while tuning @1kHz step, but I believe on the new ATS-25x it's the same like on my 13$-worth XiaoK, if not worse._ With careful application of the squelch, I can make the staccato chuffing sound sound less apparent, and more tolerable than my XHDATA D-808. _So, what's the most useful and unique option on the new ATS-25x in your opinion?_ My ATS-25 Amp? It's my only radio that: 1. informs me of the prevailing HF conditions in real time, without having to check with some other Internet connected phone, tablet or laptop. 2. can update its firmware OTA using my WiFi connection. 3. lets me tag frequencies with names for quick identification 4. clarify a sideband transmission with a resolution of 1 Hz. 5. allows the use of hi-impedance and 75 Ohm external antennas 6. decodes RTTY, unencrypted CW, DIGI and FT8 transmissions 7. has a quick switching, dual VFO. 8. has a virtually unlimited memory entries 9. displays a nice retro looking radio dial 10. allows me to pick my favorite color scheme of the day. 11. has a switchable LNA, AGC and adjustable RF attenuation. 12. displays a modern or a retro S-meter. It still needs further refinement, but I wouldn't go on an ATS-25 bashing crusade either. _SI4732x - "x" means "all that follows"/the rest of the nomenclature._ Ummm, nope. "Si 4732x" implies that the Si 4732 chip has a further subset of variations of the Si 4732, and not the Si 473 family. Now, if you had written "Si 473x" instead, that would be correct, because it encompasses variations of the Si 473 family. Si4730: AM/FM Receiver Si4731: AM/FM with RDS Si4732: AM/SW/LW/FM Si4734: AM/SW/LW/FM Si4735: AM/SW/LW/FM with RDS ----> the ATS-25 Max Decoder & Amp uses this Si4736: AM/FM/Weather Band Si4737: AM/FM/Weather Band with RDS Si4738: FM/Weather Band Si4739: FM/Weather Band with RDS There never was an Si 4733 model, so don't go looking for it. 🙂

[@barmaley-division]

​@@StratmanII Thank you for taking the time to describe all the details above; many points do make sense. 1. I don’t want to reply "on the run," so let me revisit the thread and review each point thoroughly after some time. I want to assess it from the original perspective of [a super-cheap DSP receiver] vs. [...]. My main point is that no amount of additional features will make a better receiver if the radio chip is the same (essentially the same unbetable flaws like "unmutable" "soft mute"), especially at a significantly higher price. 2. SI4732x: The "x" means "all that follows" or the rest of the nomenclature. ["Ummm, nope. "Si 4732x" implies that the Si 4732 chip has a further subset of variations of the Si 4732, and not the Si 473 family."] - Yes, that’s what I meant: "SI4732x" refers to the SI4732, SI4732-A10, SI4732-A10SG, or any other variation within the SI4732 series. I wasn’t referring to the broader SI473x family that you described in such detail, but thanks for the clarification.

[@hammockdweller]

The sound of the D-220 is not bad, but fine tuning it looks a bit fiddly to me.

[@swlistening]

It is true, to tune the D-220 you need loads of patience and very light fingers. But with careful tuning the signals just seem to flood in.