IT Blog Today

I have noted a number of reviews mentioning that the Sony ICF-SW7600GR, in my opinion the finest small portable short wave receiver available at the present time, does not come with an AC adapter.

I own three (3) of these receivers (as well as two of its predecessor receiver the ICF-SW7600G).

Believe me, you do not need (or even want) an AC adapter. This radio is extremely easy on batteries and, if you use NiMH rechargeables, as I do, your battery costs in the long run will be very, very low.

With portable radios, AC adapters, in general, cause more problems than they are worth. They often add noise which is what you DON'T want with weak short wave signals.

In my opinion, with this, or any other small portable short wave radio, rechargeable batteries are the way to go.

Amazon's current price ($128.84), if that includes shipping, is a bargain.

This radio is a wonderful "starter" short wave radio, yet it is one that the purchaser will never outgrow.

It is also the best small portable for MW (AM broadcast) DXing. It even has a line output to feed its signal to a stereo system.

Do not ignore this radio just because of the lack of an AC adapter!

I have been using the 7600 (no suffix), the grand-daddy of the 7600GR since its debut in 1992. That's close to 14 years of faithful, problem-free service until it finally died on me recently. I was sad to see it go but was all prepared to look for a better alternative. After ploughing through numerous reviews both online and off, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that its direct descendant, the 7600GR, still rates among the top portable receivers today. They are practically identical aside from some pretty superficial changes. I did appreciate the 100 station presets. That's useful for someone who uses it for listening to shortwave stations which change frequencies a lot depending on the time of day and the season. Aside from that, little else has changed. Reception-wise they're close to identical. But far from a fault, it's an indication of how well designed the 7600 was in the first place. I've seldom seen electronic appliances staying practically the same after more than a decade in service and still retain close to top spot in consumer reviews. Sony deserves congratulations for that.

In terms of build quality, I can attest to their ruggedness. These babies were built to last. My trusty old 7600 has been on the open ocean, baked in the sun, drenched in rain (wrapped in plastic of course), subjected to leaky batteries, dropped several times, and given dutiful, uncomplaining service for over a decade. Where can you find electronic equipment built like that these days?

There has been a lot of unhappiness with regards to the absence of an adaptor/transformer for the 7600GR. The original accompanying adaptors in the American market, initially the AC-E90HG and then the AC-E60A were noted to be unshielded, giving rise to RF interference with MW/SW listening. After Sony recalled them, it seems Sony did not replace the adaptor as part of the standard package in America. After reading reviews about the adaptor I had quite decided against buying it. However I managed to get the 7600GR while in Singapore 2 months ago. It was a direct Japanese import and it came with a new AC-adaptor. I'm not sure if this version is properly shielded but I've not noticed any increased interference with SW listening viz. AC-power and batteries. Note that this package is not the one offered on Amazon. My only complaint is that my original 7600's adaptor/transformer came with a 12-foot long cable meaning I could place it anywhere in the room. The new adaptor for the 7600GR is barely 6-feet in length. Also, my original 7600 came with ear-phones for stereo listening on FM. The new 7600GR does not.

Reception, as far as I can tell, is no different from the old model despite the addition of the highly rated "synchronous detector" circuit. That's in part because after so many years, I know exactly which stations I want to listen to and no longer go searching for them. I listen to both SW and FM. Stations I tune to include the BBC, Radio Australia, Radio New Zealand and occasionally Deutsche Welle and Nederlands. They sound the same on both.

These days, with the internet, you no longer have to slowly scan for stations on SW. The easiest way is to go to their websites, download their frequency charts and just directly program them into the preset memory. Actually, many stations also broadcast online. So much easier than in the past. But with a certain loss of that old mystique, anticipation and sense of adventure.

I'd like to correct a statement made in one of the prior reviews. Removing the batteries for more than 60secs will not erase the station presets. The presets are stored in EEPROM which will not be erased with any power loss. What will be erased is the current time on the radio's clock but that's very easily reset.

The built-in "tin-can" speaker is the only part of the 7600 that I dislike. Unfortunately that has not improved. But with the proliferation of cheap, fairly good quality desktop speakers to connect to, you are spoilt for choice. I bought mine together with the $99 Klipsch 2.0 Ultra. The resultant sound is as good as you can hope to get from a world band receiver. For private listening at night, I prefer Sennheisers. They make a world of difference especially when listening to FM stereo.


Some appreciative words for Sony. I managed to get my trusty old 7600 repaired in Singapore at the local Sony outlet for the equivalent of about $40. Dirt cheap for what they replaced: the worn out crystal, DC transformer, over a dozen capacitors and an equal number of switches. What I appreciated most was the fact that they repaired it with no questions asked, despite the fact that it was over 10 years old, had no proof of purchase, no warranty and was no longer in production. If you want to know what makes a loyal customer, it is a company that stands by its product. Now I am the happy owner of 2 perfectly serviceable portable receivers, one for home and one for travel.

I bought this radio after trying out several Grundig portables including the YB400. The Grundigs were all cheaply made and have less than desirable reception.

Furthermore, I bought the AN-LP1 loop antenna made by Sony. This must be the perfect set up for someone that does not want to pay loads of money but still wants a "very" satisfying SWL experience. I love mine and would recommend it to anyone. Especially if you travel alot like me for you business. Portable and Powerful!

Finally, you will be suprised how easy it is to learn and operate. Most of the buttons I figured out without the user manual. However, there are a few nifty items I found in the user manual so don't forget to read it.