IT Blog Today

The Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner has expanded my listening capacity by providing access to exclusive HD broadcasting on our local public radio station. The clarity of the sound is superior to the standard broadcasts. Additionally the Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner is compact in size and is an easy add-on to an existing stereo system. All you need is a stereo rca cable to begin listening to HD broadcasts. Additionaly the remote tuner gives greater control from the comfort of a easy chair or sofa. The unit also functions as a clock (an added benefit). The display has three illumination levels.

The unit is a tuner, not a stand-alone unit. It is exactly what I was looking for to complement my existing system.

I wrote Bose in regard to an HD tuner for my Wave radio and they stated they had no plans to manufacture such a component. I bought the Sony XDRF1HD, hooked it to the AUX input of the Wave Radio and Viola! Living in the DC area we have lots of FM stations that are taking advantage of the digital broadcasting so I'm in "FM Heaven". The Sony really functions well and is easy to control with the included remote. This is a great product!

Dick Almarode

I bought Sony's XDRF1HD HD Radio based on reviews about its sensitive analog reception and, I must say, lives up to its reputation! On analog FM, the XDRF1HD pulls in distant New Hampshire country station WOKQ 97.5 despite being sandwiched between New Bedford's WJFD 97.3 and Boston area WKAF 97.7. Other (less sensitive) radios in our apartment don't detect WOKQ at all. Same with WRIU 90.3 Providence, RI. Religious 90.5 WSMA from Scituate totally covers up 90.3 on every radio but the XDRF1HD. The XDRF's high sensitivity is what I expect and appreciate.

HD reception is fairly good. Living (south of Boston) in a first floor apartment, a necessity because my wife is handicapped, does keep us from experiencing optimal reception. In spite of that, we get HD signals from WGBH 89.7, WSNE 93.3, WTKK 96.9, WKLB 102.5 but can't get a lock on Kiss 108's HD signal despite a strong 3-bar reading. Seems HD FM stations need the almost 100kw power level of WGBH to adequately get their HD channels into area homes.
Unfortunately, the "empty space" on each side of an HD signal is far from empty. The adjacent space is filled with a hashy sound, byproduct of the HD signal. That "hash" does block reception of many weak, distant stations
and messes up others. I used to get Cap Cod's 96.3 WRZE fairly well here, but not now because of HD hash from 96.1 WSRS Worcester.

As for AM, no problem locking into WBZ-HD. Boston's Radio Disney on 1260 also broadcasts in HD but the Sony cannot log into it. At night at least a dozen HD signals from other states are detected yet none strong enough for a lock. AM HD can work if the FCC lets stations up their power levels. Small stations with 5kw signals can't get their HD content out very far.
One major downside is that all AM HD stations create heavy "hash-sounding" static that wipes out adjacent signals. So now, at night, there's
no chance to hear KDKA-1020 (PA) or WHO-1040 (IA) because of the side hash produced by WBZ-1030.

Over all, despite the disadvantage of a first floor apartment, this Sony provides excellent analog and good HD reception.
However, while I totally adored HD at first, I feel that HD sound quality isn't that different from analog on FM, and that the heavy interference caused by HD stations to adjacent signals is not worth its existence. No radio station should suffer degraded reception due to any technological advancement.
Mind you, this receiver is worth buying for all its reception quality, but HD has to go. The lack of HD listeners and the amount of money wasted on HD by its maker Ibiquity and major broadcasters shows what a failure HD radio really is.