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📻 sony icf-506 portable fm/am analog tuning radio, black, lightweight 2.14 lb logo

📻 Sony ICF-506 Portable FM/AM Analog Tuning Radio, Black, Lightweight 2.14 lb Review

10

·

Very good

Revainrating 4 out of 5  
Rating 
4.1
Radios, 🎧 Portable Audio & Video

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Details

Power SourceThree R6 / LR6 (size AA) batteries
BrandSony
Radio Bands Supported2-Band
ColorBlack
Hardware Interface3.5mm Audio
Item Weight2.14 Pounds
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Description of 📻 Sony ICF-506 Portable FM/AM Analog Tuning Radio, Black, Lightweight 2.14 lb

Integrated AM/FM radio tuner. Powerful mono speaker for big sound. Built-in carry handle for easy portability. Listen with (3) AA Batteries1 or Plug in AC Adaptor.

Reviews

Global ratings 10
  • 5
    5
  • 4
    2
  • 3
    2
  • 2
    0
  • 1
    1

Type of review

Revainrating 5 out of 5

The price/quality ratio is great, I will buy again.

I am very glad to have purchased this radio assembled in China, using the technologies of the old Japanese radio school, I am sure that it will last a long time. I listen at work in the background, it reproduces music well, the broadband speaker is completely fabric, the suspension is reflexed. The high and mid frequencies play out cleanly and clearly, the bottoms are a bit lacking for surround sound. The competitor in the face of the Panasonic RF-2400D for $30 loses in all the main parameters,

Pros
  • Perhaps the best classic radio for $50 without unnecessary features! High-quality matte plastic, slightly rough, high-quality assembly and molding of parts, invisible joints. Lokan thoughtful design, the ideal location of all elements from the speaker to the mode switches, everything is in its place and conveniently located. The volume controls and the search for radio stations rotate smoothly without jumps with a uniform effort. Nice white frequency scale, with well-read numbers. Retractable telescopic antenna rotates 360 degrees. The portable handle organically and imperceptibly fits into the case, has a pleasant fixation when lifting and lowering. On the back there is a cavity for fingers, it is convenient to take the receiver without a handle. At full volume, the speaker does not wheeze, the size of the speaker is 100mm, the rated power is 3W, 8Ohm, the output is 5W. Two-channel headphone output, no stereo. Good sensitivity, reliable reception of radio stations, the red TUNE indicator lights up with a good stable signal. At work, on the street, he catches 37 FM stations, a little less than 10 indoors. AM - silence. Operation from the mains and from 3xAA batteries up to 30 hours really works, when the batteries run out the green indicator will turn off and the radio will still play for some time.
Cons
  • It is impossible to purchase in the 2022, although it has been produced since 2022. I bought a new one on Ebay at the end of 2022. The sound of low frequencies is somewhat less than in wireless bass speakers.

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Incredible Simplicity on the Radio

What a refreshing discovery. Analog tuning, legible typography, clear controls, an intuitive rotary knob and beautiful design make this radio a winner. Oh, that sounds good by the way. The only real "trick" about this radio is its simplicity. Kudos to SONY for daring to offer a product that challenges voice control, Bluetooth connectivity, touch controls and other such "must-haves". I like the idea of being smarter than my radio :)

Pros
  • Availability
Cons
  • New Competitors Appeared

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Excellent Portable Audio Video Radio

Bought this as a gift for my 96 year old mother. A basic AM/FM radio without all the bells and whistles of MP3s, Bluetooth, shortwave and other things to confuse you. She can't use headphones or earphones and the sound is amazing. She likes the ease of use and the ability to read the numbers on the tuner. The LED, which lights up when the station is set, helps her a lot. Runs on mains power with the power cord or batteries connected while moving from room to room. Excellent radio.

Pros
  • Handsfree
Cons
  • ---

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Good FM radio, mediocre sound quality AM

Sounds very good on FM, unfortunately I was expecting better AM sound quality. In comparison, the Sangean PR-D4W sounds similar to FM broadcasts on local stations when using the widest bandwidth. The Sony sounds muddy like an old '50s radio and it's hard to make out what's being said at normal listening levels. No bandwidth switch to improve sound quality. For the price it can be great for FM listening and casual AM listening, but overall I prefer my old Sony ICF-38 for its cleaner AM sound.

Pros
  • Complete set
Cons
  • Protection

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Old-school AM/FM drum radio

I bought my dad a Sony portable AM/FM radio a few years ago (25+) and the FM section on it decided to close down. He is 93 years old and has no intention of learning digital tuning so I bought him this Sony radio. It had an analog tuning system and a backlight that allowed you to fine-tune the right station. It has a decent speaker and listens to both talk radio and music. Runs on 3 batteries that last a long time. The volume isn't high enough for a construction site, but it's quite good for…

Pros
  • Easy-to-read control panel
Cons
  • The list goes on.

Revainrating 4 out of 5

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED *with caution*

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED *with caution* Good, clear sound throughout the range. Noisy but could be a few notches higher but very good for most uses. Good listening experience. Easy tuning to most stations. Depending on the listening volume, maybe up to a week. The use of rechargeable batteries (not rechargeable in the radio) reduces battery costs. Large size Easy to carry Convenient, efficient antennas. AM reception = amazing! Turn the radio as needed and you can choose the stations with the best…

Pros
  • New to my collection
Cons
  • I won't say anything

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Is it good or good enough, no, it's good.

It's as good as laptops I think. Loud/Clear I like the tuning indicator that lights up when you're right in the station. My favorite FM station sounds a bit fuzzy but clearer than the car radio. Most stations are very clear. It may be a five star radio, but it's the only one I've had in 35 years, other than my car radios. However, I was hoping for more from my favorite station, although it's still pretty good. Easy to use but a little sensitive to FM. Best when he sits still, moves and anything

Pros
  • I look forward to
Cons
  • There are doubts

The Sony ICF-506 is a handy radio that most people will love. Find my name and model for a full review of this youtube radio. The radio has a low pitched tone which is fine on FM and not so great for me on AM. I like the crisp, bright and clear sound of AM broadcasts and I have a hard time liking this sound choice. It also uses a step-by-step tuning approach instead of a purely analog tuning method. I'm still warming up, some radios do this very well and some don't. I'd say this one works well…

Pros
  • Always liked
Cons
  • Speed

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Sony has really screwed up here!

I've dragged my feet as long as I could to write a review for this radio. I've always loved Sony. I have another great Sony radio so thought this would be one too. I've never written bad reviews about anything I've bought and I've bought a lot of things, but this is where I have to give my opinion. I paid $49 for it which was a lot of money for me but I needed another one and it's not worth $15. It's very light, slide it to the front to turn it on and off, you have to hold the radio down to be…

Pros
  • Great overall performance
Cons
  • Too long to wait

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Not the best portable radio for the money!

Regarding the SONY ICF-506 Portable: While I was pleased with the external quality of this radio, there were a few things I really didn't like about it and I ended up sending in .1 ) Im Compared to the Panasonic RF2400, this radio consumes twice as much battery power. I tested both radios side by side. RF2400 consumes about 15-20 mA, SONY ICF 506 25-35 mA with the same signal and volume settings. This means that the battery life on the Sony is much shorter than on the Panasonic RF2400. In…

Pros
  • Same as everything before
Cons
  • Definitely a bad product