Review on 📻 Sangean HDT-20 HD Radio/FM-Stereo/AM Component Tuner Black: Elevate Your Audio Experience by Dawn Bunger

I like it, but - does it have to be that big? No, it's the only HD tuner on the market so we don't have another manufacturer to turn to, but these guys didn't put much thought into design or feature planning. It really doesn't need volume, mute, sleep, clock, alarm1, alarm2 on the front panel. If they did a 1/2 room unit without all that crap I'd be really excited. Who uses a full-size 1U receiver as a standalone headphone device? This was meant for your stereo rack. I also don't like LEDs or glowing lights that are on when the power is off (especially the blue ones). This device has a strange behavior: when switched on, it lights up and then goes out. When the power is turned off, the light comes on. In my book it's a little different. The display is a muted blue instead of white, the images here on Revain are poor. But the display doesn't stay on, and when it's on it's not bright (which is good!). In terms of connectivity, there are 3.5mm headphones on the front (not required). On the back there is optical and coaxial (RCA) SPDIF (THANK YOU!) as well as a left/right analog RCA output. The reason I bought it? For better FM sound and secondary station reception while working on my computer in the office/studio. In terms of reception, I don't have much to compare, but I get LOTS of HD+ channels in LA. Some of them come and go from the HD stream, but it also brings up a few that I didn't know existed. So - I'm happy. but if a 1/2 or smaller block was available - I would buy it in a heartbeat! To be honest, HD tuners MUST be included in all American AVRs/receivers - it's pretty much the standard for car audio! A few things I would change - Issue #1) Huge tuning knob. When you turn it, it moves VERY slowly across the dial. I found a solution to this - IF YOU ARE IN US - make sure you go through the tune and change the TUNING RANGE to 87.5-107.9 - B - 200kHz - to make using the manual tuning control easier and faster to do, otherwise twists and turns and you won't get far. Pushing the knob will search up the frequency (or preset) if you dialed up last, if you dialed down last, pushing down will search the spectrum. There are also buttons to search up and down. For HD channels, you must wait until the HD channel is tuned in and locked before you can switch to an alternative/sub channel (even if it's programmed as a preset). A few seconds of silence pass. If you turn the dial, you cannot reach it directly. Presets - Question #2) 10 Presets? For real? ten? Wow, how generous! (to the commenter - it's only 10pm now) Hooray! Is it that much to ask for at least 20 per group? If there are no more than 10 HD stations in your area, remember that it can also be tuned to regular FM radio stations. So I guess asking for more than 10 presets isn't that much given the high price of this device. Problem #3) Buttons. Are we a little crazy in the button department? Was there a sale? I understand they have a dual function, but to go to a preset station you first have to press the "Preset" button and then the button that corresponds to the preset station - REALLY STUPID IDEA! If you press preset 6 (which is "Menu" by default) you end up in the setup functions and accidentally change something, and then you have to wait for the time to expire to exit the setup. STUPID! The more times you press "6"/Menu, the more times it cycles through the setting functions and the more likely you are to screw up your settings. There is no EXIT button, you have to wait to return! PRESETS SHOULD BE FIRST AND MAIN WHEN YOU PRESS THE FRONT KEY - ALTERNATIVE FUNCTIONS SHOULD GUARANTEE SECONDARY/ALT KEY. >>> THIS MUST BE CHANGED BY FIRMWARE UPDATE! <<< BTW - THE SCREEN TIMEOUT CANNOT BE SET. HIS SET IS VERY SHORT AND THE SCREEN WILL DARK UNTIL YOU PRESS ANOTHER KEY.