Review on Sangean BB 100 Bluetooth Digital Rechargeable by Scott Bailey

I preferred this Sangean U3 because of the size, weight and price. The U3 is larger, weighs about 12 pounds (I don't want to carry that extra 5 pounds up the stairs if I don't have to), and costs about $30 more (at the time of writing this article). Everything about this radio is perfect except for the antennas. I will explain. You'll see many reviews complaining about sound distortion above about 75% of maximum volume. It's not like this. This is the second of these radios that I have. I immediately returned the first one as my favorite and one of the hottest (ie most powerful) AM intercoms crackled at a low volume. I didn't like the speaker. It sounded bloated. My spare TB-100 sounded exactly the same. It's doubtful I'll get 2 factory defects in a row so I've spent some time playing with the radio. I have the radio tuned to a hot FM station that I know is on 5x5. I didn't hear any crackling or cracking. On battery power, however, I experienced distortion from 50% to 75% of maximum volume. When I plugged the radio into the mains, I was able to crank the volume up to 100% without distortion. So with a 5 watt speaker it's something like C battery power. Probably Sangean should have designed it to run on D batteries or a big 6 volt battery (but then the radio would be heavier). What people also perceive as a bad speaker or an inappropriate speaker and amplifier combination is the fact that the antennas in this radio are too small, resulting in sub-optimal reception. The FM outdoor antenna is ALMOST 6 inches?! Ridiculous! The antenna is flexible and covered with rubber, and the width of the device is about 12 inches. So there's no reason why Sangean can't also fit a flexible 12" antenna in the box! My cheap Sony pocket radio had a 17" (telescopic) antenna. It should have come with a 12" VHF antenna - period. The internal ferrite AM antenna is only 3 inches. Three inches?! Serious?! Come on Sanzhan! In general, when assembling a radio, try to fit the longest ferrite antenna into the radio that will fit in the housing. Have you heard of the legendary GE Superradio III? It is famous for its amazing AM reception. The ferrite antenna inside is nearly 8 inches long! When it comes to antennas, size matters. Sangean should have installed a longer ferrite. In my opinion as long as possible. Please note that I'm a former professional radio DJ, former radio host and radio amateur in general, so I'm quite critical and picky about my radio equipment. To be fair, even with a 3-inch ferrite core, this radio received AM stations 141 miles indoors under 150-watt halogen lights during the DAY (AM reception is usually better at night on all AM radios). about 7 pounds and is made of very thick, durable plastic. With this you can cut off the antlers of the moose while you continue to listen to your favorite song. The display is large and easy to read and backlit for a few seconds. You can adjust the tuning steps to match US or European steps (instructions included with radio). Some have complained about the sound. I personally like the tone. I tested it in many genres. Conversational, Jazz, Contemporary Christian, Alternative Rock, Bluegrass, 80's Pop, Country. Sounds good for everyone. It's not too hard for talk. The sound is full and rich, but still clear. I tested my iTunes library with the Aux input. The iPhone's music settings allowed me to select all the equalizer presets and control the audio. In general, I've found that acoustic and jazz are the two settings that work well with most things. The factory setting on this box is a little noticeable in the low-mid range, so using an EQ that pushes those frequencies down a bit will sound better. I recommend this radio and am mostly happy with it, I am disappointed with the Sangean antennas that came with it. You could do better. I may decide to hack it after the warranty runs out and stick a longer ferrite antenna in it. Any enlargement helps. If you were diligent and good with tools, you could get a whip antenna (from a car or an old CB radio), cut it to a reasonable length, and attach it to the threaded end of the whip to fit the antenna port. , and get a longer VHF antenna for it. Young! I think a 2 or 3 foot whip on it will pull FM very well! I whine about antennas and reception but many customers seem happy with that so don't mind the radio not working. It works well. I'm just very picky about my radios. Apart from the small antennas, a good and reliable radio for outdoor use. Take it!