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It is a very convenient radio for walking. However, the AM is quite clear, the FM is not.
On the down side, after 12 hours of use the headset ear foam mesh covers have both torn. Hold button prevents accidentally changing settings when radio is in use or stored with power off. I use this radio at a fitness center to hear TV audio via FM frequency broadcast. Sound quality is very clear and large buttons make it easy to change presets while physically active. I plan to replace them with better quality ear buds that will also be more practicle for use when working out.
I do not want or need tape or CD capability or the weight that goes with that. For years I used an old yellow "weatherproof" Walkman Sport and it was great. After trying half a dozen differant replacements; this digital walkman is best in AM reception. This is a good product for my needs. I do walk every noontime and like to listen to sports talk radio on an AM station. The weather channels should be a bonus; but don't come in well at all and I'm directly on the coast.
That would be worth it. I constantly have to move the radio around in the air as I walk, just to stop the interference. Plus, I never got rid of the frequent background ocean roar. The battery compartment has a hinged cover which doesn't detach easily, so no worries about losing it. They say downtown Seattle is the worst for radio reception, but my old GE radio worked very well. By the way, AM sounded much better, clearer. Closer to home, I still hear interference, I think I discovered that the first station on FM band 1 pics up the first station in FM band 2 as well.
This one is truly weak, using one AAA battery. I mean, if I had a boom box on my shoulder, it would have great reception but at the cost of much battery power. My last radio had headphones with a thin but sturdy metal headband so when this one came with a wider plastic one, I felt disappointed. That way, the radio doesn't accidentally turn on if bumped while carried in my tote bag, or change stations if I accidentally touch a button while holding the radio as I walk. In contrast, the Sony is an annoying cross-interference machine. It's smart that they made the actual headphone jack an L-shape, presumably to avoid stress to the wire where it meets the jack.
No complaints with AM.Can I return this to Amazon without paying shipping. I'm not sure why they had to have a clock display on this radio, all it does is use battery power even when you are not using the radio and other people have already stated how this radio uses up batteries. My previous headset radio was a GE brand, a little larger in size than this Sony and used three AAA batteries, But, I tell you, walking through downtown Seattle amongst the tall buildings, I rarely had station interference with that radio, and the FM music came in strong and clear. There is a detachable belt clip that I haven't yet used. Can't say it has really mattered, though.The bad part:This radio picks up more than one FM station at a time. That is why I didn't rate the Sony headphones with any more certainty except that they faithfully deliver the garbage that this radio picks up. This was on FM, not AM.
The Sony is an annoyance when downtown. Conversely, a one-battery radio would be weak. What a cheap quality receiver it must have. The good parts:I like the compact size, it fits in my hand as I walk, letting my thumb roll the volume control. It is my fault, too, because I should have realized that a one-battery radio would be cheap cheap cheap. Smart to have a lock switch which disables all the buttons except the volume wheel.
This is why I hold it in my hand instead of leaving it in my pocket or on the belt clip. I cannot attest to that because I use this radio only for going to and from work. Still, for as thoughtful as the designers seem to have been on design, they might have included an option to turn off the clock display.The headphones seem to be good quality. Otherwise, I can gift this smartly designed noise box to a niece as a Barbie accessory and buy myself a new three-battery radio with some oomph to it.
I had the first one for a few years before losing it and just bought another one for my daughter. You can't beat it for the price adding a weather band to the AM/FM. The headphones are also comfortable and sound very good. This is my second Sony Walkman Digital Tuning Weather/FM/AM Stereo Radio. I've had a few Sony Walkmans and think they are very solidly built, have great reception and long battery life. I would recommend this to anybody.
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