DIGITECH AR-1780 AM FM SW SSB LW AIR Portable Radio Review

The Digitech AR-1780 AM FM LW SW SSB and AIR band portable radio came out before the XHData and may be a better choice for you. I enjoy the differences it provides. A Five Star radio in my book.

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Features I like about this radio:
FM reception is almost equal to the D-808. Very similar tech.
MW reception is fantastic.
SW reception is decent.
The addition of a fine tuning wheel is brilliant. I can't stress this enough.
AIR band receives very well.
Seven Bandwidth options for SW, MW, LW and AIR.
Six Bandwidth options for SSB.
RDS is a nice addition.
FM Stereo sounds great on headphones.
Headphone experience is good, switching bands does cause an audible pop though not very intense like on the 808.
Alarm Feature.
Sleep Function.
Amber side lit LCD, which I prefer over the 808's Blue/White.
Light can be switched on to run continuously.
Speaker has great tonal quality for voice.
Fast/Slow/Stop feature on the tuning knob.
Squelch Feature.
Uses standard AA batteries versus the 18650 the 808 uses.
External FM/SW antenna jack.
Direct entry keypad. Very handy.
500 Presets.
Lightweight and Easy to carry.
Buttons have a premium feel to them and provide good feedback to the user.
All plastic construction. A bonus for me.

Features that could be added or improved on:
Remove popping sound when changing bands with headphones.
Remove popping sound when browsing stations that are near each other.
Widen the tuning knob to same dimensions as the D-808's. It is a bit narrow and larger hands will find it troublesome.

Overall, this radio is very similar to the performance of the XHData and is identical in operation. I would pick this one over the 808 because I enjoy using it more. The buttons are fantastic. AA operation is preferred by myself. Nice and clean amber side lit display. The all plastic construction seems sturdy and should hold up well over the long haul. The 808 does have the advantage of being slightly lighter and having a tuning knob which is easier to use.

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