I bought the 880 and I like it a lot. At the time when I was deciding between the 880 and the 990, I thought that the 990 was the same as the 880 but with the added MP3 function. It sounds like there might be some other slight differences. I am very happy with the 880.
I will have to use my PL-880 more on shortwave. Right now it is in the living room. My wife use it for her local FM station and I use it for my favourite mediumwave AM channel. On FM the sound is really good and on mediumwave this radio gives the best sound off all my radios while using the 9KHz bandwidth IF filter
Thanks for the comparison. I am a ham operator with several HF transceivers, and I bought the PL-880 for portability and just to play. Very happy with the 880, and am thinking of getting a 330 for even more portability.
Thanks for this comparison review. Im giving my 880 to my Dad,who lives abroad,and used to always listen to the World Service in the old days. It will be a surprise gift,so hopefully he will get back into the radio vibe again. So im looking to get another one for myself,and will stick with another 880,thanks to your review,and also that i was very happy with the radio. Only problem was the back folding stand broke quite quickly on my last one,so will be a bit more careful next time hopefully. Cheers
Used to love the 880 until I got tired of the plastic look and feel. Bought the 680 and the 8800, with the 8800 my favorite up to that point for superior sound and sensitivity. Tried the 990x, don't like the antenna jack on the left side, its also loose on mine, and I think the audio is scratchier than I would expect. Nice looking radio, really nice. But finally tried the H501X and that wins (except as Gilles say, no Air Band).... That being said, I just spent a nice weekend with my old 8800 and really appreciate the sound and sensitivity...even though its not stereo, I may like it better than the H-501X...
Thanks for the info, have you test it yet at mw with external aerial plugged in? (example a long cable) ... also how is at mw 880 vs 990 with their default ferrite antennas> thanks
Performance is about equal with the ferrites. I’m waiting for some dry weather to get out and use a long wire. Too much electrical interference at my house
880 sound is better but for the rest they are same pretty much in performance except for the external antenna ferrite that disconnects and the media player option with BT and two batteries instead of 1
@@OfficialSWLchannel oh, that’s a bummer. I’m keen on mw, and if it doesn’t disconnect the internal ferrite when plugged in, it means reception can’t be bettered by that method :/
This is my first Tecsun i have ever owned and compared to my sangean 909 non x it runs rings around it noise level is very low.But i would say it is on par with my yaesu frg-100 for picking up stations
Hi I am torn between the pl990x and pl880... if I'm not bothered about the Bluetooth, sd card for audio and the speaker( as I believe the audio on both are not that dissimilar) would you tell me to go for the pl880? I do like the look of the 880 but can afford the pl990x. Any advice would be appreciated thanks
I disagree with you about the sync of the 990 based on my observation of Dan Robinsons long video, which illustrates the sync is better, The fact that you can use a external antenna on all bands, the sensitivity on medium wave and shortwave is better on the 990. For me the audio tone is different, not better on the 880. If I'm listening to medium wave talk radio programs or music on fm then I prefer the 990's audio, but for sw I prefer the treble leaning tone of the 990 over the bass leaning 880, and I do own the 880 and will buy the 990.
You can solder a 0.1uF cap to the AM3 connection on the PCB on the PL-880 and make the wire go close to ground on the PCB to not disturb anything and then solder it to the the middle ring on the TRS stereo audio socket that is used as a antenna socket on the PL-880. Then you can plug in a TRS stereo jack and use the middle ring and ground as a antenna jack for a external MW antenna. (The tip on the TRS stereo plug is for SW originally on this radio so don't solder there). I got the 8820 firmware, should be the latest, to check what one have press AM to turn on the display light and then press and hold AM again. For listening to SW talk speech radio i find turning off the bass on the PL-880 to be better with less noise while FM music is better with it turned on. Yeah, i find no reason to swap it for a PL-990, it works fine enough for me :) I also did one more mod and that is to buy a deeper tuning knob on ebay so i can use two fingers better to tune, i dislike to use my thumb to tune, it is almost as bad as using + and - push buttons to tune in my eyes.. the PL-660 is better in that regard with the tuning knob way better than both of these radios. I did buy a real good variety of knobs for future use in electronics projects, and the most fitting knob was a chrome plated good texture grip and real metal knob (with plastic inlay to grip the potmeter pole). It was a little too big diameter wise, but just 1mm, so i had to sandpaper shave off a tiny bit plastic on the radio case itself around the button, not noticeable if i ever want to put the stock button on it again, and yeah, it is real nice to tune now :) I think the knob was for guitar pedal but not totally sure now since it is long ago, shall we see.. no, i did a search and it is a guitar knob, not for a pedal, it is called Fleor knob, i see one get them in silver, gold, and black, i think it was the 19x19mm knob. It would probably fit a PL-990 too, the stock knobs looks some different but diameter wise it looks quite similar to the PL-880 to me on photos with both radios in it :) It makes it tunable with two fingers by sticking just enough outside to do that comfortably, Tecsun should add a button like this on the PL-1010 radio they may make some time in the future :)
Love my Tecsun 880, as it is my best mobile performer. It is Much Better than the 660 or my Sangean 909-this radio was a little disappointing to say the Least.
I had read that this radio could be used as a external speaker for a computer via a USB connection, if thats correct then there's an active data line. I wonder how long it is untill someone writes some software to enable SDR style control of this radio?
@@OfficialSWLchannel I'm suggesting that someone who is much better than I at coding for fpga's or asic's ( not sure which is in the 990) will hack the software and extend its functionality to be much like an SDR. There's got to be a JTAG header on the board how else did the factory program it.
I do prefer the 990x wit the antenna jack being for all bands rather than the very limited 880 and prefer the jack on the left, didnt like the jack on the right as in the 501x.
@@OfficialSWLchannel I never said it was better I said you can’t compare the new radio to the old one because you never had the old radio, giving examples of why the new radio is better or worse with examples of other peoples experiences is a very flawed way of reviewing
If you do not know what I know... and how I know the 880 is as good , why are you commenting at all. I know the 880 is as good and do not need to own it, I have enough info from all that have one and even both of them
I bought the 880 and I like it a lot. At the time when I was deciding between the 880 and the 990, I thought that the 990 was the same as the 880 but with the added MP3 function. It sounds like there might be some other slight differences. I am very happy with the 880.
Thanks for your candor. I’ll hold on to my PL880.
I will have to use my PL-880 more on shortwave. Right now it is in the living room. My wife use it for her local FM station and I use it for my favourite mediumwave AM channel. On FM the sound is really good and on mediumwave this radio gives the best sound off all my radios while using the 9KHz bandwidth IF filter
Thanks for the comparison. I am a ham operator with several HF transceivers, and I bought the PL-880 for portability and just to play. Very happy with the 880, and am thinking of getting a 330 for even more portability.
Thanks for this comparison review. Im giving my 880 to my Dad,who lives abroad,and used to always listen to the World Service in the old days. It will be a surprise gift,so hopefully he will get back into the radio vibe again. So im looking to get another one for myself,and will stick with another 880,thanks to your review,and also that i was very happy with the radio. Only problem was the back folding stand broke quite quickly on my last one,so will be a bit more careful next time hopefully. Cheers
Used to love the 880 until I got tired of the plastic look and feel. Bought the 680 and the 8800, with the 8800 my favorite up to that point for superior sound and sensitivity. Tried the 990x, don't like the antenna jack on the left side, its also loose on mine, and I think the audio is scratchier than I would expect. Nice looking radio, really nice. But finally tried the H501X and that wins (except as Gilles say, no Air Band).... That being said, I just spent a nice weekend with my old 8800 and really appreciate the sound and sensitivity...even though its not stereo, I may like it better than the H-501X...
I own an 880 but I bought a 990x as I’m keen on medium wave dxing and I can use the external antenna socket on medium wave. I like your videos
Thanks for the info, have you test it yet at mw with external aerial plugged in? (example a long cable) ... also how is at mw 880 vs 990 with their default ferrite antennas> thanks
Performance is about equal with the ferrites. I’m waiting for some dry weather to get out and use a long wire. Too much electrical interference at my house
Waited for reviews to get the Tecsun PL990x radio, everyone said Tecsun 880 is better and cheaper.
So I bought the Tecsun Pl880 instead :D
880 sound is better but for the rest they are same pretty much in performance except for the external antenna ferrite that disconnects and the media player option with BT and two batteries instead of 1
@@OfficialSWLchannel oh, that’s a bummer. I’m keen on mw, and if it doesn’t disconnect the internal ferrite when plugged in, it means reception can’t be bettered by that method :/
This is my first Tecsun i have ever owned and compared to my sangean 909 non x it runs rings around it noise level is very low.But i would say it is on par with my yaesu frg-100 for picking up stations
Hi
I am torn between the pl990x and pl880... if I'm not bothered about the Bluetooth, sd card for audio and the speaker( as I believe the audio on both are not that dissimilar) would you tell me to go for the pl880? I do like the look of the 880 but can afford the pl990x. Any advice would be appreciated thanks
The sound of 880 is more juicy on FM, on other bands I like the sound of 990 more.
I disagree with you about the sync of the 990 based on my observation of Dan Robinsons long video, which illustrates the sync is better, The fact that you can use a external antenna on all bands, the sensitivity on medium wave and shortwave is better on the 990. For me the audio tone is different, not better on the 880. If I'm listening to medium wave talk radio programs or music on fm then I prefer the 990's audio, but for sw I prefer the treble leaning tone of the 990 over the bass leaning 880, and I do own the 880 and will buy the 990.
correction, I meant, I prefer the 880 for medium wave talk shows and fm music.
You can solder a 0.1uF cap to the AM3 connection on the PCB on the PL-880 and make the wire go close to ground on the PCB to not disturb anything and then solder it to the the middle ring on the TRS stereo audio socket that is used as a antenna socket on the PL-880. Then you can plug in a TRS stereo jack and use the middle ring and ground as a antenna jack for a external MW antenna.
(The tip on the TRS stereo plug is for SW originally on this radio so don't solder there).
I got the 8820 firmware, should be the latest, to check what one have press AM to turn on the display light and then press and hold AM again.
For listening to SW talk speech radio i find turning off the bass on the PL-880 to be better with less noise while FM music is better with it turned on.
Yeah, i find no reason to swap it for a PL-990, it works fine enough for me :)
I also did one more mod and that is to buy a deeper tuning knob on ebay so i can use two fingers better to tune, i dislike to use my thumb to tune, it is almost as bad as using + and - push buttons to tune in my eyes.. the PL-660 is better in that regard with the tuning knob way better than both of these radios.
I did buy a real good variety of knobs for future use in electronics projects, and the most fitting knob was a chrome plated good texture grip and real metal knob (with plastic inlay to grip the potmeter pole). It was a little too big diameter wise, but just 1mm, so i had to sandpaper shave off a tiny bit plastic on the radio case itself around the button, not noticeable if i ever want to put the stock button on it again, and yeah, it is real nice to tune now :)
I think the knob was for guitar pedal but not totally sure now since it is long ago, shall we see.. no, i did a search and it is a guitar knob, not for a pedal, it is called Fleor knob, i see one get them in silver, gold, and black, i think it was the 19x19mm knob. It would probably fit a PL-990 too, the stock knobs looks some different but diameter wise it looks quite similar to the PL-880 to me on photos with both radios in it :)
It makes it tunable with two fingers by sticking just enough outside to do that comfortably, Tecsun should add a button like this on the PL-1010 radio they may make some time in the future :)
Love my Tecsun 880, as it is my best mobile performer. It is Much Better than the 660 or my Sangean 909-this radio was a little disappointing to say the Least.
I had read that this radio could be used as a external speaker for a computer via a USB connection, if thats correct then there's an active data line. I wonder how long it is untill someone writes some software to enable SDR style control of this radio?
It does act as a audio device for playing PC audio yes, but it is not at all designed for SDR use
@@OfficialSWLchannel I'm suggesting that someone who is much better than I at coding for fpga's or asic's ( not sure which is in the 990) will hack the software and extend its functionality to be much like an SDR.
There's got to be a JTAG header on the board how else did the factory program it.
How is the battery door and stand holding up? Battery door seems flimsy. Should I buy spares? Just received my radio.
Thanks for saving my $$$ !
Thanks for all your videos.
I do prefer the 990x wit the antenna jack being for all bands rather than the very limited 880 and prefer the jack on the left, didnt like the jack on the right as in the 501x.
Thank you. You saved me :)
I don't own one of these radios, but I'm thinking of buying one. Would I be better buying the 880 or 999/990X as a first radio?
990x definitely
@@tonymagnier9846 Why? It's more than $100 more than the 880.
alguien que me diga,,si la sintonizacion de esta radio, es de barrido , o , de paso a paso
No offence but not owning a radio you’re comparing to the new one is badly flawed, it’s just bad for consumers and for anyone watching.
no its not, a new radio is not always better.. nothing flawed here at all
@@OfficialSWLchannel I never said it was better I said you can’t compare the new radio to the old one because you never had the old radio, giving examples of why the new radio is better or worse with examples of other peoples experiences is a very flawed way of reviewing
If you do not know what I know... and how I know the 880 is as good , why are you commenting at all. I know the 880 is as good and do not need to own it, I have enough info from all that have one and even both of them