Hello Andre, very good review, I received mine a few days ago. The build quality is excellent, my only gripe is FM, (even using a wire) as this radio misses 2 or 3 stations that my other radios find. Apart from that it's very good indeed on everything else. Thanks
Thanks Lew, I am glad that you like the radio! Thanks for your comment about FM. I am not a regular FM listener except for two stations, which this one does pick up :-)
Hi Matt, I absolutely agree! It is very sturdy, feels like something that I will easily take along when camping or hiking. The solar charging is great, and the reception is excellent. This radio, a bit of wire, out in the wilds, a recipe for terrific DXing!
Yeah keep in mind that the solar charging is super slow and really takes a few days to get the battery fully charged (even with direct sunlight) but yeah it's definitely good to have and being able to get it charged if not used :) Just keep in mind that XHDATA doesn't claim it to be weather sealed so better don't let it become wet.
This is really interesting and super inexpensive considering what’s in the set itself, sound of the speaker itself. This would be a great emergency radio, in a true emergency situation a shortwave radio is a better solution than just a regular MW/FM radio. Too bad the only thing missing is a 0-9 keyboard. You’re really making me want one of these so badly.
I agree, I think it is great value for money. As far as I know, this is one of very few (if any?) emergency radios that offer full SW coverage. I definitely also think that one would need a radio with good SW coverage for real emergency situations. I can see that the lack of a keypad is a bit of a drawback, but I think one can manage OK without it.
My old Kaito 500 ( $50 )does very slow charging by crank and solar. And has a tiny battery. The tuning on the 500 is tolerable. Showing the 608 display for solar or crank plus that big battery is a great advantage. Having the full shortwave span always a plus. Thanks for the video.
Thanks James, I agree, the full SW coverage is a big advantage. In case of, for example, a big natural event that knocks out power for several days, it would be very useful to have full SW coverage when local FM and MW transmitters lose their battery power after a few days.
André, thank you for the review. Looks like an interesting radio for camping. The last two times I took my PL-368 with me, but this one has more functions. It looks like a Sony Walkman I used to have.
Sure! My PL-368 has also been a trustworthy camping and travelling radio at times. I think next time it will be this one plus the PL-368, for SSB. Two very small radios, easy to pack.
Andre I bought to on sale for a little over $26 a piece waiting for shipping after the Chinese New Year. It appears to be the program listening DXing radio I’ve been looking for. I only wish it could be controlled by my phone app like my Zhiwhiz A320 radio…but can have everything…like SSB …😢! Have a great day, thanks for the video, 73!
Yes, it was available at a special price for a while just after it was released. You were lucky to get one at the special price! If only it had SSB also, but maybe we are asking too much 😀
Finally we get to see the SWL King's take on the D-608WB! ☺👍 Thank you for the virtual tour of this likeable emergency radio. I was surprised that XHDATA gave this model continuous tuning from 1711 to 29999 kHz, because not even Tecsun/Kaito has anything like it. The flimsy side rubber flap is not a deal breaker though I hope XHDATA will take notice of this and improve its the rubber seal for future production batches. This isn't a poolside radio where it can get dunked in shallow water but at least it has some weather and dirt sealing properties. The omission of the direct entry keypad won't make much of a difference to users who are not used to "sophisticated" receivers with calculator-like buttons. There isn't room for the keypad anyway (look at how cramped the D-109/109WB's frequency keypad is) and making the radio larger to fit a keypad will make the production cost even higher. If something is missing from the D-608WB it would be a variable bandwidth function. If this radio uses the Si 4734 DSP chip it has access to at least five bandwidth filters but for some reason the manufacturer decided to leave this out. After all, there is plenty of space on the front fascia to accommodate one extra button for bandwidth control, e.g. to the right of the lock button. Andre, does this radio sound like its bandwidth is fixed at 4 kHz to your ears? I know that the D-808's wide 6 kHz setting on shortwave sometimes produces that familiar high pitched whine and to me sounds like the D-608WB's fixed bandwidth is like 4 or 5 kHz. 🤔
Thanks! I think the direct keypad omission is not really too bad, for me personally at least. My Eton Elite Traveler has gotten me used to this kind of tuning. And, as you say, there isn't really any room for a keypad, the radio design just seems to work the way it is now. I do agree about the bandwidth, that would have been nice. But the speaker sound is very clear and both sensitivity and selectivity are good. But bandwidth settings would certainly have been nice. I kind of think the bandwidth is fixed at 3 kHz, might also be 4 kHz. Maybe I'll do a direct comparison with the D-109 and see if I can pinpoint it more exactly.
@@swlistening At least the D-608WB does have the meter band switch - that helps the user navigate the shortwave band quickly. That's pretty important, if you ask me. 📻🤔 I'm going with the theory that XHDATA wanted to make this radio as simple as possible. Not everyone understands what bandwidth filters are and if it's inadvertently switched to 1 kHz, the sound will become very muddy. Do you remember the 70s when some analogue car radios were fitted with mechanical switches that caused the tuning pointer to jump across the tuning dial? I think they were designed so that the driver would spend less time fiddling with tuning knob for safety reasons. 🙂
@@StratmanII What an interesting reminder about those car radios! I do remember that very well! The first attempts at programming car radios 🙂 I share your thinking about the simplicity, I think that is exactly what XHDATA did here. They made an emergency radio for wide public use, it just so happens that this radio has really excellent reception across all bands, which makes it useful for DXers also. I am having a lot of fun with mine. As I've said before in comments, I think it will become my main travel radio, probably together with the Tecsun PL-368 for SSB. Two small and very convenient radios to carry around. The D-608WB will also definitely be a camping companion. I don't do much camping, but usually over new year I always go camping. This most recent new year was an exception because of my European trip.
Hello André, as you know I've been using this radio for a few days too. Your review is quite interesting, accurate and detailed. I felt like I'd share my opinion on it as well. I agree with most of what you said here about the radio's quality, sensitivity, features. Still, there are a few things that annoy me: - yes, the speaker has impressive depth, but it lacks treble for talk radio on SW IMHO. It's certainly great for music, though - the vol+/vol- buttons are a pain. AFAIK it's the only Xhdata radio with this. Come on, we all prefer potentiometers - it takes forever to charge, which is a consequence of the large capacity battery, of course - the tuning wheel is too small, has a feeling that I don't like and it isn't quite precise. I've seen it skip steps or going backwards for one step sometimes - I miss the bandwidth setting, badly. I would have traded some of this radio's fancy features for it As for its SW sensitivity, it seems on par with my best < 100$/€ radios, but not better. What's nice is that it seems immune to the overloading issues the D-109 has. Too bad you don't have the R-108 by the way. To me it's the Xhdata radio has has the best performance+features/price. Superior to the D-109 for sure (I don't use Bluetooth/SD card much) Now that the price of the D-608 has gone up and is almost the same as the R-108's, I'm not sure I'd prefer it over the latter if I had to chose.
Hey Alain, thank you for your detailed comment and impressions! I agree with you on many of these points. The tuning wheel is quite small indeed, took me a while to get used to it, but after using the radio for about three weeks I don't notice it anymore. The volume buttons are strange indeed, but XHDATA's explanation, that it is because they want to avoid creating too many openings on the radio to let dirt get inside, seems to make sense to me. The lack of bandwidth settings is unfortunate, the DSP chip can easily handle this. I suppose it has to do with XHDATA's aim to keep the radio quite simple, which is something I really like about the radio. I agree about the SW reception, as good as anything on the market under 100 euros, or $100 or so, which makes it quite a performer at the price. I am really looking forward to winter here in Johannesburg, so that I can do a real MW test. I read a review by someone in the US who said the MW reception is really excellent. I have had good catches on MW already, but the really distant signals will only come through in winter, then I will see what it can do! The R-108 is the one XHDATA radio that is still missing from my collection. So many radios to still try out :-)
Received mine today here in Namibia - took around one month for delivery. I like it. I'm amazed at the small size. I like the fact it's a little less tall and a bit wider than the D109 - which has a tendency to fall over! I also like the finishing on these radios - both have nice little rubber feet to give them grip on a surface. The volume seems fine - no 'steps' as you often get with these (my JBL Flip is terrible - either soft or medium volume - you can't get it to the 'right' volume). Sound is good, and the extra features (solar, hand crank, torch, LED light) are amazing at that price. Bluetooth and SD card work just fine. So the D608 will be my emergency radio for South African power cuts - although you don't seem to have had those recently!
Hi Robin, great to hear the radio arrived and that you like it! I think you might find over time, as you compare it with the D-109, that it seems to be even more sensitive than the D-109 sometimes. I love my D-608WB, for all the same reasons you mention here. It is sturdy, does not fall over, the rubber feet are great, all the emergency features can be useful. And it has really good reception. We haven't had any loadshedding for about six weeks now, quite incredible :-) But, as you know, there are elections next week. Who knows if the loadshedding will suddenly return after all the votes have been counted...
@@swlistening I wonder if one needs to leave that solar panel in direct sunlight to charge? I sat with it pointed towards the sun (but not in direct sunlight) and it seemed to be charging?
@@robintyson591 Robin, I think if it shows that it is charging, then it is fine, whether inside or outside. Mine charges when I leave it near a window with sunlight.
@@swlistening I found an answer to our question. Seemingly if you crank it 'hard' you get a lot more (42 minutes) than doing it leisurely! "@DanielSanDK 2 months ago All of the following test were done by letting the radio turn itself off because of low battery.(3,37v) and after charging, tuned on fm radio at 10% volume: 5min. of hand cranking at slow/relaxed speed gave 12min. and 20 seconds. 5min. of hand cranking at fast speed gave 42min. and 33 seconds. The solar panel gave 2.02/ 2.42/ 3.35/ 3.18 minutes and seconds. the solar panel with boost from a mirror, gave 3.56 and 4.36."
Excellent methodical review! So, no SW bandwidth settings? I also wonder how much splatter happens at night on MW (in the north american market where signal strengths on adjacent frequencies compete)? Also, are there any waterproof ratings? A true emergency radio needs to be at least "splashproof", like IP54 .
Thank you so much! It does not have a waterproof rating, so that is one drawback. I am very sorry, but I cannot test MW splatter, here in South Africa we have so few MW stations left that it is not a problem at all. My MW listening is mostly distant signals from neighbouring countries and even further afield.
Oh, and about the SW bandwidth settings, there are none. But the speaker is so clear and sensitivity so good that I have not found that to be an issue so far.
The unit that I bought has a thermometer that consistently reads 7 degrees (F.) lower than it should. My Tecsun PL 380 is quite accurate. Otherwise, everything works fine.
Thanks for your comment Richard, interesting that you mention this. I actually did not really test the thermometer. But many of my portable radios actually don't seem to be very accurate anyway, they always display quite high temperatures.
I love the radio and my only complaint really is the really bad volume stepping at the lower volume levels between 1 and 3. At 1 you have literally no sound and at 2 it is almost too loud. So it's impossible to keep it playing at low volume with the speaker, unless you plug in headphones. I hope this can somehow be fixed with a firmware hack.
I like this radio a lot also. My biggest complaint is also about the volume, I do not like the buttons to control the volume, would have preferred a volume wheel. I still instinctively sometimes search for the volume wheel somewhere along the side of the radio 😀
Wish it had option for AA batteries like some models. A true “emergency” or “camping” radio should have this option, in a “pinch” standard batteries are the way to go
Hey Richard, that's true, would have been nice if it had AA batteries. I guess XHDATA reasoned that the hand crank and the solar charging make up for that. But, of course, once the battery runs out it will take a while to charge it by hand or by using the solar panels. AA batteries would be immediate. I do have several radios using these 18650 batteries, so I have a few spares available.
I have to admit that I am no longer the ardent shortwave listener that I used to be. I think it's basically due to the fact that so many shortwave and mediumwave stations have disappeared over the last decade or so. But I am still interested in listening to a select few stations such as as the shortwave stations from North Korea. Voice of Korea in German is always interesting to listen to despite its partially absurd contents. I am convinced that it's an excellent radio for the price. Can you tell what sort of wire you are using ?
Hi Marcin, I understand what you are saying. SW listening is not what it used to be, there are far fewer stations now. I still enjoy it though, there are still many interesting stations and even some new ones every once in a while. There are many private SW stations these days, they rent air time. There are companies like Media Broadcast Gmbh that specialise in this. As you say, VOK is also quite interesting! I just use a 10 metre speaker wire, stretched out outside my house. It helps a lot.
Good night. I'm happy with the radio but I don't know how to turn it off completely. The screen is still on, showing the time when I turn it off. How to turn off the screen completely?
Hi Francisco, thanks for your question. As far as I know, this cannot be done. The time will always display if there is a battery inside. Most of my other radios also do that. It does not use too much battery power.
What about the signal quality when using it in the bright sunlight? Does the solar panel charge the battery while listening to something? And does this cause any sort of interferance? I actually was leaning more towards the 608 (considering better sound quality against the 109 in the first place), but this nuance might make me change my mind (plus, fixed bandwidth on 608 vs the ability to change it on 109).
Thanks for your comment! I haven't experienced any interference when using the radio outside during daytime, so I don't think the solar panel causes interference while charging. It's not something that I have specifically looked into, but I have used the radio outside in the sun and have never noticed interference. If you are choosing between the 608 and the 109, I would, perhaps, recommend the 109. The bandwidth option on the 109 can be very useful, and the sound on the 109 is actually quite good, it has some bass and is quite clear. The direct frequency input is also useful. I do think they are pretty much the same radios on the inside, so performance wise they are the same and both are great. It's the slightly different features that make a small difference, all depends on your needs. If you want a radio with some emergency features, and one that is quite rugged for use outdoors and while camping, the 608 is your radio!
@@swlistening Andre, thank you for the detailed reply! I'm actually kind of the outdoorsy person (and I take quite long river kayak trips in the north of Russia, where the sun almost never sets during the season - that's why I asked about the solar panel), so these extra features of 608 might come in handy. Though I'm not sure if lack of the direct frequency input/analog volume rocker/bandwidth switch will be to my liking. All in all, I ended up ordering both models - gonna compare them face to face and then decide which one to keep 😄
@@severed123 You are lucky to have that vast wilderness in the north of Russia available to you, sounds like an amazing adventure! Let me know which radio you choose in the end!
@@swlistening Hello, Andre! All in all, I ended up keeping the D-109 and sold the D-608WB. I liked sound profile of the 109 more, plus the keyboard and volume rocker (preferred it over the buttons). Other than that, they are pretty similar (they even share the same bug which is sound distortion at some volume level). Their reception is on par (although the D-109 have stored more stations on SW through autoscan, for some reason). The solar panel and dynamo handle on D-608WB are pretty gimmicky, but someone might find it helpful. The torch and reading LED panel are ok.
@@severed123 Thank you so much for letting me know what your final decision was! I have both these, as you know, but I think these days I prefer the D-608, I kind of like the form factor and I enjoy the lack of buttons, it's a bit like radios from days gone by. As you say, I think these two perform pretty much exactly the same, so in the end it boils down to personal preference. Both are really great little radios!
At this price you can definitely get one and not feel bad about it :) Definitely a lot of bangs for the bucks. The sound of the speaker is really good on MW and SW. And even for the audio you play from the Micro SD card slot. It even plays FLAC files and not just MP3 and WAV.
Hi Oliver, thank you! There are various websites that you can use to identify the stations and the country. You can try shortwavedb.org/ or www.short-wave.info/ On both these sites you can type in the frequency and search for the station. On shortwavedb you can also click on Shortwave Schedules at the top and then just click on submit without changing any of the fields. Then you will find all the stations on air at that time. On short-wave.info you can search by band also, just select the band where it says "list everything on air". Have fun!
Ronan, on SW I think they are about equal, on MW the D-808 seems to be a bit better. But keep in mind that the D-808 also has SSB, which the D-608WB does not have.
I'm unable to change the frequency range/temperature. It always stays on celsius and 88-108. I even tried to reset it with no luck. Anyone else have this problem?
Hi Mike, does it cycle through the frequency ranges when you press and hold the band button, while the radio is off? Or not at all? You need to do it again and again, every time you press and hold it will give a different frequency range. Then just stop when you find the right one.
@swlistening It does, but apparently Xhdata changed the functions on newer iterations and did not update their manual. If anyone else has this problem, long press the "volume -" key while the radio is off. This will change the SW from 9 to 10 and the temperature will switch to farenheit. However, I still cannot get the FM band to change. I'll live with it!
I bought D219. Initially it wasxreally really very good , but since I have a few more radios which includes a Tecsun pocket ( analogue ) an AIWA -Made In Japan ( bought in 2006 ) , a Philips Skipper 4 band radio bought by my late Dad in the year 1975 and thiscstill works , I did not listen to the D219 for about 2 months .Earlier this month when I listened to it again I noticed sudden drops in volume of the radio . I switched it off and switched it on again but yet again the volume dropped and is recurring . I live in India and cannot find any radio technician to fix this problem. Well it is once again a manifestation of MADE IN CHINA technology.
This is very interesting, thank you for sharing Niladri. I have three D-219s, haven't experienced this on any of mine yet, but it is a bit worrying. Out of interest, which Tecsun pocket radio do you have? By any chance the R-808? I have the R-808, wonderful little radio. Edit: The R-808, not D-808 :-)
Hi am very poor in remembering numbers .It is the Tecsun analogue pocket radio and since I am not in home right now , can't take the radio out and confirm the model number but I think it is R 909. And I also have a Sony ICF SW706 which is a great radio bought in the year 1996 but to to lack of use it is dead .I took this to Sony ,India for servicing after keeping it for almostc2 months they said sorry . I am trying to find a radio technician in India to get this radio serviced / repaired , maybe if you would know someone in S.A.. who repairs high end radios who can help.
And I must tell you I changed the silver coloured tuning needle of my Tecsun with a red one as the Tecsun has a silver coloured tuning scale .The red needle on the silver tuning scale creates a good contrast for better visibility which radios back in the days had . Some radios in those days had green tuning needle , some even had black and some even had yellow . My little Aiwa is far superior to the Tecsun as it does does not require any external antenna which the latter requires for SW listening.
@@niladrimukherjee2098 Thanks Niladri, I have the R-909, nice little radio also! I do know some people who repair radios, but shipping fees to South Africa and back will add so much to the final price that it would not make financial sense. I am sure you will find someone in India though. I wish you luck, it would be nice to repair that radio.
About my Sony I don't mind spending the money that will be called for because it is SONY and I do not think in my remaining lifetime Sony is likely launch SW radios of the kind I have again. It is a fully digital radii with USB / LSB. Perhaps if you could share the contact details of the radio service guys in SA so I may communicate with them directly and get my set repaired.
As far as I know there is no XHDATA D-608 yet, the only version is the D-608WB. So even for people who live outside the US the version with WB is the only option at the moment.
Hi Joe, it is very good! There is a section in the video where I show some FM signals, even some distant ones, you will see it in the video chapters so you can jump straight to that section.
I don't know, I think it is very reasonable. Similar radios with fewer functions are more expensive. The Kaito KA500, with very basic SW coverage, no digital display and a smaller battery is $10 more expensive than this one. The Eton FRX3+ with a smaller battery and no SW coverage is also more expensive. Radios that are cheaper than the D-608WB in general do not provide SW coverage, or very limited SW coverage, and they all have smaller batteries.
@@marcinwilk5718 LOL, I am not an under-the-bridge creature (troll) as you say. This radio is fine for short term power outages or "emergency" situations, but sensitivity is poor compared to other radio brands, such as Tecsun, Sony, Panasonic, Grundig, etc. However, for $41+, you can do much, much better! I've been in electronics for more than 50 years and this brand is a toy compared to the above mentioned brands. As I said, OK, but worth about $25 retail.
@@swlistening I think the bro was comparing to the el cheapo, plasticky generic AM/FM emergency radios sold at the Fordsburg night market, next to the pirated DVD stalls, Andre! 📻🤣
Hello Andre, very good review, I received mine a few days ago.
The build quality is excellent, my only gripe is FM, (even using a wire) as this radio misses 2 or 3 stations that my other radios find.
Apart from that it's very good indeed on everything else.
Thanks
Thanks Lew, I am glad that you like the radio! Thanks for your comment about FM. I am not a regular FM listener except for two stations, which this one does pick up :-)
This is a great radio for camping. The solar charging is what I need. I might have to get one sometime.
Hi Matt, I absolutely agree! It is very sturdy, feels like something that I will easily take along when camping or hiking. The solar charging is great, and the reception is excellent. This radio, a bit of wire, out in the wilds, a recipe for terrific DXing!
Yeah keep in mind that the solar charging is super slow and really takes a few days to get the battery fully charged (even with direct sunlight) but yeah it's definitely good to have and being able to get it charged if not used :) Just keep in mind that XHDATA doesn't claim it to be weather sealed so better don't let it become wet.
This is really interesting and super inexpensive considering what’s in the set itself, sound of the speaker itself. This would be a great emergency radio, in a true emergency situation a shortwave radio is a better solution than just a regular MW/FM radio. Too bad the only thing missing is a 0-9 keyboard. You’re really making me want one of these so badly.
I agree, I think it is great value for money. As far as I know, this is one of very few (if any?) emergency radios that offer full SW coverage. I definitely also think that one would need a radio with good SW coverage for real emergency situations. I can see that the lack of a keypad is a bit of a drawback, but I think one can manage OK without it.
@@swlistening Like I said before, you’re making me want one so bad.
My old Kaito 500 ( $50 )does very slow charging by crank and solar. And has a tiny battery. The tuning on the 500 is tolerable.
Showing the 608 display for solar or crank plus that big battery is a great advantage. Having the full shortwave span always a plus.
Thanks for the video.
Thanks James, I agree, the full SW coverage is a big advantage. In case of, for example, a big natural event that knocks out power for several days, it would be very useful to have full SW coverage when local FM and MW transmitters lose their battery power after a few days.
André, thank you for the review. Looks like an interesting radio for camping. The last two times I took my PL-368 with me, but this one has more functions. It looks like a Sony Walkman I used to have.
Sure! My PL-368 has also been a trustworthy camping and travelling radio at times. I think next time it will be this one plus the PL-368, for SSB. Two very small radios, easy to pack.
@@swlistening I travel by bicycle, so one radio is enough. 🙂
Andre I bought to on sale for a little over $26 a piece waiting for shipping after the Chinese New Year. It appears to be the program listening DXing radio I’ve been looking for. I only wish it could be controlled by my phone app like my Zhiwhiz A320 radio…but can have everything…like SSB …😢!
Have a great day, thanks for the video, 73!
Yes, it was available at a special price for a while just after it was released. You were lucky to get one at the special price! If only it had SSB also, but maybe we are asking too much 😀
@@swlistening Andre….that’s why the boss won’t let me complain…😀!
73!
@@Kw1161 😀
Finally we get to see the SWL King's take on the D-608WB! ☺👍 Thank you for the virtual tour of this likeable emergency radio. I was surprised that XHDATA gave this model continuous tuning from 1711 to 29999 kHz, because not even Tecsun/Kaito has anything like it.
The flimsy side rubber flap is not a deal breaker though I hope XHDATA will take notice of this and improve its the rubber seal for future production batches. This isn't a poolside radio where it can get dunked in shallow water but at least it has some weather and dirt sealing properties.
The omission of the direct entry keypad won't make much of a difference to users who are not used to "sophisticated" receivers with calculator-like buttons. There isn't room for the keypad anyway (look at how cramped the D-109/109WB's frequency keypad is) and making the radio larger to fit a keypad will make the production cost even higher.
If something is missing from the D-608WB it would be a variable bandwidth function. If this radio uses the Si 4734 DSP chip it has access to at least five bandwidth filters but for some reason the manufacturer decided to leave this out. After all, there is plenty of space on the front fascia to accommodate one extra button for bandwidth control, e.g. to the right of the lock button.
Andre, does this radio sound like its bandwidth is fixed at 4 kHz to your ears? I know that the D-808's wide 6 kHz setting on shortwave sometimes produces that familiar high pitched whine and to me sounds like the D-608WB's fixed bandwidth is like 4 or 5 kHz. 🤔
Thanks! I think the direct keypad omission is not really too bad, for me personally at least. My Eton Elite Traveler has gotten me used to this kind of tuning. And, as you say, there isn't really any room for a keypad, the radio design just seems to work the way it is now.
I do agree about the bandwidth, that would have been nice. But the speaker sound is very clear and both sensitivity and selectivity are good. But bandwidth settings would certainly have been nice. I kind of think the bandwidth is fixed at 3 kHz, might also be 4 kHz. Maybe I'll do a direct comparison with the D-109 and see if I can pinpoint it more exactly.
@@swlistening At least the D-608WB does have the meter band switch - that helps the user navigate the shortwave band quickly. That's pretty important, if you ask me. 📻🤔 I'm going with the theory that XHDATA wanted to make this radio as simple as possible. Not everyone understands what bandwidth filters are and if it's inadvertently switched to 1 kHz, the sound will become very muddy.
Do you remember the 70s when some analogue car radios were fitted with mechanical switches that caused the tuning pointer to jump across the tuning dial? I think they were designed so that the driver would spend less time fiddling with tuning knob for safety reasons. 🙂
@@StratmanII What an interesting reminder about those car radios! I do remember that very well! The first attempts at programming car radios 🙂
I share your thinking about the simplicity, I think that is exactly what XHDATA did here. They made an emergency radio for wide public use, it just so happens that this radio has really excellent reception across all bands, which makes it useful for DXers also. I am having a lot of fun with mine. As I've said before in comments, I think it will become my main travel radio, probably together with the Tecsun PL-368 for SSB. Two small and very convenient radios to carry around. The D-608WB will also definitely be a camping companion. I don't do much camping, but usually over new year I always go camping. This most recent new year was an exception because of my European trip.
Hello André, as you know I've been using this radio for a few days too. Your review is quite interesting, accurate and detailed. I felt like I'd share my opinion on it as well. I agree with most of what you said here about the radio's quality, sensitivity, features. Still, there are a few things that annoy me:
- yes, the speaker has impressive depth, but it lacks treble for talk radio on SW IMHO. It's certainly great for music, though
- the vol+/vol- buttons are a pain. AFAIK it's the only Xhdata radio with this. Come on, we all prefer potentiometers
- it takes forever to charge, which is a consequence of the large capacity battery, of course
- the tuning wheel is too small, has a feeling that I don't like and it isn't quite precise. I've seen it skip steps or going backwards for one step sometimes
- I miss the bandwidth setting, badly. I would have traded some of this radio's fancy features for it
As for its SW sensitivity, it seems on par with my best < 100$/€ radios, but not better. What's nice is that it seems immune to the overloading issues the D-109 has.
Too bad you don't have the R-108 by the way. To me it's the Xhdata radio has has the best performance+features/price. Superior to the D-109 for sure (I don't use Bluetooth/SD card much)
Now that the price of the D-608 has gone up and is almost the same as the R-108's, I'm not sure I'd prefer it over the latter if I had to chose.
Hey Alain, thank you for your detailed comment and impressions! I agree with you on many of these points. The tuning wheel is quite small indeed, took me a while to get used to it, but after using the radio for about three weeks I don't notice it anymore. The volume buttons are strange indeed, but XHDATA's explanation, that it is because they want to avoid creating too many openings on the radio to let dirt get inside, seems to make sense to me.
The lack of bandwidth settings is unfortunate, the DSP chip can easily handle this. I suppose it has to do with XHDATA's aim to keep the radio quite simple, which is something I really like about the radio.
I agree about the SW reception, as good as anything on the market under 100 euros, or $100 or so, which makes it quite a performer at the price. I am really looking forward to winter here in Johannesburg, so that I can do a real MW test. I read a review by someone in the US who said the MW reception is really excellent. I have had good catches on MW already, but the really distant signals will only come through in winter, then I will see what it can do!
The R-108 is the one XHDATA radio that is still missing from my collection. So many radios to still try out :-)
Received mine today here in Namibia - took around one month for delivery. I like it. I'm amazed at the small size. I like the fact it's a little less tall and a bit wider than the D109 - which has a tendency to fall over! I also like the finishing on these radios - both have nice little rubber feet to give them grip on a surface. The volume seems fine - no 'steps' as you often get with these (my JBL Flip is terrible - either soft or medium volume - you can't get it to the 'right' volume). Sound is good, and the extra features (solar, hand crank, torch, LED light) are amazing at that price. Bluetooth and SD card work just fine. So the D608 will be my emergency radio for South African power cuts - although you don't seem to have had those recently!
Hi Robin, great to hear the radio arrived and that you like it! I think you might find over time, as you compare it with the D-109, that it seems to be even more sensitive than the D-109 sometimes. I love my D-608WB, for all the same reasons you mention here. It is sturdy, does not fall over, the rubber feet are great, all the emergency features can be useful. And it has really good reception.
We haven't had any loadshedding for about six weeks now, quite incredible :-) But, as you know, there are elections next week. Who knows if the loadshedding will suddenly return after all the votes have been counted...
@@swlistening I wonder if one needs to leave that solar panel in direct sunlight to charge? I sat with it pointed towards the sun (but not in direct sunlight) and it seemed to be charging?
@@robintyson591 Robin, I think if it shows that it is charging, then it is fine, whether inside or outside. Mine charges when I leave it near a window with sunlight.
@@swlistening I found an answer to our question. Seemingly if you crank it 'hard' you get a lot more (42 minutes) than doing it leisurely!
"@DanielSanDK
2 months ago
All of the following test were done by letting the radio turn itself off because of low battery.(3,37v) and after charging, tuned on fm radio at 10% volume:
5min. of hand cranking at slow/relaxed speed gave 12min. and 20 seconds.
5min. of hand cranking at fast speed gave 42min. and 33 seconds.
The solar panel gave 2.02/ 2.42/ 3.35/ 3.18 minutes and seconds.
the solar panel with boost from a mirror, gave 3.56 and 4.36."
@@robintyson591 Thank you Robin!
Mind blowing 👍 Fabulous
It's a nice radio indeed!
Excellent methodical review! So, no SW bandwidth settings? I also wonder how much splatter happens at night on MW (in the north american market where signal strengths on adjacent frequencies compete)? Also, are there any waterproof ratings? A true emergency radio needs to be at least "splashproof", like IP54 .
Thank you so much! It does not have a waterproof rating, so that is one drawback. I am very sorry, but I cannot test MW splatter, here in South Africa we have so few MW stations left that it is not a problem at all. My MW listening is mostly distant signals from neighbouring countries and even further afield.
Oh, and about the SW bandwidth settings, there are none. But the speaker is so clear and sensitivity so good that I have not found that to be an issue so far.
The unit that I bought has a thermometer that consistently reads 7 degrees (F.) lower than it should. My Tecsun PL 380 is quite accurate. Otherwise, everything works fine.
Thanks for your comment Richard, interesting that you mention this. I actually did not really test the thermometer. But many of my portable radios actually don't seem to be very accurate anyway, they always display quite high temperatures.
Yes, the temperature of my PL-368 is 2 or 3 degrees (C) to high and my D-808 is one degree lower than a fairly accurate mercury thermometer.
@@hammockdweller I don't think I will trust these radio thermometers easily 🙂
Great comprehensive review. Thanks
Thanks Dan!
I love the radio and my only complaint really is the really bad volume stepping at the lower volume levels between 1 and 3. At 1 you have literally no sound and at 2 it is almost too loud. So it's impossible to keep it playing at low volume with the speaker, unless you plug in headphones. I hope this can somehow be fixed with a firmware hack.
I like this radio a lot also. My biggest complaint is also about the volume, I do not like the buttons to control the volume, would have preferred a volume wheel. I still instinctively sometimes search for the volume wheel somewhere along the side of the radio 😀
@@swlistening yeah an analog volume output with dial like the XHDATA D-219 would have been perfect.
Wish it had option for AA batteries like
some models. A true “emergency” or “camping” radio should have this option, in a “pinch” standard batteries are the way to go
Hey Richard, that's true, would have been nice if it had AA batteries. I guess XHDATA reasoned that the hand crank and the solar charging make up for that. But, of course, once the battery runs out it will take a while to charge it by hand or by using the solar panels. AA batteries would be immediate. I do have several radios using these 18650 batteries, so I have a few spares available.
@@swlistening yes I myself do too, it just seems as they are pushing “green energy”…good review otherwise 👍
@@KongKingman Thanks!
I have to admit that I am no longer the ardent shortwave listener that I used to be. I think it's basically due to the fact that so many shortwave and mediumwave stations have disappeared over the last decade or so. But I am still interested in listening to a select few stations such as as the shortwave stations from North Korea. Voice of Korea in German is always interesting to listen to despite its partially absurd contents. I am convinced that it's an excellent radio for the price. Can you tell what sort of wire you are using ?
Hi Marcin, I understand what you are saying. SW listening is not what it used to be, there are far fewer stations now. I still enjoy it though, there are still many interesting stations and even some new ones every once in a while. There are many private SW stations these days, they rent air time. There are companies like Media Broadcast Gmbh that specialise in this. As you say, VOK is also quite interesting!
I just use a 10 metre speaker wire, stretched out outside my house. It helps a lot.
@@swlistening oh yes I can see in your videos that the wire really helps a lot Thanks a lot
@@marcinwilk5718Sure!
Good night. I'm happy with the radio but I don't know how to turn it off completely. The screen is still on, showing the time when I turn it off. How to turn off the screen completely?
Hi Francisco, thanks for your question. As far as I know, this cannot be done. The time will always display if there is a battery inside. Most of my other radios also do that. It does not use too much battery power.
What about the signal quality when using it in the bright sunlight? Does the solar panel charge the battery while listening to something? And does this cause any sort of interferance? I actually was leaning more towards the 608 (considering better sound quality against the 109 in the first place), but this nuance might make me change my mind (plus, fixed bandwidth on 608 vs the ability to change it on 109).
Thanks for your comment! I haven't experienced any interference when using the radio outside during daytime, so I don't think the solar panel causes interference while charging. It's not something that I have specifically looked into, but I have used the radio outside in the sun and have never noticed interference.
If you are choosing between the 608 and the 109, I would, perhaps, recommend the 109. The bandwidth option on the 109 can be very useful, and the sound on the 109 is actually quite good, it has some bass and is quite clear. The direct frequency input is also useful.
I do think they are pretty much the same radios on the inside, so performance wise they are the same and both are great. It's the slightly different features that make a small difference, all depends on your needs. If you want a radio with some emergency features, and one that is quite rugged for use outdoors and while camping, the 608 is your radio!
@@swlistening Andre, thank you for the detailed reply! I'm actually kind of the outdoorsy person (and I take quite long river kayak trips in the north of Russia, where the sun almost never sets during the season - that's why I asked about the solar panel), so these extra features of 608 might come in handy. Though I'm not sure if lack of the direct frequency input/analog volume rocker/bandwidth switch will be to my liking. All in all, I ended up ordering both models - gonna compare them face to face and then decide which one to keep 😄
@@severed123 You are lucky to have that vast wilderness in the north of Russia available to you, sounds like an amazing adventure! Let me know which radio you choose in the end!
@@swlistening Hello, Andre! All in all, I ended up keeping the D-109 and sold the D-608WB. I liked sound profile of the 109 more, plus the keyboard and volume rocker (preferred it over the buttons). Other than that, they are pretty similar (they even share the same bug which is sound distortion at some volume level). Their reception is on par (although the D-109 have stored more stations on SW through autoscan, for some reason). The solar panel and dynamo handle on D-608WB are pretty gimmicky, but someone might find it helpful. The torch and reading LED panel are ok.
@@severed123 Thank you so much for letting me know what your final decision was! I have both these, as you know, but I think these days I prefer the D-608, I kind of like the form factor and I enjoy the lack of buttons, it's a bit like radios from days gone by. As you say, I think these two perform pretty much exactly the same, so in the end it boils down to personal preference. Both are really great little radios!
You make me want one
Thanks Michael, I think it's a really nice radio! Worth it.
At this price you can definitely get one and not feel bad about it :) Definitely a lot of bangs for the bucks. The sound of the speaker is really good on MW and SW. And even for the audio you play from the Micro SD card slot. It even plays FLAC files and not just MP3 and WAV.
Good morning, good channel. How do you identify the country of a SW station?
Hi Oliver, thank you! There are various websites that you can use to identify the stations and the country. You can try shortwavedb.org/ or www.short-wave.info/
On both these sites you can type in the frequency and search for the station. On shortwavedb you can also click on Shortwave Schedules at the top and then just click on submit without changing any of the fields. Then you will find all the stations on air at that time. On short-wave.info you can search by band also, just select the band where it says "list everything on air". Have fun!
Xhdata d808 or d608wb, which one has better reception overall? Thanks.
Ronan, on SW I think they are about equal, on MW the D-808 seems to be a bit better. But keep in mind that the D-808 also has SSB, which the D-608WB does not have.
D-608WB is the winner!
@@johnbeckham1483 It's a great radio!
I'm unable to change the frequency range/temperature. It always stays on celsius and 88-108. I even tried to reset it with no luck. Anyone else have this problem?
Hi Mike, does it cycle through the frequency ranges when you press and hold the band button, while the radio is off? Or not at all? You need to do it again and again, every time you press and hold it will give a different frequency range. Then just stop when you find the right one.
@swlistening It does, but apparently Xhdata changed the functions on newer iterations and did not update their manual. If anyone else has this problem, long press the "volume -" key while the radio is off. This will change the SW from 9 to 10 and the temperature will switch to farenheit. However, I still cannot get the FM band to change. I'll live with it!
@@mikemoran5439 Thanks for the advice Mike! I did not know about this update. Maybe someone else here will be able to advise about the FM frequencies.
So there's am . . . but they announce it, that has am reception.
Hi Carlos, yes, this radio has AM. MW is what is known as AM in the USA and a few other countries.
I bought D219. Initially it wasxreally really very good , but since I have a few more radios which includes a Tecsun pocket ( analogue ) an AIWA -Made In Japan ( bought in 2006 ) , a Philips Skipper 4 band radio bought by my late Dad in the year 1975 and thiscstill works , I did not listen to the D219 for about 2 months .Earlier this month when I listened to it again I noticed sudden drops in volume of the radio . I switched it off and switched it on again but yet again the volume dropped and is recurring . I live in India and cannot find any radio technician to fix this problem. Well it is once again a manifestation of MADE IN CHINA technology.
This is very interesting, thank you for sharing Niladri. I have three D-219s, haven't experienced this on any of mine yet, but it is a bit worrying.
Out of interest, which Tecsun pocket radio do you have? By any chance the R-808? I have the R-808, wonderful little radio.
Edit: The R-808, not D-808 :-)
Hi am very poor in remembering numbers .It is the Tecsun analogue pocket radio and since I am not in home right now , can't take the radio out and confirm the model number but I think it is R 909. And I also have a Sony ICF SW706 which is a great radio bought in the year 1996 but to to lack of use it is dead .I took this to Sony ,India for servicing after keeping it for almostc2 months they said sorry . I am trying to find a radio technician in India to get this radio serviced / repaired , maybe if you would know someone in S.A.. who repairs high end radios who can help.
And I must tell you I changed the silver coloured tuning needle of my Tecsun with a red one as the Tecsun has a silver coloured tuning scale .The red needle on the silver tuning scale creates a good contrast for better visibility which radios back in the days had . Some radios in those days had green tuning needle , some even had black and some even had yellow .
My little Aiwa is far superior to the Tecsun as it does does not require any external antenna which the latter requires for SW listening.
@@niladrimukherjee2098 Thanks Niladri, I have the R-909, nice little radio also! I do know some people who repair radios, but shipping fees to South Africa and back will add so much to the final price that it would not make financial sense. I am sure you will find someone in India though. I wish you luck, it would be nice to repair that radio.
About my Sony I don't mind spending the money that will be called for because it is SONY and I do not think in my remaining lifetime Sony is likely launch SW radios of the kind I have again. It is a fully digital radii with USB / LSB. Perhaps if you could share the contact details of the radio service guys in SA so I may communicate with them directly and get my set repaired.
XHDATA-608WB XHDATA-608 Is there a difference in reception rates from each other??
As far as I know there is no XHDATA D-608 yet, the only version is the D-608WB. So even for people who live outside the US the version with WB is the only option at the moment.
@@swlistening Oh, I see. Thank you for your answer
@@jpopmusic Sure!
Dear sir, Can this radio be delivered in India?
Yes, if you order on the XHDATA website, they do deliver to India. Check the link in the description of the video.
@@swlistening ok sir ❤️👍 thank you so lot.
baie cool review mnr. is jy op telegram?
Haai Righard, ek het Telegram, ja. Jy kan vir my e-pos stuur as jy wil na andre9@duck.com
Hi. How’s the FM reception?
Hi Joe, it is very good! There is a section in the video where I show some FM signals, even some distant ones, you will see it in the video chapters so you can jump straight to that section.
@@swlistening Awesome. Thank you 😊
@@joeweberofficial Sure!
Dead battery, sitting in the sun all day you be back in business, not a full battery but enough for the radio to work for a while.
Have you tried it? I know I used to do this when I was younger with alkaline batteries, and it seemed to work.
Or crank it …
@@ditto1958 True 🙂
Way, way overpriced!
I don't know, I think it is very reasonable. Similar radios with fewer functions are more expensive. The Kaito KA500, with very basic SW coverage, no digital display and a smaller battery is $10 more expensive than this one. The Eton FRX3+ with a smaller battery and no SW coverage is also more expensive. Radios that are cheaper than the D-608WB in general do not provide SW coverage, or very limited SW coverage, and they all have smaller batteries.
You are obviously a troll who doesn't know what he's talking about. This is an excellent radio for its price.
@@marcinwilk5718 LOL, I am not an under-the-bridge creature (troll) as you say. This radio is fine for short term power outages or "emergency" situations, but sensitivity is poor compared to other radio brands, such as Tecsun, Sony, Panasonic, Grundig, etc. However, for $41+, you can do much, much better! I've been in electronics for more than 50 years and this brand is a toy compared to the above mentioned brands. As I said, OK, but worth about $25 retail.
@@swlistening I think the bro was comparing to the el cheapo, plasticky generic AM/FM emergency radios sold at the Fordsburg night market, next to the pirated DVD stalls, Andre! 📻🤣
@@StratmanII That explains it 😄