TUNER Sony XDR-F1HD

[Skywave-Rider]

The Sony XDR-F1HD has excellent analog performance. It has a hot, selective front end, and even on analog signals, got rid of my horrendous multipath problems (I live in Manhattan.)

Used to have to move my antenna for every station to minimize multipath distortion. Now, one position of the stock dipole is all I need. Amazing.

Downsides:
1-It will automatically detect and enable "HD" or digital reception if present on signal. This works well, but the analog signal may sound superior on a lot of stations. The "HD" signal will be quiet, of course, but the high end will be mp3 like, as u prob. know.

2-No mono button.

Upsides:
1-Go to link for user mods to add a "force analog" button and mono button.
2-Fine sound quality.
3-Amazing front end.
4-99 bucks -- there's a $50.00 rebate for a limited time. So $50.00
5-Sleep timer for those of you listening to "Echoes" in the wee hours. Hahaha.

Go here for mods and superb tech review:
http://www.ham-radio.com/k6sti/xdr-f1hd.htm

Echoes:
http://www.echoes.org/

[BMWCCA]

$50 Rebate (ex. 9/29) form is here: http://www.hdradio.com/rebate/rebate.php

I've seen the tuner as low as $72 on-line.

[Skywave-Rider]

Since I'm laid up and sitting in front of the computer too much, I've been running the tuner a lot. It does get very warm! No problems to report, but be prepared to keep air around it. This was noted in the review:
http://www.ham-radio.com/k6sti/xdr-f1hd.htm

[Skywave-Rider]

When you go to mono on an "HD" station, u will hear all kinds of phasing and distortion. Similar to doing same on lower bit rate mp3s. Not the fault of the tuner. I'd say mono is only good for analog stations. So after the "force analog" mod is done. Thinking of removing the low pass filter as well -- see link below.

[hjames]

$50 Rebate (ex. 9/29) form is here: http://www.hdradio.com/rebate/rebate.php

I've seen the tuner as low as $72 on-line.

if anyone sees the tuner that low again, please post it or PM the link to me!

[grumpy]

No mods at this point, but sound quality when there multiple sub-channels
is ... ok for non-critical listening.

Local classical station with single digital sub-channel is much more listenable in HD mode than the multiple sub-channel stations, and is also quite
reasonable compared to analog transmitted/received version of the same
recording.

Local jazz station in analog comes in quite nicely on Sony unit
when compared to my MR-78. I'm not calling one better than the other, as I
haven't spent much time with the Sony unit yet. It would have been very
nice if Sony had included an HD/analog switch as part of the stock unit.

... still waiting on HD-radio rebate

[Skywave-Rider]

Cool Grumpy.

The HD stations can only sound as good as the medium, but it's much better than multipath distortion, which is a big issue for me. I find on the Jazz station here (WBGO) that the digital signal is much more dynamic.

I have not done mods yet either. Doesn't it run very warm? I'll wait a while, don't want a meltdown after I've cut solder traces.

It's pretty "hot" (sensitivity) on both AM/FM.

Let us know if you go all out and do the mods, etc..

Thanks for the rebate reminder!

[grumpy]

yes, it runs warm... unreasonably warm for a consumer product. Then again
the product instructions classify it as a "portable product" so perhaps no UL
or CSA testing was performed.

I raised it up about 1/4" more and have nothing on top, which will hopefully
promote a bit more convective airflow. An external supply/chassis might be a
good mod to add to the list.