SonyICF-S10MK2 Pocket AM/FM Radio, Silver

In this age of smartphones and MP3 players, I had almost entirely forgotten the simple pleasure of listening to a small, mono, transistor radio while enjoying some suds in the back yard or working on a small project on my garage workbench. Maybe I've just come to a point in my life when I can appreciate something less than surround-sound and high-fidelity. This, my friends, is simply a terrific - let me say that again - TERRIFIC little radio. Keeping in mind that this is a small, inexpensive, and very, very basic transistor radio with one small speaker:Reception: Has proven to be outstanding. Sensitivity is high and I can receive remote stations in a canyon setting that my car audio has trouble picking up. No digital here, folks, this baby is pure analog: With only an old-school linear display depicting the frequency, you've got to dial in the stations yourself with the tuning dial and judicious directional placement of the antenna. (or of the device itself, as FM comes in through the metal aerial but AM tunes through a directional ferrite metal rod inside the radio) Tuning in a weak signal, therefore, requires a good ear and certain finesse of the finger. For the size and power of the unit, however, reception is excellent.Sound: Is adequate for a device sporting two AA batteries and one small speaker. Well, let me say this: It is more than adequate in a small space like a garage, or when in close proximity as outside in the back yard, or even outside at a distance if you crank the volume and it doesn't have to compete with a lot of background noise. The speaker is small and low power, however, and this will never be able to compete with a lot of background noise. Passing jet planes, leaf blowers, or the cabinet saw in your garage will cancel this little guy out. But then, so would it also just about any other radio you might be listening to. Basically, the sound is well-matched to the device and I doubt anyone would find it unsatisfactory.Pricing: Totally reasonable at around 12 to 15 bucks, but a veritable steal if it sinks to single digits. Considering size, weight, portability, reliability, and downright enjoyment of this radio, the bang to buck ratio is huge. Huge.Battery life: Is incredible. So much so, that I have abandoned all my hand-crank emergency radios in favor of a couple of these. A single set of good quality AA batteries has lasted me months. Use has been occasional, but certainly for hours at a time and often for days at a time. And they are still going. So, why would I want a cheap hand-crank radio of dubious quality for emergencies when I could have an outstanding little transistor radio of excellent quality which could run for days and days on a single set of batteries? Right, I wouldn't. Besides, I can't be the only one out there envisioning that teeny, flimsy plastic crank snapping off just when you're trying to receive critical emergency info. High quality alkaline batteries are the ticket for this radio, but in my opinion the best way to go are these: Sanyo Eneloop 8 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries Once charged, they stay charged for a long time and they last a looooong time in small electronic devices like this. Charge up a half-dozen to keep on hand for emergencies and back up.Other thoughts: This radio does not come with a cord to plug into the wall, but then it doesn't need one. it does have a small jack for headphones (mini jack) if you are so inclined. Use is really, really easy: Pull up the antenna, turn the dial on the side for on/off function and volume, use the other dial for tuning, and adjust antenna and dials to suit your experience. The unit is small - No, not ipod small - about the size and weight of a man's moderately-stuffed wallet. You know, the kind that makes your back ache if you are sitting on it for an hour's commute. It's a handsome little unit, too: Just what one might imagine a small Sony transistor radio would look like. Simple. Clean. Sharp.Lastly, the experience. Yes, it's a great companion sitting on your workbench as you sharpen your tools or fix your child's toy. Certainly, it can be a lifesaver during an emergency when the power goes out and you really, truly need to know if you should get out of town. Absolutely, it is a great thing to have in your truck's console storage for whatever: desert camping; working that desolate jobsite on a weekend... But, the best - just positively the very, very best - place to have this radio is with you in the back yard. With a beer in your hand on a summer afternoon. Listening to a baseball game under a shade tree. Folks, if that doesn't transport you to another place then I don't know what will.One last thought. Do you really need this with all the internet and cable and ipods laying around? I've got all that, and more MP3 players than I care to count and I say unequivocally yes, you do need this radio. Because when every other device and situation around you isn't, you will appreciate something that is simple, uncomplicated, and reliable. Aside from all its other attributes, these qualities alone make it worthwhile.Five stars.

First off, I wouldn't really call this a "pocket" radio. Yes, it will fit in your pocket, but barely. I would say it's more of a "hand-held" radio, although it's still very, very light and portable. If you want a true pocket radio, I would take a look at the Kaito KA200 pocket radio or the Sony SRF-59 (both of which I also own and will write a review soon). The KA200 is incredibly small compared to both Sonys. However, the sound and reception of both Sonys is superior.Now, let me explain why this Sony's slightly larger physique is really an advantage (compared to the smaller KA200).- 1. The speaker is larger than the KA200, which produces a much cleaner sound than the smaller speaker and gets quite a bit louder.- 2. The AM reception is quite a bit better. The larger the unit, the larger ferrite bar can fit inside (AM uses the internal ferrite bar, while the FM uses the external telescopic antennae). Reception on both bands is absolutely fantastic.- 3. Controls: The volume and tuning wheels are slightly larger on this radio, making them much easier to use.- 4. The Sony holds larger batteries. It takes two AA batteries. A lot of the smaller radios I've seen/used take the smaller AAA size. So, I figure you would get 2-3 times the run time compared to a similar unit that takes two AAA's. Battery life is exceptional. I can't really tell you how good because I haven't been able to run out the original batteries yet.I mainly use this radio to keep up with the pro Minnesota sports teams when I'm away from a TV (cleaning, doing dishes, chilling out on the patio, etc). It's great for this. The speaker provides great sound and gets reasonably loud. It also works great for casual music listening.*PROS*- Small: Not really pockets size, but definitely hand-held size.- Reception: No complaints here on either AM or FM. In fact, this is probably this radios biggest strength. It's better than any other pocket (hand-held) radio I own. The telescopic antennae is probably about 17-18" when fully extended. The FM antennae also tilts side to side and can be folded down along the left side of the speaker when not in use. The tuning wheel on the right side is also very easy to work with.- Sound: Small built-in speaker provides pretty good sound for the size. It's not going to blow your mind, buy you won't be disappointed either. Another thing I really enjoy about this radio that I haven't really seen any other reviews mention is that in the rear of the unit, there are speaker holes cut out of the plastic that gives the impression that there is an additional speaker in the back (although there is only one). This just gives the sound another avenue to escape and the effect is that it makes the sound go in all directions no matter which way the speaker is facing. This is incredibly awesome when using AM because you have you adjust the internal antennae by rotation the unit horizontally. So, even if you have to point the unit away from you to get a distant station to come in, you're not sacrificing sound.- Batteries: Takes two AAs. This is probably the most common battery and the easiest to keep on-hand, at least in my opinion. Battery life is ridiculously awesome too. I've had this radio for a month now and have been trying to wear out the original batteries I put in it. So far, I've used it every day and even left it on overnight a few times, and have not yet been able to kill the batteries. Awesome.- Tuning light helps you locate stations quickly.*CONS*- Can be tricky to listen to at really low volume. Under most normal listening scenarios, this is not an issue. Also, there is quite a jump between low volume and high volume. Be careful when you're turning it up while listening to earphones/headphones. Also, the volume wheel can be kind of scratchy at the very low end of the volume range.- Speaking of earphones/headphones, the jack is actually an "earphone" jack, not a "headphones" jack. This means that if are listening through a standard set of stereo headphones, the sound will only come out of the left side. You can buy a couple dollar adapter to make the sound come out of both sides, although it will still be mono sound coming out of each one. If you plan on listening primarily with headphones, this unit is probably not the best choice. I would recommend the previously mentioned Kaito KA200, or Sony SRF-59 (both of which have a stereo headphone jack).Overall, I have been extremely impressed with this unit, especially for the price. I believe it's the best radio you can get for around ten bucks! After having it a week, I actually bought two more as backups or in case Sony stops selling this model. This would also be a great radio to have around in case of emergencies because of its simplicity and the fact it uses AA batteries and has a long run time. Buy it now.