ICF-S10MK2 Pocket AM/FM Radio, Silver

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.

I've had it less than a week, but I can already tell this is a great little radio! I bought it to use as part of my bike camping kit and for odd occasions when I might want or need to listen to the radio but not have one easily accessible otherwise. I'm in the Kansas City area and my favorite radio shows come out of Lawrence on 91.5 FM. Reception can be finicky with my other radios but this little Sony pulls it in strong and clear. It also clearly pulls in two FM stations out of Topeka that none of my other radios, save a vintage Kenwood tuner, can get clearly. On the AM band, local stations come in loud and clear. During nighttime hours, I've so far pulled in 27 out-of-market stations, some clearly, some not so clearly, from Denver to Atlanta, San Antonio to Toronto (856 miles away!) I also get snippets from many others, but not clearly enough to identify them. All this while inside surrounded by interference producing electronic items. I suspect long distance reception will improve when used outside on clear nights or with an auxiliary antenna. I'll probably rarely actively listen to any of these stations, but it is fun to play with and a testament to just how good this little radio is. For a low-cost, portable, pleasant sounding, easy to use radio, this little Sony cannot be beat. I expect to get a lot of use and enjoyment out of this little marvel. Edit 03/16/15: I continue to be amazed by this little marvel. I've reached for it much more often than I anticipated I would when I bought it. With the return of warmer weather I have used it outside a few times on clear nights. Once outside and away from all sources of electronic interference, the results on the AM band have been stunning. I have to date logged 45 out-of-market stations. I can receive several distant stations at near the quality of local stations. These include 650 WSM, Nashville; 700 WLW, Cincinnati; 670 WSCR, 720 WGN, 780 WBBM, all from Chicago; 830 WCCO, Minneapolis; 840 WHAS, Louisville; 850 KOA, Denver; 870 WWL, New Orleans; 940 KIXZ, Amarillo. Amazingly, when conditions are optimal, I can receive 740 CFZM, Toronto (856 miles distant) with minor static, but still listenable. I had expected to use this radio sporadically, mainly for bike camping on nice weekends. I didn't expect to like it so much and to want to use it as much as I have. For simple, enjoyable, inexpensive entertainment, this little gem is a real winner.

Overall The Sony ICF-S10MK2 is an excellent radio. For a small radio, the Sony fills many roles all in one package. The reception is very good for such a small radio, its compact size means it can go almost anywhere, and the price point makes it a great value. Reception The reception brings in both FM and AM stations from miles away. I have been able to pick up FM stations nearly 40 miles away, which is very good for a radio of this size. The good reception makes it great for camping or other outdoor activities, in which case there may not be cell phone reception or the nearest radio station may be far away. Tuning is a simple operation, as the indicator is bright in color and there is a tuning light to show when a station is tuned in. Size Small footprint and light weight make this radio great for traveling. It very easily fits into a carry-on bag or a purse without taking up space of other travel essentials. The compact size also makes it suitable for use around the house. The Sony is easy to carry and not bound by a cord, as it runs exclusively on batteries. This truly is a “pocket radio.” Battery Life Some may buy this radio exclusively for emergency scenarios, especially power outages. Battery life has exceeded my expectations, and you may not need to change the batteries for many months. Even after sitting for weeks, the batteries do not leak and the output remains at 100 percent. You may not like this radio if… There are some quirks that a potential purchaser would want to know about. Because it is lightweight and small, with the antenna fully extended, it tends to fall over if it is not on a level surface or if there is a breeze. Being such a small radio, the tuning and volume knob can be sensitive making it prone to lose a station if it falls on the ground or the knobs are otherwise disturbed while listening. Conclusion These days, simple but efficient devices often get overlooked and taken for granted. The Sony ICF-S10MK2 is a rugged, compact, and functional radio that makes a great companion whether at home or far away.

Considering the affordable cost of a few dollars and the value and quality that you get, I consider this a best buy and give it highest possible recommendation. I do not say this very often, but I think everyone should get one. I originally bought this as emergency equipment. In the end, its nostalgic value outweighed its practical value. You get much more value than you can reasonably expect from its status as a cheapo-plastic-made-in-China-junk consumer item. When there is a power outage, if you can find 2 penlite (AA) batteries somewhere in the house, you can still listen to the radio. During the Loma-Prieta Earthquake, all radio stations except 2 were knocked off the air (yeah, and both play elevator music). This thing will enable you to easily scan the dial to find stations that manage to get back on the air for emergency info. DIALS AND SWITCHES There is a volume/off dial, a tuning dial, and a AM/FM switch, just like the first pocket radio I got as a kid. Judging by the solid, smooth mechanical operation of these, I expect many years of reliable usage. There is also a telescoping antenna (which I never use, since I am in a major metropolitan area, SF/Bay Area), a carrying loop (which I have never seen the use of, even as a kid or adult), and a Tuning LED (which I never use, since I tune by ear, not by LED). SOUNDS GOOD The high quality from the teeny-tiny speaker was the most surprising quality of this rather remarkable pocket radio. It was at least as good as your typical clock-radio, not only for voice news but also jazz. As long as you are locked on to a strong signal, you can enjoy several hours of stuff without listening fatigue. MANY RADIO STATIONS Well, now: getting only a few radio stations is the Achilles Heel of most `pocket radios' you can buy these days. These use mainly a `AM/FM radio on an IC chip' sort of technology. This cheapie, generic chip has tuner sensitivity that is pretty crappy. When I was a kid, you had to remove the entire back panel to replace the battery. When you did this, you saw that most of the interior volume was taken up by one, huge printed circuit board chocked full of discrete, electronic parts: ceramic capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, carbon film resistors, diodes, and, hopefully, several transistors (you young `uns have no idea what a `transistor' is, do you? 2N103? Germanium PNP?). This type of tuner got many, many stations, no problem to get a specific one in your area that you wanted. Using the ICF-S10MK2, I was surprised to get the same number of stations as the old, discrete solid-state radios. Yes, I took off the back panel. Sadly, the PC board was face-down, otherwise I would give you the model number of the IC chip, since I was not in the mood to undo the circuit board mounting. BATTERIES This is the most important feature of this pocket radio. According to the instructions, a new set of alkaline 2 pieces of AA batteries, you get 40+ hours. I took a couple of penlites from the dead-battery-box, and got several hours of use, and they are still there, giving me use. It does not use the old, expensive, hard to find 9 volt batteries. This wonderful radio can even use those rechargeable AA NiMH batteries. EVERYONE CAN HEAR IT In this age of iPods and BlueTooth, it is easy to forget that others cannot hear your thingamajig, especially in an emergency. With the ICF-S10MK2, everyone within a few feet or in the same room can hear it. You are not constrained by sharing your earbuds with one pal.

I wanted this radio for one reason: AM talk radio on speaker. This baby is perfect for that, and is $10 very well spent. If that is what you're looking for, quit reading and hit the "Add to Cart" button. It receives a clear AM signal (15 miles away) from all angles, sideways, upside down, backwards, inside out. I tied a neck lanyard to the wrist strap, to avoid slipping out of my shirt pocket when I bend forward, but otherwise it's a perfect basic no-frills radio. Buyers should know that this is NOT a stereo radio, it is indeed MONAURAL, just like the good old days. Us greybeards don't find this that unusual, and used to listen with single earplugs, but modern consumers may find it odd. Just know that you'll only hear through one (left) earphone, not both. I understand there are adapters available to split the signal to both ears, but it will still be mono. I often like to listen with only one ear anyway while doing lawn work, so it happens to be fine with me, YMMV. The volume control works fine, though there is speaker distortion at the very high end (too loud to listen to from the pocket anyway). This radio indeed feels just like those made 6 decades ago, so go ahead and feel the joy. If you start hearing 50 year old radio broadcasts, though, check and make sure you haven't slipped into The Twilight Zone. Just walk backwards, exactly the way you came in, and you'll be fine. FM reception seems fine. The antenna seems okay, but I didn't test either of these extensively since I was only interested in AM. In most radios with this design (tuning with a side wheel) it's a little too easy to bump the station off center, and you'll have to remember the volume wheel is on the left. Do I wish it had digital tuning, station presets, and a lock button? Sure, but I didn't expect to find these in a ten buck radio, so no disappointment there. So again, this radio is perfect for AM talk radio on speaker. It might be a good choice to fill out a $25 free shipping order, if you already have a light mine (Striker OO105 Magnetic LED Light-Mine). I'm thinking of buying a second one for a backup against the day I inevitably send this one through the washing machine, or maybe the SRF-59 or maybe its evil twin, the Panasonic RF-P50 (though that's $4 more).

UPDATE: 2017--I've now had this radio for about 6 years. On that time, I'm only on my 2nd set of batteries! I don't use this radio daily but I do use it every week for a few hours. Over he last 6 years, it's been in a steamy shower room, dropped on concrete (from waist height), dropped off ladders (about 5 to 6 feet), baking in the sun on a hot tar roof, in a tool bag with metal tools, dropped in the dirt, banged against walls and doors...it still works perfectly! The battery compartment door is just now starting to look a little loose but it still snaps shut and stays shut. When I bought this 6 years ago, they were $10 (best $10 I've spent). Then I watched them climb to $12 and thought "we'll it's still worth it". Now they are up around $40 and I have to recommend shoppers step away. It's a nice little radio but it's not worth anywhere near $30 to $40. It's analog, no back light, small speaker, and not water tight. $10 or so, yeah. $30 or $40? No way! First off, let's put this in perspective. It's a portable AM/FM radio with a small mono speaker. It's not an awesome radio. It's a good radio for what it is. The worst: The earphone jack is LEFT channel only. Yes, as others have pointed it out you can buy an adapter to plug into it...blah, blah, blah. The bottom line is that I've had other little, mono radios that have the mono signal sent to BOTH channels through the headphone jack. So it's possible for Sony to do this on this radio too, but they chose not to. Reasons, cost, design...blah, blah, blah. Bottom line: Sony could put the mono signal to both headphone channels but chose not to...period. No need for any further discussion on it. They simply chose not to...the end. Sangean's pocket radios do play audio in both ears. The other downside (if you consider this a disappointment on any level) is the speaker is quite small at 2" (but I've seen smaller). Yes, you can turn the volume up loud enough to distort the speaker but in my experience, it gets quite loud before you get to that point. I don't find the speaker to be a disappointment at all. The Sangean SR-35 has a slightly larger speaker and sounds better but it's a smaller radio overall. The best: I think this radio sounds VERY good for the size and it's LOUD for the size too. The 2" speaker on this thing will fill a 660 sq. ft. room with no distortion at all! The battery life on this radio is at nearly Star Trek proportions! I've changed batteries ONCE in a YEAR! I drove over 5,100 miles from Alaska to Texas and used this radio daily for several months before, during, and after that long trip and the batteries kept going. It only takes 2 AA batteries. I was using rechargeable batteries too! (which are generally considered to not be as long lasting as alkaline batteries, e.g. Duracell, etc.). Actually, I was starting to get a little creeped out by how long the batteries were lasting. It seemed abnormal and almost sci-fi. The tuning on this radio is pretty good but not exceptional. I have used this radio in the big city of Houston, TX and while I find that I can pull in lots of stations, some over power others and I have trouble pulling in the one I want exactly. Sensitivity is good; however, separation is less-than-ideal. Part of that could be the fact that it has an analog tuner so you can't easily land the tuner directly on the freq that you want. You have to roll the dial and try to pick it up by finding the freq's sweet spot. Of course, once you relocate the radio to another room or another location within a room, you may have to re-tune to the sweet spot. Overall, though, this radio does very well pulling in both AM and FM stations. It has your typical band width of approx. 530 - 1600 AM and 87 - 108 FM. The FM antenna is the telescopic type and is just BEGGING to get bent or broken. USE WITH CARE! Tuning and volume control is very easy via wheels on the sides of the radio. It also has a wrist lanyard which I find works fantastic for hanging the radio on a hook, screw, nail, coat hook, etc. I can't recommend this little unit because of priceand would not buy another one in a second if this were lost or broken. I'd Goethe the Sangean SR-35. It's everything this radio is and more.

I used to be a huge audiophile, and music was my life...I shied away from radio because I was tired of signals going in and out/interference from electronics/having to hear the same 20-30 songs all day whilst being inundated by commercials. Here I am in my 30's, and I find myself craving something quiet and out-of-the-way I can listen to, and as I tune my radio in to ETV radio and the local college station, I get plenty of variety with very little commercial interruption, and I'm even warming up to the idea of talk radio a little. Now that the introduction is out of the way, let's get to the radio review: This little radio is fantastic! For its price, it truly is a no-brainer, and I'm shocked Sony still produces such quality radios at such a low price point. I started up ordering the first as a small radio I can keep in the bathroom to listen to while showering (it's only turned on for about 15 minutes at a time, tops)...if something happened and it died from residual water damage, I'm out 2 AA's and eleven bucks. Over the past few weeks it has outperformed my expectations with regard to sound quality and build quality...and I've ordered another for my emergency kit. Pro's and Con's are as follows: + Tuning is strong on the FM band. I don't really listen to AM band, but I'm sure at night with clear skies this little baby would probably pick up AM band just fine, depending on the distance to the broadcast source. Once this radio is locked in, it holds a strong signal with very little sway. + Build quality seems hardy enough, for the price. I wouldn't go dropping it from great heights on purpose, but when holding this radio I'm not afraid I'll accidentally break it by gripping it too tightly. + It's actually able to get quite loud, and I'm able to hear this radio--clearly--at volumes that overshadow the sound of running water in my ears...quite impressive! - Minor gripe: I wish there was an option for plugging this radio in, but for the price who could argue this? I've seen battery-powered toothbrushes that cost more. Bottom Line: If you need an inexpensive, portable radio that's not very costly to power, I highly recommend this radio! It has been in use at least once per day for the past few weeks and shows no sign of slowing down. I'll update when the AA's actually die in order to give a better first-hand report on battery life.

Where can you get anything that provides this much fun and usability for $12.97 shippped? Tell me! I want to know!! I bought this to have something that would play tunes while I was outside digging in the garden. Little did I know I would fall in love with it. PRO's: It looks good. It has clear sound. Excellent vocal intelligibility. Amazing volume and throw for it's small size. It's a marvel of excellent design within a price point. It's inexpensive enough that you won't cry for the financial loss if it gets stolen. You will cry however because you will bond with this damn thing! It's cute! It's a throwback. SUMMARY: In a time when everything is supremely over priced and fails to deliver, this thing delivers. Who thought a plastic device could be beautiful in it's reliable humility? It's the best cheap, low hassle device you will ever own! CON's: Of course it has no bass. So what? At this price? What do you expect. IF YOU WANT REAL BASS IN A COMPACT RADIO * and * a STEREO HEADPHONE OUTPUT: Then ** instead ** go with THIS--> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FEQVENM/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The Melosound S8 sounds twice as good as the Sony, but then again it costs THREE times as much. It's also about a 1/3rd larger in size. I can say that the Melsound S8 is a absolute wonder. Music sounds excellent on it. Scope,function and price point. Each radio has it's place and yes you do get what you pay for. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! _______________________________________________________ MONO OUTPUT VS. YOUR STEREO HEADPHONES. P.S. Mono (1 speaker) sound output is * SO * long ago for most younger people that they wonder why their stereo ear buds only work on one channel with this unit. They even think this unit's headphone jack is broken/defective/who knows. What you need are "Dual Mono" or "Dual Monoaural" earbuds. They are not very common anymore but they exist. Here is one example: http://www.amazon.com/Headset-E-20-Dual-Monaural-Earphone/dp/B000ET2N5M/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1401255025&sr=8-6&keywords=dual+mono+headphones+3.5mm+olympus Plan B: Alternately you could obtain a converter plug. Specifically a 3.5mm stereo female jack to 3.5mm mono male plug adapter for probably around 3 or 4 dollars. I don't recommend this as these converter plugs are relatively bulky and, due to their size and the way they stick out, they will put stress on this little radio's earphone jack. ______________________________________________________________________________ ADDENDUM/TECHNO-CRAP/EXPLANATION: WHY DID THEY BUILD THIS THIS WAY? WHAT FOLLOWS IS BORING. YOU * HAVE * BEEN WARNED! : ) * The mono transistor radio is a throwback to the late 60's. While stereo grew in importance, it was a luxury for portable devices back then. * To support delivering audio to 2 separate channels, Stereo headphones require a plug with 3 sections: a "TRS" or Tip, Ring, Sleeve plug. * The tip of a TRS stereo plug is the Left side speaker(or earbud's) positive signal, the Ring (middle section between the bands on the plug shaft) is the Right side speaker(or earbud's) positive audio signal and the shank (longest metal part closest to the plastic base) is a shared common "ground". ----> In a Mono radio, the female headphone output "jack" has NO third metal conductor/sensor inside it to make contact with the Ring part of a stereo plug. <---- The cool thing would have been if they wired it for dual mono at the factory but that would have added another wire & soldering process, a different jack, driving expense up, yadda yadda. This thing is what it is: OLD SKOOL shabby chic to the max. Deal with it. If you crave dual speaker audio, then find dual mono headphones like referenced above. Over and Out. Meep Meep! _____________________________________________ UPDATE 6/30/2016 - Now this radio has gone up an entire $10.00 over the price I originally paid for it new. In light of that I would say at $23.00 price is a merely a 3 star value, at 12.97 it was an overachiever. At the $23.00 point you are 2/3rd of the way to a Melosun S8 or which is way richer sounding, or some different Sony or other competitor model.