Very good revieiw. Thanks for posting this. The only two advantages that the Tecsun has over the Sony are the sound quality for music and the filter arrangements. My Sony ICF-2001D (same as the ICF-2010) is still in very good condition and I do not see any reason for replacing it with the Tecsun PL501x. Having said this, we do have to praise Tecsun for bringing out good portable short wave radios.
the Sony ICF2001d and ICF 2010 have different internals, they are not the same radio, f you want the same or better just buy an XHDATA D-808 but make sure you buy the original and not the budget clone which is on sale at this point in time.
Good video, thanks for sitting in the cold to produce it. I bought my 2010 new when they first came out and had a Sony tech upgrade the internals about five years ago. If I'm serious about a weak signal, I fire up my old moded ICOM R75 or my ICOM 7410. 73s and Happy Holidays
Very disappointing....Brand new - top of the line - $500 Tecsun could not beat a 40 year old Sony with tired components. A testament to the Sony name, I guess. I was seriously considering replacing my ICF-2001D with that Tecsun - not anymore!
I bought the ICF2001D new in 1986. It is a great travel and bedside radio. It was such a world beater that it is a pity they didn't improve on it as technology advanced. The tuning steps are too coarse for easy tuning on SSB/CW and there is no stereo for headphone listening on FM. They got that right on the original Sangean ATS909, which I also have.
I still miss my Sony 2010, but am currently enjoying my new Bella 2022. Tucson is also currently experiencing a cold snap for us, so I can’t hardly wait until next week when the weather is supposed to warm up. Good video. Have a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year. 73!
The Sony 2010 has a Great Reputation for its sync function.. A very Respectable radio for sure!! It maintained a solid LOCK even under very deep fades.. The audio on the Sony is more intelligible, easier to understand on weak signals.. Probably related to the speaker design. I went back to look at the ELAD video and yes super sharp filters.. One thing is that SDR radios can generate some very sharp filters when engineered to do so...
@@nadeemahmeddon If you are very close to another station, sharp filters allow you to hear the station you are tuned to, and REJECT the station close by that could cause interference to your desired station. Also using the USB and LSB modes can also help reduce adjacent channel interference. Robert WA6PHN San Diego
What model of Kinco gloves are you wearing? And what are you smoking? Hard to beat a 2010, especially on sync. Bought it new in 1983. I need to repair my 2010. The earphone jack is not working and therefore no sound from the speaker.
Hello well I have done this review several times .to myself the tecsun modulates better. But what do you expect the electronics in the tecsun are much newer. Try the pl 660 or 680 and you will see that tecsun does have good syncs. To me the winner is the tecsun. A great review. Thank you RON Z. WA3090SWL. PS. MERRY XMAS.
Tecsun sounds like Grundig Satellit 300 and clear. Sony sounds digitalised voice with more noise. If you can still buy a Grundig Satellit 300/500 without problems, they can still beat Sony, Tecsun and Sangean. I believe!
I bought a 501 . I wish I had bought an Eton Elite Field . No sideband but at that performance level , I'm not going to waste my time . The cigar , maybe . . . Thanks
Although the Sony 2010 is a formidable radio on shortwave the reason it is considered to be number one is on medium wave and I guarantee you it'll do a little bit better than Tecsun. In the favor of Tecsun they have the Texas Instruments computer chip which is a game changer
How does that bandwith things go if stations transmitting exsample 10 khz bandwith in am mode and carrie is middle you can listen to stations both directions about 5 khz i dont know but i try figure to that. I mean if i have 5khz tecsun bw filter and station transmitting 10 khz bandwith in am mode what is my true bandwith that i can listen to that station.
Thats hard to answer. The Tecsun is basically a computer that looks like a radio. It has some computer glitches that a trained eye will notice but all in all it works very nicely. The Sony has much older but more stable technology. They both deliver pretty much the same final product, but get to that point differently. It is all personal opinion. My opinion is I would take the Sony if it works like new, they are 20 plus years old now
I dont know but i think that means you bandwith is 12 khz. I mean if station transmitting 5khz bw 2,5 khz both side from carrier and my filter is 5 khz both side up and down ( bw10khz) what is my frequency when my radio start to lose that transmitting frequency. is that 2,5, 5, 7,5 khz or something else.
Hi dieselten, I subbed to your channel earlier this year but this is my ever first comment I have ever made. 📻❤ My question is regarding the Tecsun H-501 in your video. I happen to have a PL-990 and discovered from another TH-cam author that the PL-990, as well as the H-501 has a bandwidth filter bug. To be more specific, the 4 kHz setting in SSB mode makes no difference compared to 3 kHz. I checked my PL-990 and true enough, toggling between 3 and 4 kHz sounded similar to my ears. It's as if the 4 kHz setting has no effect at all. I've watched all the PL-990 and H-501 reviews on TH-cam I could find and he is the only one who mentioned this 4 kHz bandwidth issue. Would appreciate if you could check your H-501 if yours also has the same quirk. Thanks in advance! 📻😊
There is a small difference on mine. You need to test with a strong signal. 4 khz is really wide for ssb. I would only ever use ssb-4khz on a AM signal that I wanted to do ECSS to eliminate fading.
@@dieselten01 Thanks for your feedback. The TH-camr, who goes by the odd handle 0000scorpio0000 (or something like that, can't remember how many zeroes, lol) is an ECSS fanatic and frequently uses SSB to listen to AM stations. The only Tecsun model which he maintains has a "properly working" 4 kHz bandwidth filter is the compact PL-330. If I remember correctly he assumes all of Tecsun's hybrid PLL/DSP models having the 4 kHz filter bug and that would include both the PL-880 and the S-8800. In my experience with digital bandwidth filters there is a noticeable difference in the background hiss going from 3 kHz to 4khz.
@@dieselten01 Not with the PL-990, at least not my copy or his. 4 kHz and 3 kHz values sound exactly the same. It's as if the LCD displays "4 kHz" while the bandwidth remains at 3 kHz. With all my other radios, including my RTL-SDR Blog V3, the difference between 3 and 4 kHz bandpass filters is very noticeable.
@@georgebarnes8163Long time Sony ICF 2010 owner. I have never heard of the Xh Data line of Radios. Thanks for mentioning them. I am definitely going to buy one. They are reasonably priced.
Apparently you don't know how to properly use a synchronous detector. This particular feature is coming in handy mainly when you have an interfering station just above or just below your DX frequency. You turn on the synchronous detector and you have two choices to use the upper side band or Lower Side Band to enhance the intended signal. But when you have a relatively strong signal the synchronous detector isn't really going to do much good
@truckerchet13: Wrong. There are TWO major benefits from using a synch detector. You mentioned one of them, and you are correct. Engaging the synch detector to remove or reduce noise caused by interference from a close-by signal to one side of a desired signal is usually quite effective. But what you left out was the ability of the sync detector to remove the audio distortion caused by ionospheric fading of the desired signal. So dieselten was correctly using the synch detectors to improve the quality of the radios' audio.
A brick wall is not pleasant to listen to when it cuts into audible frequencies around 4k. I'd rather have a tail of noise. Might be good to extract one station out of a busy band, but not of listening to mediumwave comfortably.
Very good revieiw. Thanks for posting this. The only two advantages that the Tecsun has over the Sony are the sound quality for music and the filter arrangements. My Sony ICF-2001D (same as the ICF-2010) is still in very good condition and I do not see any reason for replacing it with the Tecsun PL501x. Having said this, we do have to praise Tecsun for bringing out good portable short wave radios.
the Sony ICF2001d and ICF 2010 have different internals, they are not the same radio, f you want the same or better just buy an XHDATA D-808 but make sure you buy the original and not the budget clone which is on sale at this point in time.
Good video, thanks for sitting in the cold to produce it. I bought my 2010 new when they first came out and had a Sony tech upgrade the internals about five years ago. If I'm serious about a weak signal, I fire up my old moded ICOM R75 or my ICOM 7410. 73s and Happy Holidays
Thanks Michael, I am a huge Icom 75 fan also
@dieselten01 Kiwa went through my R75 several years ago and much improved the AM sync with a slight upgrade to the caps and filters. Cheers!
Enjoy your laid back attitude. Keep up the great work. Hope to see more radio videos from you. Cheers.
If you’re new to my channel please look at my library. There are a truck load of radio videos! Thank you!
Curly Heads and Curly Head Deluxes are my favorite messing around cigars too. Great quality and super affordable.👍
Thank you for the comparison, SONY 2010 is a good choice !
Very disappointing....Brand new - top of the line - $500 Tecsun could not beat a 40 year old Sony with tired components. A testament to the Sony name, I guess. I was seriously considering replacing my ICF-2001D with that Tecsun - not anymore!
Tecsun is around 298$ rather..
@@viarnay In the states perhaps yes - in my place the price is $ 1174,46
I bought the ICF2001D new in 1986. It is a great travel and bedside radio. It was such a world beater that it is a pity they didn't improve on it as technology advanced. The tuning steps are too coarse for easy tuning on SSB/CW and there is no stereo for headphone listening on FM. They got that right on the original Sangean ATS909, which I also have.
I still miss my Sony 2010, but am currently enjoying my new Bella 2022. Tucson is also currently experiencing a cold snap for us, so I can’t hardly wait until next week when the weather is supposed to warm up. Good video. Have a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year. 73!
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
The Sony 2010 has a Great Reputation for its sync function.. A very Respectable radio for sure!! It maintained a solid LOCK even under very deep fades.. The audio on the Sony is more intelligible, easier to understand on weak signals.. Probably related to the speaker design.
I went back to look at the ELAD video and yes super sharp filters.. One thing is that SDR radios can generate some very sharp filters when engineered to do so...
What are the filters purpose?
@@nadeemahmeddon If you are very close to another station, sharp filters allow you to hear the station you are tuned to, and REJECT the station close by that could cause interference to your desired station. Also using the USB and LSB modes can also help reduce adjacent channel interference.
Robert
WA6PHN
San Diego
The Sony synchronous detection is much better than most radios with the only other one that works very well would be the Lowe radio the HF 150
What model of Kinco gloves are you wearing? And what are you smoking? Hard to beat a 2010, especially on sync. Bought it new in 1983. I need to repair my 2010. The earphone jack is not working and therefore no sound from the speaker.
Kinco 1888 gloves with finger tips cut off of index and thumb. Cigar is an Arturo Fuente Curly Head
@@dieselten01 Thanks. I’m smoking a Nub Maduro.
I think the only reason why your not hearing the static drift on the 501x is because you have the band width filter on.
Thank you for this test. I like it !! One Question: Where (in which State) you are located?
I am in Texas
Hello well I have done this review several times .to myself the tecsun modulates better. But what do you expect the electronics in the tecsun are much newer. Try the pl 660 or 680 and you will see that tecsun does have good syncs. To me the winner is the tecsun. A great review. Thank you RON Z. WA3090SWL. PS. MERRY XMAS.
Thanks Ronald. Merry Christmas!
Tecsun sounds like Grundig Satellit 300 and clear. Sony sounds digitalised voice with more noise. If you can still buy a Grundig Satellit 300/500 without problems, they can still beat Sony, Tecsun and Sangean. I believe!
I bought a 501 . I wish I had bought an Eton Elite Field . No sideband but at that performance level , I'm not going to waste my time . The cigar , maybe . . . Thanks
Although the Sony 2010 is a formidable radio on shortwave the reason it is considered to be number one is on medium wave and I guarantee you it'll do a little bit better than Tecsun. In the favor of Tecsun they have the Texas Instruments computer chip which is a game changer
Cigars and radios, an unbeatable combination.
Cheers Tom!
still here mate
How does that bandwith things go if stations transmitting exsample 10 khz bandwith in am mode and carrie is middle you can listen to stations both directions about 5 khz i dont know but i try figure to that. I mean if i have 5khz tecsun bw filter and station transmitting 10 khz bandwith in am mode what is my true bandwith that i can listen to that station.
I think the stereo reproduction is better on the Tecsun.
_Which one do you think is the winner? Sony or Tecsum?_
Thats hard to answer. The Tecsun is basically a computer that looks like a radio. It has some computer glitches that a trained eye will notice but all in all it works very nicely. The Sony has much older but more stable technology. They both deliver pretty much the same final product, but get to that point differently. It is all personal opinion. My opinion is I would take the Sony if it works like new, they are 20 plus years old now
❤
🎉 sony
Probably Tecsun meant 6kHz on each side of the band?
Maybe. But then their engineers don’t know what they are doing
I dont know but i think that means you bandwith is 12 khz. I mean if station transmitting 5khz bw 2,5 khz both side from carrier and my filter is 5 khz both side up and down ( bw10khz) what is my frequency when my radio start to lose that transmitting frequency. is that 2,5, 5, 7,5 khz or something else.
Since I commented before watching the whole video, you forgot to switch the Sony to USB, you left it in Sync…. Did it myself several times…😅
After not using a radio for a year or more I tend to forget some of the operational sequences
Hi dieselten, I subbed to your channel earlier this year but this is my ever first comment I have ever made. 📻❤
My question is regarding the Tecsun H-501 in your video. I happen to have a PL-990 and discovered from another TH-cam author that the PL-990, as well as the H-501 has a bandwidth filter bug. To be more specific, the 4 kHz setting in SSB mode makes no difference compared to 3 kHz.
I checked my PL-990 and true enough, toggling between 3 and 4 kHz sounded similar to my ears. It's as if the 4 kHz setting has no effect at all.
I've watched all the PL-990 and H-501 reviews on TH-cam I could find and he is the only one who mentioned this 4 kHz bandwidth issue. Would appreciate if you could check your H-501 if yours also has the same quirk.
Thanks in advance! 📻😊
There is a small difference on mine. You need to test with a strong signal. 4 khz is really wide for ssb. I would only ever use ssb-4khz on a AM signal that I wanted to do ECSS to eliminate fading.
@@dieselten01 Thanks for your feedback. The TH-camr, who goes by the odd handle 0000scorpio0000 (or something like that, can't remember how many zeroes, lol) is an ECSS fanatic and frequently uses SSB to listen to AM stations.
The only Tecsun model which he maintains has a "properly working" 4 kHz bandwidth filter is the compact PL-330. If I remember correctly he assumes all of Tecsun's hybrid PLL/DSP models having the 4 kHz filter bug and that would include both the PL-880 and the S-8800.
In my experience with digital bandwidth filters there is a noticeable difference in the background hiss going from 3 kHz to 4khz.
@@StratmanII that implies that they are working
@@dieselten01 Not with the PL-990, at least not my copy or his. 4 kHz and 3 kHz values sound exactly the same. It's as if the LCD displays "4 kHz" while the bandwidth remains at 3 kHz.
With all my other radios, including my RTL-SDR Blog V3, the difference between 3 and 4 kHz bandpass filters is very noticeable.
@@StratmanII some of them do work so why not try the Tecsun customer service?
Why would anyone pay several hundred dollars for a radio with a defective sync? The older Sony is beating the snot out of the Tecsun.
I found my old Sony ICF 2001 to be better than the Tescun but both are beaten by my little XH Data D-808 that cost peanuts.
@@georgebarnes8163Long time Sony ICF 2010 owner. I have never heard of the Xh Data line of Radios. Thanks for mentioning them. I am definitely going to buy one. They are reasonably priced.
It doesn't cost several him hundred.
Apparently you don't know how to properly use a synchronous detector. This particular feature is coming in handy mainly when you have an interfering station just above or just below your DX frequency. You turn on the synchronous detector and you have two choices to use the upper side band or Lower Side Band to enhance the intended signal. But when you have a relatively strong signal the synchronous detector isn't really going to do much good
@truckerchet13:
Wrong. There are TWO major benefits from using a synch detector. You mentioned one of them, and you are correct. Engaging the synch detector to remove or reduce noise caused by interference from a close-by signal to one side of a desired signal is usually quite effective. But what you left out was the ability of the sync detector to remove the audio distortion caused by ionospheric fading of the desired signal. So dieselten was correctly using the synch detectors to improve the quality of the radios' audio.
A brick wall is not pleasant to listen to when it cuts into audible frequencies around 4k. I'd rather have a tail of noise. Might be good to extract one station out of a busy band, but not of listening to mediumwave comfortably.
Lol subjective
❤ Sony it's analog softwaves superior Radio.
Tecsun it's not. And doses have DSP chips
Yes, the DSP functions can be quite annoying
Alex Jones!