To use the unit, just pop in a couple of AAA batteries, flip the unlock switch, and turn it on. The cord connecting the earphone to the receiver acts as an antenna for FM reception, and a built-in antenna assists with AM reception. You can improve AM reception by rotating the unit. The hard earphones take a bit of getting used to, and different cord lengths for the left and right ears left us a bit mystified. On live broadcasts we found that the mono/stereo button improved sound by reducing audience noise. (Mono is usually designed to improve reception on weaker FM stations.) The Deep Bass Booster (DBB) is prominently featured on the receiver's packaging, but we found it did little to improve the sound. Still, the receiver offered surprisingly good listening with or without the bass booster.

Manual tuning of the DT-110 is easy, and storing favorite stations in memory is intuitive. The volume control is a dainty wheel requiring subtle movements to adjust. With the operator's guide, you'll find a thorough directory to all the features, and in just a few minutes you can set your 15 favorite stations and be on your way.

We loved listening to this little receiver and wish other ultracompact portable devices provided as many options and as good reception as the Sangean DT-110. --David Greenberger

Pros:

• Good reception
• Small, slim, and good-looking
• Automatically shuts off

Cons:

• Lots of tiny control buttons
• Uncushioned earphones
• Not designed for the ham-handed

I've worn out a dozen pairs of headphones along the way (in case you think I'm super-careful or anything), but the radio is totally unscathed. It's the greatest. It fits in my pocket, has amazing sound quality, and is every bit as good as it was on the day I bought it.

buuuuuuuuut..............

It's amazing how such a magnificent piece of electronic engineering can be rendered so user-unfriendly by poor interface design.

I like the small size and excellent sound quality, but a few aspects of the ergonomics could be improved.

For example, I like to switch rapidly between pre-set stations (as soon as a noisy commercial comes on, for example). This requires pressing two buttons instead of one -- as all of my previous el-cheapo walkmen could do easily -- so I'm a bit annoyed at that. The work-around is to use the "priority" settings, but it's limited to only 3.

Yet I could live with that if only it functioned properly. I bought one and had to exchange it because the low-battery indicator didn't work. They sent me a new one and it had the SAME PROBLEM. Guess it must be a design flaw. So I simply have to accept the fact that it'll suddenly stop working without any warning whenever the batteries run out.

But I thought "no way, that can't be true" so I contacted Sangean. They told me that the battery indicator light is only there to let you know that you've just removed the batteries (DUH!) and should replace them soon before the station settings disappear! Hey, tell me something I don't know, like the fact that the existing batteries are weak! When I told the Sangean guy that every single battery indicator in every single product I have ever owned was there to tell me that it's time to replace the batteries (and not a "reminder" that I just did so a second ago), he shrugged as if I were nuts.

Second, I figured out that they must have made the left earpiece chord shorter so that you could easily tell them apart while running without having to read the fine print; however, they don't do anything to let you increase the slack on the chords (by sliding the wires apart), so the left side keeps popping out of my ear whenever I turn my head! The work-around, of course, is to go out and buy a 2-dollar pair of headphones and use that instead.

When I asked him if Sangean intended to address any of these problems in the next model, he said "no, but we'll be making it in lots of choices of colors!" Ah, so good to see that they have their priorities sorted out. Ahem.

Guess I'll keep this because I'm not finding anything better out there, and frankly, it does sound great.

Aaaagh.

And yet I still give it 5 stars, so you can imagine how happy I am with its qualities. (Sigh)


Excellent Buy!   June 15, 2000
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

This is an excellent quality radio at a great price. Its FM section is equal to a high-quality stereo tuner. AM reception is very good--it can really pull in distant stations! It does not have a speaker so you do need to use headphones or to connect an exterior speaker.

Highly recommended. I am very pleased with my unit.


Sweet little radio   July 31, 2001
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

I got this about a month ago. The small size is great. I can put this little puppy in my pocket when I work in the garden or run around the block and I hardly know it's there. I live in the country so I was really looking for good reception, I wasn't disappointed. The reception is as good or better then anything I have tried so far. One suggestion - Keep the instructions for setting memory and priority channels. I lost mine now I have to mess around with it to reset the channels when certain other members of the family changes them. All in all I'm very happy with this trinket, welllllll worth the dollars.


The finest little radio on the market   December 24, 2000
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

Having carried a portable radio with me for almost twenty years, averaging two hours use each day, I can wholeheartedly recommend this little tuner. I have tried every model and brand - this Sangean is sturdy (I've stepped on it innumerable times), has convenient features (scanning, auto shutoff, etc.), and pulls in many a weak station, even in New York City. It doesn't have the flashy design of the Panasonic RFSW200, or the Sony name, but it is elegant and sophisticated and will not disappoint. A great gift, too, since it rarely is sold in retail stores.