Over the years I have tried most of the main brands (Panasonic, Sangean, Radio Shack) and consistently found the Sony's to be surperior in reception and sound. Most recently I was using the Sony SRF-M78 armband radio, the predessor to this one. The SRF-M80V is better in several respects. Let's look at the details:

Design:
The white and orange color scheme is ugly in my mind but who cares. This is a tool, not a fashion statement. The waistband clip is much better than on the M78 allowing carry on both arm and waistband. This finally gives the option to put the radio where it belongs during running: the small of my back.
Button placement is intuitive and clear. However, the numbering on the buttons is starting to rub of and will probably be gone in a few weeks. No big deal, use a Sharpie for re-labeling if it bothers you.

Reception:
In one word: Great. I live in New York City which has notoriously difficult radio reception. Both FM and AM are as good as it gets for a portable unit. In addition this radio offers TV channel reception and weather band, both are coming in well enough to be useful.

Features:
As mentioned the M80V allows you to listen to FM, AM, TV, and WB and has sufficient presets for all channels. In addition you can use the radio as stop watch, split timer, or can set it for automatic power-off, useful if you tend to forget to turn off the unit. The volume control is a small wheel which turns much to easy, the only true flaw of the radio. I slipped a 10 cent rubber O-ring over the wheel to provide the right amount of friction so that the volume doesn't get knocked unintentionally. Works perfectly now.

Head Set:
I don't care for the ones that are provided and replaced them with a good pair of Sony earbuds. The Mega Bass button is useless with my earbuds but may give you more oomph with bigger headphones.

Conclusion:
A small, well designed radio with all the features that you might desire in a work-out companion. Great reception and great sound. Highly recommended.


Leader of all portable radios.   March 3, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This is just wonderful! Lots of great features including weatherband and TV tuning. It is water-resistent (let your imagination run wild here), sound is awesome, and very, very portable. It makes working out interesting, and unless you're are wearing the arm band no one will notice that you are wearing it. The head phones that are included are good, but they're not the best. If you don't plan on using the water proof feature you may want to consider getting some better headphones for it. I could tell you how much this product has made my life easier, but I'll just have to let you experience that for yourself.


Good buy   April 8, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I bought this set to use while jogging. The stations come in clear and the buttons are well spaced so that after a few minutes of practice I can easily hit the buttons from memory. I do get a little bit of static when I'm running between buildings, but 99% of the time the reception is good. The set is very light weight, very comfortable on my arm, and fits well on my pants because of the belt clip. I love that it has a timer for the radio (like a TV it can be set to shut off after a certain amount of time) and it has a stop watch. I also love that it has a weather feature which gives you detailed info on the local weather. All in all, I'll buy this again in a heart beat IF this one busts.


BUILT Sony TOUGH   June 12, 2009
Avid Reviewer (San Jose, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I'm honestly very surprised at the reports of bad reception and shoddy construction. We *ARE* talking about the Sony S2 Sports Walkman Arm Band Radio with FM/AM, TV and Weather Channels (model: SRF-M80V), not the Sony S2 Sports Walkman Armband Radio (model: SRF-M85V), right?

(The latter has equally numerous complaints about its bad radio reception and shoddy construction.)

For what it's worth, here's my take on it:

- Solid Construction
This sony radio is built tough. I've had mine for over 5 years and it's been through a lot of abuse. It's even survived a fall down a hill on one of my hikes - other than a heavily marred face and LED screen, it was none the worse for wear.

- Good Reception
Although the Weather Band has really bad reception, the FM/AM radio reception is pretty good. It's definitely no worse than all the other radios I've used.

- Clear Sound with Impressive Bass Boost
The level and quality of the bass boost on this radio is VERY impressive. I was blown away when I first turn on the bass boost. It give the music so much more dimension and oomph! And the Sony amplifies the bass without muddying up the sound. I have a Coby that also does bass amplification, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Sony!

- Weak Headphones
It's a shame Sony hadn't included better-sounding headphones. The sound from these are weak and tinny and does not do this radio justice! You should at least get a pair of descent headphones or ear buds, like these Sony Fontopia Ear-Bud Headphones.

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There's my 2 cents. In an age dominated by smaller, lighter, and more powerful personal audio devices, the Sony Amer Band Radio is indeed a dying breed. But I know I'll always have a trusty fallback in case my other devices fail me!







Switch from analog signal   June 15, 2009
D. Blank (Brookeville, MD)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I have owned this radio for years. I loved it. I listened to tv during my ten mile walks. However, I realized today that the tv part no longer works due to the switch from analog to digital signal. I need to find a new one soon. Boo hoo! So don't buy this for the tv.