Want to listen to music but hate headphones? Then the best choice is a radio tape recorder. There is nothing better for home, beach, summer cottages and nature trips. A modern radio tape recorder is capable of playing all possible music formats, and its sound can be simply stunning volume.
A quick guide to choosing the best radio for your home
Catching the wave
The radio is equipped by default with a radio receiver, analogue or digital. Digital, of course, is better, with it you don't have to guess what station you are at by turning the knob. The exact parameters of the wave will be shown on the display. More expensive radio tape recorders also have the ability to memorize stations (the more, the more expensive the device).
Media type
- Cassettes... Yes, yes, one or two cassette decks may still be present in radio tape recorders. Recently, the production of tape recorders without cassettes, only with discs, has become more frequent.
- CDs... Another greetings from the past, which is still relevant. But you can listen to all your CDs from your youth. Many more radio tape recorders cope with DVDs without any problems.
- USB... If there is a USB input, then the radio tape recorder can listen to music from a flash drive or even a phone memory card.
- Bluetooth... Thanks to wireless technology, the music lover's choice is now not limited to cassettes and discs. You can listen to music on the radio from your phone or computer.
Sound quality
For mega-quality sound, it is better to turn to stationary systems, and radio tape recorders are primarily created with an eye to portability. They have a plastic case, built-in speakers, so hypersound, which will shake both neighbors in particular, and the universe as a whole, should not be expected from the radio.
Although some manufacturers put on the market radios complete with speakers. And if your soul asks for beauty, you can purchase a model with surround sound.
Power
It is clear that the more powerful the radio is, the better. However, be careful: the power of the radio can be specified in three standards.
- The first one, which actually should be guided by, is DIN. It is at this power that the device can work for years.
- However, some manufacturers like to put PMPO instead of DIN - this is the power that the device can squeeze out of itself in a short period of time (a couple of minutes, and then failure). It is clear that the PMPO value is significantly higher than DIN, and can amaze the inexperienced buyer.
- The RMS standard is a cross between the previous two; peak power at which the radio tape recorder can work for an hour. The RMS is about a third greater than DIN, and the PMPO is ten to twenty times greater. The power of a budget radio tape recorder is on average about 5-6 watts, an expensive one - 10-20 watts.
Useful add-ons
In addition to the basic ones, a modern radio tape recorder can have the following capabilities:
- Headphone and microphone jack.
- The ability to record radio programs or copy music from one media to another.
- Equalizer, low-frequency amplifier (radio tape recorders often have problems with them).
- Remote control
Home radio rating 2019
10. Hyundai H-PAS220 / H-PAS240
The average price is 1,500 rubles.
Characteristics:
- portable flash player
- sound power 6 W
- MP3 support
- FM tuner
- USB playback
- playback from SD memory cards
A small and inexpensive model from Hyundai opens the list of the best radio tape recorders for home. It is very tiny (it reaches only 16 cm in width), although it looks stylish and modern at the same time. It is clear that at this size it is naive to expect a powerful sound from it. However, in the kitchen on the shelf, or in the car in the back seat, or at a picnic, the H-PAS220 / H-PAS240 will fulfill its role. And the radio will catch, and the music will play. The carrier of the radio is a flash drive and memory cards, there is Bluetooth.
pros: size, weight, price.
Minuses: no mains supply.
9. JVC RV-NB50 / RV-NB51 / RV-NB52
The average price is 22,000 rubles.
Characteristics:
- CD radio
- two-way acoustics
- sound power 40 W
- MP3 support
- FM tuner
- USB playback
- weight 6.8 kg
But this is a sound device of a completely different price category. The sound is excellent (as far as possible with a plastic case). At the same time, the radio tape recorder does not rattle even at high power, because the speakers are specially installed in opposite directions so as not to create unnecessary vibrations.
Not only does the radio tape recorder read ordinary CD / DVD, it can also connect to phones - both Android and iPhone systems. True, for "androids" you will have to buy a separate adapter.
The device has other bells and whistles: amplifier, equalizer, headphone jack, tuner, bass control and timer. Although the model was released a few years ago, it is still worth the money.
pros: clear and loud sound.
Minuses: price, weight, problems with playback from a flash drive with more than 500 tracks.
8. Mystery BM-6008UB
The average price is 1,600 rubles.
Characteristics:
- portable flash player
- sound power 3 W
- MP3 support
- FM tuner
- line input
- USB playback
- playback from SD memory cards
- bluetooth support
One of the main advantages of this radio is compactness. If you want your device to fit comfortably on a kitchen shelf, the BM-6008UB is the perfect solution. At the same time, the sound of the baby is quite clear, unless, of course, you listen to it at high volume. But do you need a lot of volume for home?
In general, this model is a great option for a child. Listen to the radio, learning language tracks, and if it splits, it's not a big deal for that price.
pros: price, size.
Minuses: characteristic smell of Chinese cheap plastic.
7. BBK BX318BT
The average price is 3,300 rubles.
Characteristics:
- CD radio
- sound power 5 W
- MP3 support
- tuner AM, FM
- line input
- USB playback
- bluetooth support
- weight 2 kg
Unlike the traditional "Chinese" quality BBK BX318BT looks solid, but at the same time the radio is very light - only 2 kg. It has a cassette deck, but it has a disc (CD / DVD), Bluetooth and USB, so you won't even notice the loss of cassettes.
There is also a line entrance, which is rare in this price category. The sound, however, is average, and it will not be possible to compensate for it using the equalizer (it simply does not exist).
pros: price, appearance, ability to recognize most media.
Minuses: High volume cuts high frequencies.
6. Hyundai H-PCD100 / H-PCD120
The average price is 2,100 rubles.
Characteristics:
- CD radio
- sound power 4 W
- MP3 support
- FM tuner
- line input
- USB playback
Both the appearance and the price of the device signal: it is intended for young people who want to live beautifully, but there is still no extra money.
The Hyundai radio tape recorder reads disks, flash drives, there is a USB output. Its memory contains up to 20 stations. And Hyundai H-PCD100 is a very small device, so there will be no problems with carrying. It can work both from batteries and from the network. By the way, different model numbers are different colors, and they all have the same filling.
pros: price, compactness, "omnivorous".
Minuses: The power cord is short.
5. Sony ZS-PS50
The average price is 5,000 rubles.
Characteristics:
- CD radio
- sound power 4 W
- MP3 support
- tuner AM, FM
- line input
- USB playback
- weight 1.72 kg
One of the best sound quality radio for home in its price range. The sound is bright, confident, clear. At the same time, the radio tape recorder is "omnivorous": it can read everything, even discs, which are impossible to look at without tears, worn out, with many scratches.
Another plus of the device is that the radio is digital, not analog, you don't need to twist anything, just press a couple of buttons - and here it is, your favorite radio station. The menu is simple, convenient, navigation is easy (even in media with an abundance of subfolders). True, the device does not have such useful options as a timer and a remote control, but are they really needed?
pros: price-quality ratio.
Minuses: When turned off, may “forget” the last track.
4. Hyundai H-PCD240 / H-PCD260 / H-PCD280 / H-PCD300
The average price is 2,500 rubles.
Characteristics:
- CD radio
- sound power 4 W
- MP3 support
- FM tuner
- line input
- USB playback
- playback from SD memory cards
A simple workhorse that can be taken to the garage, put into the kitchen, and taken to the country. And not to be afraid that it will break, for such a price it is not a pity. And at the same time, the radio tape recorder can play music from everything, or, rather, almost everything, since the H-PCD240 does not have a cassette deck.
But there is an equalizer that will allow you to adjust the sound from "normal" to "acceptable". And if you wish, you can "finish" the device - for example, by installing an additional antenna.
pros: price.
Minuses: In auto mode, can skip half of the stations.
3. JBL Boombox
The average price is 20,500 rubles.
Characteristics:
- portable acoustics stereo
- power 2 × 30 W
- mains powered, battery powered
- line input
- Bluetooth
- waterproof case
Among all the models of radio tape recorders participating in the rating, this is perhaps the most transportable. The JBL Boombox's body is durable and, moreover, is water resistant (not to mention dust)! Afraid to take your radio to the beach? JBL Boombox won't be a problem. The device has a capacious 20,000 mAh battery, so it will play for a long time. You can also recharge your mobile devices from this battery.
Despite its size and portability, the sound of the device is not bad: the speakers have dual bass radiators and four active transducers. The radio has two modes - for home and for going out to people, which can easily switch between themselves. And if you want even more sound, then connect any speakers from JBL to this device.
pros: High quality sound with good mobility.
Minuses: price, and the oval body tends to tip over from even the lightest touch.
2. Panasonic RX-D55GC-K
The average price is 9,000 rubles.
Characteristics:
- cassette recorder with CD-player
- two-way acoustics
- sound power 20 W
- MP3 support
- tuner AM, FM
- USB playback
The RX-D55GC has four speakers - two main and two smaller ones for a surround sound effect. Even more audiophiles will love the five equalizer presets (and the fact that you can switch them from the remote control).
In addition to standard CD / DVD and cassette tapes, the radio has USB and AUX outputs, so it is not limited in sources. You can listen to music through the player, and through the phone, and through a USB flash drive. And so that the user does not get lost in the waves of music, the radio has an alarm timer.
pros: excellent sound, functionality, value for money.
Minuses: except that the letters on the display are too small.
1. Sony CFD-S70
The average price is 5,500 rubles.
Characteristics:
- CD radio
- single-band acoustics
- single cassette deck
- sound power 3.4 W
- MP3 support
- tuner AM, FM
- line input
- weight 1.9 kg
An old school model that stays true to its roots. The radio tape recorder is equipped with a cassette deck, a CD player, there are no AUX cables or other modern tricks in it. It is ideal for people who just need to listen to the radio, play their favorite cassette or disc.
So why is this simple model so popular? There is only one answer - sound. Sony has added bass correction to the model. Even at high volumes, no bass or treble rattles, no static or background noise.
The radio tape recorder looks stylish, it is easy to carry, it can work up to 19 hours on its six batteries. And Sony CFD-S70 memory can store up to 30 radio stations.
pros: correction of low frequencies, mobility, memorization of radio stations.
Minuses: sensitive to the quality of MP3 discs, recorded at home will not work.