I recently received an email from SWLing Post reader, Ibrahima Ditinn Diallo, regarding a receiver I had never heard of–the Elpa ER-C57WR. Ibrahima has been searching for a new receiver and is considering the Elpa.
I did a quick search and discovered that the Elpa ER-C57WR is available from a number of sellers on eBay–as both new and used for around $63 US shipped from China.
The form factor is very similar to the C.Crane CC Skywave, but it apparently lacks some of the Skywave’s functionality like weather radio and (perhaps?) multiple AM bandwidths. Here’s the ER-C57WR spec sheet:
Remembering a post from a couple years ago, I quickly realized the ER-C57WR is almost an identical match to the DigiTech AR-1733 available via Jaycar in Australia.
If the ER-C57WR is simply the same receiver as the AR-1733, I would be hesitant to recommend it. Many AR-1733 owners complained of lousy AGC performance.
Of course, it’s been a couple of years since the introduction of the AR-1733–perhaps this Elpa-badged version has been updgraded?
I’m curious if any SWLing Post readers have purchased the Elpa ER-C57WR and could comment about the receiver’s performance.
ELPA is a product brand of Asahi Electronics (a low-cost electronics maker/vendor based in Osaka, Japan).ELPA currently listed three shortwave receivers, ER-C74T, ADK-RCR300 and this.
I got ER-C57WR in this year(2020) at Biccamera(Popular electronics retailer in big cities in Japan) priced JPY4250.
I seen performance enough for price and size on MW/SW/FM, particularly liked MW. I feel very excellent the sound of C57WR with MW, and not feel AGC problem. good reciever!
Regards, from Hokkaido, Japan.
Somebody, help me to find manual in English for this radio. PLEASE!!!!
Use the Digitech AR-1733 manual; functionality is the same.
Elpa ER-C57WR is a bit different from the DigiTech AR-1733 since Elpa doesn’t recharge batteries and Digitech does. My Digitech doesn’t show any AGC issues. Only cons is the AM Wide/Narrow selector. In wide mode the hiss it produces makes uncomfortable to listen the radio. Otherwise is a fine radio very selective in AM and SW. Long Wave (LW) is really very poor nearly deaf. FM is OK and AIR band is superb. Not very power hungry. I like it.