Eton Elite Satellit Update (August 20, 2022)
As many SWLing Post readers have pointed out, Universal Radio has posted the following update to their product page for the Elite Satellit:
Our initial allocation of radios arrived 08/17/22. Our Q/C testing detected a problem with the radio. We are working closely with Eton to find a solution to the issue. We will begin shipping radios as soon we are satisfied the radio fully meets specifications.
Some early adopters noted that the receiver controls freeze when engaging HD radio stations. We suspect this may be one of the issues.
Universal Radio will no doubt post updates as soon as they’re available. For now, though, they are not shipping the Eton Elite Satellit. We assume this will be the case for other retailers as well.
Internal Photos
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Noel, who shares the following internal photos he took of the Elite Satellit (click images to enlarge):
I just paid for my pre-ordered Eton Elite Satellit having put my name on list very long ago.
I’m aware of a couple significant issues, for me noise floor is most significant.
Since I was charged $349 for it I decided to purchase anyway.
I suspect there will be enough interest in these that someone will step forward to do a few mods to improve what is lacking in this radio.
I have not heard anyone mention this defect I found. When you’re on SW (not SW BAND) and you tune past 30,000 kHz, the display doesn’t wrap to 1,715 kHz and stay on SW as you might expect. Instead it jumps bands to MW and lands on the previously selected MW frequency.
Typical of radio manufacturers today, designed by People who don’t actually use or care about radios just think they can use a DSP chip and there you go you got a very cheap radio they can make a serious profit on.
Not a single DSP radio is free from Distortion on SSB or gives good audio with so called SYNC. The best DSP sounding radios on SSB now are the Tecsun PL-330 and H-501x, they made the filters wider I think much less muddy sounding, they sound much clearer than the shockingly bad PL-880, 990x and S-8800 and with a lot less distortion.
The Sangean ATS-909 x2 is definitely the best sounding new radio you can buy today that’s not an Amateur radio Transceiver, in fact the Yaesu FT-891 would run rings around any of these DSP radios, it sounds super good on SSB with a very low noise floor, via headphones it’s amazing and it would still be cheaper than the new Eton but the ATS-909×2 has got really great audio on SSB and ECSS works amazingly well.
The thing about the sangean and very sadly it does not work on LW/MW with an external antenna, this is really a pity. It doesn’t have tighter filters for Ham bands but it has 0 distortion on SSB.
I would like to see Sangean make a larger radio like the H501x because the 501x is a really nice radio to use and SD card playback of FLAC and MP3 is convenient as well as bluetooth. I could live without these features but they’re nice to have, if the ATS-909 x2 allowed reception of LW/MW via external antenna I probably wouldn’t have sold it.
The H501x is not perfect by any means but it is a major improvement over most if not all DSP radios, it’s probably the best sounding and performing new DSP radio you can get, sadly though for some reason the DSP related distortion sounds worse via headphones.
It’s true to say that in many cases I end up going back to my trusty Tecsun PL-680, it’s pure analogue audio quality just can’t be beat with a DSP radio. Just like the Sangean it doesn’t have tight filters for Ham bands but for ECSS it’s got excellent audio like the ATS-909 X2 just at a much cheaper price, the real big difference is that the 909 X2 is easier to tune on SSB with it’s 10 Hz steps, the BFO doesn’t really bother me though, for the money the PL-680 is hard to beat and I must do the mod that makes the external antenna work with LW/MW.
If only Tecsun and Sangean could make a SDR radio without the fancy screen and waterfall and ditch those flawed DSP chip designs as they are not really fit for purpose in my opinion.
Joyful one day, extremely disappointed the next. This radio isn’t exactly component-rich now is it for close to 1000$ CDN! Will only serve to jack up the value of any good-working goo-gone E1s on eBay.
To think I got rid of a Tecsun P90x and H501x for this! At least it has an internal ferrite rod, a flashy red or blue display and as you guys report, no melting goo!
Like some of you, I was so looking forward to this release which coïncides with the uptick in solar activity. The muting tuning dial, the all-digital, chip-based radio will be noisy like Tecsuns for sure. Forget good quiet SSB, forget Synchronous AM. What a joke, but the newcomers probably won’t care (or notice) much.
Oh well, back to eBay auctions. Denis
Mines going Back..Its awesome sens on a External antenna but it has to be the weakest radio I’ve ever ran on whip.I mean dead.
I was hoping they could fix the muting and the lock up but now I dont think the Sens can be fixed on whip.
And I’m not sending it back and forth for 1 2 3 4 updates if they even happen.
Right now at least the one I have the Sangean 909X2 is as close to a real radio made Today.I’ve tried them all. Thanks To Amazons return policy.Tecsuns are fine on whips but on external antennas they leave alot to be desired.
SAD
Keith
I seem remember thinking out loud this model could be little more than a portable-grade receiver in an E1-style case. Seems about right. The analog vs DSP debate is a “whatever” IMO, as long as the resulting receiver works properly…. especially a SWL receiver priced at hundreds of dollars.
Not that I figured it would, but Eton could have largely copied the original E1 circuitry even if using various cost cutting measures for component sourcing and assembly. I am not the target demo for the E1 anyway, so again I supposed “whatever” could be appropriate, but at least the nostalgia buyers would have raved about having a modern version of their cherished classics.
Some months ago Eton had an ad in QST which featured a shopped-looking image of the Executive portable which also featured HD FM reception and a full-color alphanumeric LCD display. Universal had a product listing for such a model as a future product, which also featured a better quality rendition of the same front panel. Nowhere did this appear on the Eton web site.
Roughly concurrent with the ship date of the Elite Satellite, Universal removed all references to a redesigned Executive model. Some may remember that Eton once produced an earlier prototype of this radio which (advertised in a flyer for that years’ CES show) featured digital modes but never brought it to market.
Yep. That one disappeared from the U.R. site about a month ago.
Let Eton know your thoughts. Looks like Skip Orvis is the company’s CTO and he can be reached at [email protected]
Thanks Paul. I sent email to Skip asking of they will offer a service to fix some of the issues.
This would be for people who agreed to buy knowing what the flaws were. Since I spent only $349 it would be worth $100 to $200 to get those fixed since I paid well below suggested retail.
Hi. Can someone please give any specifics on the electronics in the photos and how do they differ from the original E1 radio?
Thank you.
D.
Looks like an all-new 100% DSP-based design.
Do we know if the case has the dreaded grippy surface that eventually goes sticky ?
This goo problem is gone — they weren’t going to make THAT mistake again.
I thought that Universal Radio was out of business??!! Nice looking radio similar in appearance to the original larger one of many years ago by Eton.
Long live Universal Radio. I bought my first serious radio from them, an Icom IC-R75.
73 to UR.
-Bob
Universal’s showroom has been closed for months, but they are selling some remaining stock from their home. Most items are not in stock though. However, as Dan Robinson has pointed out, The Ostermans have a long and solid relationship with Tecsun and have committed to being a dealer for the Elite Satellit HD.
Universal has always been the definition of top notch customer service. They go out of their way for the hobby community like none other. Plus, they love cats :^)
Oops– a long relationship with Eton, not Tecsun.
I agree. Universal Radio is a world class operation…very, very customer-oriented. The people you talk to on the phone know all about the products as well.
Their site now says that the business will “wind down sometime in 2023”.