XHDATA D-220 available in three colors

XHDATA D-220 – A Throwback to a Simpler Time

47 Replies

By Robert Gulley

XHDATA recently contacted me about a new portable radio, saying “XHDATA is planning to launch a new portable radio, the D-220, which has good reception and excellent sound quality. Not only can it receive FM/MW/SW bands, but the price will be surprisingly good value.”

Okay, well that sounded somewhat interesting (especially the bit about being “a surprisingly good value”). So within a few days I had a pre-release copy of the radio after choosing the color I preferred (black – what can I say, I am a traditionalist!).

The radio is small, 5” tall, 2-1/2 inches wide, and about 1 inch thick, very reminiscent of my first transistor radio in the (ahem) 60s. It has an analog tuning dial, volume control, and slider switch to go between FM1/2, MW, and SW. It also has a headphone jack. It takes 2 AA batteries (very old school!), and, unlike my transistor radio of old, a swing-out stand. That’s it. And, interestingly enough, that’s all it needs.

As my wife and I like to say about life sometimes, “It is what it is.” And, unlike life so often, in this case that’s a good thing. The radio is simple to operate – no menus, no bells and whistles, just the basics. You, an antenna, and a tuning dial.

For some, the tuning dial will be an aggravation, because just like my transistor radio of old, the tuning dial covers a lot of ground in a relatively short rotation. This means you will want to turn the dial slowly, very slowly. While this does not bother me, I realize this may not be everybody’s cup of tea. To get the best reception out of this radio, you need to turn the dial in millimeters, not even fractions of an inch.

Fortunately, the tuning dial is very firm and yet responds well to a light touch. I had no problem tuning between stations, even on a very crowded FM band or on a tight SW band covering 5.6 to 22MHz.

As for reception – well, I was rather surprised by this little radio. AM and FM delivered many, many stations in the rural area which I call home, and the biggest surprise was the shortwave reception. I waited until I had a storm-free evening (not always easy this summer here in the Midwest), and fired up the radio expecting to hear some of the more powerful stations, but not expecting to hear a large number of stations 10MHz and below on such a small (10-1/2”) antenna.

Speaking of the antenna, it is solid and one of the better antennas I have found on this size of radio. Yes, you can break it I am sure, but flimsy it is not. The same goes for the battery door, it closes with a resounding “click,” and I do not believe one could open it unintentionally.

As for the sound, it is surprisingly clear, and loud. One of the advantages of modern radios is smaller components, which in turn allows for bigger speakers. This speaker punches above its weight class for both talk radio and music. Both sound good with a reasonable signal.

As the radio has not been released to the general public yet, the XHDATA website does not have a listing for the radio, and therefore no price information. However, and this is a bonus for those of you who have read this far, Thomas’ readers will be eligible for a 40% discount when the radio becomes available for sale from XHDATA, the current projection being sometime in August. They will send out a shopping link and discount code when available.

Pros

  1. Great sound
  2. Solid antenna
  3. Impressive reception on all bands
  4. Analog dial tuning, solid and easily turned slowly (see Cons)

Cons

  1. Very tight tuning dial with little space between stations (see Pros)
  2. Not available quite yet

 

Conclusion

This is a solid little radio you can carry in a shirt pocket or jacket pocket easily, and since it runs on AA batteries with no significant draw of power, should provide hours and hours of enjoyment. The addition of the shortwave band, along with its decent reception, is a nice bonus, especially since I prefer SW to most anything I hear on MW and FM (wait, did I say that out loud? Oops!).

I suspect this will be a good radio to put on your to-buy list, especially with a 40% discount!

73, Robert K4PKM

Spread the radio love

47 thoughts on “XHDATA D-220 – A Throwback to a Simpler Time”

  1. Robert Richmond

    If anyone is interested, here is likely a big reason the D-220 is so affordable:

    “The Si4825 requires a simple application circuit and removes any requirements for manually tuning components during the manufacturing process.”

    https://www.skyworksinc.com/-/media/Skyworks/SL/documents/public/data-sheets/Si4825-A10.pdf

    I note the stereo question has popped up a few times here. There can be a stereo jack for L/R audio, but as for actual reception, the Si4825 is a mono DSP receiver chip.

    Reply ↓
  2. Ed

    Robert, thanks very much for the excellent write-up on the new XHDATA D-220, and for facilitating and sharing the deep discount code which allowed me to score one of these (in gorgeous tangerine) for all of ten bucks!

    The orange version’s case is likely more translucent than the black or green versions, and when it’s powered on the LED’s roughly omnidirectional radiation pattern pretty much illuminates the entire top half the of cabinet–which makes it much easier to find in the dark–an undocumented and no doubt unintended feature.

    However, the light reddish dial indicator is nearly the same color as the illuminated orange backdrop, and the poor contrast makes it hard for my eyes to see where it’s tuned. I might open the cabinet (four screws) and try to make the tuning indicator black with a Sharpie pen for better contrast.

    The tuning dial is so ridiculously sensitive that even the slightest touch will de-tune it. I wonder how much more it would’ve cost XHDATA to have added a plastic reduction gear so the radio could’ve been tuned much more easily.

    Oh, well. For a mere ten bucks I shouldn’t complain. I will use this radio while working in the yard. I suspect it’ll run a long time on a pair of Alkaline AA cells.

    -Ed

    Reply ↓
    1. Robert Gulley Post author

      Hi Ed,
      Living in the boonies I have yet to receive my Orange copy (my review copy was black). That’s a good idea about the tuning dial if needed, sharpie pens are a staple around here!
      Cheers!

      Reply ↓
  3. Rupert

    On the question of stereo on FM through the ear-jack, the answer is YES, according to the blurb on the XHDATA page. Good news indeed….and many thanks, Robert, for your review. I have one on order and am looking forward to it. Seems like it has a decent DSP chip. I will have to open it up and see which one they are using….unless anyone here has already done that?

    Reply ↓
  4. Aubrey J. Young

    Thanks for the write up on the Radio. Grandpa here tends to listen to SW/AM at night as it’s my favorite hobby. Retired my Westinghouse AM/FM purchased in 1968 for an Elite Mini (good radio) and would like two modern radios. The review as caught my attention for my next radio.

    Be Well,

    AJY/WK0Y

    Reply ↓
    1. Robert Gulley Post author

      As I noted in the review, they will send out a link when it is available to purchase, along with a code for Thomas’ readers, likely sometime in August. Cheers!

      Reply ↓
  11. David Norris-Kay

    With me being interested in listening to radio amateurs I bought an XHDATA D-808, which receives single sideband signals and I’m impressed by it’s performance. Although this is more elaborate than the basic one I have no hesitation in recommending the XHDATA brand as one of quality.

    Reply ↓
  12. SqueekSquad

    With hundreds of new LPFM radio stations going on the air in the U.S. now, there is a need for a decent portable FM receiver they can sell as a fundraiser. Portables such as the J166 from Prunustech.com is one of the choices. I would like to see more competition in this space, and there is no need for SW coverage in these inexpensive radios. A blank area or space for a station sticker would be good.

    Reply ↓
  13. Paul Steckler

    There’s already a listing on Amazon India, albeit with no price, and marked “currently unavailable”. Lazada in the Philippines apparently has it available for about $12.

    Reply ↓
    1. Paul Steckler

      I should read more carefully. Yes, the headphone jack is mentioned above.

      But is it stereo on FM?

      Reply ↓
      1. Robert Gulley Post author

        Hi Paul,
        Believe it or not, I don’t have any way to test it as I never use headphones anymore – I know I have some, somewhere(!) but since my move several years ago I have not unpacked them from whatever box they are in!
        Given the typical headphone connectors these days, I would be really surprised if it wasn’t stereo for FM – that seems to be the default standard from what I have seen.
        Cheers! Robert
        (update – for what it’s worth Paul. I just took a close look inside the headphone receptacle and there are two offset contact points which indicates to me it is indeed stereo, as the outer rim would be the negative contact point. But hopefully when they put up the page on XHDATA they will list what it is.)

        Reply ↓
        1. KPL

          The headphone socket of that type does not indicate that the audio is definitely stereo. It means you should have audio on both (left and right) sides of a stereo headphone, rather than just one side, but whether it is mono or stereo would have to be established. If you do not have headphones, maybe you have one of those PC speakers with 3.5mm jack to try connecting instead, and see if there is stereo on a strong FM stereo station.

          Reply ↓
      2. Thom Schwetye

        Just the radio I have been looking for. Please include me on your list with the 40% off offering.

        Reply ↓
        1. Robert Gulley Post author

          Thom, there is no list you have to be on. Just follow one of the links to Amazon in the post announcing the availability of the radios and the discount code posted yesterday, and you can get the discount on Amazon.
          Cheers!

          Reply ↓
  15. Bob Colegrove

    So, how is there a continuing market for development and production of so many good/great new radios over the past 10 to 15 years? The aging niche of radio enthusiasts alone can’t make this a growth industry. I’m not complaining, just wondering.

    Reply ↓
    1. Vince

      My guess is that it’s not targeting us in the ‘rich’ West, much less us hobbyists, but Africa, Asia and South America. We likely pay a premium to cover development costs and then the benefit (lower price) is shared in those markets. Fine by me.

      Reply ↓
  16. Vince

    Oh boy, like I need a hole in the head…well, some will say ‘yes, you do’. LOL

    I’m interested in this new radio.

    As for the “It is what it is” , my son uses it a lot ‘against’ me, and I get upset. LOL

    Reply ↓
  17. Julio Ceswr Pereira

    Well, I’m very skeptical regarding DSP radiis with analog tuning dials, especially on AM. They produe what I call “false peak tuning”. Let’s say you wanto to tunin to a station on 620kHz. If you’re going up the dual, it’ll tuned already at 600kHz or 610kHz. If you’re going down, it’ll be tuned on 640kHz or 630kHz. And it there’s a station with weaker signal sandwiched two strong ones on 620kHz and 640kHz, it’s almost impossible to listen to it. I know this because I have a Sony ICF-19. It is a sensitive both on AM and FM but unfortunately, it has this gesture which for me is a flaw. It can be changed as CC Crane did with ine of his AM/FM radios since it is programmed on their DSP chips.

    Reply ↓
    1. Robert Gulley Post author

      Hi Kris,
      Here is the range they have written on the back:
      FM-1 is 87-108 MHz
      FM-2 is 64-108 MHz
      MW 520-1730kHz (10K)
      MW 522-1728kHz (9K)
      SW 5.6-22MHz
      (Since it is a continuous dial for tuning, the MW doesn’t have a switch for 9k vs. 10k, it just covers that whole range between 520-1730kHz)

      Cheers!

      Reply ↓
      1. Mike S

        Note that the D-219 had separate versions for 10K and 9K MW tuning steps.
        Their CS originally claimed that the broad bandwidth would be adequate to resolve stations using the “wrong” channel step, but then backtracked and released a targeted version.
        Assuming similar DSP design you would expect the same of the D-220, unless there is a hidden switch somewhere to reprogram the DSP.
        In any case I’d prefer the D-219 for SW as it has 9 separate bandspreads vs. one on the D-220. (As the late reviewer Larry Magne would have said, the D-220 would require a “safecracker’s hands” to tune SW without frustration).

        Reply ↓
  19. Bob Young Jr - KB1OKL

    Bob- KB1OKL

    Analog, runs on two AA batteries, and will fit in my pocket? It will also take me back to the, ahem, 60’s. Gotta have it!

    Reply ↓
    1. Robert Gulley Post author

      Hi Bob!
      Yes, there is something both nostalgic and appealing here for me – as I get older I appreciate simplicity more and more. In my photography hobby I have new technology cameras (nearly, haven’t made the switch to mirrorless and likely won’t unless forced to at some point), but I actually gravitate to older technology, including film cameras in large and medium format, for their relative simplicity and hands-on experience. After all, it’s what I started out with all those years ago.
      Cheers!

      Reply ↓
  21. William, KR8L, WPE9FON

    So cute! Take my money!
    Yes, I have to have one, for the nostalgia value if nothing else. I think I’ll pick green in memory of my first radio, a Zenith Royal 100 “Zenette” (it was kind of an avocado green). Although I do like the yellow/orange too.
    Thanks for the report Robert, and be anxiously awaiting the official release.

    Reply ↓
    1. Robert Gulley Post author

      Ah, mine was a tan-like color, reminiscent of some of the shag carpet popular back in the 60s! Funny how I can still see it clear as day, even though I haven’t had it for well over 50+ years!

      Reply ↓
  22. Egil Ingebrigtsen

    Thanks Robert!
    That is the radio I have been wanting for a long time. So I will buy one, discount or not.
    Unfortunately FM- and MW-bands are no longer used here in Norway. But since I am often away from home, this radio can be my shortwave companion when I am traveling.

    Egil LA2PJ

    Reply ↓
    1. Robert Gulley Post author

      Hi Egil,
      I am sorry to hear you do not have MW or FM where you live, but thankfully shortwave is still around, and the variety is still greater than MW or FM, even id a lot of the powerhouse stations have left. I hope you enjoy the radio!
      Cheers!

      Reply ↓
        1. Robert Gulley Post author

          Hi Dennis,
          No that is the regular price. Hopefully by adding it to the cart and using the coupon code from the post here earlier, it will work. As I understand it, the code only works from the U.S. Amazon site, at least as of a few days ago, but that might have changed. You can check all three pages of the different color models to see if the code works. Amazon has been a bit wonky with applying the code apparently. Cheers!

          Reply ↓
          1. Dennis K2DCD

            Thanks. Ok forgive me but not seeing a code in previous messages. Can that be reposted?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.