Degen DE1103 DSP 2.0 | The SWLing Post

UPDATE–Caveat emptor:

I can no longer link to this deal. Several readers have noted the seller has no history nor feedback.

Additionally, Joe notes that “The same seller is offering the Tecsun PL-660 for $39.99 and the Tecsun PL-360 for $17.47, among other extraordinarily low-priced items.”

Thanks guys–I’m sorry, but that’s just too good to be true. I’ve removed the eBay links below.

To be clear: eBay provides a money back guarantee for buyers in instances like this, but it would be an extra hassle, for sure. I just feel these prices are too good to be true.

Here’s the original post:

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who notes:

“I see the sour DSP version of the DE1103 are down to rock bottom prices up on eBay.”

Click here to view on eBay.

Any potential buyers should note: while this DE1103 looks identical to the excellent DE1103/KA1103 receiver produced through 2014, the DE1103 DSP model leaves much to be desired. Check out my review from 2015.

Still, for $22.56 US shipped, it would make for a great FM radio if nothing else.

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[Correction: Julio’s version of the DE1103 is the first, non-DSP (current) version.]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Julio Cesar Pereira, who comments with his mostly positive impression of the DSP version of the Degen DE1103 receiver:

I’ve got a DE1103 and haven’t noticed any AM bleeding on SWL so far. I sometimes stay at one of my family’s properties located at the center of a city with lots of stations. There I use the balcony on the 9th floor and I get a lot of spurious interference from FM stations, which is normal once you’re surrounded by buildings. However, I already tuned some images on SW. I used an old SW7600G to check it out and it didn’t get any.

I kind of started to dislike DSP, for it can be annoying to hear it engage and disengage when a signal constantly drops down and recovers. It is fantastic when a signal is strong and constant for it improves audio quality whether it is MW, SW or FM.

At one time, I even thought it would be perfect for the DE1103 to have this [DSP] feature, but you know what? I’m very happy with the way mine is right now. I find this receiver to have the best FM reception compared to the others of my little collection of tabletop and portable receivers, which includes scanners ICOM IC-R20 and R5, receivers PL-660, SW7600GR, ICF-2010, etc. The DE1103 is by far the most sensitive and selective one, it even beats my old Realistic DX-440.

As for SW, I like the combination of its very good AGC and very low floor, which allows me to do DXing with the RF attenuator on and does not have any annoying filter like the PL-660. I also enjoy its audio quality, especially on the headphones, for it is more natural, not processed like the PL-660’s or over-processed like the SW7600GR’s.

You can tell I’m a big fan of this little radio. It has its flaws, but I can live with them.

Thank you for sharing your experience with the DE1103 DSP, Julio!

Degen DE1103 DSP Version 2.0?

Julio, I’m now very curious if your receiver is the “Version 2.0 Model” mentioned by this seller on eBay. [ Julio has now confirmed that it is not the DSP version.]

If you’ve read my DE1103 DSP review, you’ll note that I haven’t been the biggest fan of the new DSP version of the DE1103. I did review a very early model and wonder if Degen has tweaked the DE1103 DSP to provide better performance? Can any other readers comment?

I’ll search through the various models of the DE1103 on eBay and see if there are any specifics about the new 2.0 version in product descriptions. I’ll also attempt to contact sellers for details.

Please comment if you have any information.

Update: Several readers pointed out that the “Version 2.0” might simply be a way sellers are using to indicate that this is the DSP-based DE1103–rather than this being an improved version of the original DSP receiver I tested.

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