Tag Archives: Internet Radio Review

Choyong LC90: A Multiband Internet Radio

(This Review was originally published in The Spectrum Monitor in the April 2025 issue, and is used by the kind permission of Ken Reitz)

The Choyong LC90 is, to my knowledge, the first of its kind: a portable Wi-Fi/4G/E-SIM FM/LW/MW/ SW/SSB radio. Or, to put it in simpler terms, a radio that can connect to wireless internet or to a hotspot, such as one created by your phone, as well as be a fully functional traditional portable shortwave radio. There is also an E-Sim purchase option which allows for internet connections without using a local carrier. This is a feature I have not explored, as my primary use will be at home.

The radio is able to be updated though firmware, and this is a major benefit as can be seen by the new features which have been added along the way, as well as fixes to bugs or adjustments to operation. For example, when the radio first came out, it did not feature SSB operation – only AM shortwave (I cover more about SSB implementation later in the review). Another major feature to be added to the radio is voice activated search features for finding internet radio stations and podcasts. This is truly an innovative radio, and I have been excited to explore its many features. Full disclosure – this radio was provided to me by Radioddity for review purposes, with the understanding I will give an accurate and unbiased assessment of the radio. With that out of the way, let’s dive in!

Impressive Looks I do not usually talk about the looks of a radio – I am always more concerned about its ergonomics and ease of use. However, this is a classy looking radio. My version has a smoky gray shell, with clearly defined markings in the buttons and silk-screening. Everything is easy to identify, and the IPS LCD screen is bright and clear, with excellent readability from almost any angle. Even the box it came in has a classy look and appeal. Still, how it operates and how it feels are the most important aspects of any device, the looks and styling are just a very appreciated bonus!

The radio features a bass driver, bass radiator, and a silk dome
tweeter. (Courtesy: Choyong)Ergonomics The radio has a very solid feel to it, weighty, but not too heavy. One gets the impression that this is a solid piece of kit. The telescopic antenna is tall (~38-inches) and firm. Any antenna can be bent if mishandled, and many radios have fairly flimsy antennas, but this antenna should last the life of the radio under normal conditions.Buttons are spaced nicely and press firmly. The volume, fine tuning, and standard tuning knobs are large and easy to grip, and they have just the right amount of tension when rotated. Of course, ergonomics are somewhat subjective as each person has their preferences, but I doubt anyone would feel the radio is physically hard to operate. Oh, and the keys are backlit! Great for bedside operation!!

The radio features Bluetooth capabilities for playing music from external sources, and a TF card for playing song lists through its two 15-watt speakers, featuring a bass driver, bass radiator, and silk dome tweeter. It also has two 2500 mAh batteries that are rechargeable and replaceable. A word of caution when you go to replace the batteries – the screws are small and of the “star” shape (not Phillips). Make sure you have the right type and right size driver so as not to strip the screws. They would be hard to get out if stripped!

Additionally, the radio has a clock, an alarm clock, and a timer playback. There is also a keypad lock to help avoid accidentally changing modes or features. When locked, any press of a button brings up a reminder on the LCD screen that the keypad is locked. As an aside, the power button will not turn on the radio with an accidental press. Hold the power button for three seconds to turn on the radio, and the same to power it off.

Menu operation? Well, everyone has differing ideas about what is clear and what is confusing, so I cannot offer much in the way of a conclusion, simply to say I did not find any difficulties navigating the menu system. It is relatively short and is very self-explanatory when used in conjunction with the manual. Most features have their own button, so accessing the settings menu is not needed on a regular basis. Likewise, the manual is short and to the point, covering most everything to operate the radio, with pointers to the radio website where needed.

I offer some tips for operation which seem to work best for me later in the review, but as they say, your mileage may vary.

If I were to make changes to the layout of the radio it would be to separate the jacks for the external antenna, headphones, and USB charging/computer connection to the other side of the radio. Currently they are located beside the tuning and volume knobs on the right side of the radio, and this can make reaching the knobs a bit tricky, especially if the cords are thick. But this is a small issue overall, and I do have rather large fingers, so this will not be an issue for many users.

Specifications. Weight: 640 g/1.4 lbs. Size: 200 x 122 x 40mm/7.9 x 4.8 x 1.6 in Frequency: FM 64-108 MHz (Step: 10 kHz / 100kHz) LW: 153-279KHz(Step: 1 kHz / 9 kHz) MW: 522-1710KHz(Step: 1 kHz / 9 kHz / 10kHz) SW: 2300-26100KHz(Step: 1 kHz / 5 kHz) Speaker: 15 watts Battery: 5000 mAh (Replaceable and rechargeable 18650*2) Network: 4G Band supported: FDD Band 2/3/4/5; TDD Band 38/39/40/41 BT version: 5.2 TF card: Maximum 32 GB Earphone Jack: 3.5 mm External Antenna Jack: 3.5 mm

Like the LC90 itself, this review is divided into two parts—the internet side and the radio side, along with some hints and tips and my conclusions.

There are jacks for an external antenna (left), USB-C cable (middle) and headphones (right). (K4PKM photo)

Internet Capability Now, before you “tune out” on me (couldn’t resist the pun!) because I mention the internet capabilities of the radio, think of it as another tool in the toolbox. Internet “radio” will never replace “real” radio for me. I have been playing with analog radios for over 55 years, and I have no intention of stopping now! It’s likely I will die with a radio turned on somewhere near me, if not holding one in my hands!

However, just like SDRs with which I had to make some adjustments in my thinking a few years back, so I have come to appreciate internet streaming stations for their vast numbers, clarity, and availability, particularly those stations which are no longer broadcasting analog signals over the air.

With a portable internet-capable radio that can work off my phone hotspot or my Jetpack, I have options. (The Jetpack is my main internet source at home as I live in a rural area not served by wired services.) Storming outside with static crashes too loud for listening? Internet streaming to the rescue. Want to listen to a shortwave radio station during a time of day when propagation is not possible? Internet streaming to the rescue. Feeling in the mood for 1940s U.K. Radio programming while sitting on my porch with a hot cup of coffee? Internet streaming to the rescue. You get the idea.

No antennas to adjust, no turning the radio this way and that, no fiddling with fine tuning or Local/DX switches, or endless knob turning to find something I like without commercials. Here’s the thing: I like doing all of that at times. I like digging out a hard to hear signal (I am an amateur radio geek, after all!). I like catching programs over the airwaves and logging my catches. I have never lost my fascination for the “magic” of radio in all of those 55+ years of listening, and I will not lose it in the twilight of my life! But I can certainly add to the enjoyment of the listening hobby by being able to hear even more and varied, music and cultural broadcasts. Heck, that’s one of the things I like about FTA satellite comms – it’s all good!

Multiple Ways to Connect to Internet The radio now features three ways to make a connection to the internet. There is a Nano SIM card port for traditional SIM cards from cell phone companies (check provider support for compatibility). There is traditional 4G Wi-Fi connectivity through home wireless or hotspot connectivity. And there is a new E-SIM option (currently United States only) by which you can purchase a connection package through CHOYONG. (Go to the “Settings” menu and select “Data SIM Card” to purchase your data package.) This works similarly to newer cell phones which utilize E-SIM cards.

Finding Streaming Stations A recent firmware upgrade (4.7) enhanced voice activated searches on the LC90, and it works quite well. For those who have had internet streaming boxes in the past, one typically had to either laboriously enter one letter at a time while dialing through the alphabet, or do searches based on categories of music, such as Jazz, Bluegrass, Classical, etc. With voice activated searches incorporating ChatGPT’s Speech-to-Text and optimized search algorithm, one can search by saying “1940s U.K. Radio” and several options will come up, including the particular station you are looking for.

To test the reliability of these searches, and not knowing many streaming stations by heart, I did an internet search on the computer for “Best streaming radio stations” and came up with a number of sites with various recommended stations. One such result was “15 Best Online Radio Stations To Listen to in 2023” by radio. co (yes, 2023 – I know, ancient!). I took a random sampling of stations and voiced them into the LC90, along with another similar site’s recommendations, and the radio search found each one. Impressive, and I did not have to type a single thing -Yay!

While the instruction manual recommends using the menu option for recording your request, I found holding down the Lang (Language) button and saying the station name after the microphone image appears, gets you where you want to go much faster. Just remember to keep holding the button down until you have made the request. At first, I was releasing the button as soon as the microphone image came on, and this started the search without any input.

If you are in the mood to find random stations, you can search by continent (which I have not seen offered in other internet boxes) which is then broken down into country-state (province, prefecture, county) search. If no stations are available in certain states, it will show “No Streaming Stations.” I like this option for when I want to experience new cultural programming. In addition to music, the search can be broken down into National Stations, Podcast, News, or Other Stations, for options which might not fit within the main categories.

Shortcut buttons on the radio allow for searching Music, Podcasts, and News. These are listed in a pre-programmed order, and one can scroll through the lists using the main tuning dial, which also serves as an “enter” button when pressed. There is also a Favorites shortcut where you can access stations you have previously flagged as ones you would like to load regularly. The Add/Edit button allows you to add stations by their URL.

A feature added in the 4.7 version connected to podcast searches is the Tag button. Holding it down similarly to the Lang button now allows voice search for podcasts. For example, I searched for “Moose Peterson’s Photography” podcast and then added it to my favorites.

Another really useful button is the History button which stores and recalls stations you have previously listened to, and which can be selected by the tuning dial. This can make quick work of getting back to a station you want to hear but do not necessarily want in your favorites list or were interrupted while listening and had to turn off the radio before saving to the favorites list.

Finally, the Tag button also allows you to search by dozens of categories or “Tags” such as Oldies, Hits, Christian, 80s, Public Radio etc. Just give a short press to the Tag button and the search options will appear.

The only stations I have been unsuccessful in hearing are stations broadcasting in the FLAC format. This is not a format with which I am familiar in terms of how it is implemented in playback devices, other than certain internet browsers will work with it while others will not. As for the LC90, this may be something which can be added down the road in a firmware update, or it may require licensing-based software implementation.

Fortunately, there are over 50,000 streaming internet stations readily available in Choyong’s database, and more which can be added directly into the radio as noted above. There are also over 10 million(!) podcasts in their database, all searchable.

The “word on the street” is that the addition of OpenAI’s ChatGPT has made voice searching much more accurate. My experience with voice searching has been surprisingly good, not because I expected poor performance from the radio, but because my voice is not exactly broadcast quality! So far, I have not had to repeat or correct anything I have spoken into the recorder.

I must also mention the ability to search and add stations and podcasts through Choyong’s internet site after setting up an account. Each radio has a validation code which can be entered in as part of the account, and then with the radio connected to wireless, stations and podcasts can be searched and added online and even synchronized between multiple Choyong devices if applicable. This is a lot faster than typing in URLs manually.

Lastly, firmware upgrades are performed over the air using a TF card (Micro-SD), no larger than 32 GB. Make sure to be connected to the internet, press the settings button, and choose ‘Version Info’ and follow instructions. I had no problem updating to the latest firmware. Let’s turn to the radio side.

The slots for the TF (Micro-SD) card and SIM card are on the bottom of the radio. (K4PKM photo)

Radio Features and Functions The radio features most all of the things one would expect from a multi-band radio, including LW/MW/SW/FM/ SSB. The multi-function tuning knob allows for tuning steps of: FM 100 kHz, MW 9/10 kHz, SW 5 kHz, selectable by mode by pressing in the multi-function knob. The Fine-Tuning knob allows for tuning steps of: FM 10 kHz, MW 1 kHz, SW 5 kHz, selectable by a short press of the knob. Adjustments are made by rotating up or down when in the selected band mode.

One radio feature I like that works for the radio or internet side is the radio ‘Sleep’ function. Turning the volume knob counterclockwise all the way down until a click is heard, puts the radio into sleep mode without having to power it down completely. When the volume is turned back up, the radio returns to where it was when put into sleep mode. Likewise, after you power the radio down completely and start up the radio again, it will return to where it was before and making an internet connection if needed.

Radio Performance First, the good. FM station acquisition is very good, and the ATS and RDS functions work great to find stations and present station information if available. The 15-watt speaker easily provides room-filling sound. Saving stations to favorites works well, with each band having its own listing under favorites. The breakdowns even include upper and lower sideband options in addition to AM shortwave broadcasts. This is a nice feature as it automatically puts the radio in the right mode based on the station requested.

Shortwave reception is on par with most portables of this size, and the larger antenna pulls in weak stations well. As mentioned above, the radio did not have SSB when first introduced but now has this along with the ability to fine-tune stations for the best clarity. As of yet, there is no ability to calibrate the frequency display to the proper zero-beat, but this may be added down the road.

However, this is really a relatively new capability with some modern radios – those of us who have been listening to shortwave radio broadcasts for decades are used to having to off-tune slightly from some posted shortwave frequencies, and slight drifting has been an issue with shortwave broadcasts basically from the start.

Other than entering a frequency to get to a particular station, I rarely look at the frequency dial, but almost always fine-tune to get the best audio, and adjust again if necessary. It’s just my habit with any radio. As for SSB performance (separate from AM shortwave) this is a software implementation through firmware, not a hardware feature. For more excellent information of how this evolved, I refer you to several YouTube videos by Dan Robinson, including a recent update regarding the 4.7 firmware release.

In a nutshell, the designers of the LC90 never anticipated the need for SSB when coming up with the radio because China does not allow SSB. However, because the radio has become popular elsewhere, particularly in the United States, they responded to requests for SSB capability using a software workaround. This implementation has been improved for clarity within the limitations of the firmware, and is quite useable, despite not being quite on par with radios which have specific hardware in their design for SSB.

As for the LW band, I am unable to give any insight to the radio’s capabilities at my location, as even my desktop radios do not receive much in the way of LW signals.

Now for the not-so-good. MW (AM) reception is sub-par. Even when turning off the Wi-Fi (as recommended for better MW and shortwave reception), I receive very few signals. This is not a radio I would pick up for MW broadcast signals. Virtually all of my portable radios do a better job. If MW is of primary importance, this is not the radio for you. However, please read my thoughts on the radio as a whole in the conclusion.

Audio quality is very good on the internet side, but not as good on the radio side. There are likely a couple of factors at play here. First, and most obvious, your mileage may vary, as there are likely unit-to-unit variations, especially since I have seen reviews praising the audio.

Second, I suspect there may be interference being caused by the IPS LCD display. This is something of a common problem associated with larger LCD screens. Since you cannot disable the screen display while listening to the radio, there is no way to tell for sure if the display is adding unwanted noise to the radio side of things.

Lastly, there might be some unexpected electrical interference between the two disparate sides of the radio affecting the radio audio, while not affecting the streaming audio.

Here are the issues I have experienced. On FM there is a slight, but always present static sound even on strong signals. This is pretty much mitigated by music and distance from the radio, but it is there. On talk stations or segments of voice with no music, it is more noticeable. Is it a deal-breaker? Not for me, but could be for some. (This is not a speaker issue, but rather a radio-side issue, as the same sound is heard when using headphones.)

Also, there is a very low electrical “rumble” present – not a chuffing sound, but rather a very low frequency repeated pattern present. This is not heard at a typical distance with the radio on a coffee table, for example, but can be heard when holding the radio near to you. This is only noticeable when there are breaks in the audio and becomes almost unnoticeable when there is voice. I mention this more for completeness than for an actual problem in typical listening situations. Again, this is on the radio side only. I do not hear this on the streaming side.

Both of these issues may or may not affect other bands, but it is noticeable on FM due to the typically clear audio of strong stations. On weaker stations with some slight noise present already, you would not hear the static or repeated electrical interference.

As common with many portable radios, there is soft-muting present when tuning the radio, and while not as slow to rebound as some other radios, I mention it because some folks find this annoying. Personally, I do not find it objectionable on this radio.

Whether these issues are enough for you to pass on the radio, only you can decide. As with any radio purchase, make sure the seller accepts returns, and make sure you understand the terms of any returns, such as RMAs or restocking fees if applicable. I have learned this by experience!

The radio has an excellent RDS implementation added in a recent firmware update. (K4PKM photo)

Conclusions The CHOYONG LC90 is a breakthrough radio offering excellent portable internet streaming capabilities, with an impressive database of radio stations and podcasts. With multiple ways to access these stations, both on the radio and through their online resources, it is by far the easiest internet streaming device I have ever used. I really appreciate the ability to break out stations by continent and the subsequent divisions, particularly when I want to experience something new in terms of various cultural programming. I do not need to understand the language to appreciate the music!

The ‘Favorites’ and ‘History’ features of the radio really impress me, and they make quick work of returning to stations I have liked or recently reviewed. I also appreciate the shortcut keys and the wide variety of divisions within those shortcuts. These features combine to take much of the tedium out of finding and saving stations I want to hear.

The traditional radio side of the LC90 offers a wide range of modes and bands common to most portables, but with some caveats as noted above. This is an all-in-one solution to give the listener the most opportunities to hear vast numbers of traditional and streaming stations, as well as functioning as a Bluetooth player and song-list player.

Personally, I find the addition of the traditional radio-side of the LC90 a bonus, not its main feature. I do not expect it to have the same level of performance as a dedicated high-end portable radio. The internet side is what separates this radio apart from other offerings on the market, and I appreciate the responsiveness of CHOYONG to its customers’ wants. I do not know of any other company’s internet streaming devices that have the full range of capabilities as the LC90, especially not in a portable package.

Up until now, the only way I could have the option of portable streaming was using my smart phone. While certainly useable, the audio is, by the phone’s necessary limitations, less than desirable. With the LC90, I can take the radio wherever I want and listen to some of my favorite streaming stations and podcasts with quality audio. I can sit out on my porch, lounge in my recliner, or take it into the workshop as desired. Along with the now almost ubiquitous USB-C charging capabilities, I can even take the radio on trips and recharge the radio in my car if needed. That is a real plus!

My thanks to Radioddity for sending me this review copy. Radioddity has excellent customer service should you have questions about the LC90’s operation, and there are numerous videos online, both from CHOYONG and other YouTubers, which can give you a visual feel for the performance and features of the radio. This radio fills an important niche in the portable world. This kind of innovation is quite welcome, and I look forward to more innovation from companies like CHOYONG and Radioddity in the future!

The Choyong LC90 is available from Amazon.com for $249
(This Amazon affiliate link supports the SWLing Post at no cost to you.)

John’s In-Depth Review of the Choyong LC90 (Export Version)

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and WWLG author, John Figliozzi, who shares the following review:

A Review And Analysis Of The Choyong LC90 (Export Version)

By John A. Figliozzi

General

To my knowledge, this is the first radio to combine AM Shortwave with Internet Radio. This makes it the first true “full service” radio incorporating ALL of radio’s major platforms. Many radio listeners question why this hasn’t been done sooner, so this very good first effort is most welcome.

The initial presentation of the radio to the new owner is impressive. The stylish box in which it arrives is worthy of a respected instrument of high quality. The radio has the solid substantial feel of a device with excellent build quality. Its sizing – that of a paperback book along the lines of some previous well-respected AM/FM/SW receivers like the Grundig YB-400 – gives it the perfect form factor for a radio that can be enjoyed both in the home and as a portable.

There is so much to like here. Over and above its unique combining of Internet radio and shortwave, there’s a “permanent” battery that offers many hours of use before it needs recharging, ATS tuning, the ability to save frequencies and stations in several preference lists, several ways of searching for Internet radio stations, an easy way to add Internet stations not already listed by the manufacturer, and others.

But the LC90 really shines with its fantastic audio on FM and Internet radio. There’s a woofer, a tweeter and a low frequency diaphragm inside the speaker cavity that occupies the left half the case – and nothing else. The radio’s excellent build quality and its developers’ efforts to produce a world class audio section in a portable radio really pays off.

But no radio is perfect, and this one obviously is a work in progress. So, being critical – which is what a review and analysis like this does — should not imply disapproval on any level. On the contrary, the LC90 is already a well-formed radio worthy of consideration by any purchaser.

The Screen

The screen that is the center of the LC90 provides much information depending on the platform being used. But in some cases, useful information is missing and in other cases the information provided seems unnecessary or of questionable utility.

In AM (MW), FM and SW, it is not readily apparent what all the symbols mean or why they are there. The time, signal strength and SNR (signal to noise ratio), bandwidth, meter band, heart (for including a frequency in “favorites”) and the “Freq. vs. Addr.” indicators are all helpful and understandable. But what is meant by “Memo” isn’t entirely clear. Is it holding just my preferences? Or the number of stations found by ATS? Or something else?

So, too, with the Internet Radio screen. What do the three dots, the speaker icon and the return icon mean? The ability to tune stations in sequence as they appear across the bottom of the screen depending on mode is both unique and helpful. But the use of a timer to tick off how long one might listen to a particular station seems of dubious value.

Some suggestions for better use of the screen in some circumstances are detailed below.

Operation

Initial setup matching the radio to home internet service proceeded flawlessly. The time clock is in 24-hour mode and showed correct time and date in my time zone. Some purchasers had previously noted that the clock showed a time one hour earlier than the actual time. I surmise that this is because the clock remains in standard time year-round. There is no facility to reset the clock, compensate for seasonal time changes or set the clock manually. This is an oversight that should be addressed.

This is a sophisticated, multi-faceted radio. As impressive as it already may be, it should be perceived as a work in progress in need of the improvements it will get eventually through firmware updates and design modifications. It would be helpful if those updates could come directly and seamlessly through the Internet, something that apparently can’t be done currently.

The LC90 comes with a rather short, almost cryptically worded pamphlet. This can serve as an ok quick start-up guide. But after using the radio, it’s obvious that there’s need for a comprehensive operation manual with copious directions for the user, along the lines that Eton provided for the E1. A radio of this quality and at this price point demands such consideration.

In short, becoming fully familiar with and comfortable using all the features of the LC90 requires a prodigious learning curve, one that is not intuitively discerned. I have to say that even after using it almost constantly for a few weeks, I feel I am still missing things.

Just a few examples of aspects that go unexplained include:

What does “Auto Play” mean in Settings?
Getting to preferences (the “heart” icon) is confusing and I’ve inadvertently removed them without learning how it happened.
Why does the screen show “Please add radio channel first” when I think I’ve already done that?
Why does screen alarmingly show “Saved channels removed”, having done so when I press the tuning dial thinking I am obtaining a list of my preferred or saved stations?

The cleverness behind the LC90 is not intuitively apparent. If I hit the wrong keys in combination or hard press instead of soft press a key, I get a result I don’t understand and for which there is no explanation in the exceedingly short manual provided now. In some cases, I put myself in a corner I can’t get out of, so I must reset by shutting down and restarting the radio to get back to base.

Following are my observations on the performance of the LC90 by platform:

FM

The LC90 has a very good FM section that is quite sensitive. Using the ATS feature, (automatic tuning) it found 37 stations in Sarasota FL, for example.

For its size – and even considering many larger radios — the LC90 has an excellent audio response on FM. However, although it has activated stereo capability, it does not appear to actually provide stereo through its ear/headphone jack. This is because the same output is used to provide audio to the speakers and the ear/headphone jack. This feels like an oversight that should be rectified. The radio does “recognize” a stereo plug and audio does play into both ears. It’s just not stereo audio.

As currently configured this LC90 does not offer RDBS (RDS in Europe) on FM. This should be incorporated into a radio of this quality being offered at this price point.

Even so, in this user’s opinion it earns a 4.5 on scale of 5 on FM. But if it had stereo and RBDS, it would easily earn a 5.

A question arises: Were HD Radio (in North America) and DAB+ (in Europe and Australia – if these are targeted markets for the LC90) considered for incorporation into this radio by its developers? If not, why not; and, if so, why was a decision taken not to include them?

Shortwave

Performance of the LC90 on shortwave is very good, especially since it clearly is not intended as a hobbyist’s DX machine. As such in my opinion, it doesn’t require the SSB capability that some have said they wish it has.

Rather, this radio is intended for the content-focused listener. I view the AM (MW), FM and SW platforms as back-up alternatives for and secondary to the primary focus — Internet Radio. Nonetheless, the LC-90’s performance is above average on both FM and SW which should be assuring to anyone considering its purchase.

The LC90 is quite sensitive on SW for a small portable using just its built-in expandable and rotatable 9 stage rod antenna. But it does especially well when a common clothesline reel external antenna is extended and plugged into the receptacle provided for that purpose on the radio’s right-hand side. (Similar improvement is noted for AM (MW) and FM, as well.)

Complaints about placement of this receptacle close to the tuning knob is of no concern when an external antenna of the type described above using a 3.5mm plug connector is used. Any more sophisticated an external antenna would likely overload this radio considering that “birdies” – false signals internally generated by the radio itself — can be detected throughout the SW spectrum even when just using its built-in rod antenna. This flaw should be addressed in any future modification or upgrade.

The audio enhancements made on this radio through unique use of speakers and their orientation are not as apparent here as they are when listening to FM and Internet Radio.

On AM signals generally — both SW and AM (MW) – a listener can detect artifacts in the audio. Audible random “clicks” often can be heard – usually when receiving weaker stations – which sounds as if the radio’s audio section is clipping. Adjusting the bandwidth appears to offer only minimal help with this.

Indeed, the audio produced by SW and AM (MW) sounds somewhat mechanical except on very strong stations. It seems to lack body or depth on SW and AM. Some of this undoubtedly is due to the quality of AM audio to begin with. But the latter does sound more natural on other receivers. The 7 bandwidths provided (1, 1.8, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 6 kHz) do help to somewhat shape the audio, but it appears that there could be better choices for what this radio is trying to achieve.

Nonetheless on SW, the LC90 rates a comparative 3.75 on a scale of 5 for sensitivity off its built-in antenna. That rises to a 4.0 when the external antenna described above is connected.

An unrelated anomaly was noted from using the radio on SW: The LC90 (or at least this test unit) apparently cannot be tuned directly to frequencies in the 25 MHz (11m) band. The radio will only accept 4 integers here, so it reverts to 120m instead of 11m. Instead, one must press the tuning knob to change the display to 11m and then tune manually via the knob to the desired frequency.

AM (Mediumwave)

All Internet-capable radios up to now have avoided including AM – both MW and SW – into their designs due to noise and interference issues generated by the radio’s internal control signal and screen, and the difficulty involved in shielding both.

While acknowledging the considerable effort put forward by the LC90’s developers to ameliorate this problem, the radio does not fully overcome these challenges to producing “clean” AM audio.

The developers themselves seem to recognize this problem. While they have incorporated an internal ferrite MW antenna in the radio’s design, its utility is overwhelmed by internal interference. Rotating the radio to emphasize or null certain signals yields no apparent difference. Consequently, the developer suggests that the listener extend the internal rod antenna for “best results”.

The AM (MW) section is unfortunately the weakest aspect of this radio. Daytime reception is very poor – rated comparatively a 1.5 on a scale of 5. The LC90 receives and saves through ATS only very local stations and misses several of them.

Reception does improve after dark, largely due to skywave propagation. But it is only comparatively fair – 2.5 on a scale of 5.

Using the external clothesline antenna described above improves daytime reception to a 2.0, but those purchasing this radio should expect only marginal pedestrian – even comparatively substandard — results with AM (MW).

In sum, the audio improvements the LC90’s developers have successfully worked to provide elsewhere in the LC90 are almost undetectable here unless one is listening to an exceptionally strong AM (MW) station.

Internet Radio

To this observer, this is the core of the LC90.

There are three equally important tasks that an Internet radio must achieve to serve as a quality example for the genre:

Stability of signal reproduction,
Superior audio quality,
Easy user interface.

Let me begin by pointing out that it is readily apparent that the developers put lots of work into this aspect of the LC90.

The stations that do play successfully sound very good with excellent stability. But compared to other internet radios I own and have experienced, there are just too many stations that lack that stability (characterized by frequent audio breaks or “hiccups”) or don’t load at all.

Here are some specific observations from use over several weeks:

Simply put, the user interface needs work. While the LC90 offers several flexible tuning assists, there seem to be too many that overlap and others missing. The effort does not seem to be centrally focused enough. For example, listings within each category appear randomly, and many unexplainably with what looks like the same links that are indistinguishable and scattered throughout a given category.

Indeed, there are many individual listings that are repeated within the same and different lists which are found via the Tag, Menu, News. Music, Language buttons on the radio. Why? Is it to provide different codecs or levels of streaming quality? There is no indication as to the way each might differ one from another, if at all.

As mentioned earlier, there is much going on here that cannot be intuitively discerned by the user/listener — and it must be! Comparing it to other Internet radios such as the Pure Elan Connect, which uses the constantly updated Frontier Silicon station and podcast database, the LC90’s Internet radio operation is confusing and the logic behind it is difficult to perceive.

Some stations appear in Chinese and Cyrillic script, and others just as dots across a line. This is unhelpful to listeners outside these cultures. Also, there appear to be features within the LC90’s architecture that are “hidden”. For example, through an inadvertent combination of key presses I found myself briefly in a listing that appeared designed solely for the Chinese market until I reset the radio by turning the radio off and then on again.

The developers appear to have created their own stations database rather than use one of the others already in use on other Internet radios. Since it is apparently an entirely new approach, it’s impossible to determine if it is continuously updated, systematically modified or updated periodically according to some schedule. This observer did not see any activity or change that would indicate that anything was updated over the weeks he was using the LC90.

Many domestic BBC links (Radio 3,4,5,6, e.g.) just don’t work. When ostensibly “loading” them after selecting them, the percentage just stays at zero. Given the importance of the BBC internationally, this is concerning and should be corrected with all deliberate speed.

In fact, this observer experienced an inordinate number of links that didn’t seem to work at all. Some links also play initially, but then just “hang” or stop working or “hiccup” periodically (RTE, RTHK, e.g).

When comparing the LC90’s admittedly many offerings with those on Internet radios using the Frontier Silicon database, many stations appear to be missing. However, the LC90’s developers have included in the radio’s architecture a very accessible means for the radio’s users to add stations that are not already in the radio’s database. Whether these are just added only to the user’s radio or added globally to the LC-90 database is unknown.

In short, the way these lists — and the way the user tunes them in — work now appear to detract from rather than enhance the performance and user’s overall experience with the LC90. This situation leads this observer to the perception that the developer’s concept(s) behind station lists and tuning is unfocused and disorganized. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. As stated, this user interface needs reconsideration and refinement in the opinion of this observer to make its use more intuitive for the user.

The LC90’s display for Internet radio is attractive but supplies only stream loading percentages and the station name. There is no means of knowing the actual quality of the audio signal other than by ear. The timer provided counting how long the station has been playing is not really of any practical use when listening to an Internet radio station.

A better use of the LC90’s screen would be to include visuals like station logos and station-provided metadata, neither of which are present now.

An anomaly that came to light through use: The “Podcast” button only seems to provide stations like other buttons, not podcast lists. This observer could find no way to access or listen to podcasts. Again, this needs to be corrected.

In the opinion of this observer, the Internet section of the LC90 earns an overall 3.5 on a scale of 5 with the proviso that the radio’s audio performance with the highest quality Internet streams earns a clear 5.

Bluetooth

The LC-90’s Bluetooth feature works well. Audio volume is jointly controlled by the source and the radio. Its set-up and operation appear seamless.

TF and SIM cards

Not tested. Since most SIM cards are tied to phones here, I anticipate that Internet access for the LC90 Export Version will remain with WiFi for the vast majority or, when and where WiFi is unavailable, by linking one’s phone to the radio using Bluetooth.

Neither was the timer or sleep function tested, but it can be assumed that both work as they should.

Final Notes

Other reviewers have expressed a desire for an air band, SSB capability and a fold out strip on the rear of the radio’s case so that it might be angled when used.

Frankly, I don’t see the need for any of these with the LC90 or any future enhancement or modification of it. Anyone wishing to angle the receiver can find an inexpensive tilt stand on which to place it. But, in that regard, I would suggest that the developer recreate the rod antenna so that it clears the perimeter of the case and allows it a full 360-degree rotation.

Otherwise, my preference would be that any such effort and the resources necessary to pursue them be concentrated on the more important matters I highlight for improvement in this analysis.

Wi-Fi Radio Primer Part 3: Review of the Grace Digital Mondo and Amazon Echo

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I originally wrote this three-part WiFi radio primer and review series for the April, May and June issues of The Spectrum Monitor magazine. Each part of this series will be posted with the tag: WiFi Radio Primer. You can read Part 1 by clicking here and Part 2 by clicking here–I hope you enjoy Part 3 below:

We’ve finally arrived at the final part of our three-part primer on WiFi radios. By “WiFi radios,” of course, I mean Internet radio devices that have the sole purpose and dedicated function of streaming radio audio––devices which have now won over this die-hard radio traditionalist, not to mention, his entire family.

In Part 1 of our WiFi Radio Primer we discussed what makes WiFi radios “tick”––their ability to find radio stations via radio station aggregators. We also discussed the comparative merits of the most dominant aggregators on the market, and took a look at one easy alternative to the WiFi radio, namely, streaming from your smartphone or tablet.

In Part 2 we took a quick look at the WiFi radio market and the various manufacturers and models available that use proper aggregators with market longevity. We also reviewed the CC WiFi and Sangean WFR-28 WiFi Radios.

In Part 3, our final part in this series, we’ll investigate the Grace Digital Mondo and the Amazon Echo.

The Grace Digital Mondo

When I mentioned to TSM publisher Ken Rietz (KS4ZR) that I was in the process of reviewing several WiFi radios, he encouraged me to check out the Grace Digital Mondo, which is his personal favorite. Upon unboxing the radio, I could see why Ken likes the Mondo––the unit is stylish, easy to carry, sturdy, and features a rather exceptional color display. It also offers more functions and buttons on the control panel than any other radio I tested (a very handy thing, indeed).

The tuning control knob cycles through selections on the display with ease; the buttons all have a tactile response and are backlit. The Mondo even includes thumbsup/down buttons for music service like Pandora.

The Mondo also ships with a small, full-functioning remote control, which fits easily in the hand and is more tactile than the CC WiFi’s mini-remote control. Since I had already established a Reciva aggregator account (for the CC Wifi), getting the Mondo “on the air” was quite simple: I simply registered it as a new device at the Reciva website, restarted the radio, and all of my station memories, folders, and notes were instantly there. Indeed, even if I hadn’t already established a Reciva account, I feel confident that the process of finding stations and organizing them with Reciva would have been easy.

The Mondo has a built-in speaker that delivers beautiful, rich audio. It’s certainly a notch above the CC Wifi and Sangean WFR-28. The Mondo also has a built-in dual band equalizer with five preset modes, a nice touch. If I have a criticism of the Mondo’s audio, it would be that it caps the volume a little too low. While the radio is loud enough for day-to-day listening, some may find that it can’t reach the levels that may be desired if you want a bit more volume––for example, music for a party. For me, this is not a deal breaker, as its loudest setting still fills the main living area of our home with sound. I imagine the radio designers capped the volume to maintain the excellent overall fidelity of the internal speaker.

I love the color display screen, but do wish that it was a touch screen. When using the front panel to navigate the radio, you must cycle through the option with the main tuning knob. It’s fairly painless, to be honest, but I hope their next radio does employ a simple capacitive touch screen; at the $145 price level, I feel like this could be implemented.

The Mondo has a USB port, RCA composite line out, 1/8″ stereo Aux In and a DC power connector on the back of the unit.

I also love the fact that that the Grace Digital iOS/Android app serves as a remote control (much like that of the Sangean WFR-28) that can be used anywhere within WiFi range. The app has a lot of user-friendly features and makes searching through stations quite easy. My only complaint about this app is that many of the listings are in a fairly small font, thus touching to select an individual station name or category can be challenging on a small smartphone screen. Changing orientation from vertical to horizontal does not, unfortunately, increase the font size. I hope that a future update will allow for larger print, as my larger fingers have a hard time selecting stations and folders accurately.

Pros:

Optional battery (see con)
Very simple operation
Full, well-balanced audio for both spoken word and music
Proper “snooze” button on top of radio, perfect for the bedside listener
All functions can be easily navigated via the radio’s front panel (no remote necessary)

Cons:

Special battery pack; not standard cells ($40 option)
Audio volume can become quite loud, but not very loud

The dedicated volume control and snooze time on top of the Mondo make it an ideal bedside radio choice.

I can see why so many listeners love the Grace Digital Mondo and why it receives positive reviews. If you’re looking for an intuitive, attractive portable WiFi radio–with audio that suits both music and the spoken word–the Grace Digital Mondo may very well be your best bet!

The Grace Digital Mondo can be purchased from the following retailers:

The Amazon Echo

Without a doubt, the oddball in this group of WiFi radios is the Amazon Echo. What is the Echo? Amazon describes it thus:

Amazon Echo is designed around your voice. It’s hands-free and always on. With seven microphones and beam-forming technology, Echo can hear you from across the room—even while music is playing. Echo is also an expertly tuned speaker that can fill any room with immersive sound.

Echo connects to Alexa, a cloud-based voice service, to provide information, answer questions, play music, read the news, check sports scores or the weather, and more—instantly. All you have to do is ask. Echo begins working as soon as it detects the wake word. You can pick Alexa or Amazon as your wake word.

In essence, the Echo is an interactive audio information and entertainment system. What piqued my interest in the Echo was the fact that it is one of the few devices that uses the TuneIn aggregator for Internet radio streaming. C.Crane also makes a TuneIn-based radio––the CC Wifi 2––but I did not review it for this series. Amazon reviews indicated that the Echo did a fine job via TuneIn, so I took a chance and bit the bullet.

Like the other WiFi radios on this page, I’ve been using the Echo daily for nine months now. For most consumers who’ve purchased the Echo, I doubt the option of using Internet radio was the deciding factor in its purchase. Here, we’ll only focus on the WiFi radio aspects of the Echo.

Once I unboxed the Echo, I was impressed with its sleek, cylindrical design. The tubular chassis feels relatively sturdy. Once placed on a table, even though it stands at about 10 inches tall, the base is wide enough that it doesn’t feel like it’ll tip over. It looks very unlike a radio.

Volume can be adjusted by turning the light ring on top of the Echo. The audio is robust and room-filling.

What’s immediately obvious that the Echo lacks controls you find on other devices. In fact, there’s only a microphone mute button and the top of the device rotates like a large volume knob. There is a blue lit ring that lights up based on the feedback the Echo gives you (for example, to let you know it’s listening, answering, or “thinking”).

Set up is very simple––it’s complete in a matter of moments. Though virtually every function of the Amazon Echo can be controlled by your voice, you need to download the accompanying app for your smartphone or tablet (both iOS and Android supported). The app acts as a remote control of sorts, but as of the time of posting, falls a little short of my expectations.

So how does it work as an Internet radio? Brilliantly––well, almost.

First of all, the built-in speaker system is absolutely superb. It has the best, room-filling, rich audio fidelity of any other device reviewed here. It sounds much larger than it actually is. Best yet, it’s even a little hard to pinpoint where it is in a room; we’ve had house guests that couldn’t locate it in our living room without assistance. I’ve read reviews from audiophiles that believe the Echo’s audio falls a bit short of Amazon’s claims, but nonetheless, I’m pretty impressed.

Secondly, since the Echo uses voice commands, you never need to look for a remote or even touch the device to start it, change the volume, or tune it. Indeed, there’s no tuning knob: you simply ask the Echo for what you want to hear. For example, I could ask, “Alexa, play WNCW.” The Echo will then start streaming public radio station WNCW. I could also ask, “Alexa, play a radio station.” The Echo replies, in a pre-recorded female voice (think Siri), “What would you like to hear?” I could then say, “jazz” or “rock-and-roll,” and the Echo would select a station from TuneIn. If I ask the Echo to play a radio station that happens to belong to the iHeart radio network, it will default to the iHeart radio stream.

Sounds terrific, right? Well…not exactly.

Alas, the Echo struggles to recognize some station call letters. From the example above, there was no difficulty playing WNCW or WWNC, but when I asked for CFZM (740 AM Toronto), it was confused. You basically need to know how the station is listed in TuneIn or iHeart radio in order to know exactly what to ask for. In the case of CFZM, I looked up the entry and discovered that it’s listed (via TuneIn) as “Zoomer Radio.” I found, though, that the only combination of words I could use to get the Echo to play CFZM was, “Alexa, play radio station Zoomer Radio.” And that was after innumerable trials.

This is where voice commands––which should make this system incredibly accessible––actually make it very frustrating. The night I installed the Echo in my home, I attempted to have it play the the UK 1940s Radio Station, an Internet station I particularly like. After about fifteen minutes of trial and error––attempts to speak more clearly, in different accents or pitches, using different word combinations––I eventually discovered the only way I can get the Echo to play this station is by asking, “Alexa, play a program,” and when it asks which program I would like to hear, I reply, “The 1940s Radio Station.” The prefix “UK” must be eliminated from the phrase, as it is unrecognized.

When muted, the Echo’s light ring glows red as a reminder.

Don’t get me wrong: I think the Echo’s voice commands are nothing short of amazing. I don’t have to stand next to the device or speak very loudly––I can be across the room and speak in a normal voice; even with ambient noise and music in the background, the Echo almost always “hears” my requests.

A huge mark against the Echo, however, is that the Echo cannot link up to your TuneIn account––at least, not at present. This means the Echo can’t sort through your station memories or use your most recent playlists to help decipher what you’re asking it to play. I sincerely hope that Amazon remedies this flaw in a future software upgrade. The Echo will, however, link to your iHeart Radio, Audible, Pandora, and (of course) Amazon accounts.

There are no memory presets with the Echo: you simply ask for the station you want to hear.

Being an Amazon Prime member with an Echo means that the Echo will stream Prime content like music, and even read Audible books to you, without advertisements or interruptions. I’m not the biggest fan of Prime Music playlists, but I must admit that I’ve been impressed with the 1940s-era music selection (again, one of my favorite genres). I can ask, “Alexa, play Tommy Dorsey,” and the Echo will produce a variety of Tommy Dorsey numbers without any ads or interruptions.

I should note, too, that kids love the Echo because it’s also quite accessible to them (and will spew out almost an endless number of riddles and corny jokes). It “understands” their young voices just as easily as those of the adults in the house.

Pros

Very easy setup
Excellent audio
If you’re a fan of Amazon, or a Prime member, you’ll be pleased with the added functionality
Links with Pandora and iHeart Radio accounts (see con)
Much more functionality than a typical WiFi Radio
Echo functionality is continuously improved–weekly, even daily–with automatic software updates

Cons

TuneIn: long radio station names are not always understood. Takes voice training, trial and error, on the part of both device and listener/programmer
Advanced music features (Prime Music is a default) requires Prime membership purchase at $99 annually
No line out
Well centered in the Amazon.com ecosystem
No link (yet!) to TuneIn account preferences
Relies solely on voice commands for TuneIn Radio, Alexa remote app doesn’t allow station tuning (at time of publication)

There is one uneasy truth about the Echo that is always in the back of my mind, however: it very much lives within the Amazon ecosystem––and thus puts you there, too, like it or not.

Admittedly, if you’re a regular Amazon customer, especially if you’re a Prime member, you may appreciate the functionality and links to Amazon’s own content, along with the requisite personalization and customization. It’s handy to be able to ask Alexa to put an item on your (Amazon) shopping list. But if you like privacy and anonymity, the Echo doesn’t necessarily respect that.

I imagine, like Apple’s “Siri” and Google’s “Google Now,” Amazon is in a position to gather a lot of data about your listening habits, just like it follows your purchasing habits. Amazon states very clearly that the Echo only listens after the wake-up word “Alexa” is spoken, but it just feels a bit odd knowing you have an Internet-connected device that is always on…and always listening to you.

The Amazon Echo is sold exclusively by Amazon.

Summary

Each of the WiFi radios we’ve investigated––the C.Crane CC Wifi, Sangean WFR-28, Grace Digital Mondo and Amazon Echo––have their strengths and weaknesses, and each has some highly unique characteristics.

The C.Crane CC Wifi

The C.Crane CC Wifi, for example, has been on the market longer than its competition, thus lacks a color display and any sort of smartphone functionality. Still, at time of publishing, it is the least expensive in our comparison and offers good sound quality and overall functionality for the price.

C.Crane also offers excellent customer support to back this little radio should you encounter problems.

The Sangean WFR-28

The Sangean WFR-28, in my book, offers the most “bang-for-buck” of this bunch.

Though its audio fidelity isn’t quite as good as the Grace Mondo and Amazon Echo, it’s still better than I anticipated. The price point is only slightly higher than the CC Wifi, and for that you get a color display with intuitive controls and smartphone application remote functionality.

The Sangean Frontier Silicon aggregator is also very easy to use––perhaps the easiest, in fact, to organize memory folders. With four standard NiMH D cells internally-charged, you can look forward to hours of portable WiFi radio entertainment. Best yet, the WFR-28 is the only WiFi radio we tested that also has a built-in FM receiver.

The Grace Digital Mondo

The Grace Digital Mondo looks and feels much like the beloved Logitech Squeezebox which was discontinued by the manufacturer some time ago.

Like the Squeezebox (and the CC WiFi) it uses the excellent Reciva aggregator.

Audio is well-balanced and offers above-par fidelity, though I do wish it could serve up a little more volume. And it’s quite portable, especially if you splurge for the proprietary battery pack.

The Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo is quite an amazing device on many fronts––especially if you’re an Amazon Prime member. If you’re not a Prime member, and/or don’t particularly like global media Internet superstores like Amazon, you might pass.

While the Echo has access to both the excellent TuneIn aggregator and iHeart radio, calling up stations with voice commands can be incredibly frustrating.

Here’s the thing, though: the Echo is being aggressively updated by Amazon. New functionality is added weekly and its popularity is clearly growing.

I hope Amazon will eventually allow the Echo to tap into TuneIn preferences so favorite stations can be found quickly and, perhaps, with keywords (think, “Alexa, play 1940s” and it calls up The UK 1940s Radio Station). At present, Alexa only accurately calls up the stations we request 60% of the time, and discovering the right word combination to increase this percentage is monotonous.

So, which radio did we choose?

My wife and I find that we’ve used two models more than others: The Amazon Echo and the Sangean WFR-28.

We find that we use the Echo to listen to only a handful of favorite radio stations via TuneIn. Most of the time, we play only our favorite stations with the Echo, so that we we can simply ask, “Alexa, play TuneIn.” She’ll call up the last station played. With full fidelity and a down-facing speaker system, it’s hard to detect where the Echo’s room-filling sound originates. But what we have found the Echo really good for is hands-free Internet access––besides reminding us of things and offering an impromptu alarm, it’s a a weights and measures converter, a weather forecaster, a headline newsreader, a science-fact researcher. And for our kids? The Echo is a dictionary, an encyclopedia––and, I’m afraid, a joke generator. Thus, the Echo has become a fixture in our home, and in my estimation, is a value at the $179 asking price.

The Sangean WFR-28

The Sangean WFR-28, though, is my favorite WiFi Radio in the bunch. Why? It offers such good value, and is so simple to operate. It’s a great little companion around the house and can easily be moved from location to location. Good quality rechargeable D cells will power it for hours upon hours.

But the clincher is this: everyone in our house gave it a thumbs up. Even my wife. That’s good enough for me, and so we’re keeping it…on.