{"id":20419,"date":"2016-08-07T07:51:56","date_gmt":"2016-08-07T11:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=20419"},"modified":"2016-08-07T07:51:56","modified_gmt":"2016-08-07T11:51:56","slug":"wi-fi-radio-primer-part-2-review-of-the-cc-wifi-and-sangean-wfr-28","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/wi-fi-radio-primer-part-2-review-of-the-cc-wifi-and-sangean-wfr-28\/","title":{"rendered":"Wi-Fi Radio Primer Part 2: Review of the CC WiFi and Sangean WFR-28"},"content":{"rendered":"

I originally wrote this three-part WiFi radio primer and review series\u00a0for the April<\/a>, May<\/a> and June<\/a> issues of\u00a0The Spectrum Monitor magazine<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Each part of this series will be posted with the tag: WiFi Radio Primer<\/a>. You can read Part 1 by clicking here<\/a>–I hope you enjoy Part 2 below:<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"CCWifi-Front-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As I mentioned last week\u00a0in the first of this three-part primer<\/a> on WiFi radios, I never thought a WiFi radio was something I\u2019d ever acquire.<\/em> <\/strong>\u00a0By \u201cWiFi radios,\u201d of course, I mean Internet radio devices that have the sole purpose and dedicated function of streaming radio audio, and so, as a die-hard ham with a penchant for a well-balanced tuning knob, I just couldn\u2019t see the need for what I thought of as an overly-simple, perhaps even redundant, device.<\/p>\n

Indeed, until I began the as a search for the perfect radio for my family and XYL (\u201cex-young lady,\u201d old ham radio speak for wife<\/em>), I had used only an app on my smartphone (with headphones), and on tablet PCs connected to amplified speakers, in place of a dedicated WiFi radio. And I was fine with that. Or so I thought…<\/p>\n

Fast-forward several months. <\/em>Now that the XYL and kids have been using WiFi radios for a while, I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll go back. And as for myself? Yes, I\u2019ve crossed that no-return boundary, too. Our whole family\u2019s now joined the WiFi radio club, and the truth is, we\u2019re all enjoying the WiFi\u2019s simplicity and unique benefits.<\/p>\n

In Part 1 of our WiFi Radio Primer<\/a>,\u00a0we discussed what makes WiFi radios tick\u2013\u2013their 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now we\u2019ll investigate some of my picks from the current market.<\/p>\n

WiFi radios: an overview<\/h2>\n

WiFi radios, by and large, look like traditional radios; they typically have backlit digital displays, front panel buttons to recall memories, and an internal speaker. They function like them, too, in that they play radio stations\u2013\u2013but there\u2019s where the resemblance stops. Streaming lnternet audio, and their dependence upon an aggregator to do this, sets them entirely apart.<\/p>\n

The market for WiFi radios is actually not as broad and diverse as the shortwave radio market. If you\u2019re seeking a quality device that uses a well-known, properly-curated station aggregator (again, see Part 1 for more on this), you\u2019ll be looking at about a dozen (or so) radios currently on the market.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a short <\/em>list of the current market\u2019s most popular WiFi radios. Note that this is by no means a comprehensive list<\/em>\u2013\u2013it\u2019s a curated list of WiFi radios that are in wide use, are relatively simple to operate, have built-in speakers, and that use reliable aggregators. I\u2019ve noted the aggregator in parentheses as well as the average US purchase price.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Pure Evoke F4 (untested)<\/p><\/div>\n

Amazon:<\/strong><\/p>\n