{"id":20522,"date":"2016-08-21T07:18:27","date_gmt":"2016-08-21T11:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=20522"},"modified":"2016-08-21T07:18:27","modified_gmt":"2016-08-21T11:18:27","slug":"battery-endurance-contest-results-sangean-dt-160cl-vs-sony-srf-39fp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/battery-endurance-contest-results-sangean-dt-160cl-vs-sony-srf-39fp\/","title":{"rendered":"Battery Endurance Contest Results: Sangean DT-160CL vs Sony SRF-39FP"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Sangean_DT-160CL_17\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On\u00a0August 4, 2016<\/a>, the same day I received my new Sangean DT-160CL, I popped a fresh set of CVS Max Alkaline batteries into the DT-160CL as well as\u00a0into my trusted Sony SRF-39FP. The mission? To see which radio could perform longest on a set of batteries.<\/em><\/p>\n

I set my stopwatch as I turned\u00a0on both radios, tuned to the same frequency, set the\u00a0volume to the same levels…and waited.<\/p>\n

And waited. \u00a0And waited. \u00a0<\/em>And as\u00a0I waited,\u00a0I posted updates<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But at last, the waiting is at an end: \u00a0here are the contest’s final results.<\/p>\n

Sangean DT-160CL: Impressive Performance<\/h2>\n

\"IMG_9137\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On August 9<\/a>, I reported that the Sangean DT-160CL finally threw in the towel, logging an impressive 116 hours 30 minutes<\/strong> of operating ti<\/em>me–!<\/p>\n

Without a doubt, this is one of the longest run times I’ve ever<\/em> experienced from\u00a0an AM\/FM radio with digital display<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the day after the DT-160CL shut down, I turned it back on, and it operated for an additional 45 minutes or so, obviously absorbing a little more voltage from rested cells. During that 45 minutes period of time, the audio and overall performance was respectable. No doubt the DT-160 shuts down before audio is terribly compromised.<\/p>\n

Sony SRF-39FP: The Endurance King!<\/h2>\n

\"Sony-SRF-39FP\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Amazingly, the Sony SRF-39FP kept running well beyond 116 hours.\u00a0Well<\/em> beyond…<\/p>\n

By Wednesday morning–one full week<\/em> from the time\u00a0I began\u00a0the endurance contest–the Sony SRF-39FP\u00a0finally<\/em>\u00a0began showing signs of low-voltage: the audio had a small amount of splatter and sensitivity began to be\u00a0compromised.<\/p>\n

Unlike the Sangean DT-160CL, which clearly\u00a0has a cut-off voltage, the SRF-39FP kept milking the battery for its last vestiges of power.<\/p>\n

I decided that I would call\u00a0a “time of death” for this AA battery when the Sony struggled to receive local AM stations, as well as\u00a0transmission\u00a0from my in-house SStran AM transmitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This happened approximately 163 hours and 54 minutes into its marathon run.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"IMG_9142<\/a>

This stopwatch app tracked the full endurance test. I pressed “stop” when the Sony SRF-39FP finally gave up.<\/p><\/div>\n

Wow, wow, wow<\/em>. \u00a0I simply had no idea any<\/em> portable could operate almost one full week on one<\/em> AA cell–!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_9145<\/a><\/p>\n

In truth, I’m sort of relieved\u00a0the ’39FP finally gave up the ghost. I was beginning to think the thing was powered by some supernatural force…<\/p>\n

When I started this test, I thought the Sony SRF-39FP was rated for about 40-80 hours of run time on a single battery. \u00a0I couldn’t remember where I got that number until I recently re-read this article from The New Yorker<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> which highlighted the 39FP’s role in correctional facilities:<\/p>\n

“The SRF-39FP is the gold standard among prison radios in part because it runs on a single AA battery, and offers forty hours of listening time…”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Wait, just forty<\/em> hours? Perhaps from the cheapest AA battery made…<\/p>\n

With an advanced chemistry cell like the Duracell Quantum or Energizer Advanced Lithium series, you’ll clearly get three to four times<\/em> that\u00a0performance.<\/p>\n

DX mode<\/h2>\n

And here’s the thing: I’m convinced I could’ve gotten much more<\/em> time out of the SRF-39FP.<\/p>\n

Like similar Sony portables, the SRF-39FP has a “DX\/Local” switch. When set to DX, the receiver is made to deliver maximum performance.<\/p>\n

If you’re listening to a local station, however, “Local” mode is a better choice. You’ll still be able to receive\u00a0your target station, yet draw much less from the battery.<\/p>\n

I left the Sony SRF-39FP in “DX” mode for the entire battery endurance test. Had it been in “Local” mode, I believe I’d be reporting an even longer run time. How much longer, I don’t know, but you can bet that my curiosity will soon get the best of me…I plan to do a separate endurance test to find out.<\/p>\n

Clear choices for battery longevity<\/h2>\n

\"Sangean-DT160CLNo doubt, our little test has proven that radios marketed to the prison system do offer excellent battery performance.<\/p>\n

Now I’m very curious whether the standard Sangean DT-160<\/strong> will offer\u00a0the same battery performance as its clear-cased counterpart, the DT-160CL<\/strong>. The only difference in the two appears to be\u00a0that one offers a clock, while the other doesn’t. I wonder if that would have any significant difference on battery life.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the Sony SRF-39FP<\/strong> has shown us that analog receivers can be much more efficient than their digital counterparts. We’ve known this a long time at Ears To Our World<\/a>, and which\u00a0is why almost all of the radios we supply to schools in remote, rural locations are analog.<\/p>\n

Sadly, analog radios are getting much more difficult to find these days as DSP-based receivers have become\u00a0more affordable to produce.<\/p>\n

The Sangean DT-160<\/strong> is available at Amazon.com<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Universal Radio<\/a>. The Sangean DT-160CL (the version tested) is available through Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Click here to search eBay for the Sony SRF-39FP<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Readers: Know of any other battery-miser radios? Please comment!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On\u00a0August 4, 2016, the same day I received my new Sangean DT-160CL, I popped a fresh set of CVS Max Alkaline batteries into the DT-160CL as well as\u00a0into my trusted Sony SRF-39FP. The mission? To see which radio could perform longest on a set of batteries. I set my stopwatch as I turned\u00a0on both radios, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[373,3781,3,129],"tags":[600,5315,5288,5286,495,4329,4330],"class_list":["post-20522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-am","category-fm","category-news","category-reviews","tag-sangean","tag-sangean-dt-160-cl-unboxing","tag-sangean-dt-160cl","tag-sangean-dt-160cl-v-sony-srf-39fp","tag-sony","tag-sony-srf-39fp","tag-srf-39fp"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-5l0","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20195,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/sangean-dt-160cl-the-correctional-version-of-the-dt-160\/","url_meta":{"origin":20522,"position":0},"title":"Sangean DT-160CL: The correctional version of the DT-160","author":"Thomas","date":"July 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"After publishing a post referencing the new Sangean DT-160 AM\/FM radio, a number of readers noticed that Sangean has also produced a clear-cased version of the DT-160: model number DT-160CL. This version, no doubt, was designed for\u00a0sale in\u00a0prison commissaries and is probably seen as a replacement for the venerable Sony\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sangean-DT-160CL","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Sangean-DT-160CL-e1469794661639.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20474,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/update-4-sangean-dt-160cl-v-sony-srf-39fp\/","url_meta":{"origin":20522,"position":1},"title":"Update 4: Sangean DT-160CL v Sony SRF-39FP","author":"Thomas","date":"August 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"If you've been following the\u00a0Sangean DT-160CL versus Sony SRF-39FP\u00a0battery endurance test, I have some news to report: one of our competitors has\u00a0finally\u00a0thrown in the towel...! Yesterday, while I was on the road for about 1.5 hours, the Sangean DT-160CL\u00a0at last gave up the contest. Since I was traveling\u00a0at the time,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_9137","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/IMG_9137.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/IMG_9137.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/IMG_9137.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20396,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/update-sangean-dt-160cl-v-sony-srf-39fp\/","url_meta":{"origin":20522,"position":2},"title":"Update: Sangean DT-160CL v Sony SRF-39FP","author":"Thomas","date":"August 5, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It's been thirty seven hours since I started the Sangean DT-160CL versus Sony SRF-39FP endurance test and both radio are still going strong. So far, the DT-160CL's battery indicator still shows\u00a0full voltage. The SRF-39FP has no battery indicator, but through experience I know it's nowhere close to quitting. I've spent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sangean_DT-160CL_21","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean_DT-160CL_21.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean_DT-160CL_21.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean_DT-160CL_21.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20440,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/update-2-sangean-dt-160cl-v-sony-srf-39fp\/","url_meta":{"origin":20522,"position":3},"title":"Update 2: Sangean DT-160CL v Sony SRF-39FP","author":"Thomas","date":"August 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s been eighty\u00a0seven (!!!) hours since I started the Sangean DT-160CL versus Sony SRF-39FP endurance test and both radio are still going strong. I've tuned both radios to my SSTran AMT3000\u00a0AM transmitter which is currently re-broadcasting the UK 1940s Radio Station on 1570 kHz. The Sangean DT-160CL still shows two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sangean-DT160CL and Sony SRF-39FP","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT160CL-and-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT160CL-and-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT160CL-and-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT160CL-and-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20456,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/update-3-sangean-dt-160cl-v-sony-srf-39fp\/","url_meta":{"origin":20522,"position":4},"title":"Update 3: Sangean DT-160CL v Sony SRF-39FP","author":"Thomas","date":"August 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s been one hundred nine hours since I started the Sangean DT-160CL versus Sony SRF-39FP\u00a0battery endurance test and both radio are still hanging in there! Not knowing which radio will check out first, I've been taking them with me everywhere and have been careful to keep their settings identical the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sangean-DT-160CL-Sony-SRF-39FP","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT-160CL-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT-160CL-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT-160CL-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean-DT-160CL-Sony-SRF-39FP.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20338,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/unboxing-the-sangean-dt-160cl-and-setting-up-an-endurance-test\/","url_meta":{"origin":20522,"position":5},"title":"Unboxing the Sangean DT-160CL and setting up an endurance test","author":"Thomas","date":"August 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday, I received my Sangean DT-160CL--the correctional version of the DT-160--from Amazon.\u00a0 Even though the Amazon product page showed 5 units in stock on July 29, and though I get free two day shipping via Amazon Prime, my \u00a0DT-160CL took four business days to arrive. Out of curiosity more than\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sangean_DT-160CL_1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean_DT-160CL_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean_DT-160CL_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Sangean_DT-160CL_1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20522\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}