{"id":31633,"date":"2018-04-15T08:48:15","date_gmt":"2018-04-15T12:48:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=31633"},"modified":"2018-11-05T10:09:10","modified_gmt":"2018-11-05T14:09:10","slug":"a-full-review-of-the-c-crane-ccradio-ep-pro-am-fm-portable-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/a-full-review-of-the-c-crane-ccradio-ep-pro-am-fm-portable-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"A full review of the C. Crane CCRadio-EP Pro AM\/FM portable radio"},"content":{"rendered":"

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UPDATE (05 November 2018): Please note that we have posted a second production run update to this initial review. In short, C. Crane addressed all of the major issues I noted in the review below. Click here to read the CCRadio-EP Pro update.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Without a doubt, C. Crane Company has become an established name in our radio community as a retailer and manufacturer that focuses on the world of broadcast listening. The company\u2019s ads, website, and blog all promote broadcast listening as a viable and important part of our evolving media landscape. Their radio products are all designed with broadcast listening in mind.<\/p>\n

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The C. Crane CCRadio 2E<\/p><\/div>\n

Currently the company manufactures one of the most capable AM broadcast receivers on the market: the CCRadio-2E<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The CCRadio-2E, however, is a pricey portable at $170 US, perhaps overkill for the casual broadcast listener.<\/p>\n

So, for those seeking a simpler broadcast receiver, C. Crane later developed the original CCRadio-EP, a bare-bones, fully analog AM\/FM radio with a large backlit slide rule dial, designed for the listener who wants to \u201cgo old school\u201d in their receiving.<\/p>\n

The original CCRadio-EP also attracted mediumwave\/AM broadcast radio listeners because it had fairly impressive performance characteristics supported by C. Crane\u2019s patented Twin Coil Ferrite AM antenna. In many ways, the original CCRadio-EP was somewhat reminiscent of the GE Superadio.<\/p>\n

Yet while the original CCRadio-EP has\u2013\u2013according to C. Crane\u2013\u2013been a popular product, because certain vital EP components are now becoming obsolete, the company has been forced to redesign it; \u00a0hence the new CCRadio-EP Pro<\/i><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The CCRadio-EP Pro: A different animal<\/h2>\n

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Let\u2019s be clear, though: unlike its predecessor, the CCRadio-EP Pro is no longer a true analog set.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Despite external similarities, internally this radio and its predecessor are very different receivers. Inside, the EP Pro is based on the Silicon Labs SI4734 DSP chip. Perhaps it goes without saying, but I consider the move to a chip a significant <\/i>design change.<\/p>\n

In other words, much like the\u00a0Degen DE321<\/a>, the\u00a0Degen DE32<\/a>, the\u00a0Tecsun R-2010D<\/a>, the\u00a0Kchibo KK9803<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0ShouYu SY-X5<\/a>\u00a0(which I review in a shoot-out here<\/a>),\u00a0the CC-Radio EP Pro is a mechanically-tuned DSP receiver.<\/p>\n

Crane kindly sent me a review sample of the new CCRadio-EP Pro. It\u2019s important to note that the review unit came from a strictly limited<\/i> first production run; the actual consumer rig\u2019s first major production run is still a few weeks away. \u00a0Thus this radio is not yet shipping.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve had the CCRadio-EP Pro for a few weeks now, during which time I\u2019ve given it a thorough evaluation. So, let\u2019s take a close look at the CCRadio-EP Pro\u2013\u2013first, in terms of performance.<\/p>\n

AM Performance<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s face it: \u00a0if you\u2019re a radio enthusiast and reading this review, you\u2019re likely mainly concerned with the EP Pro\u2019s performance on the AM broadcast band. Personally speaking, that\u2019s true for me, too.<\/p>\n

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The CCRadio-EP Pro (left) and Tecsun PL-660 (right).<\/p><\/div>\n

Over the years of reviewing portable receivers of all stripes, I\u2019ve learned that nothing beats a radio specifically designed for AM broadcast band performance<\/i>. Without a doubt, C. Crane intends that the CCRadio-EP Pro be one of these radios. Indeed, in many ways, it\u2019s an ideal set for broadcast listening, because it sports:<\/p>\n