{"id":65326,"date":"2026-02-14T08:16:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T12:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=65326"},"modified":"2026-02-16T21:50:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T01:50:43","slug":"mlite-880-review-advanced-sdr-performance-in-a-traditional-portable-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/02\/mlite-880-review-advanced-sdr-performance-in-a-traditional-portable-design\/","title":{"rendered":"MLite-880 Review: Advanced SDR Performance in a Traditional Portable Design"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Robinson, who shares the following review:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>MLite-880 Spectrum Display Portable:\u00a0 Advanced SDR Performance in Traditional Portable Clothes<\/b><\/h1>\n

by Dan Robinson<\/strong><\/p>\n

For years, radio listening hobbyists (as many of us who are still around in 2026) have had numerous choices when it comes to portable receivers.\u00a0 Those of us who got our start as DX’ers\/SWLs in the 1960’s (some earlier) or 1970’s have seen a lot of hardware come around the corner.<\/p>\n

Some years ago, the Malahit\/DSP receivers, firmware, and hardware designed and made in Russia appeared.\u00a0 There was the Belka, amazingly small but a superb receiver that many of us still use.\u00a0 Although shortwave broadcasting has generally been on the decline, we were lucky that companies such as Tecsun, Sangean (reported to have now stopped all production of SW portables), and other China\/Taiwan-based companies continued to make impressive portables.<\/p>\n

ICOM, Yaesu and Kenwood began putting spectrum scopes in displays a long time ago.\u00a0 ICOM’s IC-R9000 (produced 1989 to 1998) was the first to bring that feature. The more recent Icom 7300, 8600, and 9500 demonstrated far more advanced spectrum displays, as did Kenwood.\u00a0 Ten Tec in its original form put rudimentary spectrum display capability in its RX-350\/Jupiter receiver\/transceiver.<\/p>\n

Today, we’re seeing a number of HT units with some kind of spectrum display.\u00a0 The Radtel 950Pro is one example of this.\u00a0 ICOM’s IC-R30, discontinued but a superb wide band unit, also has a spectrum option though quite limited.\u00a0 Various China-based companies started putting spectrum displays into the ATS series of receivers, and scope displays became standard on transceivers by Xiegu and others.<\/p>\n

Malahiteam in Russia licensed firmware out to a range of China-based manufacturers.\u00a0 The China-made “ATS” portables available from AliExpress and Banggood have been through numerous versions, including the ATS25 Pro + AIR desktop, the ATS25 Ultra, ATS25 XF (see https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LJC-pAu4nUk<\/a>), and these are increasingly emphasizing the spectrum option on the display. There have been some very interesting front panel designs such as the DP-666 based on the TF6686 chip, and the AMNVOLT ESP138, the first with dual 4732\/6686 architecture (see:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=m1njJskDSUI&pp=ygUMZXNwMTM4IHJHzGlv<\/a>)<\/p>\n

What we had not seen until recently was anyone putting a spectrum display into a “traditional” portable cabinet (some years ago, I had suggested to County Comm\/Maratac which has carried a re-badged Tecsun PL-368 that they consider doing so. At one point I received from them a photo of a prototype which looked like a PL-368 with a spectrum display at the top.\u00a0 But to my knowledge nothing was done to advance that to market).<\/p>\n

WHAT IS THE MLite-880?<\/b><\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a>There have been a number of reviews\/demonstrations on YouTube of the MLite-880, including by Tech Minds (see:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=cmO8TIr_VFo<\/a>).\u00a0 One of the most extensive is a nearly hour-long review by a Russian YouTuber RADIOCHIEF.RU (see:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ut6cY2jZv7Q&t=1065s<\/a>) and another excellent overview by Radio Bunker here:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wgcRoha-mfM<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The major feature can be seen at power on.\u00a0 Instead of just a digital\/numerical display of frequency we see the frequency AND below, a 40 kHz slice of spectrum.\u00a0 As the advertising description on the Elecevolve.com website states:<\/p>\n

“A new generation of SDR digital radio that can “see” radio stations” . . . and “the radio in people’s impressions stays in the last century.”\u00a0<\/em> <\/b><\/p>\n

The message that Malahiteam wants to convey is clear:\u00a0 this is a major step forward from portable design of the past.<\/p>\n

The radio is very light, with a back-stand and a fairly robust whip antenna which stands at an angle when the receiver is being used with the back-stand (unfortunately, the antenna base does not allow it to go vertical).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Around the cabinet, there are a minimum of controls:\u00a0 on top, we have a simple power-on\/off switch and a microSD slot (more about that later).\u00a0 USB-C and headphone jack are on the right, and an external antenna jack on the left.\u00a0 The frequency display module of the radio looks like just that — it’s on top above the multi-function keypad and ABCD keys.\u00a0 As for mode displays, there are battery and Bluetooth lights below and next to the LITEMALADSP letters.\u00a0 On the back, we find the 21700 battery compartment, and on the back-stand, we find information about the receiver, but no “Made in…” information whatsoever.<\/p>\n

From the videos, and certainly from the name of the radio (LITEMALADSP) we have the impression that the MLite-880 is a cost-reduction version of the Russian DSP\/2\/3 receivers.\u00a0 Neither 4732 nor TEF 6686 chips are used.\u00a0 While one video review states that an MSI-SDR-M1 chip is inside, Georgiy at Malahiteam states that this is not so.<\/p>\n

There was obviously a deliberate choice of the 21700 battery rather than 18650 used in Tecsun, Choyong, and other portables.\u00a0 First adopters say that so far, this battery keeps the receiver going for hours, something I can confirm.\u00a0 Anyone unfamiliar with professional type batteries like this should invest in a good standalone charger; if you already own a Tecsun PLxxx or D808 portable you will be familiar with 18650 and similar cells.\u00a0 [UPDATE]:\u00a0 Larger size 21700 battery does not fit — the battery provided with the radio is a EVE INR21700\/50E<\/strong><\/p>\n

The inclusion of a backstand is very welcome, since Russian DSPs and China-made SDR portables often lack one.\u00a0 The whip antenna is not thin and flimsy like those found on some China-made small portables.\u00a0 There’s a mini to SMA adapter included in the box.<\/p>\n

One reviewer notes that high-speed microSD cards are needed because files are recorded in WAV format.\u00a0 Georgiy at Malahiteam states that 16 and 32 GB cards have worked, BUT one user reports a 256GB card worked.\u00a0 Recording capability is a feature seen on other portables like the Raddy RF919.\u00a0 A good sized speaker is on the left.\u00a0 The tuning knob has a dual push-pull function for volume and frequency change.<\/p>\n

And the radio has Bluetooth capability, which worked fine when I first tried it with a Bluetooth speaker.<\/p>\n

In menus under “About” we see “Designed in Russia\/Made in China.” I recommend that readers view the various videos available online.\u00a0 While I was in the process of writing, I was surprised when the MLite-880 I had ordered from Banggood showed up on my doorstep.\u00a0 So, I’m able to provide initial impressions, and when a second unit arrives here, I’ll do some unit-to-unit comparisons.\u00a0 [NOTE:\u00a0 Testing done using only the onboard whip antenna]<\/p>\n

VIDEO: UNBOXING AND DEMO<\/h1>\n