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Sony ICF-SW1 vs Grundig YB-400

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Luis Vasquez

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Sep 26, 2003, 6:57:57 PM9/26/03
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I bought a used Grundig Yacht Boy 400 a few weeks ago. The Sony ICF-SW1 that
I have picks up stations about as good as the YB 400. However, my YB 400 has
much worse sound quality than the SW1. The sound is dull and sounds like a
treble control in it is set to a very low setting. The SW1 has very clear
sound, even through lots of static. I would think that a larger, newer radio
such as the Yacht Boy 400 would have much better sound.
I just tried the dynaboost mod at
http://members.aol.com/rickw999/ybdymod.txt on the 400, but it doesn't make
it sound better than the SW1 and the volume is far too loud.
Also, the volume on the 400 goes up and down dramatically as the signal gets
stronger and fades, unlike the SW-1 where the sound level stays the same. Is
there any way to modify the AGC circuit?
Is the YB-400 supposed to have worse sound than the ICF-SW1, or is my 400 a
lemon?


Diverd4777

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Sep 26, 2003, 7:06:25 PM9/26/03
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In article <Vv3db.592048$Ho3.113670@sccrnsc03>, "Luis Vasquez"
<jose.v...@comcast.net> writes:

>s the YB-400 supposed to have worse sound than the ICF-SW1, or is my 400 a
>lemon?
>

I have noticed that, on the SONY 7600G, the tone was significantly better than
on another set ( Icom R-75)
- My guess is that sony spent 25 cents extra on circuitry to improve sound . .


Sanjaya

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Sep 26, 2003, 7:18:02 PM9/26/03
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"Luis Vasquez" wrote...

> I bought a used Grundig Yacht Boy 400 a few weeks ago. The Sony ICF-SW1 that
> I have picks up stations about as good as the YB 400. However, my YB 400 has
> much worse sound quality than the SW1.
[snip]

I don't have a Sony ICF-SW1, but I have
an 8 year old Grundig YB-400.
It exhibits none of the symptoms you describe.
Sounds good, works good.


mike

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Sep 26, 2003, 8:37:33 PM9/26/03
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On 26 Sep 2003 23:06:25 GMT, diver...@aol.com (Diverd4777) wrote:


>I have noticed that, on the SONY 7600G, the tone was significantly better than
>on another set ( Icom R-75)
>- My guess is that sony spent 25 cents extra on circuitry to improve sound . .

I have the 7600GR and its not too bad. This summer I used it outside
as a work radio when painting a barn. Not stellar audio, but beats the
tinnyness of a pocket transistor radio and offers quality content
versus local FM (which it picks up too and sounds great).

A set of powered speakers with a subwoofer can fix just about any
undersized speaker (albiet at nearly the cost of the radio).

mike

Luis Vasquez

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Sep 26, 2003, 11:33:11 PM9/26/03
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"Sanjaya" <sanja...@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:KO3db.16287$ai7....@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...
I forgot to say that in FM, it sounds just as good as the SW1 or any other
FM radio. In every other band it's subpar.
I've been reading some older posts here, and it seems as though there was a
bad batch of YB-400s at one point. I guess I got one of those.


Sanjaya

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Sep 27, 2003, 4:30:40 AM9/27/03
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"Luis Vasquez" wrote...
[snip]

> I've been reading some older posts here, and it seems as though there was a
> bad batch of YB-400s at one point. I guess I got one of those.

I thought about saying that, after I clicked "send"
last night. It seems to me that most of the bad
YB400s were purchased at Radio Shack... and
they were the newer YB400PE models (silver).
If you're referring to a YB400PE then maybe
you did indeed get one from the bad batch.

Gary

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Sep 27, 2003, 11:17:55 AM9/27/03
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"Luis Vasquez" <jose.v...@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<Vv3db.592048$Ho3.113670@sccrnsc03>...

> I bought a used Grundig Yacht Boy 400 a few weeks ago.

That's why I don't buy USED radios. Must be a reason someone wanted
to sell it. New may cost more, but new comes with a warranty.

I got my YB-400 when they first came out (I guess about 9 years ago)
and it works great and has great sound - none of the problems you
mentioned.

Luis Vasquez

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Sep 27, 2003, 4:45:44 PM9/27/03
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"Gary" <garya...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:fc4afcdc.03092...@posting.google.com...
I bought mine at a thrift store for 7 dollars, so even though it doesn't
work quite like I expected, it's still a good price. It's in surprisingly
good cosmetic condition too.
BTW, it's an original Yacht Boy 400, not the PE model, and nothing on it
indicates that it is from Radio Shack but who knows.


starman

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Sep 28, 2003, 12:40:53 AM9/28/03
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Gary wrote:
>
> That's why I don't buy USED radios. Must be a reason someone wanted
> to sell it. New may cost more, but new comes with a warranty.
>
> I got my YB-400 when they first came out (I guess about 9 years ago)
> and it works great and has great sound - none of the problems you
> mentioned.

Radio Shack resells their returned products (radios included) with a
double warranty.


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snow

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Oct 5, 2003, 6:06:16 PM10/5/03
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I have own both and you may have a lemon, as I found the YB 400 sounds to be
very good and a bit better than the SW-1, mainly because of the size
difference.

Luis Vasquez <jose.v...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Vv3db.592048$Ho3.113670@sccrnsc03...
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