
Review Summary
2020-05-08T20:00:00
I have purchased over 30 of the ICF-38 radios on ebay and have given them family and friends. Everyone praises me for the thoughtful gift. They are used in offices, garages, in yards, on boats, everywhere to the delight of me, my family and friends.
George I.
2018-11-07T19:00:00
I have had this radio maybe 25 years. Excellent value. Just remember what you are buying: basic listening quality. But it works for me! At 2-4 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week, batteries last a month. Antenna broke off 3 or 4 years ago; replaced it with a coat hanger. It's been left out in the rain, overnight and the Texas sun but still plays good. One day, I will replace it with the same model, hoping it will be available.
peachspring
2018-08-21T20:00:00
Recently bought Sony ICF406 as well as Sony ICF-38. Sony ICF 406 has too much bass needs more treble, The A/C power plug jack is flimsy and falls out. The volume control has to be turned up almost to max to get sound. The Sony ICF-38 has high/low tone control-very handy The volume control gives full sound with minimum turning. The power cord is stored in clever compartment inside radio. The AM dial has more markings than the ICF406 ie 60,70 on dial I give a rating of 4.8 out of 5 to the Sony ICF-38.
dalvin105
2018-01-26T19:00:00
I have a Sony double din car stereo. Haven’t had it for a year the radio works but the screen is not active when I press on it nothing happens I forgot to register my radio so I’m guessing it don’t have warranty. I’m really mad I spent money for one of y’all products and it stops working before the year out. I saw a person on the internet with the same exact radio and same problem. IF YOU WANT GOOD STUFF GO WITH PIONEER THIS NEVER HAPPEN DO NOT BUY A RADIO FROM Sony
TreTre
2017-06-03T20:00:00
This radio surpassed my expectations. Great reception just like I wanted, better sound than I expected and batteries last longer than I expected. I listen to the radio with 4 AA alkaline batteries for about an hour a day and the batteries will last around 3 months! I wish Sony would start making these non CD radios with stereo spekears, usb port or Bluetooth capability.
daxraytech
2016-10-17T20:00:00
Well made product compared to other radios that I saw
Popymoose
2014-10-02T20:00:00
as advertised. love the fact that it only takes 4 AA's
scotty55
2014-09-09T20:00:00
Bought the radio as a gift for my sister, who picked it out online. She loves it! It was a gift for Christmas and, nine months later, it's still going strong. Excellent product!
JayGee
2014-08-17T20:00:00
Great little radio with good sound and easy to operate.
JohnElfW
2014-08-13T20:00:00
I am very pleased and happy with this portable radio. It is small enough to carry with me when I go fishing and gets very good reception. I couldn't be more pleased with this product. Thank you Sony!
Jaybird
2014-08-05T20:00:00
Sony quality! What else is there to say? It would be nice if things were made the way they used to be. When companies took pride in a quality product that they put their name on. It seems as though average or just good enough is the norm. You get what you pay for means more now then it ever did!
Reco
2014-06-08T20:00:00
this radio is not just any radio, it has great sound, reception, and features anywhere and everywhere. It has a tune indicator, and it is the best radio you could find in the sony department. It is so amazing, and the sony customer service fulfilled all my needs to order it and they were very helful kind and understanding. Thank you very much sony!!!!!!!! I walk everywhere with this radio... it has a power coed qand another option with 4 double a batteries. very good service.
forrest1626
2014-05-17T20:00:00
After reading internet reviews, bought this radio to easily carry from room to room in the house and for use in the garage. Good daytime AM reception, even get a couple of Los Angeles stations punching through 10.000 foot peaks to get to my location. Very good night AM reception. Regularly get stations from Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. FM reception good in my area. Overall, don't think you can get better value for the price.
top29
2014-05-02T20:00:00
This is the second unit that I buy. Excellent sound, excellent reception, and a sweetheart with the batteries. Double AA"s last ages. A simple design, no gimmicks, and a top recommendation for your desk, your kitchen or your bathroom, if you are concerned about the traffic news in the AM while you shave or put on your make-up.
juanUno
2014-05-02T20:00:00
Very pleased with this radio. Good quality for the price.
babsie
2013-08-20T20:00:00
For the price, couldn't get a better radio. It picks up stations much better than our old radio did. Very satisified with purchase.
Tothemax
2013-06-24T21:00:00
I was looking for a replacement for my aging and faltering portable radio. Looking at all the reviews and comments I decided to purchase this radio. It is indeed a perfect choice for an inexpensive but highly capable portable radio. I have no hesitation to recommend this radio to my friends and family.
Informed c.
2013-03-25T21:00:00
straight forward design, simple to use.
YOWNING Y.
2013-02-11T19:00:00
i find nothing at all wrong with the radio it is perfect will use this summer when i go fishing. also i need it for the car, my car radio is broken.
classical
2013-01-13T19:00:00
What a great radio! This thing is really clear and selective on FM (don't use much) and on AM, it has a surprisingly hot receiver. It picks up almost as many stations as my CC Radio EP. Sure, it doesn't have all the fine-tuning gizmos as the EP or nearly as big an AM antenna, but I can routinely listen to stations from: Winnipeg, Minneapolis, Denver, Nashville, Cincinnati, Chicago, Dallas etc... on the ICF-38. (I live in IL.) I love the feel of the radio, too. The tuning dial has a really high-quality feel (no backlash at all). There is no part of this radio that feels cheap. This was proven when my wife accidentally knocked off a 51/2 foot tall shelf onto our hardwood floor yesterday. I heard the radio hit the floor in from the basement and assumed it was a goner. Amazingly, the radio won the battle with the floor! Works fine - not a scratch! (I can't say the same for the floor...) Audio quality is wonderful for a relatively low-tech radio of this size. And the tone control switch really helps when listening to distant AM stations. Great emergency radio, too. I can fit an extra set of 4 AA batteries in the back compartment with the cord. DEFINITELY my favorite radio for the price. The unit is the definition of the phrase, "bang-for-the-buck"!
RadioNerd
2012-12-11T19:00:00
Great radio, good dimensions for portability,can tune into satellite stations with limited range to satellite tuner. (listen to my sirius channels on my patio outside).Unbelievable price for what you get.
GedWro
2012-09-04T20:00:00
I have an older model Sony portable radio and like it a lot. So, when it came time to purchase another one, I again turned to Sony. This is not a bad radio, but it is a major technoligical step backwards from the older model. This one has analog tuning. Sony should no longer make any radio without digital tuning. In addition, unlike my older Sony, this one has no presets, and no weather band. Sony products should become more technologically advanced with each new offering, not go back to what they sold my parents.
cagey
2012-06-30T20:00:00
My husband takes this from room to room, perfect for the games, weather, news. THis is perfect for someone who doesnt want something too complicated to use. Nice simple dial tuner, plug and play, no complicated digital tunning. This is a must for weather emergencies as well.
NycFH
2012-05-08T20:00:00
This is an outstanding radio for the price. Reception and sound quality is good, no station drift. I would recommend to anyone looking for a basic radio.
RCraig
2011-12-07T19:00:00
This is as simple as it gets, a compact radio with great reception no bells and whistles and it does what it's meant to do. If you want a basic radio for use in select rooms for discreet personal use, this is the one. I am only an FM listener so cannot speak to the AM reception. It picks up signal in places where more expensive, clunky, multi-purpose radio/cd/aux. systems do not. If you're looking for an "old fashioned" simple radio, you can't go wrong.
Bonker
2011-11-16T19:00:00
The Sony ICF-38 portable radio outputs marvelous sound and offers outstanding FM/AM reception for such a small portable. You will be shocked at how large, clear, and powerful the sound is coming from this diminutive radio. The analog tuning dial is extremely sensitive, selective, and accurate in its reception of adjacent frequencies along the crowded FM/AM dial in the radio market that I reside in. This Sony portable radio receives every FM/AM station that I care for perfectly, with static-free sound. AM DX reception during the nighttime hours is outstanding. The music sounds magnificent on the FM band. This Sony ICF-38 radio features an analog tuner, FM/AM reception, FM/AM dial scale, FM/AM log scale, bright green tuning marker, front panel FM/AM band selector switch, FM Band frequency range: 87.5-108 MHz, AM Band frequency range: 530-1710 kHz, illuminated red LED tuning indicator for easy station selection day or night, telescopic whip antenna for accurate FM reception, top panel telescopic antenna placement holder, built-in AM ferrite bar antenna for excellent AM talk radio quality, a wide-range 3-5/8" monaural speaker for powerful sound performance, 4-ohm rated monaural speaker, protective speaker grill, speaker cabinet, two-position high/low tone control provides appropriate tonal characteristics on both FM music broadcasts and AM talk show programs, rotary volume control for effortless amplifier output management, volume/power switch directional arrow indicator on right side panel, thumbwheel-style tuning knob, 3.5mm monaural earphone jack for private listening sessions when needed, earphone jack symbol, recessed fold-down carry handle for convenient transportation, lightweight design to accommodate any portable audio task, application, or environment, two tab-release battery compartment cover, rear battery compartment, DC battery terminals, 6V DC power rating, battery compartment cover groove for convenient AC power cord access, protective foam padding on battery compartment cover interior, 400mW total system output power at 10% THD, 120V, 60Hz, 4W AC power operation rating, separate power on/off slide switch, excellent build quality, polished black/silver exterior finish, rear panel air vent, bottom panel air vent, 4 rear panel case screws, 4 bottom panel plastic feet for secure placement on a table, place of manufacture sticker, handsome appearance, front panel silver colored Sony logo, white/black/blue front panel lettering, clear-type right side panel lettering, stylish product packaging, and it comes with operating instructions. The Sony ICF-38 radio offers class leading audio performance in its product category. The Sony ICF-38 portable radio is perfect for listening to my favorite news, sports, talk, weather, and music programs just about anywhere at any time. The Sony portable radio is powered by four AA cell batteries that rarely seem to get exhausted. I recommend the use of high-performance Duracell Ultra or Energizer Max alkaline batteries for maximum audio performance and battery life for this unit. The batteries should be removed from the battery compartment when this unit is placed into storage or if AC power is used as the main power source. The batteries should be replaced when the sound quality drops off dramatically or the radio fails to power on. Old and new batteries or different battery brands should not be installed in the battery compartment at the same time. A built-in AC power cord is included as an alternate power source for the radio. The installed batteries are automatically disconnected as a power source when the AC power cord is plugged into a wall outlet. The battery compartment is divided into two sections. The upper half contains two rows of battery terminals that hold 2 AA batteries each. Each row of AA batteries must be inserted in reverse polarity order. The lower half of the battery compartment features storage space for the included AC power cord. The battery compartment cover can be fully opened to remove batteries or the AC power cord, but it can't be detached. This unit's monaural earphone jack will only permit the user to hear audio out of the left side of a pair of stereo headphones. However, this issue can easily be corrected by connecting a 3.5mm monaural-to-stereo headphone plug adapter to the portable radio's earphone jack. The Sony portable radio does not offer TV band sound. The product dimensions are as follows: Width: 9-7/32", Height: 5-¼", Depth: 2-23/32", and Weight: 29.9 ounces. This unit comes with a one year parts and labor limited manufacturer warranty. The Sony ICF-38 FM/AM radio is UL listed. The design, features, and sound emanating from this Sony portable radio are brilliant. Good Luck. Enjoy.
Computerhobbyist
2011-09-10T20:00:00
Hurricane Irene left us with no power or water for 8 days, and w/o a battery powered radio (impossible to find in the stores around my area) it would have been horrendous. I went to my mothers during the hurricane and she still has her small Sony transistor radio from the early 1960's (older than me) which works PERFECTLY! Without this type of radio we would have been completely cut off from valuable info. This radio is the first thing I bought when the power came back on. It is critical that every household needs an item like this.
SweetTea12
2011-06-17T20:00:00
excellent! I could not tune am in my new house until I got this radio also sound in fm is excellent for size of radio...design is well thought out.
taylorborder
2011-05-20T20:00:00
SOUND AND RECEPTION ARE VERY GOOD. POWER OPTIONS GREAT. DIALS WELL THOUGHT OUT POSITION WISE. WELL BALANCED SOUND AT LO TONE SETTING. DESIGN IS EXCELLENT COMPARED TO THE COMPETITION. VOLUME RANGE IS EXCELLENT. TUNING LIGHT IS A WELCOME FEATURE. VERY PRECISE AM FM TUNING WITH DRIFT FREE FM RECEPTION. SONY PRODUCED AN EXCELLENT UNIT AT A LOW COST TO THE CONSUMER!
jadeobie1
2011-03-31T20:00:00
The Sony ICF-38 portable radio outputs marvelous sound and offers outstanding FM/AM reception for such a small portable. You will be shocked at how large, clear, and powerful the sound is coming from this diminutive radio. The analog tuning dial is extremely sensitive, selective, and accurate in its reception of adjacent frequencies along the crowded FM/AM dial in the radio market that I live in. This portable receives every FM/AM station that I care for perfectly with static-free sound. The AM DX reception during the nighttime hours is outstanding. The music sounds magnificent on the FM band. This Sony radio features an analog tuner, illuminated LED tuning indicator for easy station selection day or night, FM/AM dual band tuner, telescopic antenna for FM reception, built-in AM antenna, a wide range monaural speaker, two position tone control , volume control, tuning knob, band selection switch, earphone jack, carry handle, and power button. This Sony ICF-38 radio offers class leading audio performance in its product category. This radio is perfect for listening to your favorite news, sports, talk, weather, and music programs just about anywhere at any time. The Sony portable radio is powered by four AA cell batteries that rarely seem to get exhausted. A built-in AC power cord is included as an alternate power source for the radio. The design, features, and sound emanating from this radio are brilliant. Enjoy.
Computerhobbyist
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Mono
LED Tuning Indicator
Portable, with Built-in carrying handle
Bedroom, Kitchen, Living Room
AM, FM
AM: Built-in Ferrite Bar Antenna; FM
AM: 530-1710kHz; FM: 87.6-108MHz
Analog
1
Up to 80 hours (with Sony batteries)
AA x 4 batteries (optional)
400mW (at 10% harmonic distortion)
AC 120V, 60Hz, or DC 6V
3-5/8" (92mm)
9-7/32" x 5-1/4" x 2-23/32" (234 x 133 x 68.5mm)
1 lb 14 oz (848g) with batteries
027242733596
Solid radio!
By RadioNerd
What a great radio! This thing is really clear and selective on FM (don't use much) and on AM, it has a surprisingly hot receiver. It picks up almost as many stations as my CC Radio EP. Sure, it doesn't have all the fine-tuning gizmos as the EP or nearly as big an AM antenna, but I can routinely listen to stations from: Winnipeg, Minneapolis, Denver, Nashville, Cincinnati, Chicago, Dallas etc... on the ICF-38. (I live in IL.) I love the feel of the radio, too. The tuning dial has a really hig...
View full Review
SONY PORTABLE BRILLIANCE
By Computerhobbyist
The Sony ICF-38 portable radio outputs marvelous sound and offers outstanding FM/AM reception for such a small portable. You will be shocked at how large, clear, and powerful the sound is coming from this diminutive radio. The analog tuning dial is extremely sensitive, selective, and accurate in its reception of adjacent frequencies along the crowded FM/AM dial in the radio market that I live in. This portable receives every FM/AM station that I care for perfectly with static-free sound. The ...
View full Review
Perfect for the garage, porch, or anywhere around the house, this handy portable radio delivers crisp sound and simplified controls. The built-in carrying handle makes it convenient to carry and the illuminated LED tuner makes finding the right station fast and easy-even in low light.