Tuesday, October 25, 2011

ETON G2000A AM/FM Shortwave Radio

This Grundig G2000A portable radio has been Factory Refurbished to perform as new. There may be minor surface blemishes. The radio comes with 1-Year Grundig Warranty coverage. Grundig G2000A Porsche Design is an attractive portable AM, FM, shortwave radio, artfully designed by F.A. Porsche. Shortwave tunes from 2.3-7.4 and 9.4-26.1 MHz via Up/Down buttons, auto search, direct keypad entry or via 20 memories (5 for MW, 5 for FM, 5 for SW1 and 5 for SW2). Tuning the world couldn't be simpler. G2000A also has a built-in digital quartz clock, with sleep timer, and alarm that wakes you to a beep or to the radio. Features include: lock button, 9/10 kHz medium wave step and stereo/mono switch. An earphone output jack and the 4.5 VDC power input jack are conveniently located at the left side of the radio. The G2000A features a case, stereo earbuds and Grundig Shortwave Guide. It uses 3 AA batteries or an AC adapter (both are not included). Clock with alarm mode Sleep timer mode Requires 3 AA batteries for operation (not included) May also operate with optional AC adapter (not included)

Amazon Sales Rank: #34868 in Consumer Electronics Brand: Eton Model: G2000A Design by F.A. Porsche of Germany on the outside, and technology from Grundig on the inside Weighs just seven ounces and measures five inches across Digital frequency readout displays accurate frequency stepping for all three bands -- AM, FM, and shortwave Tuning handled by up/down buttons, auto-scan, and a numeric keypad Stereo headphone jack

Amazon.com Review If you're looking for a solid pocket radio, and you think you might enjoy tuning in broadcasts from around the globe, then the Grundig G2000A World Receiver might be the choice for you. As the big brother to the G1000A, this radio packs lots of value and added functionality into a handheld radio that lets you listen to stations near and far. A stylish, pocket-sized way to bring clear AM/FM, and limited shortwave radio reception anywhere you go. View larger. A sleek leather case protects the radio. View larger. Band selection on the top. View larger. Small enough to take anywhere. View larger. Design and Controls Measuring 5.5 x 3.6 x 1.4 inches, and weighing under 12 ounces, the G2000A is certainly in the pocket-sized radio category. Notably, this radio was designed by F.A. Porsche and features a stylish, snap-on leather case. The case protects your radio, and also doubles as a handy fold-back stand that makes it easy to position the radio in an upright position on your desk or coffee table. You can even snap the cover closed, and the thoughtful design does not hinder access to the antenna, speaker, or power button. Most of the action can be found on the front of the unit, where you'll find a direct frequency entry keypad, as well as buttons for auto-scanning (hold down the "H" or "M" tuning buttons for a moment, and the auto-scan takes over), power, meter (shortwave band selection), sleep, memo/time set, and alarm. In addition, the front of the unit features a slide-switch that locks the keypad, and another that allows you to select between radio and buzz for the alarm. All of these controls, as well as the LCD display, are arranged to the right of the G2000A's built-in speaker. On the left side of the G2000A you'll find a 3.5mm connector for headphones and a DC jack power port. Grundig has included a set of earbud-style earphones for private listening right out of the box, or the small, built-in speaker on the front of the device allows you to share broadcasts with other listeners. In addition to the power port and headphone jack, this side of the radio also sports a mono/stereo slide-switch. The top of the unit features the slide volume control and a switch for FM, MW (commonly known as AM), SW1, and SW2. The SW1 position holds six shortwave band selections, and the SW2 holds seven. Once you select SW1 or SW1, you can then scroll through various bands with the meter button on the front of the unit. The G2000A also features a telescoping antenna on top of the unit that extends to over 20 inches for FM and shortwave reception, and there is a built-in ferrite bar antenna for AM reception. In addition to AC power (not included), the G2000A can also run off of three AA batteries. LCD Display The G2000A's display is crisp and clear, with a clean layout that makes it easy to control the radio's tuning, clock, and timer functions. When the radio is off, the display shows the time of day. When the radio is on, the display shows the frequency, but if you want to check the time or alarm settings, simply press the mode button to scroll through the other settings. This doesn't disturb your broadcast, and it allows you to check the time without turning the unit off -- a nice touch for a pocket-sized radio. Selecting shortwave meter bands is a breeze with this display, as you simply push the meter button until the meter you want is displayed on the screen. The radio's memories are easy to browse and recall on the display, as well. The display provides other icons for even greater information. For example, two arrows in the upper left-hand corner light up when a station is correctly tuned; a small infinity sign indicates stereo reception for FM; the word "alarm" appears on the screen when the alarm is set, and a small bell or musical note indicate a buzz or radio wake-up. The G2000A even has an empty battery icon that lets you know when your radio is almost out of juice. You can also press the light button on the front of the device for viewing the display in the dark. However, the light feature shuts off if you lift your finger from the button, making it difficult to change settings or tune the unit in the dark. We would have liked to see a light that turned on and off with the press of a button, as opposed the G2000A's wristwatch-style illumination. Tuning Options Tuning the G2000A is straightforward. The radio tunes MW, FM and shortwave signals, and you can choose from manual, auto-scan, or direct frequency entry modes. If you're new to shortwave, auto-scan will quickly become your friend. With it, we quickly made discoveries, and heard stations from all over the world -- although our limited language skills made it difficult to always know exactly to whom or what we were listening! We found the manual, up/down button press-tuning the most laborious, but with it, very meticulous tuning is possible. The G2000A allows you to program 20 stations into the memory, five on each band. Considering the impressive memory system of some other pocket-sized radios (many will store over 500 frequencies), we were a little disappointed with the G2000A's station storage. However, once stored, recalling the memories is pretty easy, thanks to a straightforward on-screen interface. Pros Very compact, given the radio's features and reception quality Clear layout of functions on the LCD Simple, accurate shortwave tuning Cons Unimpressive, wristwatch-style illumination Limited memory for station storage What's in the Box G2000A radio, leather snap-on case, earphones, shortwave guide, and owner's manual. Amazon.com Review Grundig's G2000A world receiver is made of solid plastic that's at once lightweight and durable. Also known as the Yacht Boy, this little silver box, with "Design by F.A. Porsche" inscribed above the speaker grille, is one of those cliché "marvels of German engineering" that goes back to the golden age of hi-fi. We fed the Yacht Boy a trio of AA batteries, pushed the power button, and tuned in a local FM talk-radio station, which came through relatively clearly. Up and down arrows allowed us to tune the talk show in with precise single-step adjustments, while the lock switch ensured that the signal wouldn't fade away. We picked up a total of 11 clear FM stations. We were less successful with the SW world-band switch. When used from our location in Seattle, the world-band switch only pulled in faint broadcasts from China and Eastern Europe. Sound quality through the 1.5-inch mono speaker is really quite impressive compared to most radios, but the supplied stereo earbuds are no substitute for a snug pair of headphones. That said, the earbuds take up very little space in a handbag or brief case, and you can bundle them up so they won't get damaged. The G2000A sports several other features that make it ideal for traveling. It has a dual LED clock you can set with two time zones; an alarm clock you can switch to either radio or buzzer; a sleep mode; and a light button that illuminates the display in green. Admittedly, it's the trademark German design that sets this masculine Grundig radio apart from other portables, which often have more colorful and youthful aesthetics. A snap-on tan leather case protects the Yacht Boy, converting it from a utilitarian European appliance into a mature traveling companion with world-class style.--Eric Gill Pros: Very good FM tuner Lots of features that make it an ideal travel alarm clock/radio Durable despite its lightweight plastic mold Leather case doubles as a stand for better sound dispersion Cons: Unimpressive world-band reception from our location With a design by F.A. Porsche of Germany on the outside, and technology from Grundig on the inside, the G2000A World Receiver is the perfect blend of form and function. A precise digital tuner, a multifunction LCD, a full range speaker, drop-dead good looks, and a whole lot more combine to make this radio the perfect companion for globetrotters or anyone who wants to tune into the world. Design and Controls Not only does the G2000A look great, it's also tiny. Weighing in at just seven ounces, and measuring just five inches across, the unit is diminutive enough to take anywhere. An included stylish leather case also serves as a stand for the radio. The G2000A's integrated three-inch speaker offers full-range sound while the digital frequency readout displays accurate frequency stepping for all three bands -- AM, FM, and shortwave. The bright LCD with a temporary backlight also displays clock and alarm info. Precise tuning is handled by up/down buttons, auto-scan, and a numeric keypad that enables direct frequency entry. Controls for band selection, volume, and alarm clock settings are also arrayed on the front panel. A built-in telescopic antenna handles FM and shortwave reception, and there's a built-in ferrite bar antenna for AM. Tuning and Bands In addition to a full range of FM and AM frequencies, the G2000A offers shortwave tuning from 2.30-7.4 MHz and 9.4-26.1 MHz. The radio is built with high-quality tuner circuitry and a digital PLL tuner that maximizes accuracy. The radio also offers 20 programmable memory presets, so you can tune into your favorite stations in a jiffy. Connections and Power The G2000A comes equipped with a stereo headphone jack so you can listen to FM broadcasts in stereo. Stereo earphones are provided. The unit can be powered with an AC adapter (not included), or via three "AA" batteries. Extras An integrated alarm clock allows you to wake to a tone or a radio broadcast, while a sleep timer will shut the radio off after a set interval. What's in the Box G2000A radio, leather snap-on case, earphones, shortwave guide, and owner's manual.

Most helpful customer reviews 63 of 63 people found the following review helpful. Beautiful radio with average performance By Christopher Nieman In recent years, no other portable shortwave radio has rated quite as high on the "neato" scale as the Grundig G2000A. This Grundig's two best design features are its Porsche-designed cosmetics and its handy leather carrying "case." These things alone are cool enough to inspire almost any shortwave listener to want one and have fun using it.The radio's performance isn't quite as great as its beauty, however. For its small size, it performs fine with an external antenna, but less well with the aerial. Its sensitivity is decent, and selectivity is passable. But don't expect a listening experience on par with rivals within its price class ($100-$150). Bottom line is, you're paying more for the looks than anything else. If performance is what you desire, keep looking.I give it less than four stars for several reasons. First, it fails to cover the entire shortwave spectrum from 1600 khz to 30 mhz. That's a big drawback among today's digital radios. Second, the keypad is awkward to use, even though it looks fabulous. Third, the software provides a measly 10 memory positions for shortwave, which is okay if you only listen to the major broadcasters.Nevertheless, the G2000A is an aesthetically nice radio that's fun to operate for casual listening. For a novice listener, I'd recommend something simpler. If you're a more serious, demanding listener, you probably already have something else. I enjoy using it because it reminds me of my dad's old Zenith Royal 500E, which has a great leather case. I like this Grundig, but I'm glad it isn't my only one. 46 of 46 people found the following review helpful. Don't do it By A Customer A lot money was thrown away on a cheap, designer-label radio of transister-radio quality. I was looking for a nice, compact, quality radio which could also receive news from the various hotspots of the world. I researched numerous travel radios in all price ranges and various web sites: Grundig's G2000A was the winner. Not.First, reception on any short-wave band is non-existent and the lo-fi FM sound was an even greater disappointment. To date, hubby, master of all bathroom radios, uses only one FM station and occasionally one AM station. Worse yet, he still travels with his Sharper Image radio, which cost half as much and has many more useful features as a radio and, of course, its quality sound and reception leave the G2000A biting the dust.Finally, the G2000A's fine leather cover with its fancy logo interferes with operation of the radio, so it rests peacefully in a closet. Which Grundig design engineer fell asleep at the wheel of this feature? 42 of 42 people found the following review helpful. A good little radio ... within it's limitations By A Customer I bought the Grundig G2000A radio to be a light weight travel companion radio that doubles as an alarm clock. Within those boundaries it's been great. The radio also has sporty looks with the Porsche design and nifty leather cover. It picks AM and FM fine and has adequate sensitivity. As a short wave radio, it only serves to pick up STRONG short wave offerings. If you want to do some serious short wave listening, this is not the radio for you. It has old style spectrum seperations of SW1 and SW2 that do not cover the entire short wave spectrum. Most annoying was needing to make short wave entries in wavelengths vice frequencies. Most annoying indeed!I use it as a travel alarm clock/radio. It's looks are snazzy enough to make a fashion statement. It picks up any local station that I want. When I want serious short wave radio on the road, I bring my Yacht Boy 400. Shopping around can net you this radio at much less than the suggested prices. See all 32 customer reviews...

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