Sony Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Radio (SRF-M37)

This is my second Sony portable radio, same model. I lost the first one in a move half way across the country. I use the second one while I am exercising in the morning to catch up on local and National news. The sound quality and light weight are two of the features I am most comfortable with. The ease in programming multiple am/fm stations adds to what I like about this portable radio. Once I’ve chosen a station I can activate the HOLD feature and the station is locked but I can adjust the volume within the HOLD function if I encounter a low reception spot. I also like the fact that I can be aware of sounds around me as I exercise when I walk in the street. I can hear cars approaching from behind without interfering with my listening pleasure. I usually wave to let them know I’m aware of them as they approach.One feature the radio doesn’t have is an audible warning when the battery is losing power. If I forget to check the battery level before I turn the radio on I’m not aware of the potential problem until the power fails and I’m left without the news update I enjoy so much. When I’m listening to late night radio usually in bed before sleep, it’s not an issue because I have spare batteries in the night stand. Obviously another solution when I’m going to be away from the house is to carry an extra battery with me. I do enjoy the functionality of the Sony am/fm portable radio so that’s what I expect I’ll do in future.The design is simple although almost elegant. I think I paid ~$40 for the Sony when I bought the second one a few years ago. I’ll buy it again if I lose it or it becomes unavailable due to damage. I’ve never had an issue such as a malfunction of any component. The radio is sturdy and reliable but I’m still careful to wear it clipped to my belt or a solid waistband. Yes, it comes with a good clip, which is a convenience as mentioned earlier.

When the electricity unexpectedly went out for three days, I realized I should have had a better solution for keeping in touch with the rest of the world; even though the three radios I had could use batteries already. For the two big radios, which I normally plug in, I would not likely have 8 C batteries at hand for the one, nor 6 D batteries for the other. The third radio, an mp3 player that happens to have FM radio tossed in, takes a single AAA, which I generally have plenty of, if only for remotes. But what I wanted was some news about the situation, and only found lots of music on FM.What I thought I might locate would be a smallish AM/FM digital radio which would take 4 AA or AAAs, because I had never seen a 1-battery mp3 player with AM, probably because the necessarily too tiny AM antenna would dictate ineffective reception. But I turned up this little guy, which lots of reviewers claimed had very good AM, and it does. Startlingly, it is getting the same AM reception as the big radios for all the radio stations I happen to know, and about as rotten for the distant, un-listenable and barely intelligible stations that I never listen to. The sound quality through the little earphones is definitely better than the sound of the big radios through their speakers. (I am not saying that notable high quality radios might not sound better, of course.) I may switch to walking around the house with this radio attached to me rather than unplugging and plugging the big radios where I go. IAC I am all set for a power outage.FM sounds good too.Hours on one AAA alkaline battery is said to be 35 for FM and 52 for AM.6 AM has presets. 12 presets in two groups of 6 presets for FM.It will keep settings for 3 minutes while you change batteries.It has a clock with AM PM for America (or 24 hour clock if set for non-America.)A simple method sets it back and forth between American and non-America radio standards and the clock.It has a switch to reduce stations that might overload the radio (which I have none of.)FM is not very selective near a few powerful stations, which show up across 2 or 4 adjacent channels. The reduction switch does not help this. My other radios are no better.It has a switch on top to ignore the buttons, so putting the radio in a pocket won't accidentally change anything.The volume is controlled by a continuous thumb dial on top, so no digital volume jumps.The battery door stays attached when it is opened, so you don't lose the door.AM uses an internal ferrite rod antenna. FM uses the earphone cord for an antenna.Instructions are clear, not encrypted in Chinglish. But if you are used to pressing buttons, you can operate just about everything without the instruction sheet.Tip: To open the battery door, do not press down hard like you would with most doors, because this one only latches harder that way. Do it lightly, hooking with a fingernail. That way, it is the easiest door to open I have ever seen.This was $25 at the time I bought it in 2017. Even then they were not making them anymore.

These little Walkman radios are GREAT! I have carried this particular model on dog walks for over 10 years, and its predecessor for over 10 years before that. In fact, I have bought several extra SRF-M37 units in case Sony quits manufacturing this model.Overview: Lightweight AM/FM/Weatherband with digital tuning. 5 presets for AM plus 2*5 presets for FM. FM has a Local/Distant switch on the side. This model comes with earbuds, but other variations have a headphone. Easily fits in pocket, or can clip to a T-shirt neck. Uses 1-AAA battery.Good points: Digital tuning is very selective. Very sensitive RF stage for distant stations (I live in Austin, but listen mostly to San Antonio stations). Clear bright sound. Built-in time-of-day clock keeps time very accurately. Unit is Very robust if dropped - a chest-high drop onto a hard surface that will kill a cellphone will seldom bother this unit. Battery life is about 50-60 hours (AM) on a single AAA battery; FM battery life is about 2/3 that. Battery easily replaced. Unit has a "Lock" switch that disables ALL buttons in case you want to carry it in a pocket where the buttons might be accidentally pressed.Bad point: Walking in rain can be a problem: Volume control is a thumbwheel on top of the unit - if water gets into it, it may kill the unit over time; all the buttons are pretty-well sealed to all water except total immersion. Ditto for the earbud minijack on the side. (If rain is possible, I carry a plastic bag to protect the unit, and this has virtually eliminated this water leakage problem.) (Minor: Have to turn off the radio to view the current time-of-day. I know, I know - live with it...)Recommendation: Buy this great little portable radio! You will not regret having it.