Favorite headphone radio - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

agardiner · 13th Oct 2020, 1:48 pm

So a quick general discussion. What is your favorite radio to enjoy listening on headphones?

I have been conducting some tests over the weekend on how different radios sound when listening privately. Although not excluded I am not personally counting DAB listening here, as the appalling bit rates of most stations make them sound terrible anyway. But I certainly can enjoy listening to AM on headphones.

Of interest though, I have noted that many more vintage transistor sets sound far better than most modern ones. Modern sets can sound very good on their speakers, but plug in earbuds or headphones and they seem to lack luster and sound sort of flat. I wonder if many of the modern amp chips are to blame, as give a decent push pull 2 transistor stage and the sound seems 'wider'. Also perhaps, older sets have slightly less bandwidth on FM and soften the harshness that a lot of stations seem to broadcast with?

So what's your favorite? My overall go to set, (fairly modern!) is a Robert R9995 pocket set. Perhaps ones designed for headphones are the best?

G6Tanuki · 13th Oct 2020, 2:59 pm

I'd have to say either my RCA AR88 or my RACAL RA217.

Headphones? The classic Airlite-62 of course. If they're good-enough for Concorde-pilots they're good-enough for me! I've got a set here without the boom-mic for when I only need to listen and not speak.

[IMHO the _worst_ headphones are the WWII-era military DLR/DHR types with ebonite ear-caps and a crazily-strong steel-wire spring to keep the ear-caps clamped hard against your lug'oles. After wearing them for half an hour your ears are really paindul; how intercept-operators managed to put up with having to wear them for hours at a time, day-in day-out, totally escapes me]

agardiner · 13th Oct 2020, 3:10 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

I'd have to say either my RCA AR88 or my RACAL RA217.

Nice!

Quote:

[IMHO the _worst_ headphones are the WWII-era military DLR/DHR types with ebonite ear-caps and a crazily-strong steel-wire spring to keep the ear-caps clamped hard against your lug'oles. After wearing them for half an hour your ears are really paindul; how intercept-operators managed to put up with having to wear them for hours at a time, day-in day-out, totally escapes me]

Imagine using them on a DAB radio tuned to an 64Kbps broadcast.

ThePillenwerfer · 13th Oct 2020, 3:24 pm

Whatever DAB's failings for me it's the only thing that's any good on headphones. VHF stereo is a non-starter and for Mono movement tends to loose the signal so negates the whole portability thing. On DAB I may get the odd bit of bubbling mud but far less than the problems on VHF. Mobile 'phone, wi-fi and an internet stream would be second choice.

My favourite device is a 'Bush' DAB/VHF/MP3 thing.

Brigham · 15th Oct 2020, 10:07 am

Anything with a crystal detector is fine by me...

Graham G3ZVT · 15th Oct 2020, 7:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brigham

Anything with a crystal detector is fine by me...

Probably not what the OP had in mind, but for me headphone reception would include, in chronological order:

The crystal set my dad built with a pair of BBC headphones (actually Ericsson)
http://www.richardsradios.co.uk/ericsson.html

The next milestone was my Philips Electronic Engineer kit, and the pair of headphones I used with it. Not part of the kit, a lightweight plastic pair bought separately.

Next I suppose was a pair of DLR No 5 that I used with my R107 receiver

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/mil_gb...s_dlr_no5.html

I actually had two pairs of these, the other one came with a Class D wavemeter and had a lower impedance.
Neither were comfortable to wear.

13th Oct 2020, 1:48 pm	#1
agardiner Octode Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Thetford, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 1,741	Favorite headphone radio So a quick general discussion. What is your favorite radio to enjoy listening on headphones? I have been conducting some tests over the weekend on how different radios sound when listening privately. Although not excluded I am not personally counting DAB listening here, as the appalling bit rates of most stations make them sound terrible anyway. But I certainly can enjoy listening to AM on headphones. Of interest though, I have noted that many more vintage transistor sets sound far better than most modern ones. Modern sets can sound very good on their speakers, but plug in earbuds or headphones and they seem to lack luster and sound sort of flat. I wonder if many of the modern amp chips are to blame, as give a decent push pull 2 transistor stage and the sound seems 'wider'. Also perhaps, older sets have slightly less bandwidth on FM and soften the harshness that a lot of stations seem to broadcast with? So what's your favorite? My overall go to set, (fairly modern!) is a Robert R9995 pocket set. Perhaps ones designed for headphones are the best?

13th Oct 2020, 2:59 pm	#2
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,998	Re: Favorite headphone radio I'd have to say either my RCA AR88 or my RACAL RA217. Headphones? The classic Airlite-62 of course. If they're good-enough for Concorde-pilots they're good-enough for me! I've got a set here without the boom-mic for when I only need to listen and not speak. [IMHO the _worst_ headphones are the WWII-era military DLR/DHR types with ebonite ear-caps and a crazily-strong steel-wire spring to keep the ear-caps clamped hard against your lug'oles. After wearing them for half an hour your ears are really paindul; how intercept-operators managed to put up with having to wear them for hours at a time, day-in day-out, totally escapes me]

13th Oct 2020, 3:24 pm	#4
ThePillenwerfer Octode Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,453	Re: Favorite headphone radio Whatever DAB's failings for me it's the only thing that's any good on headphones. VHF stereo is a non-starter and for Mono movement tends to loose the signal so negates the whole portability thing. On DAB I may get the odd bit of bubbling mud but far less than the problems on VHF. Mobile 'phone, wi-fi and an internet stream would be second choice. My favourite device is a 'Bush' DAB/VHF/MP3 thing. __________________ "Experts are only good at one thing: explaining why something will not work!"

15th Oct 2020, 10:07 am	#5
Brigham Octode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Co. Durham, UK. Posts: 1,117	Re: Favorite headphone radio Anything with a crystal detector is fine by me...