FM Radio under $100 - Can't Find Anything That Comes Close to Google Mini Sound Quaity

Saul Goodman on 17/06/2022 - 09:57

I'm looking for a FM radio I can have in the garage and have on at all times but I'm struggling with finding anything that does not sound terrible. Preferred budget is under $100.

I've tried all the K-Mart ones but the sound was so static on all of them. I even tried a $100 Panasonic https://www.amazon.com.au/Panasonic-Tuner-RF-D10GN-K-Portabl… which I thought also sounded terrible and returned it.

The Panasonic one I thought would be good according to the reviews but I am confused AF. It says high quality sound, but I thought my Google Mini sounded 100x better.

Can anyone help suggest something?

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • Archi on 17/06/2022 - 10:07
    +2

    is there a reason why you couldn't just use a google mini ?

    • Saul Goodman on 17/06/2022 - 10:19

      It just won't stay on in the garage this is even with 3 x eero in the house.

      • jv on 17/06/2022 - 11:29
        +2

        put another eero in the garage.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 17/06/2022 - 10:11

    Probably sound staticky because of the crappy antennas they have in them.

    I assume you are not using the Google Mini because you are out of range of your Wifi Setup? So many Radio stations have streaming available through their own app, or via Tunein, I Heart Radio etc or even off their website. I had a Bush DAB which had decent reception TR82, which I think has a 3.5mm Output.

    • ESEMCE on 17/06/2022 - 10:49
      +1

      Plus a shed is a pseudo Faraday Cage, so signal strength plummets.

      I use an old 90's era 3 disc, double cassette deck, mini system hooked into a TV antenna.
      Sounds great.

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 17/06/2022 - 10:52

        I was going to suggest hooking into an old TV antenna (preferably external).

      • jv on 17/06/2022 - 11:30

        Plus a shed is a pseudo Faraday Cage, so signal strength plummets.

        put it next to the window.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 17/06/2022 - 10:27
    +2

    what about BT speaker and just stream from your phone. I had similar issue with my google mini in my garage gym so just swapped to an anko sound motion plus that was on super special last month for $80 and it beats the google mini sound 6 ways from sunday.

    My google home's, mini's and lenovo smart devices all have similar issues with random stopping during long stream sessions 1hr + for example, even with excellent wifi. One google mini is literally 2m from my router -_ -

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 17/06/2022 - 10:36

      Maybe it's the Router (or it's settings)?

  • Presence on 17/06/2022 - 10:45
    +2

    Any random old boom box and plug into external antenna?

  • GG57 on 17/06/2022 - 11:01
    +1

    You can't compare the sound of FM radio and that from a streaming device. Different technologies.
    Your FM radio reception could be affected by any number of things.
    You could look at a DAB radio solution; depends where you are and the reception.

    As others do, I stream from my phone to a bluetooth speaker in the shed.

    • ESEMCE on 17/06/2022 - 11:12
      +1

      FM has better audio fidelity than most (if not all?) DAB+… as DAB+ broadcasts at low bitrates so they can squeeze in more channels.

      Plus, DAB requires a perfect signal to avoid stutter or no sound, wheras FM will cope with far more signal loss albeit with an accompanying loss in fidelity.

  • AndyC1 on 17/06/2022 - 12:08
    +2

    Get a used boom box from the 80's with detachable speakers or 80's sound system on Gumtree.

    The FM radio is not the problem. The speakers are the issue.

  • payless69 on 17/06/2022 - 12:28
    -4

    FM is legacy. Now we got corrutobanese the transmitter boys run away with a few millions, hence the static!

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