There are many different brands that produce shortwave radios available on the market these days. The key is to find the perfect brand that produces shortwave radios which suit you. Today, we will be showing you the three top shortwave radio models that the Grundig brand has been producing for decades.
You may have heard that the Grundig company has stopped working for some time and that many people thought their favorite radio brand is going to history, but, luckily, that’s not the case. Grundig brand is still up and running, and that’s exactly why we will be introducing you to these three Best Grundig Shortwave radio models above by Comparison Chart…
IMAGE | NAME | KEY FEATURES | PRICE | |
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Best overall
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Best overall
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1. Grundig Music 60 portable radios (GRN1500)
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Price on Amazon |
Editor’s Choice
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Editor’s Choice
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2. Grundig City 31- PR3201, GRN0290
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Price on Amazon |
3. Grundig Music 61 (GRN1400)
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Price on Amazon |
You will find out everything about these models, how do they work, and what is their price. Since you have met the models that we will be presenting you with today, we can start with the review.
But, before we do that, let’s give you some more information about the Grundig brand.
What are Grundig shortwave radios?
As you already know, shortwave radios are radios that are using shortwave radio frequencies that include most of the high-frequency bands. Grundig shortwave radios are just simply ordinary shortwave radios made by the German electronics company.
This company is one of the leader sellers in the whole of Europe, and in the US as well, when it comes to the shortwave radios. Besides manufacturing radios, they are also producing many other different devices such as TV recorders and hair care products.
What are Grundig shortwave radios being used for?
We have mentioned in the previous paragraph that Gruning shortwave radios are basic shortwave radios that could be used for receiving and transmitting high-frequency band signals. One of the best things about shortwave radios is that they are able to receive radio waves that are even on the other side of the Earth.
Grunig radios, in particular, are cheap, good-quality radios available to anyone.
The reviews of the three best Grundig shortwave radios
1. Grundig Music 60 portable radios (GRN1500)
The first model that we will be introducing you to is the GRN1500 one. As you can see from the pictures, this model is available in gray color only, and it has a very nice design. One of the best things about this radio is that it is portable and has a perfect size, as well as weight. You could easily carry it around without it getting in your way, or, you could place it on your desk.
There are many things this radio can do, and one of the most important things is that it is able to catch FM, MW, and RMS radio bands. It works on FM: 87.5à 108 MHz -MW: 526.5à 1606.6 kHz, frequencies which makes it a wide frequency range shortwave radio.
With this radio by your side, you will be able to listen to all of the most famous world’s radio stations. We must mention that this is an analog frequency tuner and that it has a tuning knob at the top of it. If you are a person that likes to listen to their music and radio shows privately, you will be able to do so just by connecting your headphones to it. Since this radio has a headphone jack on the side, that won’t be an issue.
Its batteries are able to last for a while before needing to be changed or recharged since it works on 4C batteries.
2. Grundig City 31- PR3201, GRN0290
We have come to the last model of Grundig radios that we will be showing you today, and we have left the simplest model for the end of the GRN0290.
There is nothing much we could say about this radio except that it is very small and convenient for carrying around. It could even fit into your hand. But, do not let its size fool you, even though it is kind of small, it has the ability to produce very powerful audio. We can thank the built-in speaker for that.
Besides that, headphones could also be used for listening to radio stations on this radio. The headphone jack is also built into it and can enable you a private listening session.
As you have assumed, this is an analog, and not a PLL synthesized shortwave radio, which means that you have all of the power to find radio stations that you want. Unlike the previous radio, this one does not contain a clock, nor a sleep timer since it also does not have an LCD screen.
But, on the other side, this radio is able to work on two 1.5V batteries, and, since it is an analog radio, these batteries could for sure last for days before they need to be charged again.
3. Grundig Music 61 (GRN1400)
The second model is a little bit of advanced and modern than the previous one. Namely, the GDN1400 is a PLL synthesized digital shortwave radio that contains an LCD screen. Everything is clearly readable off of the screen, and the little extra buttons for sure help with the navigation.
The good thing about this model is that you actually have the ability to tune it manually if you would want to do that sort of thing. Since it also has a tuning knob, you could easily turn it around until you find the right radio station.
But, if you are more of a person that likes modern items, you could let the radio itself do the tuning instead of you. There are also 10 radio station presets available which means that you can memorize your favorite radio station and have it available to you at your fingertips.
That LCD display that we were talking about previously contains all kinds of modern features such as an alarm and a buzzer. In other words, you could easily place this shortwave radio right on your nightstand and use it as an alarm.
We also wanted to mention that this model is able to work on batteries that are able to hold on for about five hours of active listening. Since this is a very lightweight radio, you can also carry it around with you if that is what you want to do.
How to choose the best Grundig shortwave radio for yourself?
You already know that choosing the right shortwave radio for yourself is super important. If you do not want to throw your money away, you should definitely learn to pay attention to some of the things about these radios. We will be giving you some of the most basic tips on how to choose the best shortwave radios for yourself and not make a mistake while purchasing it.
Of course, these simple tips should just keep you on the lookout, you should determine other important things that you are looking for in shortwave radio and stick to them. Here we go.
- You should know that there are different types of shortwave radios available
Before purchasing any shortwave radio, you should first do a little bit of research. You will probably find out that there are more types of shortwave radios than just one. By learning the types, you will be able to decide which kind of shortwave radio you need.
For example, you will have the option to choose from portable, desktop/tabletop, all-in-one, and SDRs shortwave radios. These are all different but their differences are not that huge. Go to your browser and search for all of these separately to inform yourself more about these types of radios.
- The battery duration
If you choose that you want a portable shortwave radio, for example, you need to make sure that their battery duration is quite long. On the other hand, if you are about to purchase a tabletop shortwave radio, no need to worry about the batteries since the radio will be connected to your power source via cable most of the time.
- Digital or analog radio, the question is now
Analog radios are known to be long-lasting radios that won’t drain your battery power that fast. While, on the other hand, digital shortwave radios have more accuracy, but, they are also most likely to break or freeze due to the digital display that they have.
Analog radios are simple radios that usually use a knob in order to be turned into a specific frequency band. Digital radios have the ability to tune into any kind of radio station with the most possible accuracy. So, basically, if you do not know which one of these to get, try finding a shortwave radio that has both analog and digital tuning, that might work for you.
What are some of the advantages of owning the best Grundig shortwave radio?
You could have seen from the review part of our article that Grundig radios have many special features that could offer you. With that being said, there are many different advantages of owning them. Of course, this is a matter of perspective, what’s an advantage for us might not be such a big deal for you, and in reverse. So, let us know what is the most thing that you like about any Grundig shortwave radio model, and we will let you know the best advantage of owning any Grundig shortwave radio model from our perspective.
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They can receive frequencies that are thousands of miles away from them
The definition of shortwave radios says that these types of radios are able to catch signals from all around the world. That is possible due to the reflection of waves. Unfortunately, not many shortwave radio-producing brands are able to fulfill that, and some shortwave radios can only receive a small number of signals.
Luckily, the Grundig brand is nothing like that, and their radios are truly able to catch a wide range of frequencies. We did not believe that ourselves either until we have tested the three models from today’s review. The way that these models work is really fascinating. And, the Grundig company is for sure one of the top shortwave radio sellers for a good reason.
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Being affordable is one of their traits
When it comes to the pricing of the Grundig radios, we can say that they for sure belong to the affordable group of shortwave radios. On top of that, these models are the perfect example of when the quality and the pricing are in the same range resulting in wildly selling radio models.
If you search the web for a little bit, you will for sure stumble upon many other shortwave radio brands which make their products overpriced. Yes, some of those devices are, without any doubt, awesome and have awesome features, but, that’s usually not the case.
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The Grundig models are awesome for newcomers in the radio universe
If you are about to step into a world of shortwave radios, and you need to have a good unit to start off and learn how to use it, the Grundig models are perfect for that. Not only will their simple functions and easy-to-use displays make your learning a lot easier, but you will also start to love this hobby, and it might eventually turn into your real-life passion!
Recommended reading:
Final words of Grundig Shortwave radio reviews
As you can see, it’s a really great thing that the Grundig brand hasn’t stopped working completely, or we would not have so many brands to choose our shortwave radios from. Shortwave radios are delicate devices, and can sometimes require your attention. It may take some time to learn how they function and how to use them properly, but, if you are a beginner looking for a new hobby, this will be a piece of cake for you.
We think that even though shortwave radios have been more popular in the previous century, there is a whole community of people still using them widely today. There’s nothing better than keeping up with the tradition and letting the newer generations discover the true beauty of shortwave radios.
Whichever shortwave radio you might end up buying, were it be Tecsun, Grundig, or some other, we are sure that you will enjoy using it!
FAQs related to Grundig shortwave radio
Q-1. What happened to Grundig radios?
After investing money in building themselves new headquarters, the Grundig brand has gone into bankruptcy. That happened back in 2003, and people were slowly thinking that it was time to say goodbye to their favorite radio brand.
Q-2. What is the best Grundig shortwave radio to buy?
There are many different Grundig radios available for purchase. Our personal shortwave Grundig favorite is definitely the GRN1500 model since it has many awesome features, and comes in great size. You can see the full review for this model above.
Q-3. Are Eton and Grundig the same company?
Generally speaking, the Eton brand is an independent brand of the Grundig company. The Eton company works under Gruning’s license for shortwave radios.
Q-4. Is Grundig shortwave radio still available?
Yes, Grundig radios are still available for purchase even after their bankruptcy. They have stood up on their feet and are, once again, leading sellers of shortwave radios.
Photo: amazon.com