Chances are you’ve heard HD Radio ads on your local radio stations telling you how crystal clear the sound will be and how affordable it really is. Compared to satellite radio, there is no monthly fee but you will have to pay for the receiver. Today we’re taking a look an affordable home tabletop system from Sony, the XDR-S3HD.

Unlike HDTV which stands for High Definition Television, the HD in HD Radio stands for Hybrid Digital, not the high-definition moniker some have been led to believe.

At first glance, the design of the XDR-S3HD is very modern and minimalist, with a cherry-wood finish cabinet and an easy-to-read large backlit LCD on the front of the unit. On the back are two antenna ports for AM and FM radio, a headphone jack, and line-in port. Also on the back is a non-detachable power cord which oddly has also a power transformer hard-wired into the cord. It would have been nice to include a detachable power cord for easier portability around the house.

In terms of extra features, there really are none except for the line-in port and alarm clock (without a snooze button, by the way). A CD player would have been a nice touch. On the sound quality side, the XDR-S3HD isn’t the best but it isn’t the worst either. The “surround” setting on the radio just added more echo to the already lukewarm sound. The LCD displays the song information (if available) but this is already available on regular radio using RDS technology which most new cars already have built in.

The problem with HD Radio is that it isn’t readily available in all areas, and the quality of sound is still something to be desired over regular FM radio. We found that some HD Radio stations in our area were not clear and were dropping in and out. These problems aren’t singular to this particular model HD Radio either, all HD Radio’s will suffer from this problem due to the current infrastructure of the technology.

It seems like a much better decision to go with XM or Sirius satellite radio, since it is available nationwide and without interruption most of the time. If you still want to give HD Radio a try, the XDR-S3HD Tabletop HD Radio from Sony will set you back $200.

Pros

• Sleek, modern cherry-finish design.
• Large, easy to read LCD.
• Line-in port for connecting iPods, and other devices.
• Alarm and sleep timer options.

Cons

• No extra features such as a CD player or iPod dock.
• Non-detachable power supply.
• HD Radio technology is still fairly new and quality may vary by area.

Final Verdict

3.5 out of 5 stars.

Similar Reviews

• Jump on the satellite bandwagon with the XM XpressRC.
• Sony NWZ-A810 Video Walkman: An iPod nano Alternative
• Podcasting Series This Week!
• XtremeMac Tango Studio for iPod Review
• iConnect: XtremeMac Luna
• Logitech Wireless Music System Review
• iConnect: Logitech AudioStation Express
• The ultra-compact Sony VAIO G1.