Home > Consumer Reviews > Grundig YB400PE AM/FM Shortwave Radio

This, along with the Sony ICF-7600G are among the two best portable shortwave radios offered by Amazon at this time. Both have their advantages and it is up to the user what is most important. The Grundig YB-400 is a fairly easy to use radio that allows the user to punch in the desired frequency, enter it into one of 40 memories, or scan desired bands to find a station of interest. The Grundig's best asset is its great audio. It is definitely the best audio I've heard from a shortwave portable and makes listening a real pleasure. If you live or travel to any part of the world other than Europe or eastern North America the Grundig YB-400 is the best you can buy. If you live in one of those two places consider the Sony, which has a synch. detector that allows you to reduce interference from adjacent stations. This is important in areas where there are a high number of strong stations crowded next to one another. In any case, both are well worth the money.

There must be something really special about a portable world band radio that's loved by seasoned "DXers" without scaring away novice listeners. The Grundig YB400PE World Receiver definitely has it.

There isn't a part of the world where this radio won't be able to tune in SOMETHING. It covers all of the current and proposed world band frequencies, all of the European and North American medium wave ("AM") band including the Travelers' Information Service frequencies at the top of the scale, FM (in stereo through headphones) and even the rare long wave band.

Yet, using the radio couldn't be simpler. Look up a world band station in a guide like Passport to World Band Radio, enter its frequency on the YB400PE's keypad, press the FREQ./METER button and BINGO! If it's on the air and you're in an area where the signal reaches, you're there. If you like to surf the airwaves, the up-and-down tuning buttons and 2 speed scanning (1 kHz or 10 kHz steps) let you sample what's out there almost as easily as with a tuning knob. The 40 station memories provide more slots than most listeners will need for their favorite stations.

Like all of Grundig's better radios, the YB400PE produces remarkable sound for such a small package. No, it won't rumble the floor and rattle the windows like a Bose WaveRadio but it WILL fill a living room with a pleasing sound that won't tire out the listener.

When you're ready for REAL listening adventure, explore the mysterious world of utility stations and amateur radio in single sideband. The YB400PE's analog fine tuner is famous for turning the typical "Donald Duck" sound of voices in SSB into intelligible speech.

For listeners in Europe and the east coast of the USA, the telescoping antenna will provide sufficient signal-pulling power. For listeners farther west (or east-coasters trying to tune in stations from the Pacific), Grundig throws in a roll-up "clothesline" wire antenna. The YB400PE has 2 electronic clocks with a 24-hour alarm, allowing it to keep both local time and world time. Stereo ear "buds" and an AC adapter complete the package.

Many people buy the YB400PE, thinking they'll move up to something better down the road. Most, however, are delighted to find out they bought the right radio first.

Among the best consumer world band radios available today, and the finest low-cost radio I have owned in over twenty years of listening.

This is great all-around radio. If you are new to short-wave, this is an very good radio to start with. For beginners, the lock-on tuning and scanning functions make listening easy. For more experienced and adventurous listeners, there is the ability to access single sideband transmissions. All current and proposed medium-wave, FM, and short-wave bands are available.

The speaker sound is excellent, and one can also attach stereo speakers to the YB400's headphone jack; my YB400 does double duty as an FM tuner and short-wave.

The Grundig YB400 comes as part of a very complete package. Included with the radio is an AC adapter, stereo earbuds, carrying case, and an external reel antenna that plugs into the radio itself. The manual is brief but clear, and a listening guide is also included.

Great sensitivity and sound in a small radio.

Very simple to operate.

It's to be compared with the Sony 7600G, in choosing a portable, its chief competitor. You can't go wrong with either one.

The YB400 audio is much better than the Sony, and the operation is easier than the Sony.

The interference rejection however is better in the Sony because of the Sony's synch detector, if interference of strong stations is a consideration, or if ``selective fading,'' common on shortwave or twilight AM broadcasting, where the carrier fades below the sidebands causing distortion, is a problem. This is also solved by synch detection.

If distance daytime AM listening is desired, the Sony with its fast AGC is better than the YB400 with its slow AGC, because you can add a MW loop (Select-a-tenna, Terk Loop, or Radio Shack MW loop) and tune it successfully with a fast AGC. It's difficult to tune with the YB400's slow AGC, though sometimes you can turn the switch to local and disable the AGC temporarily to do it.

(Slow AGC gives you an edge in copying interfering morse code stations, however, because the louder station won't modulate the weaker one on the YB400, and it will on the Sony.)

For strong stations, pick the YB400 for the audio. For interference or AM distance listening with a MW loop, pick the Sony.

While I'm not exactly a shortwave hobbyist I've used shortwave radios on every one of my travels overseas. That being said the YB 400 PE is the best SW I've ever had. This Grundig brings a lot of features to the table such as digital tuning, forty presets, great capture of stations and above average sound. I've really enjoyed using the 400 and its great features.

One complaint I had was that the manual that accompanies it does an inadequate job of explaining some of the functions and the pre-sets are all inclusive, that is it's forty pre-sets for all bands FM/SW/LW/MW rather than per band. But these are small things that shouldn't take away from the overall excellence of the radio.

I'm getting ready to go on an extended trip to the third world and the Grundig YB 400PE is at the top of my packing list.