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Panasonic SHOCKWAVE Portable Headphone Radios are rugged enough to withstand shock and vibration. Plus they're water-resistant. So if your life is action-packed, pack a player that lives for action. The RF-SW50S has a built-in Digital Tuner that lets you listen to FM or AM radio. You can even program up to 20 stations into the player's preset memory for easy access while you're on the move.
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Chicago, IL on 8/16/2008
Use it while commuting on the train. Gets good reception inside.
from Washington, Pa on 6/25/2008
Easy to use, lightweight, great sound.
from Los Alamos, New Mexico on 4/4/2008
Having purchased the Sangean DT-110, 120, 180 and the 200VX as well as the Sony SRF-37V and SRF-M97 (as well as several Kaito radios, including the KA11, KA1102, etc.), I can readily say that the Panasonic Rf-SW50S is the best radio to use for listening in the close proximity of computing and related RF (Radio frequency) noise generating equipment. The Panasonic is very ruggedly made and has a very nice display (no clock or automatic turnoff however) with battery status and lock switch status indicated (even if turned off and also just when it is turned on as well as afterwards too) and 20 individual presets (10 total on am and 10 total on fm chosen in two user selectable operating modes, i,e, mode1 and mode2), etc. In addition, I really like the very high quality of the sound of the Panasonic shock wave radio (it also comes with a deep bass boost switch) and the useful DX/local FM sensing switch (with standard city interference or normal DX settings). I also think the AM reception is excellent and strong (I hear Denver from here easily at night). This is equally true of the fm stations, both inside and outside of buildings contrary to some other reviews. The Sangean DT-110 is the next best radio to use near computing machinery, but its fm reception is better than its am/mw reception probably because of its very small size. The presets on the RF-SW50S are very easy to set and chosen with a single key press just like on the SRF-37V. Tuning on the Panasonic is a little clunky compared especially to the Sangean DT-110 with its automatic scan and seek capabilities, but it is nevertheless still very usable with a single switch type button to either be pressed and held to choose the operating mode or also using a separate rotating motion (either clockwise or counterclockwise) for am/fm station tuning. The one drawback I can see with this arrangement is the constant beeping noise during the tuning of the radio (and tuning can only be done in a manual mode by directly holding down the button or by using a single key press at a time in order to advance or retreat by one small step in frequency). From other reviews it seems advisable to purchase an extended warranty too, since it only has a one year warranty. It is now very ironic to me after much time and effort that the lowest priced unit of all the pocket radios also gets the best reception close to computers, monitors, electric lighting and motors, etc. Now, who would have thought of that in advance?
from wayne, nj on 3/5/2008
this radio is small and lightweight - easy to use in dim light- battery has long life