Ronald wrote:

I enjoy listening to talk radio shows at night but find my current
Radio Shack unit lacking. I live in Malibu, CA and would enjoy
listening to talk shows out of New York, Chicago and other cities with
great hosts. CC Crane offers the Sangean CCRadio Plus for $165 but
before spending this much on an AM radio does anyone have first hand
experience with it. Is there any real need to spend $165 for an AM
radio.

First off, you're unlikely to hear anything east of the Rocky Mountains
except under rare propagation conditions. Likewise, people in Chicago
can't hear LA. The Rockies seem to act as a giant barrier for AM BCB
signals, cutting off the West from the East.