Dear Mike,

You are quite correct in your assertions. I myself have been impressed
by the specifications of the Eton E1. However, I have not bought one
and do not plan to buy one in the near future for the following
reasons:

It has no MW Ferrite antenna. This, I understand, is due to digital
"hash" that cannot be corrected and would be picked up by such an
antenna.

It has no handle nor is there any easy or convenient way of adding one
to the radio.

Those two points are significant to me but relatively minor. The major
problem I have is:

It does not feature DRM, DAB (Canadian or European), or IBOC. (I
personally have no interest in any form of "pay" radio. In my opinion
it is only a matter of time before advertisements become common on
virtually all "satellite" radio channels and the listener will STILL be
paying month after month for this "service!" After all, look at the
cable-TV model where this has already happened.)

But I digress. In other words, in my opinion, the Eton E1 actually
breaks no new ground. Its specifications, extremely good, nevertheless
appear to show that the radio will peform just about the same as the
Grundig Satellit 800. (And regardless of what anyone tells you, the
Satellit 800, again extremely good, is not at all in the same league
as, say, the Drake R8B, the JRC NRD545, or the AOR AR7030 Plus. This,
by inference, would also apply to the E1 which does, however, offer far
better performance VALUE for money than do the tabletops mentioned.)

I am waiting to see if Degen introduces their rumored new model the
DE-1108 and if it does feature the newer modes of reception as well as
offering superb performance.

However, I do understand, from owners, that the E1 is a good and
satisfying set and that, if one does not already own a radio of this
caliber, the E1, with all its "faults," is a good one to buy. After
all, there has never been nor is there ever likely to be a "perfect"
shortwave radio. And Eton has always been a very customer-centric
company, offering superb service before and after the sale.

Should Degen's proposed new radio not live up to expectations, there
may be a new Eton E1 in my future, after all.

Best,

Joe

P.S. Some people here have "complained" that Eton advertises heavily in
PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO and this somehow makes pASSPORT's reviews
"suspect." One need only READ many of the reviews of Eton/Grundig
radios in PASSPORT to see that this "suspicion" is absolutely
groundless. PASSPORT "calls 'em as they see 'em." PASSPORT is
DEFINITELY the best SW review source we have and should be supported by
all of us here, at least in my opinion. No one else tests SW radios in
their own laboratories and prints their findings (and, as readers know,
they often differ from manufacturers' own published specifications).
And if Eton is a big advertiser, I say MORE POWER TO THEM! What OTHER
company supports the shortwave listener the way Eton does?

mike maghakian wrote:
one of the disadvantages of the internet is that any asshole can post an
opinion on the E1 even though he has no qualifications for making such
assertions.
In addition to people who are intelligent like Guy Atkins, there is another
source who people should not argue with in this case.
Dave Z and Larry Magne both assert the E1 is outstanding !

read this: http://passband.com/pages/receivernews.htm