The best constructed compact portable communications receiver
currently being manufactured is the Sony ICF-SW7600GR. This is my
opinion.

Ok... I've heard of that one. I have no problem paying some money as
long as it will last.
But I must state that if you are going to bang your radios around,
none of them will last. All of these instruments are complex and
relatively delicate; they are also relatively expensive and, thus,
deserve special care. That's not to say that you can't take them
outdoors or on trips but you must treat them with care. You did not
say why your KA-2100 "died," but, from what I have read, this model is
well-made and certainly should last longer than a year and a half. (I
do NOT own one.) Did you cause any physical damage to it?

Well to note I never opened either of these up I don't know anything
on soldering or inners with them. It frankly after awhile didn't turn
on. I think the redsun was horrible as I found out to send it back it
would cost nearly the same amount as getting one again. the kaito
worked great...until the other day. If I put in batteries or the a/c
adapter I get that slight hiss thing from the speaker indicating power
but nothing comes on the screen or audio. I've even tried to reset it
a number of times.

I don't bang or drop these thing at all. I had a early version of the
portible 1103 and that's what I heard from others on a group about it
reguarding the jog dial. The snapping of the antenna was my own
fault.

The reason why I'd like a recorder is even in 2008 there's still a
fair amount of broadcasts that I can't find say podcasted on the
internet. And sometimes you don't know what might come up. It was a
powerful feeling getting CRI at work (steel building) even though I
couldn't get a local am station....or at a friends house around nearly
3 years ago getting whri which was rebroadcasting wwl during katrina.

There's far more content one can find with these than with a hd set
out of the box (extra channels for OTA might add up to 24 total)

yes the audio quality might not always be good but if people didn't
listen to stuff that was bad quality than mp3's wouldn't have taken
off!