Sangean HDT-20 HD Radio Component Tuner to Replace Dying 1980's Yamaha 500 Components

 July 16, 2024

#491

Gentle reader,

When last I wrote about electronics, here: The Robb Collections: 2024 Yamaha A-S301 Integrated Amplifier replaces dying 1987 Yamaha Yamaha AX-500U. I had lost one channel on the old Yamaha integrated amplifier. I had found that the same model (which likely would also be ready to fail) on eBay, but some sellers wanted crazy money for theirs. 

This photo is from 2019 when I had found all the relevant components. The CD play (bottom) was the first to have problems. I replaced all the rubber belts, but it still had issues. 

I had bought two OPPO DV-980H universal players, so I installed on of them on the stack and sold the CD player. 

What was happening with the tuner, while it was still bringing in a strong signal, it had become very hissy. I had to switch it to Mono to get rid of the hiss. Therefore kind of defeating it being a Stereo tuner.

Way back in 2009, when the stereo (not this one, the Listening Room's System) was still in the living room and the bedrooms were still being used as bedrooms by the girls, I bought an Insignia HD Radio tuner for it. 

It's directly beneath the turntable, on the left side. Insignia is Best Buy's in-store brand. It was made by Sangean and sold for less than their own version.

I was an early adopter of HD Radio, installing it in my car and other places. See below:

The car, a 2002 Audi TT quattro, was my daily driver and I also installed a Sirius tuner in it. That car was lots of fun until it needed repairs. Then, $$$ ouch!

Therefore, since the hiss was what bothered me, why not go back to HD Radio? I'm not sure why I stopped using it years ago. 

I could not find any Insignia tuners, so I searched for a Sangean one. I found exactly one on eBay, and the seller only wanted $99 for it and that included the remote. I found the manual online and printed it out.

This is a Sangean photo of it. I found a couple reviews of it: Sangean HDT-20 AM/FM/HD Tuner | radiojayallen and Sangean HDT-20 AM/FM/HD Tuner | radiojayallen

The following photos are his and reproduced here for informational purposes since his was the only independent review which I could find.

One thing I don't care for is the power button, which universally seems to be on the left side of components, is just one more tiny button. Below, you will see why that is the case.

Mr. Allen opined that, to save money, Sangean used a PCB from a smaller, stand alone HD Radio. Which makes sense, economically for them.

A very simple board, for sure. I was at first thinking, "That's it? No chips or other digital components?" See below:

They are contained on the boards behind the front panel. A very clean design.

Like my new Yamaha A-S301 integrated amplifier (and OPPO DV-980H player) the Sangean HD Radio tuner has two digital outputs: Coaxial and Optical.

I tried a coaxial digital RCA cable from the tuner to the amp and compared digital sound verses analog. The stereo analog signal was clearer and more defined and, so I am sticking with that. I have no toslink optical "cable" to try and compare as they are all being used elsewhere in the house.

So, what do I think of the Sangean HD Radio tuner's performance? I'm very impressed. There is no apparent loss of bass or treble. In fact, I hear bass which I had never heard from FM radio before. 

The sound is crisp and clear, and in HD (which stands for Hybrid Digital) which most radio stations here in the Washington, D.C. area broadcast in, there is warmth, height and depth like I have never heard before. I highly recommend one, if you can find one, that is!

Oh, in case you are wondering what the Listening Room system looks like now, here is a photo of it:

The monstrous 250WPC Adcom power amplifier (I found it, it's matching preamp and power conditioner, ALL for $149 at Salvation Army) one day melted the voicecoil of one of my speakers. I did not know why that happened and did not want to try and find out what was wrong with it, so I sold it on eBay, eventually selling the other Adcom components except the ACE-515 power conditioners. In fact, I bought another one. 

Thanks to thrift stores and the occasional pawn shop, I have been able to buy and try hundreds of components and speakers over the almost fifty years I have enjoyed this hobby. Sadly, those halcyon days seem to be over. Sigh.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. I am closing in on 500 articles, which blows my mind! I started blogging several years ago, just as something to do. I had NO idea that anyone would be interested in reading what I have to say. But, so far, almost a half million of you have done so. I am truly humbled.

Feel free to comment below or on Facebook.

Scott Robb

July 25, 2024

#491