Radio Boy

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The Satellit 700 is a general coverage communications receiver, launched onto the market in 1992. The facilities offered at that point in time were breathtaking. Even after the turn of the next century, a decade later, they are still unrivalled. But that which looks good on paper doesn't always transform into in the flesh very well. A Formula 1 car may be impressive, but it would make a lousy family saloon. So how does the 700 rate?
 

Reception.

On FM, this set receives more stations, with more quality, than any other portable I’ve come across, bar the Satellit 500, which is probably the same in its FM detector circuitry. Stations that other sets can not detect can sometimes produce a usable stereo signal in the 700. A nice touch, typical of Grundig thoroughness, is the fact that the internal amplifier & speaker uses a non-decoded feed off the FM section, allowing you to ignore the Mono/Stereo setting on weak stations. Only when using the output sockets do you sometimes need to switch to mono on weak signals.

On AM, similar high levels of performance are delivered. Doubtless expensive table top models can outperform it, but at what price and size? For many users,  massive sensitivity is not required. This is a radio for the bulk of shortwave listeners, not DX’ers who will doubtless happily spend more for more sensitivity. However, this is a very sensitive set. Among comparable sized portables, only the Sony ICF 2010/2001D (same radio, different countries) has a reputation for more sensitivity, but with a reputation also for delicacy of the input stages. I suspect the two go hand-in-hand, and that Grundig have made a decision, that at this price level, you cannot get reliability without sacrificing a little sensitivity.

It’s worth bearing in mind that after selecting a frequency, pre-selector peaking is important on weak signals. (The Satellit 700 uses Varacap preselector tracking) The software does track the necessary changes, but cannot be exact at all points on the dial. Some would likely criticise this as a weakness, but it’s probably true that not using this system at all would give an inferior performance anyway.

Image rejection is excellent, and Synch mode, SSB and selectable bandwidth, plus Auto or manual gain, mean most signals can be handled well. The clarify control (fine tuning in effect) only works on SSB. While it isn’t needed for AM, it may have helped in Synch. mode, but more of that later.

Apparently, according to one USA based member of the Grundig Transistor Radio forum, (Join at the homepage) this radio has a problem receiving stations in the 75-49 metre bands when it is located near a strong FM transmitter working at 107.7MHz. He has observed this on more than one example of this model. I haven't come across this problem, as there are only 3 transmitters operating at this frequency in the UK, and the nearest to me is 80 miles away. The Satellit 500 doesn't have this problem, which I suspect may be a result of a clash of the FM IF of 10.7MHZ and the frequency concerned. If you have a problem like this, let me know.

Audio.

A widely acknowledged strong point of Grundig radios, this is excellent considering the size of the speaker, about 4 inches / 10 cm. diameter. Bass is not as strong maybe as on some older Grundig Satellits with bigger drive units and separate tweeters, but clarity is first rate on FM. On AM too, few would find much to criticise.

If sound quality is important to you, external speakers of your choice can be connected, and the headphone output, monitored on mine through Sennheiser HD480’s on FM listening to a broadcast CD, is CD quality to my ears, barring slight unavoidable FM hiss in silent passages. I consider it to be Hi-Fi, and use it as my FM tuner, stereo line-out being available, correcting one of the major omissions of the Satellit 500.

The added advantage is AM quality. Hi-Fi tuner manufacturers generally skimp on the AM sections, knowing few users will make much use of the AM bands. But those are what this set was built for! How many Hi-Fi tuners offer bandwidth, switchable AGC/MGC, Synch or SSB, let alone all 4 and more?

Despite an on-paper disadvantage in power output compared to the Satellit 300, the 700 wins easily by having distortion set in much higher up it's range. When the 300 starts to sound unpleasant, the 700 still delivers clean sound, until a surprisingly high level when operated from the AC adaptor. Output is reduced on batteries, more so on NiCD's as they have a lower voltage than fresh alkaline cells.

On balance, the compromise of quality against portability is a good one, and it is hard to think of any recent comparable radio able to compete, regardless of size. The new Satellit 800 seems to be getting rave reviews for its sound quality, the extra cabinet depth likely allowing a bigger voice coil and better excursion for the cone. Its big, though!
 

Ergonomics.

Having used the Satellit 500’s layout, it was likely some compromise would be needed to include all the extra facilities of the 700, and to me, it appears to be the LCD display that has suffered. Even familiarity with the 500 doesn’t really prepare you for this. For the first day or two its intimidating, you struggle to make sense of all the information on offer. Once you are used to it, it is perfectly adequate, but it certainly isn’t as well laid out as the 500’s, I’d have preferred a more logical grouping of the indicators, the “ACCU” warning by the battery meter, FM functions grouped away from AM, and so on. Text is smaller too, making it harder to read than the 500. Once you are familiar, of course, you don’t actually “read” the indicators, merely noting they are on or off, so this isn’t a problem after the first few days.

Advantages over the 500 display are a clock that doesn’t move about, and better and more controllable lighting, allowing you to choose when you use the lights, whether mains or battery powered, thus saving bulb life. Indications of side switch positions are welcome, and its interesting that the software only shows a switch setting, e.g./ LOC/DX, if it matters to the waveband you are using. That Grundig thoroughness again!

It's also worth mentioning that this set has the rare facility of displaying RDS names and frequencies simultaneously, the only radio that I've seen which does this. For FM DX-ers, this is a useful facility.

The meter is less than ideal, which is a shame. With 16 segments, it doesn’t lack the potential for good results, but it is not proportional to the signal, peaking far too soon. Side by side with the Satellit 300 and it's excellent analogue meter, and tuned to the same fading station, the meter on the 300 was moving between 1 & 6 on a scale of ten, while the 700’s meter moved between 4 & 4.5 on a scale of 5, equivalent to between 8 & 9 on a ten scale. As a tuning aid, its OK, and with digital tuning, you don’t need it to get a station spot-on, but as a signal strength indicator, its well nigh useless.

Controls are well thought out, the keys fairly logically grouped, and barely changed from the 500 to assist those who upgraded. The keys feel more tactile in use than the 500’s, with a firmer click when pressed. Like the 500, it features the “pip” on key 5 to assist the visually handicapped. The knobs and side switches are spot on, some have criticised Grundig for not putting the volume by the Tuning knob to make the set a “one-handed” operation, but to be honest, using a set this price, I like to keep two hands near it at all times anyway! The function lock switch is much better than the 500’s, being nicely out of the way, and thus less likely to be moved accidentally.

If I have one criticism, it is the rear stand/telescopic (whip) aerial arrangement. The aerial tilts and locks into a detent at 45 degrees, so it would have been nice if the stand had held the radio at 45 degrees too, so keeping the aerial vertical. In addition, this radio would have benefited from a small fold-away clip to secure the tilted aerial so it doesn’t rotate under its own (considerable) weight, this would have made operation so much less of a worry.

However, its too late to change it now, and such problems are small compared to the pleasure in owning & using this set.
 

Facilities.

The forte of this set. I won’t list them here, as they are covered in plenty of detail elsewhere. Suffice to say, no other radio, at any price, offers all that is offered here. The memory feature is astounding, and may never be equalled, though I suspect that if the 900 as we nearly knew it ever makes the market in anything like its original form, one useful development of the memory facility will be for Grundig to have 6-monthly updated SW programme schedules on their web site, which will be downloadable straight into the memory, saving all that inputting. But lets not forget, the internet didn’t really exist when the 700 was introduced. The Memofile box is nicely designed, with a secure strong cover, which even copes with supporting the detachable front cover when fitted. The chips are easy to fit and remove, and are a nice firm fit with good contact.

Its a pity Grundig didn’t cover the RDS test mode in the instructions, as many owners would have liked to try that out. One RDS facility that has been suggested by some as missing from this set is the update of the clock, but this would not have been a good idea given the SW usage, there being no guarantee that an owner would want local time on either clock. Accuracy of the clock is, incidentally, first rate, mine gaining about 2 seconds a month.

The Synchronous Detector works quite well. Though it introduces a low rumble when used with strong stations, its generally OK on weak ones, which is when you need it most anyway. (The rumble of the Synch detector can very from sample to sample, I have two 700's, and one is much better than the other in this respect, the better one having almost no rumble at all, and being totally useable.) Weak stations often sound much stronger and clearer with the Synch on, and judicious use of MGC & Local/DX switch can help it work even better when selective fading, rather than signal strength, is the problem. In short, its not the best Synch. unit available, but its better than none at all. You just have to make a bit of an effort to get the best out of it!
 

Sum-up.

Many people don’t need or want all that is offered here, but for those who do, this is a first class radio, an excellent receiver, with first class sound, a surfeit of facilities, and reliability and build quality that reassures a new owner. Understated, stylish and distinctive in appearance, yet with an upmarket, timeless look, this is a radio for those who want the best portable radio ever made! The added kudos of having two of the most important names in modern radio folklore, “Grundig” & “Satellit” written bold upon the front, is the icing on the cake.

Given this radio’s vast arsenal, it puzzles me why, when the 900 fell at the design hurdle, Grundig did not just continue to make this set. Even unmodified, I’m sure sales would have happily come its way even today. It will not be out-of-date for years to come.

The compromise of portability against audio & reception quality, referred to in those two sections above, should be borne in mind when considering what you are going to use the radio for. While I don’t use my Satellit 700 away from home, the option is there. I also have the choice to use it in any room or in the garden, or even out in the car should I wish. A long summer evening in the garden, with a drink and a faraway station drifting in is a very pleasant way to spend your time. A tabletop receiver, or even worse, web radio, isn’t able to complete.

So the Synch. detector rumbles, the LCD panel is too small, and the meter is not very good. Small niggles in a package like this. When almost everything is right, the things that aren't stand out even more. All things considered, the transition from paper to flesh has been an excellent one.

Those thinking of buying will have to be careful to ensure the set they are considering is in good condition, but, once satisfied that you are looking at a good one, don’t hesitate. You won’t regret it! And you won't lose money, as the prices on these are rising, reflecting the now limited supply and growing demand.

Grundig Radio Boy