Retekess V115 Shortwave Radio, Digital Radio AM FM, Shortwave Receiver with 1000mAh Rechargeable Battery, Presets, TF/AUX Playback and Recording, Bass Speaker, for Camping

This is probably the best radio I've found under $25. It is packed with features including AM mw/sw and FM reception, mp3 and wav player, mp3 recorder that can record from the built-in mic, the radio or the line-in jack, and it also can be used as a USB sound box and MicroSD card reader in both a computer and a compatible phone.First of all, the speaker in this thing gets surprisingly loud, and although not booming, the bass response is quite good for its size. It really is impressive for something so small it can fit into a pocket. Distortion can of course occur when the volume is set too high, but it does get pretty loud before that happens.Radio reception is surprisingly good for such a small and inexpensive device. I couldn't figure out a way to tune the radio manually up or down a step, but being able to enter the frequency by number far outweighs that minor inconvenience, and the lack of stepping is only really an inconvenience for the rather large shortwave band. It also doesn't receive any shortwave signals below 4.75MHz or above 21.85MHz, but that range covers most broadcast stations that can be received in the States, with the exception of the stuff that can sometimes be heard in the 3MHz to 4MHz range and the lower frequency ham radio band, which is mostly unreceivable from a radio such as this, as it doesn't receive single side band signals. I do have a rather long wire reel antenna that came with an old radio that I no longer have, and I find that plugging this into the aux/line-in jack can greatly improve shortwave reception, and even can affect FM reception to a point as well.The mp3 player is equally impressive, allowing dialing up the song I want to hear, which although this involves memorizing the numbers, still allows for faster playback of exactly what I want to hear than navigating a large folder with only back and forward buttons, although this type of navigation is also possible. I like even better that my music is separated from any recordings I make, and I can toggle between my music and my recordings by holding in the 0 button for about a second.The recorder has 3 quality settings, 64Kb/s 22.05KHz, 96Kb/s 44.1KHz and 128Kb/s 44.1KHz, all mp3 format. Recording from radio and aux is fairly good quality. Mic recording also sounds fairly good, except that the audomatic level control is a bit too quick, so it is rather audible. I successfully recorded a phone call on my computer using only this record function, a headphone cable with inline mic and loopback software to send my voice through the line to the recorder. In this mode, the level control isn't as audible. That said, the mic recording is really quite good when the background noise level is high. It actually sounds better in a moderately noisy setting than it does in a quiet environment. Still, this is another impressive feature given the price of the unit overall.I am pleasantly surprised by the sound card functionality in this little thing. I first plugged it into the USB port on my computer, then I tried it in my phone using a USB-A to USB-C adapter. Although the radio does not record when plugged into USB, the computer and phone can use its mic and speaker to record and playback just like a sound card. Both recording and playback rival many built-in laptop mics and speakers, with the only exception being that it doesn't have stereo speakers. Still, I enjoy having this functionality available, especially within this price range and with all the other features packed into this little bitty box.Battery life is very good for a small and loud system like this. It's not using the usual AA or AAA batteries, but instead uses a rechargeable BL-5C lithium battery, the kind some Nokia phones used about 15 years back. This battery is quite easy to find, and I opted to purchase a 1500mAH replacement to use instead of the 1000mAH battery that ships with the radio. I seem to get about 8 to 10 hours continuous sound out of the original battery, and nearly 15 hours from the replacement I purchased. I also use an external charger most of the time, although I don't have any problems using the included USB cable; the external charger just charges the battery in about half the time, although there is an advantage to charging via the USB cable while playing either the radio or the mp3 player. It will also charge while connected to my computer, which is another benefit of using the cable.Probably the biggest problen I've had with this is the headphone jack. First, others have mentioned the sound quality using headphones, and yes, it definitely does leave a lot to be desired. Somehow I don't notice the sound quality issue when I connect it to a bluetooth transmitter and use my high-end bluetooth headphones with it, but for a direct connection, it doesn't sound that great. I'm not sure what makes the bluetooth transmitter work better; I only mention it because it is the one way I found to work around the rather poor sound from the headphone jack. Also, I don't know if maybe I have a slightly defective unit, but on mine, the left and right channels are swapped in the headphone jack, so sounds that should play on the left side are heard on the right side, and sounds that should play on the right side are heard on the left side. For some people this may not be so noticeable, but I tend to notice things like this, and they bug me for some reason. Recordings from the radio do seem to come out with the channels correct, so this is not at all a deal breaker, since it could just be a defect in the specific unit I have, and since I mostly use the internal speaker, it doesn't stop me from enjoying my tunes or my casual shortwave listening.One of the best things about this radio is the fact that the buttons are very solid and stable. It's not easy to bump something and cause undesired effects, and a lock is also available just in case. These click buttons cause one drawback in recording, since they make a clicking sound when pausing or stopping a mic recording, but this is definitely tolerable when considering that buttons like these will not break down easily over time. I had another radio that I purchased at a lower price and had less features, and I thought the knob it had for step tuning was pretty nice, right up until the time it broke off inside of the thing. Fortunately, these buttons don't look like they're going anywhere, and the lack of a knob like this is actually more of a pro than a con.Did I mention this thing is a beast? I have had this for nearly two years, and I take it out and about quite a bit. It has some battle scars from run-ins with pavement a time or two, but it still works, maybe better now even than it did when I purchased it two years ago.Overall, I highly recommend this radio/recorder/mp3 player/USB and line-in speaker. Nothing in this price range can touch it. Maybe it's not for the radio enthusiast, and it does have some issues, but it's quite good and feature-packed for anyone who is as price/value-conscious as myself. Definitely still a 5 out of 5 despite its little bugs.

The media could not be loaded. This portable radio has it all. Even though I don’t plan on using the SW recording feature or sleep mode, the fact that the has both AM/FM and TF card with push buttons makes this a winner. There are many features and the sound is clean and clear. It may not be boombox sounding but better than other portables I had owned.I own the Retekess PR12 portable radio which sounds good for a portable radio and also has a TF card slot. The downfall is there are no buttons to manually key in radio stations or pick a certain folder or song on the memory card.This is where the V115 comes in. You get a backlit display that you can adjust the time it stays lit. All the FM stations I listen to scanned in with no static. There was no need to go outside with the antenna fully extended to do the scan. It was easy done inside the house. You can also delete specific stations scanned that you don’t listen to or are has static.Like most AM stations, you may get some static but the antenna can be extended and also swivels to get the best position.The option to use a memory card is great and the device’s features will not disappoint. I am using a 32 GB card that has about 200 songs loaded.I have 4 folders with different types of music like Smooth Jazz, Motown Classics, etc. The V115 allows you access each folder separately (see photo) and also enter specific song numbers. This is a huge plus so you won’t have to scroll through all the songs.When in TF card mode you can press the play/pause button to access option like choose the folders (under Root), whether to play randomly or not and the preset equalizer mode.When listening to a song on the memory card, the song title shows on the screen.The hand strap has a small plastic piece that you can insert in the back of the device to lay the radio on an angle for viewing.For those who wish this had Bluetooth to listen to wireless headphones/earbuds or even connect to a Bluetooth speaker, there is a way.I have a 3.5 mm Bluetooth transmitter that I use and works and purchased on Amazon (see first photo). Plug it in the earphone jack, put it in pairing mode as well place your headphones/speaker in pairing mode. It may take a short time, but they will pair. I have been able to pair 2 sets of different, off-brand earbuds and a JBL portable speakers ( see video). I also have a 3.5 mm Bluetooth receiver. I connected the receiver to the line in of the radio and paired the receiver to my iPhone and was able to use the V115 and a Bluetooth speaker. The best of both Bluetooth worlds. Now I need to get a combo 3.5mm transmitter/receiver.I am definitely happy that I found this radio and recommend it highly.