Sony’s embracing HD radio, the digital twin of our existing FM band. And when their first, the
cherry-wood XDR-S3HD radio, switches from FM to HD, you can hear the difference in a very positive way through the twin ~3-inch papercone drivers. And the display comes alive with track and artist info. But that knob, oh, it’s so evil.
https://gizmodo.com/sonys-first-hd-radio-xdr-s3hd-263953
There is no way to scan through radio stations. You have to go to scan mode, which is inside a menu. Or use the knob to tune channels manually. Presets? Yes. But you have to flip through them with by hitting the preset button…and using the knob to flip through them. It’s really unsatisfying to have a beautiful radio like this that has a more terrible radio UI than a generic car stereo. $200. Verdict: I don’t like the UI. [Sonystyle]
[UPDATE: When using the included remote, the scan issue is no longer a problem. Not only is there a scan button on the remote, but there is also a dedicated button for scanning only HD radio stations.]
