Grundig 960 Classic AM/FM Shortwave Radio
By: Eton Average Rating: 3.0 Total Reviews: 21
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 On: 2008-06-13
Classic styling is fine, but if the radio doesnt get acceptable reception, it means squat! AM or FM reception on this was mediocre at best, & forget any shortwave programming. I added a Terk powered antenna, which didnt help. I bought this radio used on Ebay for my Mom, and I just sold it back on Ebay for a $20.00 loss, but at least it wont be wasting space anymore! By the way, $180.00 list price for this POS?? That is a total joke. You can get 10X the radio brand new for 2/3 the price by buying a Sangean or Roberts Radio unit.
 On: 2008-01-23
It is interesting that many remark about the poor wooden case, crappy performance, et al. Obviously, these people have never seen an original Grundig 960 radio. The originals case was made of Bakelite, a nice deep reddish-brown with a nice sheen. Also, the original radios dial was dim - one mini-bulb, 7W .3A. So whats wrong with the repro having dim but fully serviceable dial lighting? Its entirely adequate, carpers! Ive both the repro and the original antique radio from the 1955 era. My repro is a V.1, i.e., dark almost satin finish; V.2 versions had a lighter, shinier finish and somewhat better electronics. Many complainers may have the V.1. The repros FM station performance is fine, both in rural and urban areas. Overall sound is surprisingly fine, as is FM tuning. AM performance is better than anticipated, satisfactory. CD performance is fine if you turn the CD player sound output fully up, a minor distraction. The repro, however, is not a ghetto blaster, folks, so you complainers: get over it. And **sigh** for those carping about a lack of a headphone jack, get a Walkman, certainly a more practical choice for bedtime listening in any case. The only issue the radio has is the inexpensive chassis that will shift stations as the radio warms if the room is cool...sort of like the original. One must learn to work with the radio. For those in need of hip modern technology that does everything one requests without hesitation or deviation, burn your money elsewhere. In all, the repro Grindig Classic 960 is a very decent performer and a fine piece of furniture, if not quite an Object dArt. And it surely looks great...
 On: 2007-02-09
I bought this radio(the first edition) about 6 years ago, for the looks and as a conversation piece with my Cigar Humidor and 1900s work desk. The tuning was iffy, the lighted dial poor, shortwave? Who Cares? Really didnt get it for that...the piece acted as a great conversatiion piece for several years, until my wife purchased a XM radio set-up for my birthday last year.....the AUX function was perfect, the dim lighting didnt matter(because of the XM)...and the sound is much better than some of the nimrods on this site claim.....all-in-all its still a great conversation piece, and now thanks to XM, a nice useful radio...especially when playing the Old Time Channel on XM.....perfect!
Rate it a 2 for the first five years of ownership, rate it a 4+ now.
On: 2004-10-04
The only gripe I have with this radio is that the lighting is not strong enough to read the stations. Otherwise it is a very good buy for the price. It lacks all the mod cons such as a remote control and the like but we have Bose for that. I have two Bose radios and frankly they do have a better sound than the Grundig. They are also much more expensive! I am very happy with both the Bose and the Grundig but there is something about the Grundig that reminds me of plays on the radio in the late fifties when the radio was an important part of life. Of course this Grundig does not have the sound of the Grundig I had in Germany. That one almost had a place at the dinner table such was its presence. Nothing is as we remember it. I am very glad to have this as a reminder of simpler and perhaps happier times. The times when the attention span was not determined by a remote control.
 On: 2003-12-28
I think there are TWO things to keep in mind when purchasing one of these:1.) There are two versions of this radio, one that was "the 960 classic". Identified by its extremely dark finish and a horizontal list of small boxes with counries listed in them just below the FM scale. Another couple of ways to tell edition one from the second edition is the side speaker grills on version one is divided in four sections (on the Second edition has only three sections). The function keys (FM,AM,SW...) on the Second editions are much taller then on the first. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT??? The second edition has much better attention (and quality control) on the tuning section. Over all its better performing product. With that said that brings me to my second point (I take it youre really interested if youve read this far!!!) 2.) I own both editions of the "Classic 960" and enjoy both. I think (by reading the other reviews) some folks expect a bit much from this radio IT IS NOT A WATKINS JOHNSON 8718 SHORTWAVE RECEIVER!!! NOR IS IT A McIntosh STEREO SYSTEM!!! Again with that said it is solid on AM/FM and Shortwave if setup properly (A.K.A. like ALL radios it needs a GOOD antenna). My point in closing is this; this radio can be had for less then $150.00 for the money it looks, sounds and performs very respectable. If you expect more than that you will not be happy. However if you keep your expectations realistic you will enjoy this fine little radio.
On: 2003-11-04
Hello everyone its Vince the radio man. I have been a buff and collector for many years and I love to do compares . Its was very interesting to see the great variation of ratings on this radio from you folks out there . As I read them I understood and related to all of them . Depending how you use this radio it good be a 1 or a 5 . It is an authentic looking "retro" radio that is pretty well made . The wood cabinet and the gold paint trim are done very nicely . The sound quality is typical of what a 50s radio sounded like ...not great bass nor high highs but a punchy mid-range . This radio does have some very good features and I have gotten unbelievable performance out of mine. First off ( and this will sound a little silly) it has a ground screw . Very valuable if you know how to properly ground a radio. This will greatly increase your reception on AM and SW . I have DXed Europe and Asia on AM!!! on this radio with a Terk AM advantage antenna and a nice ground . You must also connect an RCA cable to the Aux. inputs and complete the ground by connecting the cable to a receiver or tape deck that is plugged into the AC .True its analog , but you can get ( sometimes better) performance from and analog tuner that isnt weighed down with those overly clean filters that the digital radios have . It also has an aux. in to use the system from another source , nice . Yes , mostly its a show piece, but if used correctly and if you buy the newer model that has the built in fine tuning ...youll be very surprised as to what this thing can do . Buy it if you are a collector or want something unique .
On: 2003-06-08
The radio is fine. When you tried it out in the store im sure you found that it isnt a home theater system. Yes, its not the best speaker or newest features, but what kind of putz would have bought it if the didnt know this in the 1st place. (RE, utter junk person.) I find that is great to put on while having a nice meal with the family. i win! king me!
On: 2003-06-07
The radio is fine. When you tried it out in the store im sure you found that it isnt a home theater system. Yes, its not the best speaker or newest features, but what kind of putz would have bought it if the didnt know this in the 1st place. (RE, utter junk person.) I find that is great to put on while having a nice meal with the family. i win! king me!
by: Anonymous On: 2003-04-27
Anybody who buys this utter piece of junk either has too much money or should have his head examined. Basically, youll be acquiring some fake looking cabinet, a cheesy cloth grill, and a tuner whose quality is distinctly less than a $5.00 cheap-o from Dollar General. If you think youre going to enjoy shortwave broadcasts, think again. Both bands come up with barely audible static. Even the FM reception is tinny and static-ky, and drifts off station like the FM radios back in the 1960s. Apparently a lot of people are VERY UNHAPPY with this engineering mess because the company will come up with any excuse to keep from honoring their warranty. Believe me, I cant think of one positive thing to say about this piece of crap
by: Anonymous On: 2003-01-11
This radio looks good and makes an interesting conversation piece. Its fun to use and appears to be well built. If you mostly listen to AM radio the sound quality is about as good as youll find on other radios. I wouldnt rely on this radio for serious shortwave listening, but it does have some pulling power. However, its impossible to tell the exact dial location of the station youre listening to from the analog dial. My biggest disappointment: the quality of FM sound. This is not a radio to listen to music on. Also, while it has a CD input jack on the back, you will be very disappointed if you think youre going to get anything more than mediocre sound. Its unforuntate that such cheap speakers were used. Bottom line: If you find this radio on sale and youre looking for a nice, retro conversation piece, grab it. At full price, go get a good shortwave radio.
On: 2002-06-06
I recently purchased a Grundig 960. Satisfaction with this radio depends entirely on whether one wants a cool retro-decorator piece, or a functional radio. It is definately overpriced as merely a radio! However, if you are looking for a modern, solid state reproduction of a classic 1950s tube style world-band radio, this might be for you. It does feel heavy and well-built, and certainly looks cool. It does pick up shortwave broadcasts ok but not great. FM & AM is adequate but not great. The radio is made in China, and is not the German made quality and precision that I expected. Overall, the radio is not really the high-quality construction that I expected from a Grundig product. Consult Sangean products for high quality shortwave radios if that is really what you want. Alternatively, if you really prefer a modern quality radio, maybe a digital system would be a better choice. Please be advised that this radio performs, by design, as an old technology, analog radio right down to the cruddy low intensity backlighting. It does pick up (rather impressive actually) shortwave broadcasts. However, reception is not on-par with less expensive digital shortwave radios. Please dont interpret this review as overly negative, but you do need to be clear on what you want with this radio. If you want primarily a decorator piece, it might be for you. If you want primarily a functional piece, [this might not be for you].
On: 2002-06-05
This radio is not only cheap looking but the sound has a tin quality to it.Forget the short wave as I can barely pull in any stations.I need a flash light to see the lighted dial at night.What a fool I was to buy this radio.Please learn from my mistake!
by: Anonymous On: 2001-08-04
When and how it looks is about the sound of its knowledge. Knowledge contained in shortwave is not found on this radio. This means the eccentrics of this radio far outdo the nomination. I actually like the looks a lot and am plastic that the sound is real. You should afford this radio with one think in mind. All the others are differing . A good standard reliable home theatre.Thanks
On: 2001-06-05
There is a whole generation out there that have lived with table radio. This type of radio includes beautiful wood construction. They must have concert quality sound, AM, Mediumwave and Shortwave. They have to be, quite frankly, furniture. Something that you would be proud to display in your living room.If it was me I would have bought something like a Bose Soundwave. Im happy with plastic construction, a remote control, an alarm clock function, maybe even a cd. Sound is also important to me but I grew up with stereo, so Id want that. This radio would not go in my living room. The problem with the old table radios, from experience, is lack of an FM band (important today) and they suffered from horrible drift. And as always, you cant get replacement tubes easily.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-02-21
After reading some mixed reviews of this radio, I purchased it with some apprehension. However, after using it for a week now, I am pleased to report that the radio has worked very well and that it really is a First Class Radio.The radio looks beautiful and sounds wonderful. Reception on AM, FM and Shortwave has been very good and the feature of being able to play a CD or Tape player through the auxiliary plug-in has proved to be a real bonus. The tone quality makes listening to the radio a real pleasure! The tuning dial is a little tricky at first, but with a bit of practice I have had no difference finding the frequencies I have been looking for. For people used to tuning a digital radio where you simply punch in the frequency you want, this radio does take a bit of practice, but this is not a major obstacle. The only complaints I have are that I do wish that an external head phone had been included and that the lighting on the dial were stronger but these are minor complaints. Grundig has a reputation for producing quality radios and the Classic 960 is proof that this reputation is well deserved. Purchase and enjoy this great radio!
On: 2001-02-20
After reading some mixed reviews of this radio, I purchased it with some apprehension. However, after using it for a week now, I am pleased to report that the radio has worked very well and that it really is a First Class Radio.The radio looks beautiful and sounds wonderful. Reception on AM, FM and Shortwave has been very good and the feature of being able to play a CD or Tape player through the auxiliary plug-in has proved to be a real bonus. The tone quality makes listening to the radio a real pleasure! The tuning dial is a little tricky at first, but with a bit of practice I have had no difference finding the frequencies I have been looking for. For people used to tuning a digital radio where you simply punch in the frequency you want, this radio does take a bit of practice, but this is not a major obstacle. The only complaints I have are that I do wish that an external head phone had been included and that the lighting on the dial were stronger but these are minor complaints. Grundig has a reputation for producing quality radios and the Classic 960 is proof that this reputation is well deserved. Purchase and enjoy this great radio!
by: Anonymous On: 2001-01-09
This radio is not a replica of the 960. In fact nearly every claim made for it is false. Reception is marginal on local stations, sound is so-so, shortwave tuning is hit-and-miss. The cabinet material does have some wood origin, but one has just to compare this radio with the real 960 pictured on the carton to see how pitiful this one is. I cant believe I fell for it. A great shame on the Grundig name...
by: Anonymous On: 2000-12-13
If you expect to get a German quality of craftsmanship when you buy this radio, dont. This is a Chinese made(is anything in this world still made somewhere else?) bad imitation of the famous radio set. The manual claims that even knob rims are made form the solid brass. Unless they found the way to make brass look as a metallized plastic, I dont believe it. Also, two small intermal lights for the scale illumination are so weak that you can not use this radio even in a complete darkness. My conclusion is - still a conversation piece and nice room decoration if you dont take it too seriously.
On: 2000-10-17
The Big Bands great music of the fifties. Enjoy it all on a Grundig960. its a keeper.
On: 2000-08-05
This is an absurd piece of junk. If you intend to limit its use to light local AM and FM broadcasts or pretending youre Flash Gordon it may suffice, as long as you have a home palatial enough to accomodate it. However, even with a decent long wire shortwave antenna you will need either a lot of patience or very strong stations, because tuning the clumsy slide-style tuner is almost impossible to do with any degree of precision. Even in an area of good radio reception this unit requires a quality antenna for any, including the strongest, stations, especially on FM. You will need -- and this is not a myabe, you will will will need -- separate antennas for FM and AM, and dont underestimate the headache this may represent for you, not to mention the extra expense and rats nest of wires needed just to bring static down to acceptable levels. And you wont get away with just a cheap FM dipole antenna: the one I tried did nothing for this gigantic colossus, and I had to use a powered FM antenna. (I had to try three until I finally tuned out the static on FM). The feel is mushy, and in fact, the knobs arent even firmly set in place -- whatever it is that theyre are attached to moves around as you rotate the knobs, as if they didnt finish putting the thing together inside the case. It surprised me how shabbily made this fairly cool-looking radio was when I first started messing around with it. There are two things about this radio that are unforgivable: NO HEADPHONE JACKS! Even as I write this I cant quite believe it, and feel like one will appear, it will have been cleverly hidden -- but no matter how hard I look, how much credit I give them for ingeniously disguising the thing -- its not there. So if youre going to use this bedside, just remember that it will always be a group activity, and using it to record anything is ruled out for you. This is absolutely beyond belief, considering that a jack would have added about four cents to the cost of this behemoth. Equally irritating is that the line input for using an auxiliary sound source -- your cd walkman, say -- is absolutely terrible. You need to turn the unit way up just to hear what youve attached, and then it comes through sounding like a damp toilet paper and comb kazoo. I dont know how they could have possibly failed to do this properly, but please do not buy this device if you expect to listen to your cd player through it. The sound will kill you. The wooden case is nicely made, but beware, it is much bigger than you might expect, about the size of a medium-size microwave oven, and it needs even more space than its footprint alone would suggest, because two of the three speakers are on the side. Bottom line -- if you really like the way it looks and you dont mind static on most stations, if you never intend to listen to an auxilliary player through it, if its use as a shortwave is limited to maybe BBC and other big-output stations, AND if you both never want to use headphones or record anything, then this might, just might, do the job. Or you could get a real radio nd use something else for decoration.
On: 2000-03-11
Im pleased with the Grundig 960 my wife and son gave me for Christmas. No, it doesnt have quite the reception ability that my Grundig "Yachtboy" does, but it does pull in a good number of shortwave stations, both foreign and domestic. And it really dresses up the room. It also makes a portable CD player sound good when plugged in. My only complaint is that the tuning knob is a bit stiff. Otherwise, this is a "keeper."
On: 2000-03-03
If youre looking for an exact replica of a fifty-year-old radio, or if you want the latest in shortwave technology, this is not the radio for you. However, if you want to add a cool retro touch to your home or office, and you also want a radio with modern electronics and decent sound, this could fill the bill. Although it is constructed from modern materials, it is well-made and doesnt look cheap, at least to me. I dont use it for shortwave, but it does a great job of pulling in AM and FM stations in my steel-frame office building. Its a great conversation piece that everyone notices. It met my expecations and Im glad I bought it.
On: 1999-12-29
Grundigs Classic is designed to call to mind the wonderful days of sitting around the radio listening to Fibber McGee and Molly, but most of the materials used in this presentation werent even invented then. then it was labor, now its injection molding. It looks cheap as a result.And, it doesnt perform as well as a portable battery powered Sony. With the exception of AM broadcasts. If you need to hear a ballgame in the middle of nowhere, this is for you. If not look again.
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