Top Portable HD Radio Players

Hybrid digital radio was created to satisfy the desire for a more clear, crisp sounding listening experience. Although the response to HD radio has been lukewarm at best, HD radios are still being sold in electronic stores across the country.

Since 2008, several different companies have attempted to create a portable HD radio. Although several were successful, such as Coby and Microsoft, none of them were able to turn a profit off of their creations.

In 2009, Best Buy created an version of the portable HD radio to be sold exclusively in their stores. The Insignia HD portable radio was priced to sell at $50 and is currently the only portable radio that is still being actively sold on the market.

There are several reasons that the Insignia radio has achieved popularity, including:

• Low price point- The high price tag for HD radio was a non-starter for many people. A $50 price tag enticed consumers to purchase a unit who had not previously considered doing so.


• Touch screen- With the popularity of Apple’s iPod, a touch screen is almost a must today. The Insignia player boasts at 2.4” touch screen.


• Live pause function- The Insignia player has a limited amount of internal memory. This means that you can pause live radio and pick up exactly where you left off a few minutes later.


• HD2 and HD3 compatibility- These extra bands allow you to hear extra stations that you may not normally get to hear on older HD radio sets.