Sony AM Loop antenna specs and remote control

I acquired and rebuilt a Sony STR-DE345 Receiver. It's now nice and clean, and works well, except... I don't have an AM loop for it. I've only got about $30 into it, and hate to have to spend another $10 for an AM loop - would prefer to just wind my own. But how much inductance do I need?

Also, it is missing the Remote Control. The Remote for this is unavailable or *way* too expensive. Anyone have experience using a universal remote on a Sony receiver?

Why would you even want to use AM?, the quality is absolutely crap - I can't remember the last time I ever used AM radio - certainly not this century, and no where near the end of the last century either?. Not to mention, the performance of those loops (and the AM side of the radio in general) is pretty abysmal.

I've thrown loads of those loops away over the years, as pretty well everyone does.

As for remote control, Sony use SIRC's (Sony Infra Red Control) which is easy to make yourself (and covered in my PIC tutorials) - so there should be no problem finding a universal remote to work it.

Why would anyone want to listen to vinyl? The accuracy and noise from a digital source is soo much better. Vinyl is so last century.

I like AM. To me, FM sounds too 'sterile'. And if I am going to resell this unit, I would like it to be complete.

Ylli said:

Why would anyone want to listen to vinyl?

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I don't!

For the money (and effort - I've built AM antennas in the past), I'd order one of **broken link removed**. Note that shipping is free...

Also, might look a little more elegant on the fancy receiver you mention...

Wow, how did you find this. Everything I had been able to find would have been $15 with shipping. I can wait a couple weeks for the savings. Thanks cowboybob!

cowboybob said:

For the money (and effort - I've built AM antennas in the past), I'd order one of **broken link removed**. Note that shipping is free...

Also, might look a little more elegant on the fancy receiver you mention...

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Can't grumble at the price - but the description is rather misleading - it claims to be AM/FM (but shows an AM only loop) and to be omni-directional, which a loop isn't.

FM is easy. Just hang a hunk of wire off the back.

Ylli said:

FM is easy. Just hang a hunk of wire off the back.

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Of the correct length

Many people can hear audio frequencies up to 20kHz.
A modern digital audio system produces frequencies up to 20kHz very well.
A good old vinyl record player produced a little peak at 18kHz then a sharp cut at higher frequencies. They produced Click, Pop, Click, Pop, on and on very well.
A good FM receiver produces frequencies up to 15kHz fairly well but must cut 19kHz a lot so frequencies above 15kHz are not used.
A lousy old AM radio must cut 10kHz a lot so they produce audio frequencies up to 2kHz or 3kHz. All the higher audio octaves are not used including all the important consonant sounds in speech. An AM radio plays lightning and other amplitude interference very well.

I have a clock radio that is about 44 years old. I replaced its 3" speaker with a much better one and added bass boost so it sounds amazing for its size. It plays FM all the time and I have NEVER tried it on AM.

I live in a large city in Canada where there are many FM stations. There are many other Canadian cities all around my city. There are many US stations across the big great lake when a fairly directional antenna with gain should be used.I

audioguru said:

An AM radio plays lightning and other amplitude interference very well.

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Early warning for that approaching thunder storm! Keeps you connected to the real world. That dead silence in the background of an FM station makes me feel like I am locked in a soundproof room with only the one sound source. Creates a feeling of isolation. To each his own.

I have normal-for-my-age (73) high frequency hearing loss that my hearing aids make normal again. I hear low frequencies fine.
Without the hearing aids then everything sounds like an old AM radio. I have hearing tests in a soundproof room and I am glad that I can still hear my heart beating.