am-fm

It's hard to believe that you can purchase so much performance for less than $40. This little radio has the ability to fill a large room with undistorted sound from any of its 12 bands. Moreover, it is quite easy to use. Sensitivity and voice clarity are remarkable. The automatic gain control deals nicely with weak and strong signals. Selectivity is quite good, but one could use a larger tuning knob (or I suppose in my case, smaller fingers) to make those fine adjustments easier. The size of the radio makes it easy to pack.

Although you get a lot of radio for a few dollars, it would have been nice if Sangean had included an AC adaptor. I have used this radio a lot since I purchased it, and it does have a hardy appetite for batteries when played at high volume. Accordingly, I purchased an AC adaptor for it. I tried several adaptors before I settled on the Radio Shack 4.5 volt "International" model (cat. no. 273-1759). This device accepts almost any input voltage and frequency and produces a full amp of filtered, regulated DC. Unlike other adaptors I tried, this one is relatively "quiet." It does not induce hum or electrical noise. Best of all, it folds up in a very small travel package.

If you don't want to spend a lot of cash on a multi band radio, but want to be able to listen to stations wherever you may travel, the SG622 should work well for you.

The radio's positive reviews are to some degree accurate but there is a catch. Listening to the Sangean SG-622 for the past few weeks I have decided to letter grade-rate it. I considered its sensitivity, selectivity, sound and user friendliness.
Its sound on all bands is about "B" grade with the ability to project itself in a decent and somewhat dynamic way. It is also compact and easy to tune. Once you discover how off the frequency numbers on the dial are compared with the shortwave radio station you might be trying to locate it is not too difficult to find that station later on(provided the signal strength stays the same).
However, the sensitivity and especially selectivity of the radio on shortwave are less than good. The radio is sensitive to any excellent signal but has more difficulty with good or mediocre signals that other sets such as much Sony ICF-SW7600GR or older but good shortwave units can make audible for listening. Selectivity(the ability to to keep powerful neighboring stations, some 10 to 15 kilohertz from crowding out good to mediocre signals) is a big problem at times with this model. I have had problems with more powerful local shortwave signals interrupting other signals that can be heard on the other shortwaves I have. So, I therefore give the radio a "C" and "C-" to "D+" for its sensitivity and selectivity on the shortwave bands.
On AM or the Middlewave band the radio is decent for its sensitivity and selectivity. I rate it on this band as as a "B" and "B-" to "C+" respectively. Living in northern New Jersey, with powerful local broadcasters, I have still received from hundreds of miles away Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, Baltimore and Washington radio stations during an evening of exploring the dial.
FM band reception is a "B" to "B-" for sensitivity and selectivity. The radio is able to get some of the weaker and more distant local stations as well as the usual nearby ones. Sometimes one station may crowd into a weaker one but can usually be tuned away or the radio pointed in the right direction to cancel the interference.
Lastly, the radio has cross modulation problems on some shortwave bands and possibly on AM. Signals from other shortwave and even AM frequencies are tuned in sometimes on the wrong band or frequency (especially on the 60 meter band). This is often a problem with inexpensive shortwave radios.
This radio is overall a mediocre shortwave receiver. I would recommend staying with the old adage: " you get what you pay for" and pay the $... to $... for a Grundig Yacht Boy 400 PE or Sony ICF-SW7600GR and be guaranteed good shortwave, AM and FM reception. In the long run you will be much happier with these reliable relatively inexpensive radios. As some shortwave experts say: " buying a shortwave( worldband) receiver that is normally priced for less than $... is asking for disappointment". When considering the prices of computer software and internet services nowadays it is probably worth paying extra for quality.

I have wanted a shortwave radio for quite sometime. But,was unwilling to pay the high prices for a digital one. This little compact receiver is everything I'd hoped it would be and more. It picks up all of my favorite am/fm stations and shortwave stations.Better than some other larger radios I have. I only wish I would have found it sooner.