Eclectic Bytes: The XHDATA D-328 Full Band AM/FM/SW MP3 Radio: Review

First published: November 4, 2023 | Updated: June 29, 2026

The XHDATA D-328 is a mini-sized AM/FM/SW 12-band radio which I picked up during a nostalgic craving for real broadcast radio at home. Compact and ultra-lightweight, it measures just 12.5x3.8x7.5 cm and weighs around 160 grams. The unit comes encased in a slim plastic shell with a foldable telescopic aerial on top for better reception. A microSD (TransFlash) card slot is also included, allowing you to play MP3 files directly from the device. For more private listening, there’s a 3.5 mm headphone jack to reroute the audio output. One minor downside: the back panel lacks a serial number label or certifications—only a “Made in China” marking is present.

The XHDATA D-328 MP3 Radio

The model I’m reviewing here was purchased in June 2020 from Amazon India, priced at ₹1,626 before tax and ₹1,919 after 18% GST. Delivery was prompt—the radio arrived within two days. It came packaged in a sturdy cardboard box containing the radio unit, a generic BL-5C lithium-ion rechargeable battery, a mini-USB charging cable, a lanyard, a user manual, and a contact card. This review, written in 2023, reflects my experience using the device over the past three years.

For those in search of a reliable radio that can tune into local AM and FM stations while also offering MP3 playback, the XHDATA D-328 holds up remarkably well. Despite its small size, the audio quality is surprisingly decent. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of analog-style tuning on DSP-based radios—I find them a bit clunky when trying to precisely navigate between stations. But for the average listener who simply wants to tune in and enjoy, this radio more than delivers on expectations.

Setup

Setting up the XHDATA D-328 is quick and hassle-free. Simply insert the BL-5C battery into the slot located at the back of the radio, and power it on using the mode selector shuttle switch on the top—choosing either Radio or MP3 mode depending on your preference. If the battery runs low, recharging is just as straightforward. Use the included USB charging cable and connect it to a suitable power source, such as a wall adapter, power bank, or even a laptop. Within moments, you're ready to enjoy your favorite stations or MP3 tracks with minimal fuss.

Radio

The XHDATA D-328 radio supports FM, AM, and shortwave (SW) reception, all handled by a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) demodulation chip built into the Silicon Laboratories Si4825-A10 integrated circuit. Tuning is done via an analog thumbwheel dial located on the side of the unit, offering a tactile and intuitive experience. Given the compact form factor and limited dial width, the FM and SW bands are cleverly split into 2 and 9 sub-bands, respectively, allowing for more precise calibration across the frequency range. This band segmentation helps users fine-tune stations with surprising accuracy for an analog-style interface. The supported frequency ranges are listed below:

FM: 64~108 MHz
AM: 520~1620 kHz
SW: 4.75~22 MHz

Whether you're tuning in to your favorite morning talk show or catching the latest chart-topping hits, this radio delivers a commendable listening experience. In my usage, FM reception has been consistently reliable, and the audio clarity noticeably improves when using headphones. The built-in speaker does the job for casual listening, but plugging in a decent pair of earphones really enhances the sound quality, making it a more enjoyable experience overall.

Radio Reception

In June 2026, the XHDATA D-328 successfully processed these radio stations in Perrysburg, which is near the city of Toledo in Ohio. While the FM reception was strong, for many of the AM channels, I attached an XHDATA AN-80 Reel Antenna to enhance the reception quality.

Band: FM, Frequency: 88.3 MHz
Name: 88.3 FM WXUT, Format: Alternative Music, Call Sign: WXUT
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 88.9 MHz
Name: WBCL, Format: Contemporary Christian Music, Call Sign: WTPG
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 89.3 MHz
Name: Yes FM, Format: Christian Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), Call Sign: WYSZ
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 89.7 MHz
Name: EWTN Radio, Format: Catholic Religious, Call Sign: WNOC
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 90.3 MHz
Name: Family Radio, Format: Christian Religious, Call Sign: WOTL
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 91.3 MHz
Name: WTGE Public Radio FM 91, Format: Public Radio, Call Sign: WTGE
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W ✨
Band: FM, Frequency: 91.7 MHz
Name: Michigan Radio, Format: Public Radio, Call Sign: WUOM
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 92.5 MHz
Name: 92.5 KISS FM, Format: Top 40 (CHR) (Contemporary Hit Radio), Call Sign: WVKS
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 92.9 MHz
Name: NewsRadio 1370 AM & 92.9 FM WSPD, Format: News/Talk, Call Sign: W225AM (WSPD-AM)
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 93.5 MHz
Name: 93.5 WRQN, Format: Classic Hits Music, Call Sign: WRQN
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 93.9 MHz
Name: 93.9 Virgin Radio, Format: Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), Call Sign: CIDR
Website, ~~FCC Public Files~~, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 94.1 MHz
Name: Relevant Radio, Format: Catholic Talk Radio, Call Sign: W231EF (WPAY-AM)
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 94.5 MHz
Name: 94.5 XKR, Format: Classic Rock Music, Call Sign: WXKR
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 94.9 MHz
Name: 94.9 The Beat (HD2 channel of WVKS), Format: Urban Adult Music, Call Sign: W235BH
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 95.7 MHz
Name: Mix 95.7, Format: Urban Adult Contemporary Music, Call Sign: WIMX
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 96.9 MHz
Name: K-Love, Format: Christian Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), Call Sign: WNKL
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 97.3 MHz
Name: HOT 97.3 FM, Format: Hip Hop and R&B Music, Call Sign: WJZE
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 98.3 MHz
Name: Nash Icon 98.3 FM, Format: Country Music, Call Sign: WMIM
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 99.5 MHz
Name: CSN Radio, Format: Religious, Call Sign: W258BT
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 100.7 MHz
Name: ESPN 100.7 The Ticket, Format: Sports, Call Sign: W264AK
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 101.5 MHz
Name: 101.5 The River, Format: Adult Contemporary Music, Call Sign: WRVF
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 102.3 MHz
Name: Proclaim FM 102.3, Format: Contemporary Christian Music, Call Sign: WPOS
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 102.9 MHz
Name: W4Country, Format: Country Music, Call Sign: WWWW
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 103.3 MHz
Name: Smile FM, Format: Contemporary Christian Music, Call Sign: WSMB
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 103.7 MHz
Name: Buckeye Country 103.7 CKY, Format: Country Music, Call Sign: WCKY
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 102.9 MHz
Name: 104.7 WIOT Toledo's Rock, Format: Mainstream Rock, Call Sign: WIOT
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 105.5 MHz
Name: Q105 Toledo, Format: Hot Adult Contemporary Music, Call Sign: WQQO
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 106.1 MHz
Name: 106.1FM We Act Radio, Format: Community, Variety, Call Sign: WAKT
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 106.5 MHz
Name: The Truth Toledo (OH), Format: Christian Talk, Call Sign: WTOD
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 106.9 MHz
Name: SonLife Radio, Format: Christian Radio, Call Sign: W295DB (WJYM-AM)
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 107.3 MHz
Name: The Juice 107.3, Format: Contemporary Music, Call Sign: WJUC
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: FM, Frequency: 107.7 MHz
Name: 107.7 The Wolf Country, Format: Country Music, Call Sign: WPFX
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: AM, Frequency: 730 kHz
Name: SonLife Radio, Format: Christian Radio, Call Sign: WJYM
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: AM, Frequency: 760 kHz
Name: News Talk 760 WJR, Format: News/Talk, Call Sign: WJR
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: AM, Frequency: 800 kHz
Name: AM 800 CKLW: The Information Station, Format: News/Talk, Call Sign: CKLW
Website, ~~FCC Public Files~~, Radio-Locator, W
Band: AM, Frequency: 910 kHz
Name: 910 AM Superstation Detroit, Format: Talk Radio, Call Sign: WFDF
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: AM, Frequency: 1370 MHz
Name: NewsRadio 1370 AM & 92.9 FM WSPD, Format: News/Talk, Call Sign: W225AM (WSPD-AM)
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W ✨
Band: AM, Frequency: 1520 kHz
Name: Relevant Radio, Format: Catholic Talk Radio, Call Sign: WPAY (W231EF-FM)
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: AM, Frequency: 1560 kHz
Name: CSN Radio, Format: Religious, Call Sign: WWYC
Website, FCC Public Files, Radio-Locator, W
Band: SW, Frequency: 4.840 MHz
Name: WWCR 3 (World Wide Christian Radio), Format: Religious, Call Sign: WWCR
Website, FCC Public Files, Shortwave.live, Short-wave.info, W
Transmitter Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Band: SW, Frequency: 5.920 MHz
Name: WTWW (We Transmit Worldwide), Format: Religious, Call Sign: WTWW
Website, FCC Public Files, Shortwave.live, Short-wave.info, W
Transmitter Location: Lebanon, Tennessee
Band: SW, Frequency: 15.770 MHz
Name: WRMI Supreme Master TV, Format: Religious, Call Sign: WRMI
Website, FCC Public Files, Shortwave.live, Short-wave.info, W
Transmitter Location: Okeechobee, Florida (WYFR)

In November 2023, I tested the XHDATA D-328 in Pune, a city in the state of Maharashtra, India. The radio performed well when it came to processing FM signals—stations came through clearly, and tuning was relatively smooth. However, its performance on the AM and shortwave (SW) bands left much to be desired. In my experience, there was hardly any reception on those frequencies, rendering them practically unusable in this location. FM turned out to be the only reliable mode of listening on this device.

Band: FM, Frequency: 91.1 MHz, Name: Radio City
Band: FM, Frequency: 93.5 MHz, Name: Red FM
Band: FM, Frequency: 94.3 MHz, Name: Radio One
Band: FM, Frequency: 95.0 MHz, Name: Big FM
Band: FM, Frequency: 98.3 MHz, Name: Radio Mirchi
Band: FM, Frequency: 101.0 MHz, Name: Vividh Bharati
Band: FM, Frequency: 104.2 MHz, Name: Radio Mirchi Love
Band: FM, Frequency: 107.8 MHz, Name: Puneri Awaz
Band: AM, Frequency: 792 kHz, Name: All India Radio (AIR) Pune

MP3 Playback

MP3 playback is supported via a microSD (TransFlash) card slot conveniently located on the top of the device. Impressively, it handles larger storage capacities like 32GB and even 64GB cards without issue. Listening to MP3 files on this little radio is surprisingly enjoyable—the audio quality exceeds expectations for a device in this price range. However, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. There’s no screen to display track info, and no shuffle mode either. Instead, songs are played strictly in alphabetical order based on their file names. On the plus side, you can skip forward in batches of 10 tracks, which helps when navigating larger playlists.

Audio Quality

The radio features a built-in 5.5 cm (4Ω/3W) speaker capable of delivering up to 1.5W (RMS) watts of mono audio output. Given the compact size of the device, there’s naturally limited room for deep bass response or rich audio dynamics. That said, the sound quality is surprisingly clear and crisp—especially when reception is strong. While you won’t get room-filling sound or punchy lows, it performs well enough for casual listening, news broadcasts, or talk radio, making it a solid choice for on-the-go use or small spaces. It also has a 3.5 mm headphone jack if you want to plug in a pair of headphones.

Battery

The radio is powered by a removable 3.7V BL-5C 1020mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery. It comes with a generic, factory-included battery, which—at least in my experience—didn’t hold up well over time. Within a year, the battery had bloated and become unusable, a common issue with lower-quality Li-ion cells. Thankfully, the device doesn’t rely solely on battery power. It can operate just fine without the battery installed, as long as it's plugged in via USB and receiving live power. This makes it convenient for stationary use or when a reliable power source is available, even if the battery fails.

Warranty

The product comes with a 1-year manufacturer warranty on the device.

Reviews

As of June 2026, the radio is rated 4.2 out of 5, based on 1,500 customer reviews on Amazon.com with a selling price of $16.98.

Conclusion

In summary, the XHDATA D-328 is a decent radio for its price, but for a bit more, you can find radios with more features. It's compact, offers decent audio quality, and handles local stations and MP3 podcasts effectively. It's a solid choice, especially if you're on a tight budget, but there are other radios in the same price range that provide even better value. If you're interested in small and affordable radios, there are various options from manufacturers like Tecsun, Tivdio, Degen, and others, so it's worth doing some research to find the one that best suits your preferences. While it may not excel in all areas, its affordability and features make it a compelling option for radio enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.