I’m not surprised.

I connect my Echos to powered studio mini monitors via the headphone jack and plug the monitors, which run pretty hot, into smart plugs. I use my Echos for streaming podcasts and the local NPR station, the monitors remain off most of the time. When I want to listen I tell the Echo to turn the radio on.

Hitachi, like most Japanese manufacturers, made some excellent speakers in the 70s, but they didn’t sell well in the US because Americans thought they were too expensive. They responded by making big lightweight boxes with extremely cheap components, and Americans bought them by the truckload. In short, they’re junk.

Why wouldn’t you use the tuner? FM is wonderful! There’s lots of great jazz, classical and sometimes a fun college station if you’re not into top 40 type commercial stations, and it can sound surprisingly good on a quality tuner like that with even a simple dipole antenna. A better antenna will bring in distant stations or not so distant stations with less noise. Give it a try, it’s one of the last truly free things left out there that has actual value.

Totally safe. Go for it. I take full responsibility.