Reviews related to : DAB Radios
DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) radio offers a better quality of service for those living within range of the new system. Where reception is good, DAB squeezes many more channels into the same area of the radio spectrum, and includes 'information' with the audio - allowing named stations to be located and, depending on the channel, information about programming. Some DAB radios provide facilities previously pioneered with HDD video recorders such as the ability to 'pause' a live broadcast.
In a few years time analogue channels will be phased out and DAB will be the only broadcast alternative. This will of course lead to a blip in environmental damage as millions of analogue radios become obsolete. Unlike analogue TV, there will be no option for a DAB receiver to plug into you analogue set!
DAB Radios have appeared in various shapes and sizes with a range of features including a model that is at home in the kitchen.
When you put together retro-styling with some modern day radio technology and an unexpected timing facility, then the result could well be a DAB radio from Dualit. In this case the product is the Dualit DAB Lite Radio. For those not too familiar with Dualit, this is a UK company that is better known for its kitchen equipment developed for commercial and home use.
The Gemini 33 is an attractive bedroom radio/alarm system, but it wouldn't be out of place anywhere in the home.
First of all the most striking aspect of the Gemini 33 is the clock face. For those of you that miss a traditional 'clock' to tell you the time you'll love this product - although of course without the need to wind up a clockwork mechanism. In fact all you have to do is switch on and the time is automatically extracted from the radio signal. As soon as the time is established the hands start to turn - which does look very impressive.
This looks like a conventional radio of a few years ago, what would have been called a room portable. The only thing that tells you it is something more is that it has a display rather than a dial. It can be mains or battery operated.
The Roberts Stream 202 measures 29x15x10cm and weights (without batteries) 1480grams. It takes six ‘D’ cells should you want to go that route. Unlike a lot of DAB/Internet offerings this is stereo. There are a pair of 7cm speakers clearly visible through the thin front grey mesh. The sides have a large black stripe and the middle 18cm of the handle is also black everything else is grey.
Also called the 'GlowTime', the CRD-51 is a neat little bed-side clock radio that's
available in black, white or pink and offers a very flexible alarm system.
I've been provided with the 'pink' version for this review, a fact that was not lost on my daughter, who promptly disappeared with it to her room where it remained for a good few days until I could rescue it and put it through its paces. This is a particularly attractive product (not only my opinion - my daughter helpfully agreed!) measuring 166 x 60 x 150mm (WxHxD) and weighing around 450g.
Freeplay rechargeable DAB and FM alternator radio
Published in Wireless
by paul_smart
on Nov 9, 2008
This is the last of the items I saw at Marks & Spencer’s Christmas in July event. This unlike some of the previous items I have reviewed has a real purpose. With all the talk of black outs a radio driven by a alternator certainly has a place.
Slightly blocky in shape and unusual in layout for a DAB/FM radio and add the hand crank on the rear it is unusual. It is 20x12x8cm and weights1060grams. Remember the extra weight of the built in Ni-MH battery and the alternator. The face has a single 8cm round speaker housing, eight silvered well labelled buttons, a grey volume knob and a double tuning knob the outer one for FM and the inner one for DAB.
Roberts CRD40 DAB Radio, CD, MP3 *and* SD-card player
Published in Entertainment
by petew
on Nov 1, 2008
A stereo DAB radio that includes a CD player and the ability to play
MP3 tracks from SD cards is a great idea. The built in alarm in this
particular product makes it ideal for the bedroom!
On first sight the Roberts CRD40 (Sound 40) has an unusual design being wider at the top than at the bottom - looking a little like a bucket. This isn't to detract from the product in any way and the looks very quickyly grow on you. Sound is produced by a pair of 76mm speakers giving stereo reporoduction. Quality is on the whole good for a bed-side product or for a childs room.
This is a single unit with DAB and FM radio, a CD player and as it also takes SD cards it can playback MP3 and WMA sound files on cards up to 2GB. It also continues from where you stopped playing when you shutdown the previous time.
The Roberts Sound 24 (MP-24) is 30x17x17cm and weights 3.12kilos. This is mains unit and the mains lead enters back left. Rather surprisingly the DAB aerial is of the wire type exiting back right and it is 60cm in length. Just behind this are two 3.5 jack sockets one for earbuds and the other for Auxiliary input for MP3 or iPod. The actual controls are nine buttons on the top edge and a further nine above and below the 8x2cm two line display on the angled front of the unit.
Roberts have announced a number of energy efficient radios in the past. The 'solarDAB' combines
energy efficient design with an integral solar panel to augment traditional mains power.
The solarDAB is distinctive in a number of ways. Firstly it has a somewhat unusual design, partly due to the need to incorporate the solar panel in the top of the device. Aesthetics are always somewhat subjective, although I did find the design grew on me over a couple of weeks. The second somewhat unusual aspect is the lack of an FM or analogue tuner - this is a DAB only radio. This is in many ways a vote of confidence in the DAB system after some poor press earlier in the year.
Here I am looking at the latest offering from Pure Digital the One Mini. Just as this arrived Pure announced they had sold 2,000,000 DAB radios this is of course DAB but also FM and you can connect an iPod or portable CD.
It is 14x13x6cm a lot smaller than most DAB/FM units, probably the reason for the name 'Mini'. It has an eight piece rod aerial that increases the second figure the height by 44cm if it is extended vertically. The rear has input for the A/C adapter, there is a battery bay but this can only accept a 'ChargePAK' and not standard alkaline batteries. The top has six silvered buttons, the large one on the left on/off and the other five all labelled as to their job.
As a radio lover I was very interested to get my hands on this pocket DAB radio from Goodmans. Billed
as the "smallest personal/pocket DAB radio in the world" this could be exactly the replacement
for my pocket FM radio.
Despite being a great fan of radio (I admit it - a Radio 4 listener) - I actually have very little time in which to listen. The best times for me are either when gardening or when running, and with the weather this year precious little gardening has been done! The Goodmans GHDAB101 measures 69.5 x 44 x 21.4mm and weighs a mere 68 grams. Power is provided by two AAA batteries, something I fully applaud.
This is a DAB/FM radio that comes in chrome and looks rather like a toaster. Not simply looks like a toaster but the brand is more famous for kitchen equipment like toasters.
The DualIt Lite DAB radio is 22x16x8cm, it can be run either from batteries or mains. It has a 66cm six piece rod aerial that folds out from an indentation in the top that looks exactly like the hole that you would insert bread in. The back has a very tight entry point for batteries and if you use rechargeables there is flip a switch in the compartment it can recharge them in situ while still listening from the mains.
This is a top quality DAB radio, it also allows you to play CD’s using a lot loading drive. Various colours are available, mine was shiny black but most things can be done using the 32 key remote control.
The Tangent Cinque DAB radio is 23x21x12.5cm, as stated mine was shiny black that will normally show all the fingermarks but once in place you really only need to touch it to insert or remove CD's and as that is a slot loader not really even then. It looks magnificent with the black mirror finish. The rear has the various connections and an eight piece (67cm) rod aerial.
If you add Podcasts and FM radio then the title above just about covers the abilities of this, the first of – that I know – a new breed of dual radio that can cover such a wide band of features, this is the Revo Blik.
It is a maximum of 25x12x6cm, mine was white, but they also do black. The rear has a six section 55cm rod aerial, jack sockets for output to stereo speakers. A 3.5mm earbud socket and input for the power socket, the only other socket is on the right side 'Mport' that allows inputs from other sources such as an MP3 player. The centre of the front has a 6.5x2cm three line display, white on black. When in standby this will show time and date.
Using Pure Highway turns your car stereo into a DAB radio, until now there have been very few DAB car radios and this unit from Pure makes it available without spending a fortune.
In the box is a lead to go to your cigar lighter to provide the power. A rather flimsy aerial to attach to the inside of the windscreen, a bracket (much like those for Sat Nav systems) to fit the unit into, an optional line out lead and of course the DAB radio module. It is 12x7x2.5cm. When you first apply power it tunes so you need to have connected the aerial first.
It has been a while since I last took a look at a DAB radio. A new model from PURE Digital was my re-introduction to the technology.
Like numerous other devices that I have seen recently, those delivering DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) radio facilities are now adopting a multifunction approach to tempt users into making a purchase. One example of this trend to broaden the scope of a DAB device is that seen with the Chronos product from PURE Digital. This piece of kit brings together iPod dock functionality with standard DAB radio facilities in a product entitled PURE Chronos iDock.
This is not just another DAB radio. It is small and neat and for good measure it can record onto SD card, not just at the time of playing but up to around 30 minutes after playing.
It is 16.5cm tall and 10cm wide and deep. Mine was black but I know they also do white should that be more suitable for your colour scheme. It has a seven piece (55cm) rod aerial. On first switch on you need to make sure that the aerial is extended and then press the scan button, mine found 51 DAB stations in around a minute. The controls are six push buttons and a large wheel whose job changes dependant on which button you press.
Despite the traditional DAB shape this unit has a few surprises inside. The sound quality is excellent and it is extremely easy to use. In fact all in all it’s a very nice DAB radio.
Yes there was an earlier Tempus offering and it's shape and size very like others by Pure but certain features are new. It is 21x12x17cm. These are the maximum sizes the latter the height goes to the top of the snooze handle, the middle figure is from the front of the volume and tuning knobs to the rear of the power lead. My unit was in a light cherry (looking more like teak to me) wood. The right half of the front has a two line display 6x1.
Until recently DAB (Digital Auto Broadcast) radio has been something of a niche technology. Dab radios
have offered little advantage over their analogue forebears other than limited battery life,
often poor reception and higher prices. A lot has changed in the last year with DAB radio
going mainstream.
Pure Chronos II
The government want us ultimately to use digital radio services. Why? Well as with most things
government it really comes down to money. If they can persuade us to 'go digital' they
can sell off the frequencies traditionally used for radio services to the highest bidder.
This DAB radio (also has FM) is the same wedge shape and size as the recently reviewed Siesta, there are of course differences the first of which is the colouring it looks a silver grey great for a bedroom.
First the all important dimensions these are of course maximum 19x17x6cm, the 19cm width is only 3cm at the rear. Under the unit is where the power adapter enters and where the aerial wire exits. The power lead is an adequate 1.8metres, the aerial lead is a barely adequate 60cm.
Roberts Revival RD50 - DAB Style in Stainless Steel
Published in Entertainment
by petew
on Nov 22, 2007
If it's classic styling you're looking for - a DAB radio that'll looks as good as it sounds
and that can comfortably take pride of place in your home then Roberts may have something for you.
The 'Revival' range has been around for a little while from Roberts in various finishes. This
limited edition version takes style to a new level. When you take it out of the packaging
the first thing you notice is the weight - at around 1.5Kg (3lb) without batteries this is
probably the heaviest DAB radio I've seen.
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