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 Further information our radio station directory postcode check DAB digital radio FAQs  |
Which portable DAB digital radio do we recommend? If you want a reliable and very compact radio, we'd go for the Sony XDR-P1DBP DAB & DAB+ radio with FM tuning - a popular choice with a built-in lithium battery. You can take this radio out and about to hear a handful of national DAB+ services and regular DAB stations. This is a future-proofed radio, with DAB+ capability out-of-the-box. It also receives all current DAB radio stations, such as those broadcast by the BBC. Oh - and there's a headphone socket on the side. For something a little larger, with three direct-access keys for storing your most-listened-to radio stations and taking 'AA'-size batteries, check out the Roberts Play 10 compact DAB, DAB+ and FM radio. Also, check out the Blutune range of affordable DAB radios. If your budget will stretch to something a little more expensive, we'd also take a look at the Sony XDR-S60 DAB & DAB+ radio with FM tuning. This receiver offers a stunning, rich and balanced sound (with a bass port on the rear) with simple controls - including five preset memories for storing your favourite stations on five separate keys. It's also easy to scroll through and select other DAB and DAB+ stations in the large, readable display. This is our current favourite, and includes a headphone socket for listening to stations broadcasting in stereo. The Pure Pop Maxi featuring DAB, DAB+, FM and Bluetooth connectivity, with twin speakers for stereo sound, is also worth considering. If you want a smart kitchen or living room radio, the Pure Evoke D2 (note: be sure to look for the 'digital tick' for DAB+ enabled models) or Pure Evoke D2 Rob Ryan design is an award-winning radio wrapped in either an oak, walnut or special edition artwork. Pure radios are good at picking up a signal even in poor reception areas, and recent models come with a 'digital tick', meaning they are equipped to pick up both standard DAB and the more efficient DAB+ stereo broadcasts. For background information about the Ruark R1 range with a review of this model of great-sounding DAB radio, (the current model is the R1 Mark III), click on the links above. For another DAB radio at the cheaper end of the market, but with good sound, look no further than the Pure ONE Mini Series II, a single-speaker DAB radio (with stereo sound if you plug in headphones and FM reception to boot) featuring a 3.5mm input to play your MP3 player or iPod through the Mini II's speaker. You can read more about the Pure One Mini Series II. There is a downside in that you need to purchase a specific battery pack in order to use most Pure portables out and about. The Pure ONE Classic DAB digital radio with FM offers pause, rewind and a 45 minute recording facility and does a great job at searching out even weak DAB signals; you can read about its features here. If you want reliability and performance in weaker signal areas, we recommend Pure and Roberts DAB digital radios. Listeners do have a small complaint in that the AC adaptor (which plugs into the mains and has a low-voltage lead that plugs into the back of the radio) can be a bit chunky on these radios, but in reality it means that the power supply is isolated from the unit itself, thus reducing any problems with mains hum. Which DAB portable CD player do we recommend? The Roberts Zoombox 2 is about the only truly portable DAB radio featuring CD player. Taking 6 "C" cells, the Zoombox offers CD player and DAB/FM tuner in a portable radio. It can be found here. Which DAB or internet radio with iPod/iPhone dock do we recommend? If you want a modern-looking iPod/iPhone dock with both DAB and wi-fi internet radio then Revo AXiS X3 is a popular choice. Which DAB tabletop audio system do we recommend? Roberts' DAB-enabled kit lets you stream audio from your smartphone via Bluetooth. The logically-named Blutune range pick up digital terrestrial stations such as BBC Radio 6 Music and 4 Extra, with your smartphone handling the internet radio side of things; apps such as UK Radioplayer and TuneIn giving you thousands of additional stations from around the world. You can also consider the Revo SuperSignal, SuperConnect and high-end Revo SuperSystem. Check out the Ruark R4i and Ruark R2 Mk III if you want to be blown away by high-quality audio from an all-in-one system. Also consider the Pure Evoke C-series DAB+ and connected radio range if you're looking for an all-in-one system with CD player. Which combined DAB and wi-fi internet radio do we recommend? It's a tough decision, but since a firmware update in June 2016, we'd recommend the award-winning Roberts Stream 93i DAB+ receiver with internet radio streaming and full access to the BBC's listen again (on-demand) catalogue. This receiver has advantages over the Pure One Flow in that, no only can it stream all of the BBC's radio stations in high quality audio, but also that it can now access the Beeb's on-demand 'listen again' content AND let you pause, rewind and fast-forward/skip through programmes and shows. So, if you lose your internet connection halfway through a programme, or go to take a telephone call, you can either pause the stream or delve back in and fast forward from the beginning to return to the part of the show you missed. The Revival iStream 2 also has this skip and rewind functionality, which makes listening to long-duration shows so much easier, as you don't have to start from the beginning if your internet connection should drop. However, the award-winning Pure One Flow with its connection to the Pure Connect portal for internet radio favouries and no-nonsense design also offers access to the BBC's high-quality streams and all listen again & podcast content, since changes made in February 2015. We also recommend the Pure Evoke F4, which is a little more expensive, but just as popular. Again, both these and the Pure Sensia 200D Connect can handle the BBC's HLS streaming for on-demand/catch-up and live radio, giving you access to the BBC's 30-day listen again service within the UK. For an internet tablet with speakers - and apps to stream live radio and on-demand content - check out the Zettaly Avy Internet Tablet. Which handheld or palmtop DAB digital radio should I buy? The best handhelds are manufactured by Pure or Roberts, so we'd go for either the award-winning Pure Move 2500 DAB/FM handheld or the Pure Move 400D palmtop radio. Both feature built-in rechargeable batteries. Another reliable choice is the Roberts SportsDAB II handheld DAB/FM radio; with both telescopic and headphone aerials the SportsDAB II is good for seeking out a DAB signal. Later versions of these models support DAB and DAB+, so avoid buying secondhand on auction sites as you may end up with a 'version 1' that supports DAB and FM only. |
