Preset buttons and station selection buttons are arranged in a line along the top of the Elan series radios - the DX20 is a DAB-only model, but if you're going to choose either, you might as well go for the neapolitan FM/DAB flavour at barely a few quid more.

Five presets can be programmed directly, while volume and station scroll/select pushbuttons are also situated on top of the Elan.

The sound from the Elan DAB radios is somewhat of a letdown with a side-by-side comparison involving the Evoke 2XT - admittedly a little unfair given the price differential - the Elans stop short of anything approaching deep, meaningful bass; again they don't attract the price tag of other Pure receivers and offer a cheaper upgrade path from FM. Some listeners also prefer not to be rounded up by an over-zealous woofer. The case is ported, allowing for a bass-reflex design, but to be honest the speakers don't shift large enough volumes of air for this to create low down sound of room-shaking proportions.

You could also just use the Elan as a means of getting DAB radio to a full-size hi-fi system, thanks to the industry-standard line-level stereo audio outputs on the back of the machine, yet still have a portable digital radio you can take out to the shed: the best of both worlds.

I've heard far, far worse at the same price point and - lets face it - the Elan is really aimed as a portable kitchen/garage radio. While it won't excel at music, speech stations are much more forgiving, if a little lacking in authority. A sleep timer is provided if you want to set-and-forget, which avoids draining the batteries when accidentally left overnight in the shed.

Battery life is quoted as up to 30 hours on DAB and 80 on FM, which is a major improvement on the Evoke 2, for example. Syling is conventional and functional - there's no real wood veneer here, but the casing is robust enough to take knocks.

Find out where to buy the Pure Digital Elan DX20 DAB radio online or find the Pure Digital Elan DAB/FM radio.

For:	twin speakers, simple operation, simple design; hook it up to an existing hi-fi
Against:	sound doesn't compare to other Pure products
Verdict:	While the Elan beats many other inexpensive DAB digital radio models, it's not Pure's best receiver
Price:	GBP69.00 or less

Find out where to buy the Pure Digital Elan DX20 DAB radio online or find the Pure Digital Elan DAB/FM radio.

...

Pure Digital Elan DAB/FM Tech Spec

Specifications

: Stereo DAB digital and FM radio with full Band III reception capability, for reception of all UK DAB broadcasts. Compliant with ETS 300 401 and capable of decoding all DAB transmission modes 1-4 up to and including 256 kbps.

Frequency ranges

DAB Band III (174 - 240 MHz), with fast autotune feature and 87.5MHz – 108MHz FM.

Speakers

Two full-range 3" drive units.

Output connector

3.5 mm socket for headphone and stereo analogue audio output.

Controls

Power on/standby & sleep, DAB/FM, presets, volume up/down, tune up/down & select, display information and menu.

LCD display

Custom, easy to read LCD with 16 x 2 character display plus status icons.

Power supply

230V AC to 9V DC external power adapter or batteries (not supplied).

Batteries

6 ‘C‘ cell batteries (not supplied) provide 30 hours DAB or 80 hours FM at normal listening levels. Ultra low-power standby mode.

Approvals

CE marked. Compliant with the EMC and Low Voltage Directives (89/336/EEC and 73/23/EEC).

Dimensions (mm)

280 (w) x 165 (h) x 80 (d).

Aerial

Recessed telescopic aerial supplied.

Related links:
Buy Pure Digital's range of DAB tuners, portables and receivers, via this website.

guide to DAB digital radio, on this website.
where to buy DAB digital radio, on this website.
what to buy - a DAB Buyers Guide, on this website.
more DAB radio receiver, system and tuner reviews, on this website.