[Simon Rodgers]

Sometimes I see DAB radio sets and they are always £24.99 minimum, no matter where. What happened to price competition?

Anyone know if I can ge one cheaper and if not, why not?

[Bangers]

I've seen them on sale for a tenner before in Sainsburys and £15 in Tesco, so it is possible to buy cheaper. You just have to look around and be in the right place at the right time.

[hanssolo]

The Daily Mail shop website has Pure Mis for £20, but looks like Noise747 was sent a faulty set so perhaps quality control is slipping, the Tesco and Halfords websites have a Phillips set for £20 and some people here have got good cheap sets at Asda.

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by Simon Rodgers

Sometimes I see DAB radio sets and they are always £24.99 minimum, no matter where. What happened to price competition?

Anyone know if I can ge one cheaper and if not, why not?

Yes if you want a crap radio. If you want a decent DAB radio just like everything else you can't expect to pay such an unrealistic low amount.

[Gary Brenton]

Originally Posted by Peter the Great

Yes if you want a crap radio. If you want a decent DAB radio just like everything else you can't expect to pay such an unrealistic low amount.

I agree....the cheapo ones are absolutely naff in every respect.

Most of the cheap ones have very poor reception... limited presets, poor sound quality etc... you really do get what you pay for so I have no idea why people expect top notch quality for a very low price?

Even for a medicore stand alone DAB radio near decent quality you have to pay at least £40 + (barest minimum)

[crusher19860138]

Originally Posted by Gary Brenton

I agree....the cheapo ones are absolutely naff in every respect.

Most of the cheap ones have very poor reception... limited presets, poor sound quality etc... you really do get what you pay for so I have no idea why people expect top notch quality for a very low price?

Even for a medicore stand alone DAB radio near decent quality you have to pay at least £40 + (barest minimum)

Not only that,they have poor battery life,the cheaper ones are worst in this respect.

[Watty Stoatir]

there is an excellent selection of sets here
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/celmusrad...g=UTF8&node=27

[noise747]

Originally Posted by hanssolo

The Daily Mail shop website has Pure Mis for £20, but looks like Noise747 was sent a faulty set so perhaps quality control is slipping, the Tesco and Halfords websites have a Phillips set for £20 and some people here have got good cheap sets at Asda.

I did send it back, I did not bother to have a replacement, Shame really as it looked like a nice small radio, maybe a bit too small, the speaker was tiny, not sure what the sound would be like.

going to pop into currys in a bit and have a loot at what they got, may stick with a FM one as I never really wanted a DAb anyway.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by Gary Brenton

I agree....the cheapo ones are absolutely naff in every respect.

Most of the cheap ones have very poor reception... limited presets, poor sound quality etc... you really do get what you pay for so I have no idea why people expect top notch quality for a very low price?

Even for a medicore stand alone DAB radio near decent quality you have to pay at least £40 + (barest minimum)

No wonder people are not buying them as much as what our government want? I can get a FM radio for a tenner which is okish and £20 could get me one with a better Amp and speaker with good sound.

[BMR]

The pure mi is fine if you can live without a headphone socket.

Although the battery pack is extra....

[noise747]

Originally Posted by BMR

The pure mi is fine if you can live without a headphone socket.

Although the battery pack is extra....

It was not fine for me, it did not have any audio, shame really as it was a good price.

i just been to Currys and had a look at one, it was £15 more there, that one worked and the sound was ok.

I looked at a roberts Classic Dab, but they had none in stock, even if their system did say they had 3 It happens.

I was going to pop into comets, but thought I would have a look at Maplins on the way and found a Nevada Sinfonie II, i remember Nevada years ago with CB stuff and they was pretty good.


A bit more than i really want to pay at £40, but I decided to get it.

IT works ok, FM is fine, pretty decent sound for what it is, DAB is what you expect from DAB. get a few stations but not everything we are told we can get.

I can't see DAB being used on it that often to be honest, Maybe I should have gone for a cheaper radio.

The one thing that have annoyed me is that this radio have been used, there was already a couple of presets ( Fm local stations) i expect it was used as a Demo, or something, but still annoying as I should have had a few quid taken off the price.

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by noise747

No wonder people are not buying them as much as what our government want? I can get a FM radio for a tenner which is okish and £20 could get me one with a better Amp and speaker with good sound.

No you can't for a tenner it would be utter crap and the £20 ones wouldn't be that good just like the DAB's. Also a DAB would give me just under 30 stations where as I would be lucky to get 6 stations on a portable FM radio in my area.

[BMR]

Originally Posted by noise747

It (the Pure Mi) was not fine for me, it did not have any audio, shame really as it was a good price.

Did you try taking it back? Pure are a good make, but no make has a 100% quality record......

[noise747]

Originally Posted by Peter the Great

No you can't for a tenner it would be utter crap and the £20 ones wouldn't be that good just like the DAB's. Also a DAB would give me just under 30 stations where as I would be lucky to get 6 stations on a portable FM radio in my area.

i don't expect to get a DAb radio for a tenner, but I should think you should be able to get one for around £20 that works ok, after all DAB technology is not new, in fact it is old and out dated.

Waste of time paying for extras like DAB+ as it will never come to this country and if it does it will be out of date by then.

Typical UK, always out of date. DAB gives me about 25 stations, but I can already get radio, 1, 2,3 and 4, Classic FM and a couple more on FM and in better quality if you call radio one good quality.


But you can get a decent FM radio for portable use for a tenner. My old Amstrad clock radio gives better sound on than DAB radios costing £30 or more.

This new Nevada radio I just got is far better on FM than DAB and as for getting more stations here, it don't happen.

I don't get smooth radio or planet rock and yet we are suppose to here. Classic Fm, I have to put the radio upstairs to scan in other wise it is missed and downstairs it just about gets it.

FM is better for classic FM anyway even on the small speaker that this radio have got I noticed the difference.

No local radio on DAB, Sunshine is not on DAB and i doubt it will be for many years due to the higher cost of broadcasting.


I am sure that for some people DAb is fine, But as much as i do like this radio I have got, I think for a FM only as DAb around here is as bad as it was 4 years ago, £40 is a bit much.

[bowland37]

Originally Posted by noise747

I am sure that for some people DAb is fine, But as much as i do like this radio I have got, I think for a FM only as DAb around here is as bad as it was 4 years ago, £40 is a bit much.

What's reception like on a decent radio like a Pure One?

[noise747]

Originally Posted by BMR

Did you try taking it back? Pure are a good make, but no make has a 100% quality record......

I sent it back and had a refund. I got it from the daily mail offers, someone in these forums put me onto it. It is one of those things, it happens.

I thought I asked for a replacement on the form I sent back, but they decided to refund for some reason. to tell you the truth they was not the company, ( daily mail not pure) they took ages to send the item and ages to refund the money.

It was worth a go, which is why I went to currys today to see what they had, but ended up to Maplin after.

I only want the radio for work anyway, which is why I did not really want to spend out £40 as it will only be used once or twice a week when I am on a late shift.

We will see how this radio work, I may take it back over the weekend and tell them it is not picking up stations as long as it gets back to them in the condition I had it which is to be honest not that good.

Radio is fine but packaging was not.

[bowland37]

i t might be worth trying to pick up a second hand Pure One off ebay.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by bowland37

What's reception like on a decent radio like a Pure One?

No better, a neighbor have a Roberts and it does the same.

If you got a nice big external aerial no doubt it will work fine, but no portable radios got that facility as far as I know, anyway the whole point in being portable is to use its own aerial.


That is the problem with being surrounded by hills,

Never been a FAN of DAb anyway as the sound quality is not up to FM standard, no matter how strong the signal is.

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by noise747

i don't expect to get a DAb radio for a tenner, but I should think you should be able to get one for around £20 that works ok, after all DAB technology is not new, in fact it is old and out dated.

Waste of time paying for extras like DAB+ as it will never come to this country and if it does it will be out of date by then.

Typical UK, always out of date. DAB gives me about 25 stations, but I can already get radio, 1, 2,3 and 4, Classic FM and a couple more on FM and in better quality if you call radio one good quality.


But you can get a decent FM radio for portable use for a tenner. My old Amstrad clock radio gives better sound on than DAB radios costing £30 or more.

This new Nevada radio I just got is far better on FM than DAB and as for getting more stations here, it don't happen.

I don't get smooth radio or planet rock and yet we are suppose to here. Classic Fm, I have to put the radio upstairs to scan in other wise it is missed and downstairs it just about gets it.

FM is better for classic FM anyway even on the small speaker that this radio have got I noticed the difference.

No local radio on DAB, Sunshine is not on DAB and i doubt it will be for many years due to the higher cost of broadcasting.


I am sure that for some people DAb is fine, But as much as i do like this radio I have got, I think for a FM only as DAb around here is as bad as it was 4 years ago, £40 is a bit much.

For starters in my area Classic FM is useless in Stereo unless I have an external aerial. Local radio isn't even really local in most areas. Kestrel in my area took over Delta and apart from the adverts there is very little content. The music format is almost identical to Heart which also covers my area so what use is FM to me? I get 6 Music, Planet Rock, Amazing Radio and Jazz FM. Classic FM is better quality and Radio 2 might not sound quite as good as FM but listening on a portable radio I will not notice the difference.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by Peter the Great

For starters in my area Classic FM is useless in Stereo unless I have an external aerial. Local radio isn't even really local in most areas. Kestrel in my area took over Delta and apart from the adverts there is very little content. The music format is almost identical to Heart which also covers my area so what use is FM to me? I get 6 Music, Planet Rock, Amazing Radio and Jazz FM. Classic FM is better quality and Radio 2 might not sound quite as good as FM but listening on a portable radio I will not notice the difference.

That is why I said DAB is ok for some. a lot of DAB stations don't have Stereo. and even if they are in stereo do you really notice?

i notice when I listen to classic FM as i have the speakers either side of me.

you saying that you don't notice the difference because you are listening on a small portable radio is the problem, because the government will say oh people are happy with DAb and turn off Fm.


this was one of the reason I did not really want DAB, if I buy a FM/AM radio the sales will show that it is another Fm radio, buy a DAb and people must like DAB they are buying them.

i wish now i just got a normal radio.

[Gary Brenton]

Originally Posted by noise747

No wonder people are not buying them as much as what our government want? I can get a FM radio for a tenner which is okish and £20 could get me one with a better Amp and speaker with good sound.

My statement says it all...the thing with band three (DAB) is that the components differ from FM - hence the reason why they will always be that bit more expensive than an average FM radio.

Also with cheapo FM radio's they can be rather poor with reception and sound quality just like DAB sets.

At the moment there is very little I listen to on DAB to be honest because for what I listen to is avaliable on FM. Also I do not trust DAB due to stations being here one day and gone the next. I remember not long after DAB came on air there were several stations I really liked and I was actually spoiled for choice..unfortunately these days it is hard to find anything I like on DAB.

There is only really Absolute 80's and Real XS that i dip into from time to time. I wish the authorities would do something with this format because it is a complete shambles at the moment and If i were you I would try and get yourself a decent FM seperates tuner with a decent roof-top aerial and try listening to some more distant FM stations as there is still a few decent(ish) ones around...

[hanssolo]

Originally Posted by noise747

This new Nevada radio I just got is far better on FM than DAB and as for getting more stations here, it don't happen.

I don't get smooth radio or planet rock and yet we are suppose to here. Classic Fm, I have to put the radio upstairs to scan in other wise it is missed and downstairs it just about gets it.

FM is better for classic FM anyway even on the small speaker that this radio have got I noticed the difference.

The BBC are increasing coverage, Digitalone is looking at adding some more transmitters to match FM signal levels as part of the Ofcom DAB coverage consultation so DAB works better indoors without the need for a roof aerial, sounds like D1 is low level indoors where you are, and the sound problems on Classic FM may be the error correction burbling in the background, the old Radioscape chipsets used in some of the Roberts radio were more prone to this!
Under good signal levels Radio 3 and Classic FM can sound as good (maybe better?) on DAB in stereo than on FM.

Originally Posted by noise747

No local radio on DAB, Sunshine is not on DAB and i doubt it will be for many years due to the higher cost of broadcasting.

http://www.muxco.com/multiplexes/her...orcestershire/
Sunshine was expected on the new local mux in 2012, but the Ofcom DAB coverage consultation has pushed back a decision on coverage till Summer 2012, so the mux may now not launch till 2013.
Around cities DAB is doing well, but the delay in the rollout due to the delay of the Ofcom DAB coverage consultation, is not doing much for the DAB platform in the country!

[roddydogs]

You can get a decent DAB for £10...Technika from Tesco E-bay, or some time ago a Ferguson Refurb, both work fine!! Then again Ive also got a Denon which was £200 without speakers.
Of course you wont get Hi Fi from any small set at any price.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by Gary Brenton

My statement says it all...the thing with band three (DAB) is that the components differ from FM - hence the reason why they will always be that bit more expensive than an average FM radio.

A bit more yes, but not so much that some people can not afford to buy them.

Also with cheapo FM radio's they can be rather poor with reception and sound quality just like DAB sets.

Some can, but there are some good FM/Am sets at decent prices that give ok sound.

The problem is so many radios got such a small speaker and/or a plastic case with no space inside. one of the reasons many radios sound naff.

At the moment there is very little I listen to on DAB to be honest because for what I listen to is avaliable on FM. Also I do not trust DAB due to stations being here one day and gone the next. I remember not long after DAB came on air there were several stations I really liked and I was actually spoiled for choice..unfortunately these days it is hard to find anything I like on DAB.

There is only really Absolute 80's and Real XS that i dip into from time to time.

I put on sunshine radio on FM at work for a while last night and then later on I thought I would try a DAB station and had a listen to Absolute 80's. i was like most other commercial stations, lots of talking, loads of advertising and a bit of music.

I could tell the difference of sound quality between Absolute 80's and sunshine, the Fm station had a bit more body to it, the DAb sounded weedy. i could tell that on a portable, so it must be pretty bad on a good hi-fi.

The first DAB I got, which must be over 7 years back, I got because of a certain DAB station, i can't remember the name, I know it was run by Saga. A few weeks after i got the radio the station was taken of the air.

You are right, not much on DAB to listen to to be honest, the world service and that is about it. The BBC spoiled what used to be BBc7, buy renaming it Radio extra and making it a extension of Radio 4.

I wish the authorities would do something with this format because it is a complete shambles at the moment and If i were you I would try and get yourself a decent FM seperates tuner with a decent roof-top aerial and try listening to some more distant FM stations as there is still a few decent(ish) ones around...

i must admit it does need something doing with it, not enough bandwidth for decent sound, i noticed Absolute 80's was pretty low bandwidth and with MP2 which is a old systemn, it will not get much better.

I got a decent FM on my Panasonic midi system. I am thinking of getting outside aerial for it, but it works most of the time with the wire one I got.

the DAB radio I got is for work when i am on late as I now got to work in the loading bay instead of the main warehouse and it gets boring in there as very few people go in there at that time of night.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by hanssolo

The BBC are increasing coverage, Digitalone is looking at adding some more transmitters to match FM signal levels as part of the Ofcom DAB coverage consultation so DAB works better indoors without the need for a roof aerial, sounds like D1 is low level indoors where you are, and the sound problems on Classic FM may be the error correction burbling in the background, the old Radioscape chipsets used in some of the Roberts radio were more prone to this!
Under good signal levels Radio 3 and Classic FM can sound as good (maybe better?) on DAB in stereo than on FM.

Sorry I disagree with you about the sound quality. No burbling in the background, the problem is the system is based on out of date technology and it don't matter what you do to DAb it will never be that good. Classic Fm is better than other stations because it have a higher bitrate, but it not up to FM. If i can tell on a small portable then I am pretty sure people with large hi-fi can tell.

i did not get the Roberts after, it was not in stock, I was going up to comet to see if they had one, but popped into Maplin instead and got the Nevada.

I am happy with the FM part, it got pretty good sound considering that the case is plastic. but the DAB part is like DAb normally is, just weedy, well it is on Absolute 80's.

It don't matter how strong they make the signal, it is not going to improve quality, just like digital TV, improve the signal all you like, but if the bandwidth is not there and you try and squeeze more into the same space then something goes and it does, the picture quality in digital T.V and the sound quality on DAB.

DAB is old tech, time to bring in DAB+, most new radios can cope with it.

http://www.muxco.com/multiplexes/her...orcestershire/
Sunshine was expected on the new local mux in 2012, but the Ofcom DAB coverage consultation has pushed back a decision on coverage till Summer 2012, so the mux may now not launch till 2013.

Then it will be pushed back again and again. so is it going to be a new Mux or are they going to squeeze the stations into the limited space they got and what bitrate will they use?

Around cities DAB is doing well, but the delay in the rollout due to the delay of the Ofcom DAB coverage consultation, is not doing much for the DAB platform in the country!

Doing well, in what way? I know plenty of people who got a DAB radio thinking it would be good and yet they now listen to the FM side only.
Admit it, DAb is poor,