Home› Radio and Podcasts

Independent "Indybest" - 10 best DAB portables

Phil DoddPhil Dodd Posts: 3,975
Forum Member
✭✭✭
in Radio and Podcasts #1
The Independent newspaper is strong on making lists of the 10 best of everything under its "Indybest" section. Today they've finally progressed to a list of 10 portable DAB radios. It can be seen at :

http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/10-best-portable-dab-radios-10324355.html

There's obviously been collusion with suppliers, but this list of ten does have a good deal to commend it. There's a really varied selection of receivers - the list has been designed to present a full range of receivers from a basic model to ones including Bluetooth and all sorts of extras. That's valuable to anyone starting at the point of knowing nothing about DAB receivers, and wanting to get an idea of what is on the market in terms of possible capabilities.

There's a wide selection of brands too. Some of us swear by Pure or Roberts, but those brands only make up a minority on the list. And the good thing about the article is that a link is given to each manufacturer's website.

I'd say to anyone new to buying a DAB receiver is to use this particular list as a starting point to do further homework before buying one. Don't rush out and buy one of those mentioned, but visit the manufacturers websites, explore, compare, and make notes. Then you've got a chance of making a knowledgeable choice.

Well done Independent... also in today's edition the cute octopus ? That's another story, slightly less believable...

Have a pleasant evening !

Comments

  • Gerry1Gerry1 Posts: 4,223
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #2
    The article has absolutely nothing to commend it. It's about as useful as a description in an Argos catalogue written by somebody with no technical knowledge whatsoever. Did the reviewer even have a chance to play with the products? There's remarkably little evidence that he even listened to them, few facts and little to justify the vague opinions.

    It's also factually incorrect:-

    * 'better reception and sound': No and No

    * 'DAB will be all there is': No

    There's no mention of the Digital Tick accreditations (did that scheme fall by the wayside together with the promises of 'CD Quality', 'all new cars to have DAB by 2013' etc?), and not even a mention of DAB+.

    It's not a review, it's just an undeclared advertorial. If there isn't some regulation or code of conduct about that, there should be.
  • DigMorrisDigMorris Posts: 451
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #3
    I was dissapointed about the lack of mention of DAB+. Especially since not all manufacturers list it themselves, even when their products do support it.

    For instance, it's been a major bugbear of mine that those coloured DAB radios that John Lewis is currently pushing by the boatloads didn't seem to support DAB+. It took a review by Which to find out that they actually do support it.

    This Indy review missed a chance to interrogate all the manufacturers about it.
  • Nick_GNick_G Posts: 5,137
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #4
    The introductory part in particular is typical of the BS and spin that is pedalled by DAB lobbyists, and, as Gerry1 says, the rest of it is about as useful as a chocolate kettle.

    Independent? I don't think so!
  • mfrmfr Posts: 5,620
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #5
    There's not much useful information there... At least to work out why one is four times more expensive than another.

    I'm left wondering why DAB radios are generally so ugly!
  • LaurelandHardyLaurelandHardy Posts: 3,806
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #6
    "The "Snooze Handle" is such an excellent feature" ... said nobody whatsoever!
  • hanssolohanssolo Posts: 22,663
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #7
    Gerry1 wrote: »
    It's also factually incorrect:-

    * 'better reception and sound': No and No

    * 'DAB will be all there is': No

    There's no mention of the Digital Tick accreditations (did that scheme fall by the wayside together with the promises of 'CD Quality', 'all new cars to have DAB by 2013' etc?), and not even a mention of DAB+.

    It's not a review, it's just an undeclared advertorial. If there isn't some regulation or code of conduct about that, there should be.
    Trouble is with sound quality it is subjective and people need to hear sets themselves.
    With FM also depends where you are and what station, for instance listing to Radio 3 in a city centre or hilly area with FM multipath interference DAB (or internet streaming which the Roberts Revival mentioned has) will sound far better, in this situation most of the 128k (or 80k mono) DAB stations will also sound better than FM.

    Also as most sets use Frontier Silicon modules technical specs don't vary so the main difference is set build and look and how good a speaker is provided?

    The article is correct in that eventually all the main stations will be digital only, but as there is no confirmed target date and no confirmed DAB+ stations (hopefully Sound Digital will announce some soon)
    http://www.adambowie.com/blog/2015/01/d2-bid-sound-digital/
    Sound Digital is offering a single, as yet un-named DAB+ service with no hint as to what kind of format it might be. That’s perhaps a little disappointing since it’s not going to easily kick start a DAB+ revolution. But obviously it depends what the service is.

    With no confirmed DSO target date or DAB+ stations, there seems to be no rush for the Digital mark to be introduced into shops.
    When used on digital radio equipment, the mark certifies that “this radio is future-ready and can receive the available DAB, DAB+ and FM radio stations”
    The list is growing and seems to include most set makers
    http://www.getdigitalradio.com/industry/approved-products-services/approved-dab-receiver/
    Includes Morrisons and Currys own brands sets, but does not seem to include: John Lewis, Tesco or Argos own brand sets yet, so doubt these shops will be pushing the tick mark yet?
  • swb1964swb1964 Posts: 4,700
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #8
    What HiFi have reviewed DAB recievers for sound quality. It might be worth checking their website out for better reviews than this.
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,623
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #9
    At least the Indy list picked the model I would have chosen as the best of the bunch (albeit I have not had a chance to listen to or play with all of the ones listed and like the look of the Ruark as a standalone table top set).
  • ResonanceResonance Posts: 16,644
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #10
    mfr wrote: »
    There's not much useful information there... At least to work out why one is four times more expensive than another.

    I'm left wondering why DAB radios are generally so ugly!

    Totally agree. Been looking for one as a present and as you say most certainly won't win any beauty contests.
  • VectorsumVectorsum Posts: 876
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #11
    LaurelandHardy wrote: »
    "The "Snooze Handle" is such an excellent feature" ... said nobody whatsoever!
    The general credibility level of the article isn't raised by having a picture of a Pure Evoke D6 accompany a review of a D4.
    Resonance wrote: »
    Totally agree. Been looking for one as a present and as you say most certainly won't win any beauty contests.
    When you look out across the landscape of DAB sets, this is perhaps the most depressing and (with no particular pun intended) visible aspect. Although DAB+ capability is creeping into sets by a combination of stealth and default, i.e. it would be more expensive to delete the DAB+ silicon than include it, the actual product range and appearance hasn't moved on in over a decade. With the laudable exception of Sony, most manufacturers' products look as if they were churned out by the local prison workshop.

    Resisting the temptation to switch off immediately and not read further than the word 'Goodmans' in the description of the Indy's 'No. 1 best buy', the actual set looks almost exactly like the germanium-transistored 50s radio that I had to paint for a third year art exam back in '81. As for those Fisher Price things that John Lewis punts, seriously, who actually buys them? The times I've been in a JL no-one has even been looking at them, let along picking them up and trying them out.
Sign In or Register to comment.