on the hunt for a small portable dab radio

tghe-retford

At the size you are asking for, you're looking at pocket/mini DAB radio size. Generally I find that Roberts Radios are the best for sensitivity overall for DAB (which are for the most part rebadged Sangean radios, one of the respected international radio brands). For the size you're asking for, you tend to sacrifice sensitivity a little compared to the regular sized portable radios. I also don't know of any recent radios of that size that have a replaceable battery. It's either AA batteries (which last hours regardless of using FM or DAB with recent chipsets) or permanently installed lithium-ion (only replaceable if you open up the radio and know what you're doing).

For your use, it's likely going to be the Sony XDR-P1DBP or its replaceable battery equivalent, the XDR-S41D or the Majority Eddington.

The Sony XDR-P1DBP has a good reputation within radio enthusiasts (it was one of the radios in the aforementioned report), a little less sensitive than the regular size portable radios but it is a little above the budget unless you can find someone selling it a little cheaper or can increase the budget by a few pounds. Can't find the mAh of the battery but it seems to last a little longer than the Majority. However, if you are using this with headphones and using it as a pocket radio, it was found to be poor in sensitivity. They have a slightly larger and newer AA battery version, the XDR-S41D, for a few pounds more unless you shop around. Someone claims the latter is slightly more sensitive however it isn't designed to be used as a pocket radio, portable only.

The other alternative would be the Majority Eddington, I don't know about the sensitivity of that radio as I haven't owned one but one reviewer on Amazon who has it and the aforementioned Sony states that the Majority is more sensitive. If that is true, that would be one capable mini radio. Can't vouch for its ability to be used as a pocket radio because as I mentioned, I don't own one. Another person states that reception is affected if used while charging. Like the Sony XDR-P1DBP, it also has a permanent lithium-ion battery, this one rated at 1900mAh. But it is well within budget.

There are a few others that have lower rated reviews or a few showstopping flaws but for the best match of the original poster's requirements (while having to compromise on wanting a replacement battery), then I would suggest either the Sony or the Majority.

If I do listen on the go, I tend to use the Pure Move 2520 because it is the most sensitive pocket radio you can get (to my knowledge) but it has no internal speaker (the Move T4 does, but alas, both are discontinued and the T4 is less sensitive) and now goes for silly money as it is getting rarer.

mhussaincov

hey,
many thanks for your responce.
I do not object to using aa batteries.
if it's slightly larger, i'll take the space hit.
you say roberts radios are gennerally good?
is the play 10 in that calibre?
i'll search the other radios that you've kindly mentioned.
the thing I feer about dab radios with a built in non replasible battery, is when eventually the battery dies for good, that's it. no chance of replaceing it.
my eternal thanks to you for responding to my query sir Gareth..
and others

Gerry1

tghe-retford said:

The Sony XDR-P1DBP has a good reputation within radio

Perhaps it does, but that counts for absolutely nothing when it turns into a brick because of its two fatal flaws.  Both the lug on the plastic power slider and the plastic lug on the switch with which it engages are desperately fragile.  Just read the 1-star reviews:-https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00UYKJUPW/ref=cm_cr_unknown?filterByStar=one_star
Perhaps it's pot luck and depends on mechanical tolerances between the case and the switch on the PCB.  If the slider's lug can only move the switch to 0.2mm before the switch's end-stop kicks on, then everything is fine; however, if it can keep going until 0.2mm after the switch's end-stop then the slider's lug will break.

However, the main point is that the risk of breakage is not related to force, being gentle won't necessarily prevent problems.

Otherwise I found the RF performance of the Sony and the Eddington to be much the same, although the Eddington is thought through a lot better.

But anyone buying the Sony does so at their own risk because Sony won't offer any help outside the guarantee.  Caveat emptor !

gary1312

Hello there. I own a Roberts Play 10 and can recommend it. A very capable radio at a reasonable price. 

I am a fan of Sony audio products so I did look at the Sony XDR-P1DBP when I was researching small DAB radios, however it has a built-in battery, something I try and avoid. The Majority Eddington has the same problem. The Play 10 uses AA batteries which suits me a lot better. 

mhussaincov

I agree!

built in batterys really put me off.

it is cirtenly the fact, that when the built in battery dies, the end user is unable to replace it giveing you a brick,

or that sourceing new batterys is impossible after a cirten date due to the company who makes the radios in question not selling any more batterys or the radio in question.

yes I do understand the advantages of the built in battery, larger mah copasity, plug in to charge etc, but once they have died completely that's it.

also being blind I would not know when the device is fully charged and lieveing such a device plugged in for long  periods of time, would be overchargeing these batterys shortning there lifespanns correct?

the majority eddington may be the best since sliced bread, but in a few years time, it'll be for nort.

unless someone has managed to replace the internal battery?

or I should think that you could power the device via a powerbank? which would defete the perpous of being portable write? also, it would have an inpact on reception correct if a bank is connected?

with radios that take aa batterys, it's far simpler to replace the battery.

also I would be able to tell when the batterys are fully charged in the charger, because the batterys when chargeing get warm when chargeing. when the charge cycle completes, the batterys cool down.

if i'm incorrect with any of my statements, please tell me.

@gary1312

could you tell me how long you've had your radio?

how good is reception on both bands?

battery life etc?

my thanks.

sorry for the long post!

I am not dissing the majority eddington in any way, if there was a moddle that went with aa batterys, I would go for it in a instant.

pardon my spelling or diction, I use assistive tech to interact with my machine due to my blindness.

mhussaincov

gary1312

@mhussaincov please don't apologise for your spelling or diction. Your posts are perfectly clear.

The reviews of both the Majority and Sony radios are very good. Also I am always confident buying Sony products so I would normally gravitate towards their offering, even if it was a higher price than its rivals, but Roberts gained my custom by allowing me to use my own batteries. You are quite correct that when the batteries in the Majority and Sony radios die then the radios themselves also die. When the rechargeable AA batteries in the Play 10 die, I will just buy some new ones from Aldi and carry on.

I have owned the Play 10 about six months. Battery life is excellent using good quality rechargeable AA batteries or decent alkaline batteries. 

DAB reception - I own several DAB radios of different size by brands such as Sony, John Lewis and Roberts. The Play 10 performs similarly to them in terms of DAB reception. I am in Liverpool so get the Liverpool and North Wales multiplexes. When I place my radios near my window I can also get DAB reception from a West Midlands multiplex. The Play 10 doesn't differ in reception on DAB to any of my other radios. No complaints at all. 

FM reception - very good in my experience. FM reception in my flat is very poor but the Play 10 does better than most of my other radios on FM.

mhussaincov

I only have a few words there for.

@gary1312

@gary1312

I am sold.
this birthday which is in september, I will be requesting this unit of a radio
I thank everyone for there participation 
feel free to continue the discussion if you wish.
after all, future readers will thank us.
mhussaincov

gary1312

@mhussaincov be sure to come and post your review of your new radio after your birthday!

mhussaincov

I cirtenly will.

Murmansk

I just bought a Roberts Play 10 based on the recommendation in this thread of messages. It has better sound than the £70 mid-sized Sony I had previously and costs £25 less!