Digital radios?

J_B

Rosa_Damascena said:

No touching the dial for me, I just tell Alexa what I want!

The 2 DAB radios I have are now redundant....time to pack them away and donate to a chazzer.

Try telling Alexi that you want to listen to you local football team's live commentary on a Saturday afternoon - it's not possible!

tghe-retford

In terms of sensitivity, the most critical aspect of buying a digital radio, Roberts/Sangean ones are the most sensitive ones I have found you can still buy. Not all Roberts radios are the same though. I'd recommend the Play series from around £40 or the Stream series if you have the money. I have the Play Duo for stereo sound and the Stream 94L connected to an external antenna as it has a detachable antenna (tip, if you do plan to use an external antenna, don't use pliers - you'll scratch the antenna and it will be difficult to remove, use a box spanner).

facade

Rosa_Damascena said:

SiliconChip said:

Are you looking for something to listen to inside or outside the house? If inside and you have reasonable broadband then I'd suggest buying a smart speaker rather than a radio, since buying some Echo devices in last year's Black Friday sale I rarely bother to turn on any of the radios I already owned.

Me too - they also featured in the spring sale but at one Echo Pop and two Dots as well as devices bought for other family members I think I am well served.

4 months on, and I cannot believe what a difference they have made to my life in countless ways. The most tangible being staying motivated to exercise, purely because I don't have to interrupt a routine to switch stations when something I don't like (like advertising content) comes on. No touching the dial for me, I just tell Alexa what I want!

The 2 DAB radios I have are now redundant....time to pack them away and donate to a chazzer.

I have one of those Switchbot humidifiers that Alexa can control.

It is right next to me, but the convenience of not having to stretch out and fiddle with the button is amazing- Alexa turn on/off the humidifier! (I turn it off when I'm holding a drink- I don't like to be in a cloud of atomised chlorinated water when I'm having a cuppa)).

Mr Breezy (The Big Fan) is on a smartplug, so I can turn it on without getting up, and turn it off if it gets a bit chilly.

Brie

Big fan of Pure minis for which I also bought the rechargable battery.  Liked the first so much I bought a second one.  

twopenny

Brie, I wasn't actually looking for a radio - the home question was not my question
But I like the look of the pure mini........it says you can play from an mp3, is that by blue tooth or double ended jack please?

Rosa_Damascena

J_B said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

No touching the dial for me, I just tell Alexa what I want!

The 2 DAB radios I have are now redundant....time to pack them away and donate to a chazzer.

Try telling Alexi that you want to listen to you local football team's live commentary on a Saturday afternoon - it's not possible!

Nor is it ever going to be a request that comes out of my mouth!

Kim_13

I'm very happy with my VQ Monty. Has a battery option if you might want to use it outside (sold separately) which I did eventually buy as I like having it for the clock, but on mains power it stays on permanently and was just too bright at night. I did wonder about signal myself being fairly rural but I've never had a problem with it and there's also Bluetooth to listen to music/podcasts/audiobooks - though the volume always needs adjusting between DAB and Bluetooth.

I paid £99 but it seems it can be had for less now. 

Hermann

twopenny said:

I bought a cheap one back when they were all the rage but I and others living rurally found the signal kept dropping out. Really annoying.
I've tried my cheap one on and off but still the signal keeps vanishing.

Considering buying something smater and more expensive but wondering if the loss of signal is normal or if something better will overcome this.

I could listen via a tablet but like the idea of having something you don't have to keep charging. Just press a button whenever you like.

Any experience of such an archaic device 

I live in an area where DAB signal is poor, bordering non existent indoors, tried various different DAB radios and none work reliably.
It seems much of the UK has poor DAB signal and thats all there is to it, if your in a poor signal area then forget Digital Radio.

Possibly spending a lot on an external aerial and a component receiver/amp might get you up and running but is it worth that expenditure and effort? Internet streaming seems a better way forward.

Northern_Bloke

Had to replace my Roberts DAB recently as my favourite station Planet Rock had disappeared off the radar. I got a decent spec retro looking DAB+ Bush model with a built in  CD player for around £100. Sound quality is pretty beefy and it has a decent aerial for tricky reception. Happy hunting ...