Radios have been around for several years, making entertainment and information available to us. These flexible gadgets can be used at home, in the office, on a camping or hiking trip, in your car, and almost anywhere else you can think of. With this flexibility, the radio has also become a device with several new features to expand its versatile use and value. While radio brings us so many memories, it is in no way a thing of the past because of how it has been able to upgrade and evolve to maintain its relevance.
The best dab radios, which seem to be taking over the FM radio quickly, bring you the most of these advancements. With the integration of features like Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi connectivity, live recording, Spotify connect, bedside clock radio or alarm clock, USB input and so on, the radio has become more than just an old idea with retro design to be set on the bedside table or used as home decor. It has become an easy to use, powerful and effective tool of information communication and entertainment in today’s society where everything is quicker, faster and more accessible.
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Considerations for choosing DAB radios
To know the dab radios that are best for your needs and deserve your consideration takes a little effort and intention. When you go through the reviews available online, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the wide variety of models available, which all claim to offer the best. To know which is truly suited for you, there are several important features and factors to keep in mind so you can avoid being left with a radio that disappoints your expectations. Aside from the radio features itself, it is also necessary to consider how and where you intend to use it and what design would best suit those intentions. We have below some essential factors to consider to ensure the radio you purchase provides you the best you can get with no reasons for regret.
Audio quality
Listening to your favorite channel on the radio is a fun activity we all enjoy. To get the information you need from your radio is made a lot easier if you can clearly hear the sound being transmitted. Your radio should provide you an impressive quality of sound with the absence of noises, hissing or crackling as much as possible. These radios are technically designed to provide crispier sound quality and a mostly uninterrupted audio stream than FM radios would, and so, purchasing one is an advantage in this area. Most radios support a 3. 5mm headphone jack to allow you to listen privately to your channels or music.
Battery life
Your radio battery life should be able to support your continuous use without dying on you and possibly leaving you without any way to access necessary information. Your radio might come with a battery pack, although they can sometimes be mains-powered and need to stay plugged in to work. These radios are known to consume much more power than FM radios, leading to a faster drain of batteries. Several DAB radios make use of rechargeable batteries, which saves you the stress and added cost of having to repurchase and replace regular batteries continually. It also means once your radio battery is low, you can power up your radio anywhere there is a power source. With standard batteries, you have the choice of simply being able to get your battery and use it without having to spend extra time waiting for it to charge. You also have the freedom to enjoy using your radio in an environment where you do not have access to any outlet you can use to charge. It is a major advantage to purchase a radio with dual power, meaning it uses both rechargeable and regular batteries to give you options to use depending on what is most convenient in your circumstances.
Device scanning
With DAB radios, you get a whole host of different channels made available to you. With its encoding format, you can get several programs on a single channel. This is even further increased with DAB+ technology. It can be hard to get through this massive amount of digital channels to get to the ones you want, which is where the scanning feature comes in. It makes it much easier to scan through to find channels broadcasting your interesting programs or favorite music to entertain and inform you.
Bluetooth connectivity
One of the added features that distinguish and improve DAB radio is its Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Radios who offer Bluetooth connectivity allow you the freedom to enjoy the multifunctional use of your radio by being able to connect your phone to it and using it as an external speaker to play your favorite audios from your mobile device. Getting a radio with Bluetooth is often much better and convenient than the more expensive ones with the Wi-Fi feature.
15 Best DAB Radios
1. Ocean Digital WR-23D Portable Internet Radio
Enjoy your DAB/ DAB+ and FM radio with access to a large number of available radio stations. This is also the best dab tuner with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. You can also use the D radio as a Bluetooth speaker to listen to your music or audio. The device has a modern, stain-resistant design and had front and remote controls you can use to adjust and change features or channels.
PROS
- It has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to connect to your smartphone.
- It uses a rechargeable battery and saves costs on constant replacement.
- It has a dual alarm clock feature and sleep timer.
CONS
- The required AA batteries are not included.
2. Zerone DAB Digital Radio
This is one of the best dab digital radios with a rechargeable battery and FM Bluetooth speaker. The Bluetooth connectivity and USB port enable you to connect your phone to the gadget and then play your audio using the Bluetooth or USB enabled device as an external speaker. This DAB digital radio also provides great sound quality, and the screen is quite easy to read.
PROS
- It is a very strong and sturdy device.
- It has an alarm and a regular clock to help you keep up with time.
- You can easily carry out a scan and quickly search through the numerous channels.
- It has a large display, and it supports the use of AUX and headphones.
CONS
- It isn’t waterproof.
3. Sangean WFR-28 Internet Radio
This digital radio provides you all you can expect from the best dab tuner in design and sound quality. The digital radio and FM radio give you access to countless internet radio stations. You can save your favorite stations to save you time getting to them. Aside from the added benefit of internet radio, you can also stream and play music on the device with the Spotify connect.
PROS
- It has an LCD screen with full color and bold display, which makes it easy to read.
- This device has Wi-Fi and Spotify connect.
- It allows the use of remote control, AUX and headphones.
- It is powered by rechargeable and regular batteries and also can be powered using the AC adapter.
CONS
- It doesn’t have an alarm.
4. LEFON Mini Digital AM FM Radio
This DAB and FM device is easy to use to listen to stations or play music with the MP3. Enjoy the best news and entertainment on this portable small-sized device, which comes with a strap and wrist band. With the auto search and manual search, go through your list of channels and select and save your favorites for another day.
PROS
- It has a 3. 5mm jack space for earpieces and headphones.
- This is the best digital radio with ratings among the best digital radio reviews.
- It has great sound quality and a sturdy body.
- It is easy to charge your battery, and you can also replace it.
CONS
- It is not suitable for use in extreme environments.
5. Ocean Digital Internet Radios WR-336N
This digital radio offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, so you not only can listen to your internet radio, but you can also play your audio using the Bluetooth device as a speaker. You can access the device using a remote control and see the changes to your device on the full-color screen, allowing you to manually control the display brightness.
PROS
- It has Bluetooth and impressive sound quality.
- It uses a lasting rechargeable battery.
- The device has 4 preset buttons and a timer.
CONS
- The gadget doesn’t give access to YouTube.
6. SHANSHAN Radio
This easy to use DAB radio and DAB+/FM device has a bold LCD screen and has 20 stations which have been preset. With the 3. 5mm jack, you can listen to your favorite songs and shows privately when you are in public or would rather not let the sound from your DAB radio bother others. The device has a big volume knob and navigation keys that are simple and easily understandable.
PROS
- It is very light and is easy to fit in your hands and carry around.
- It has a bright display.
- It is highly sensitive and provides you a scan function to search through all channels.
CONS
- It doesn’t have features to connect the device with your phone.
7. Roberts REVIVAL ISTREAM 3 Retro DAB/DAB+ FM Radios
The Roberts Revival iStream 3 is a great dab/dab+ FM Bluetooth radio with Bluetooth and Spotify connect. These are some of the best dab radios when the sound quality, Bluetooth speaker, and other features are considered. The Roberts radio serves as an alarm clock radio, which you can use to keep track of your time.
PROS
- With Spotify, connect on Roberts, stream and listen to all the best music on your radio.
- Your Roberts Revival iStream 3 uses the Alexa device to allow voice control.
- The AA batteries are built-in and rechargeable.
- It comes with an instruction manual.
CONS
- It has only one speaker.
8. Roberts Stream Radio
The Roberts Stream 94i meets and surpasses all expectations as one of the best dab radios. It uses Bluetooth and Spotify connect to connect you to your smartphone and play your audio, but you can also enjoy all your favorite stations available on the internet radio with the Stream 94i.
PROS
- The dab radio is easy to control and is very portable.
- Stream 94i allows you to listen to your favorite playlists with the music player feature.
- It functions as a buzzer alarm.
- You have 5 preset buttons and 120 preset stations.
CONS
- It doesn’t have a feature to rewind live radio.
9. Roberts Revival Mini DAB/DAB+/FM Devices
The quality of the Roberts Revival dab radio is unmatched. These best dab radios are miniature, stylish with a retro design and gold plated fittings. They offer the best sound, features and a bold display with an Amber backlight, which allows you easily see your device settings and features. The device is portable and easy to take anywhere with a built-in charger for an even better convenient experience.
PROS
- You can connect your phone to this device to play your audio.
- It has auto and rotary tuning.
- The controls are bold and easy to understand.
CONS
- It doesn’t have an alarm feature.
10. SHARP DR-450(BR) 6W DAB+ and FM Digital Radio
Use this dab radio as a Bluetooth speaker with its Bluetooth feature, which allows you to connect your phone to play your audio. It has an alarm feature, which makes it great to use as a bedside radio to help you stay alert and keep each of your time. The display is bold and bright, allowing you to see all the necessary details and features on your device.
PROS
- It is one of the best dab radios with the Bluetooth feature.
- It has 60 preset channels and an auto-scan feature.
- It uses a max power of 6 watts and a strong telescopic aeriel to provide you the optimal best.
CONS
- It doesn’t support an internet connection.
11. Sony Radio
These are the best dab radios with dual power options. It allows you to power your device using an AA battery pack or an AC adaptor. You can program your favorite channel to a preset button, so you only have to press a button to directly access those stations, making it way easier to use and enjoy your device. It has a wake-up and sleep timer, which you can use to alert yourself once it is time to get up to ensure you don’t oversleep.
PROS
- The device sound of very high quality
- It has a headphone jack to listen to your audio in noisy areas or privately.
- It has a clear LCD screen to display information about your different programs.
- It comes with a user manual.
CONS
- It uses a non-detachable antenna.
- The AA batteries are not included.
12. Roberts Revival Retro Digital Radio
This Revival Uno gives the best in design and quality. It is very sturdy, strong and has the best features to ensure you enjoy listening to your favorite stations. It is very compact sized and has a stylish retro classy look that is simply breathtaking. This flexible device allows you to listen to the channels and connect your smartphones to it or use the mp3 player.
PROS
- The device is dual powered- using both battery power and mains-power.
- It gives room to preset and saves the stations and channels you enjoy listening to the most.
- It can be used as an alarm to remind you it’s time to get up.
- The display brightness is adjustable.
CONS
- It doesn’t offer an internet connection.
13. Denver TDC-250 Radio
The Denver device gives so much more than just stations with high-quality reception of both DAB and DAB+, making it one of the best dab radios. It functions as a CD and cassette player to listen to your favorite cassette, CDs and homemade CD-R/RW audio discs anywhere and anytime. You can also enjoy the displayed clock and alarm features that this incredible device offers.
PROS
- The gadget is easy to carry around.
- It supports AUX, MP3 and USB connection.
- You can listen to your music or programs using headphones.
- Customize your alarm to use the CD currently available, radio or an MP3 track.
CONS
- The device is not remote controlled.
- It doesn’t support cassette on cassette recording.
14. August MB225 Radios
When you want to take a nap, to go bed for the night or get engaged in some other activity, and you need a reminder to help you get set for your day or an important event, one of the functionalities of this product is the alarm feature which can take care of this need. The device has a bold display with a blue backlight, which also helps keep you informed about battery power and station information.
PROS
- It has four buttons to access preset stations and can memorize up to 40 stations.
- It has a lasting battery, and the built-in rechargeable battery saves you cost on battery purchases.
- You can enjoy your FM stations using mono or stereo audio options.
CONS
- It isn’t suitable to carry in the pocket, especially when the antenna is extended, limiting its portability.
15. Majority Eversden DAB/DAB+ Radio
You can enjoy connecting to the Bluetooth function this amazing product offers. Bluetooth makes it easy to use the device to play your favorite playlists from your phone using clear, booming speakers. This gadget’s durability is assured by its waterproof and shockproof design features, which ensure to protect your device from damage. Hang this portable gadget around the house as you listen to the different stations and music with the rubber hanging strap.
PROS
- It has an alarm and clock timer.
- It is durable, easily rechargeable and can also be mains-powered.
- The device has a built-in antenna and supports the use of headphones.
CONS
- It doesn’t provide bass treble adjustments.
Overall Best Buy
We have provided you a long list of the most impressive DAB devices, but when it comes to quality, features and function, the Roberts Stream94i qualifies as our choice for the best portable dab radio on this list. It is an internet device that provides access to Bluetooth and Spotify connect features. The device is very stylish and portable and gives you up to 120 presets to save and easily access your favorite channels.
Best Budget Buy
When it comes to making a purchase, it is important to buy the best, but when you’re on a budget, one might worry about being unable to get what you need at a good price. Some products that promise high value come at prices that may even be more than you may earn or be willing to pay. However, it is possible to get an affordable device that is less expensive and provides you equal or even better quality. Our selection for the best budget dab radio is the LEFON Mini, which offers the DAB, AM and FM stations and serves a multipurpose function by providing access to a music player and can serve as an emergency flashlight.
FAQs
What is the difference between FM and DAB Radio?
Digital audio broadcasting (DAB) seems to quickly be replacing FM radio, which uses an analog signal, in contrast to DAB, which broadcasts digitally. While with FM, you can get better reception depending on your antenna placement. However, the FM radio experiences much more interference than DAB, which creates a lot of noise and unwanted feedback because waves of several different FM stations within the same airwaves often collide. This problem is bypassed with transmission using binary digital data encoded in bits and transmitted for a digital receiver to decode. The span of frequencies that DAB users are allowed is also much larger, allowing receivers access to several different channels on a single frequency. The DAB standard of audio quality is also expected to be much better than FM. However, this is sometimes not the case, mostly as a result of overdone compression.
Do Dab Radios need Aerials?
Yes, you would need the right type of DAB Aeriel to access the signals and enjoy using your radio. DAB and FM radios use different aerials. Several dab aerials range from several telescopic aerials for portable dab radios to wire aerial and in-car whip aerials. Most pocket dab radios use headphones or earpieces as aerials or simply have it built-in with the speaker. Also, most of these aerials work well for both DAB and DAB+ stations even if you purchased the aerial before the launch of DAB+ because they operate with the same frequencies. Most radios come with the aerial they use, so there is often no need to purchase one separately.
What is DAB+?
The digital radio plus is an efficient spectrum upgrade to the standard DAB radio and is becoming increasingly accepted. The primary advantage of the DAB+ is that it broadcasts more data on the stations with higher sound quality and better reception using the previously available DAB bandwidth.
