Roberts DAB Radios

Dab Digital Radio

The Sony XDR-M1 DAB Radio. The Sony XDR-M1 DAB Radio is a compact DAB/FM Walkman that is stylish and compact and boosts high quality sound with mega base.

The XDR-M1 has a four-line backlit LCD display to navigate through radio stations; it displays information on the music, station, frequency, signal, battery life: DAB information displayed on music being played, such as track name or a web address, can be stored and recalled.

The four-button control panel of the M1 is user friendly as is the central joystick. The sound quality is good, however there can be interruptions to the signal, which will disturb your listening. The XDR-M1 is a slick DAB radio that is very portable, battery life lets it down some what and the price is on the high side.

However DABs are the future of radio, everyone will have it as it will replace radio. In the UK analogue will be switch off soon, so if you havent got you DAB yet then what will you listen to? Yes prices are high at the moment, but take it as an investment. Actually prices keep dropping by the season. Many people get them as a birthday or xmas present. So if your stuff for what to get, just say the Sony XDR-M1. Oh and although their designs are abit off putting for young people, the sound is great and mostly consistent untill you get signal failures.

Unbeatable.co.uk or Unbeatable.com in USA have, like the name  unbeatable deals on dab radios. If your looking for deals, reviews and news which are updated frequently, then check the sites out.

Jon tests out the Pure Highway DAB radio

More Dab Digital Radio Articles

Digital Radio Dab

Traditionally, radio stations have always broadcasted in its regular, analog format. FM and AM radio could both be heard all over the world depending on the signal strength in each listening area. A couple of decades ago though, analog radio has been replaced by a better type of radio; digital radio. Digital radio has grown in popularity tremendously since it first debuted, and shows no signs of any decrease in popularity because it is all around better than traditional, analog radio. During the process of radio stations switching over from analog radio to digital radio, most stations broadcasted in a hybrid signal that could be heard by regular radio listeners as well as digital radio listeners.

Over time however, the hybrid signals were no longer used because the complete switch over to digital finally happened. Analog radio offered a selection of different AM and FM radio stations in each listening area but once the switch over to digital was complete, listeners could enjoy even more stations in their area thanks in part to the stronger digital signal. With digital radio, FM stations were broadcasted with such a clear and crisp signal that the music sounded the same quality as that on a CD. AM stations also improved significantly by gaining the same sound quality as traditional FM radio.

To listen to all of the advantages that digital radio had to offer, listeners would have to purchase a digital receiver to pick up the digital signals. Digital receivers could not only pick up all the newer digital stations, but they could also pick up all of the regular radio stations that were around before digital radio. The downside to purchasing a digital receiver lies in the cost; the cost of a digital receiver was considered rather pricey when compared to a regular, non digital radio.

Traditional analog radio did have its advantages, such as when the signal strength became diminished, the stations would lose their sound quality slowly. However, with digital radio, should the signal become reduced, the stations will usually cut out completely; this is one of the major disadvantages to digital radio along with the cost of a digital receiver. All in all though, digital radio is coming along and progressing further and further as the year progress. While FM radio has always been considered pretty good when it comes to quality of sound, digital radio is going to take FM radio above and beyond where it was previously with no signs of it slowing down.

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DAB stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting, this is a way of broadcasting radio digitally via a network of transmitters. It provides listeners with much better sound quality, more choice and more information.

Because of the way DAB technology works, broadcasters can transmit many more stations than ever before. Listeners in most major towns and cities in the UK can receive between 30 and 50 radio stations with a digital radio, in many cases that’s more than double what’s available on analogue. Because digital radio uses the spectrum more efficiently than analogue, it is possible to broadcast more channels using the same frequency, making room for broadcasters to expand their station portfolios.

DAB digital radio delivers improved sound quality. The technology allows the receiver to lock on to the strongest signal it can find and ignore everything else. This eliminates the hiss, crackle and fade so familiar on analogue radio.

A DAB digital radio will tune to a station at the touch of a button. No more fine tuning a station to get the best reception. A DAB set allows the listener to scroll through a list of available stations by name – then tune in by pressing the ’select’ button.

Have you ever heard a song on the radio and wanted to know who it is by or what it’s called? Or tuned into speech radio and wanted to know what the programme is about or who is speaking? Digital Radios have a screen which can show text information transmitted by the radio station. Some stations send information about latest news, sports scores, what’s on now and next, website address and phone numbers. Some radios offer an option to view the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) which shows listings information for some stations. It is also possible to Pause rewind and record live radio.