Pure One Elite DAB FM Radio

The Pure One Elite DAB FM radio takes portable DAB up yet another level. It’s stereo twin speakers and seperate Bass and Treble controls ensure unprecedented sound quality from such a small radio.

Also included is Revu which allows you to pause and rewind live DAB radio.

3 power options include mains, battery or the rechargeable ChargePak. Pure claim 70 hours with disposable and 35 hours use on a full charge with the ChargePak.

Our review set had the ChargePak fitted and we easily surpassed the 35 hour mark and would highly recommend this option as it’s going to be expensive running it on disposables. Being branded by Pure as their “Elite unit” it’s a surprise it didn’t come with the ChargePak fitted as standard.

This is even more surprising as the Pure One Elite is one of the EcoPlus products meaning Pure have supposedly done all they can to make sure their product is as environmentally friendly as possible.

as you would expect, being fitted with stereo speakers we found the sound quality to be better than any other DAB portable radio we have reviewed.

An input for an MP3 player means you can also take full advantage of these stereo speakers by using it as a portable stereo speaker set.

This is an excellent radio and although on the expensive side for a portable, is very good value for money if you are looking for even better sound quality than a standard DAB portable radio.

Pure Pocket DAB 1500

The Pure Pocket DAB 1500 offers the sound quality we have come to expect with a Pure DAB radio but in pocket size.

With its aluminium casework with black and silver finish, this is the best looking of all the pocket sized portable DAB radio units on the market.

That’s not the only thing that had the office impressed either. All DAB portable radio sets are power hungry compared to an FM set and its not long before the new owner of a DAB radio is shopping for rechargeable batteries. The Pure DAB 1500 has tackled this problem head on by including the fit and forget ChargePAKA®.

What this means is that the Pure Pocket 1500 gives plenty of portable listening time and then just plug it in to the mains to charge it up without the need to remove batteries, much the same as your mobile phone.

It also comes with high quality Sennheiser headphones to complete the package.

Of all the pocket sized DAB portable radio units, this is probably our favourite so far. The sound is excellent as is the reception and should you enter an area with poor DAB reception on your travels, the DAB 1500 can switch to FM. An option not available on some of the cheaper options.

Get a closer look at the Pure DAB 1500 in the short video top right of the page.

Roberts Portable DAB Radio - RD 14

The RD 14 is marketed as a sports Roberts portable DAB radio. A kind of go anywhere, take any amount of damage type of thing, at least that’s the image Roberts are trying to plant.

We found it easy to handle and use (although a left hander in the office did struggle slightly) and pleasing to look at. The big screen is nice and clear and handles full text or text scrolling.

Because of its size you are not going to get all the extras that come with a larger Pure One for instance, but what you get works well and of course what you lose in extras you gain in portability. The RD 14 Roberts portable DAB radio was designed to fit your top pocket and indeed it does.

What you do get is automatic time and date setting on both FM and DAB and automatic shut off at 30, 60 or 90 minutes for extended battery life.

It comes with an AC adapter which we found strange as anyone buying the RD 14 DAB radio is doing so because its size means you can take it with you anywhere. Its not the sort of radio you would be plugging into the mains.

Instead of the AC adapter, coming with a case would have been much more appropriate and more appreciated by the ’sports’ buyer.

Being a Roberts, the sound quality is excellent which is lucky as there are no options to allow you to tinker with the sound but again, you have to give up some options in exchange for the small size.

If you are after a portable DAB radio small enough to be called a personal radio then the Roberts RD 14 should fit the bill.

Also consider: Pure DAB 1500