Pure Pocket DAB 2000

At £170 from Tesco this wasn't the cheapest of pocket dab radios I could have bought but it also acts as an Mp3 player and has FM too. There is also an added feature that allows you to pause and rewind live broadcasts. But what especially attracted me to the Pure pocket dab 2000 was the fact that you can record your favourite tracks or radio programmes to listen to at a later date via the use of a SD memory card. The card is slotted into the right hand side of the player. However, you can only record DAB but not FM.

The unit is switched on by holding down the power button on the right. A 'Powered by Imagination Technology' splash screen will then be activated. The DAB 2000 has a larger LCD screen than the previous version (the DAB 1000). The radio is quite straight forward to use. You navigate between DAB stations, FM frequencies and MP3 tracks by pushing the central rocker up and down

The battery life varies depending on which features you use. For example, using just DAB lasts just under 10 hours but if you stick to FM the batteries should last just over twenty hours.

The following accessories are included with the radio:

Headphones with in-line volume control
SD memory card (64 MB)
Desktop cradle
Custom carry case
AC power adapter/charger
USB cable
Software CD
Three AA NiMH in-unit rechargeable batteries
Owner's manual & quick start guide

Its important to remember that in order to appreciate DAB radio fully you have to live in an area of with good reception. Only then will you be able to enjoy DAB's benefits such as convenient tuning via station name and helpful text information broadcast alongside. Otherwise it can be a rather frustrating and irritating experience on the ears, with dropouts and digital noise distortion. Apart from that the sound quality is fine.

The head phones leave a lot to be desired. The sound quality wasn't that good in my opinion. I have used some Sony headphones that I already had and you could tell the difference immediately.

The DAB doesn't seem to perform very well during travel. It can be unpredictable when travelling in a vehicle or when you've got it covered up in a bag or in your pocket. Another negative point is its size which is a touch on the large side.

Overall I still think DAB radios are a little expensive for what you get and it is clear that DAB technology has some way to go.