Technika DAB-206

Technika DAB 206 - An Understated Masterpiece. Its unassuming appearance belies a high-performing, well thought-out unit.

I looked around for some time before replacing my current DAB walkman, and did lots of research online (there's surprisingly little choice in the market). My buying decision was also influenced by two of the DAB radios I already own - a Roberts portable which suffers from dreadful tizzing, and a Pure DAB hifi whose memory card reader failed to function after a couple of years. So much for the premium brands. Time to give the little guys a chance maybe.

On first sight, the Technika's styling is dull and wouldn't attract a second glance, with bland styling and a small display. But as soon as you install batteries and power up, perceptions start to change. The backlit display has a vibrant clarity and is easy to read at any light level. Once you begin handle the radio, it becomes clear that the designers have indeed given the shape a great deal of thought - its curved form cups perfectly in the palm of the hand, it's very light and unobtrusive, and the buttons are all easily thumb-operable.

Sound quality is amazing at this price. My previous DAB walkman was an Alba unit which served me well for several years. The audio from the Technika is streets ahead though - no buzz at all on DAB, and almost no hiss on FM. Likewise, reception is exemplary - DAB almost squelch-free (even on the move) and stable FM with minimal fade or ghosting. Unable to find a chink in its armour, I resorted to visiting my local Tesco store, which is about as EM-hostile an environment as I know. I made it almost to the back of the store before the DAB signal started to break up. Incredible. Dynamic range is also impressive - as quiet as you like for unobtrusive night-time listening, but ear-splittingly loud at full volume. FM RDS station name is yet another bonus.

Headphones are a similar revelation, looking at first sight rather cheap but actually providing rich, full sound (for buds at least) with sufficient bass response. They compare well with my other JVC jelly buds which are about the price point you'd expect to be bundled at this price point.

Controls and menu structure are intuitive, easy to learn and a doddle to operate blind.

Battery life I have yet to properly evaluate, but then DAB is a power-intensive medium, so don't blame the manufacturers for rapidly-draining batteries - blame the government and the DAB consortium, in collusion with the BBC, for foisting this standard on the British public. If the (accurate and clear) battery meter starts to drop into the lowest quarter, just switch to FM to drag things out a bit. And invest in a set of the highest-capacity rechargeable AAA's you can find.

Negatives? At this price there's nothing else you could reasonably expect. An auto-off function would have been a freebie to add into the software, but it's a minor niggle.

I'll be buying a spare just in case this one gets lost or damaged. I'll still have spent less than if I'd bought the equivalent "premium" brand.

Excellent sound quality. Easy to 'station hop'. I get about 48 stations in all, and the sound quality is equally good on each. Very pleased with it. Well recommend Technika DAB-206.

I have never owned any other Digital Radio so my review is subjective. I personally find that DAB is better than Medium Wave (AM), but I honestly think that FM is better than DAB whatever the adverts say. On the plus side you get a great many more stations than Analogue radio, but just like Digital TV, many of these stations are repetitive and similar to each other and there is less variety than you might expect. Having said that if like me you listen to a lot of radio it is worth shelling out thirty to forty quid for. If however you only listen to the radio infrequently for news, talk shows, sport or non music media, I would recommend you save your cash and stick with your old Analogue Radio or buy a cheap Analogue Radio for under a tenner.