Philips DA1000

It's easy to use on-the-go or at home. Station selection is simple. If it has a fault it is that it uses up batteries fairly quickly but I use re-chargeables anyway, so no problem. The sound translates well through good quality headphones. But then I wouldn't us those stick-in-your-ear buttons for choice. Even out and about I use small proper headphones. Sound quality seems just as good as an iPod or MP3 to me. When I am hiking it is fabulous to have such easy access to everyday DAB channels such as Radio 7 and Radio 4 or to listen to sport. An excellent piece of kit.

It turns on and immediately turns off..........looks like another duff power button. For a while very pleased but now it just won't switch on

For me the charger connection failed after a month or so, then the on-off button failed just after the 1 year warranty expired, rendering the radio useless. In my experience the digital signal has always been dodgy and I could only get good reception in open countryside, not in the vicinity of buildings, and certainly not indoors. I thought this was just a problem with DAB in general, but I've since bought a Pure radio and found the signal is much better everywhere.

I have had a problem with the charger and connector in the radio. Previously, during charging, radio provided a strong red light indicating the process. Light now a weak red and charging not being carried out. Still able to use radio by frequently All in all very disappointed. Phillips haven't provided a high quality device with this product. Would not recommend to anyone.

The Philips DA1000 is a good little radio but it just doesn't last and therefore I would not buy another one as it fails after less than 12 months.

I was well pleased with the Philips DA1000 DAB radio, until I had the button problem. The on/off button stopped working. I have read a few reviews about this, and it appears to be a common defect! I have had the radio for just over a year, and I do not think I can return it.

I am on the look out for a better one now.

Recommend getting a fast battery charger and extra batteries.

Easy to use, to a point. But the earphones fell to bits after two months, and the on/off switch broke after 10 months. Also, the batteries only last for 7 hours on a good day. If I was to buy a new DAB portable radio, it wouldn't be the Philips DA1000; the reasons being the on/off switch fault, as it seems to be common in this type.

When I received the Philips DA1000 radio I immediately realised that portablility was difficult due to loud and annoying interference. I live in a strong signal area, West London.

Still, when it worked, the sound quality was better than FM, but there was much more digital interference than my trusty, and much cheaper, Sony Walkman portable radio.

I like listening to the radio at night often all night. I soon realised that the battery charge lasted only 5 to 7 hours, not enough to get through a single night. By contrast, the trusty Sony can go through a whole week of all-nighters on a single charge or set of batteries.

In any event, I soon discovered that the radio, the Philips, stopped charging rechargeable batteries altogether.

So, in order to use the Philips at all I had to use it with the mains connector connected. I was prepared to endure the tangle of wires to get a night's worth of listening.

But, shortly after the warranty ran out even with the slightest of movement, the power now quits. I can jiggle it a bit and turn it back on, but who wants to that at 2 o'clock in the morning? And then it will quit again at the slightest movement. Worse, when the power quits, so do the presets! The result, the radio is useless.

Oh yes, the earphones fell apart after 3 months of use.

And, I only used the product in bed! I am not an abuser of gagets... I am 66 years old.

I have had 2 of Phillips DA1000 DAB Digital radios which have failed due to the on/off button. I am now awaiting a third radio with little hope of improvement. I do not understand why the Chinese manufacturer didn't use the same switch as the slide lock/unlock switch. It is obvious that a switch which is spring returned will suffer from fatigue failure if you are required to hold such a switch down for a period of time to differentiate between the ON function and the OFF function. I am surprised that a company as internationally experienced as Phillips did not realise this very basic reliability and quality requirement.

The Phillips DA1000 is a superb portable digital radio with the bonus of FM when the DAB signal is weak. Anything over about 20 miles from the transmitter and this radio struggles with the signal. Fm is usually good. If you try using the equalizer with a weak signal it burbles. in good signal areas it is great with the proviso....batteries. It eats its own rechargeables in about 5 hours and Duracell plus in about 8 hours. I am now using Li ion 2200 mah and they last about 20 hours, With two sets, alternating I'm never with out it. Cycling to work or at home its one of the best of the portables. (My third manufacturer and the best!)