If you have just tuned in, don't touch that dial! We have an important announcement: Queen were right, Buggles were wrong. Video never did truly kill the radio star, and people are just as 'gaga' for radio as ever.
The difference these days is with the rise of internet radio, and the use of smartphones and wireless speakers through which you can access your fix of radio content, without the need for a dedicated radio. But that just means that now, the humble radio often needs to be a jack of all trades, providing Bluetooth in addition to DAB and FM, while still, most importantly, sounding great.
We have one pocket-sized FM/DAB radio in the compact form of the Majority Petersfield Go (the cheapest of the five, and four models (from Roberts, Ruark and Revo) that are better suited to pride of place in your kitchen, with modernretro good looks and Bluetooth.
Sound-wise, all five radios major in the midrange, with great clarity to voices, making them ideal for talk radio and podcasts. Don't expect lashings of bass from these mostly dinky devices, but their musical presentation will still keep you listening and tapping your feet along, whether you're listening over Bluetooth or good ol' FM radio.
You can be sure there's something for every kind of radio-phile here, and covering a broad span of budgets. So tune in, turn the page, and read on.
Majority
Petersfield Go
Basic but perfectly enjoyable and affordable pocket radio
£30
Smartphones, app-based internet radio and wireless speakers may have killed the once-popular pocket radio, but small DAB/ FM radios still have their place. There are plenty of people who favour local radio, and want to be able to listen to talk radio or keep up with football scores on the go.
Majority's Petersfield Go features FM and DAB/DAB+ tuners, and comes bundled with a pair of earphones, all for just £30.
This neat little portable radio is made of plastic, but is well put together and doesn't feel cheap. It's about the size of a pack of cards, the build is robust enough, and the buttons all work responsively. You also get a pair of wired in-ear headphones bundled in. They are not the best earphones - about as good as the cheap buds you get on an aeroplane but there is an essential reason they are included: the FM/DAB radio uses its cable as the antennae, so you always need to plug in a pair of buds to get a sound. The bundled in-ears can be swapped out for any other pair of wired headphones you have, such as the excellent SoundMagic E11C in-ears (£40).
There are large buttons for accessing and saving presets and scanning available stations, which also do double duty for scrolling through the settings and selecting various options. Small but easy to press buttons let you switch between FM and DAB/DAB+, bring up the menu and cycle through additional station information. The radio can scan for stations automatically, or you can fine-tune the station frequency yourself.
We recommend saving your favourite stations as presets: you get 10 presets for FM and 10 presets for DAB.
The quoted 10-12 hours of battery life runs largely true, even with the LCD screen at its brightest. That screen is tiny but packed with information including the time, radio mode, station name, what's playing, and icons for battery life, signal strength and volume. The Petersfield Go uses the older micro USB port for charging, which means it will take a bit longer to charge up compared with USB-C. The charging cable is included, another nice bonus at this price.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/2ZxS62DNS1723620515333/zbG_NMV6Z1723620676680.jpg]
Clearly projected voices
There are no Bluetooth or other streaming options here; you have only FM and DAB radio tuners. And the stations you do get access to depends on your region and proximity to a transmitter. We lucked out with strong signals for local Berkshire and national BBC stations, although a train trip to London showed how any patchy or non-existent signal can stutter playback.
The Majority does two things very well: voices are projected clearly, and there's enough solidity, detail and punch to make music enjoyable to listen to. The included earphones make everything sound thin and harsh; swap them out for a better pair and you'll get a much cleaner, fuller sound.
Presenters' voices have a decent heft and richness to them, with Craig Charles' lush, deep voice sounding nicely textured, with ample detail and satisfying weight.
The unit pushes the midrange forward, making news and match commentaries clear and easy to follow. Listening to songs, whether Beyonce or Nirvana, we are treated to a zippy, agile sound that doesn't sound sharp, lumpy or muddled. The frequency range is fairly restricted - don't expect wide-ranging dynamics or soaring highs or deep lows - but what this radio does really well is deliver music with a good dose of rhythm.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/2ZxS62DNS1723620515333/AhqvT6EjQ1723620687504.jpg]
We spend a lovely hour or two listening to Classic FM, with the music flowing smoothly and instruments having decent space to flourish. Astor Piazzolla's Libertango is delivered with a great deal of energy and zeal. It's a fun, enthusiastic listen, and it can go pretty loud too.
For those looking for a super cheap and basic but good portable pocket DAB/FM radio for the summer, this little unit is worth checking out.
Roberts
Revival Petite 2
Tiny footprint, fabulous design, serious sound
£100
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/2ZxS62DNS1723620515333/sapzwoWc01723620799453.jpg]
Even as wireless speakers and music systems are getting more multi-functional every day due to increasing demand, there is something universally appealing about the humble radio, especially one with such a compact form and such lovely retro looks.
The Revival Petite 2 follows the same blueprint as Roberts' original five-star Petite: it's so tiny it can fit onto the palm of your hand and perch in any corner, narrow windowsill, bookshelf or clu...
The difference these days is with the rise of internet radio, and the use of smartphones and wireless speakers through which you can access your fix of radio content, without the need for a dedicated radio. But that just means that now, the humble radio often needs to be a jack of all trades, providing Bluetooth in addition to DAB and FM, while still, most importantly, sounding great.
We have one pocket-sized FM/DAB radio in the compact form of the Majority Petersfield Go (the cheapest of the five, and four models (from Roberts, Ruark and Revo) that are better suited to pride of place in your kitchen, with modernretro good looks and Bluetooth.
Sound-wise, all five radios major in the midrange, with great clarity to voices, making them ideal for talk radio and podcasts. Don't expect lashings of bass from these mostly dinky devices, but their musical presentation will still keep you listening and tapping your feet along, whether you're listening over Bluetooth or good ol' FM radio.
You can be sure there's something for every kind of radio-phile here, and covering a broad span of budgets. So tune in, turn the page, and read on.
Majority
Petersfield Go
Basic but perfectly enjoyable and affordable pocket radio
£30
Smartphones, app-based internet radio and wireless speakers may have killed the once-popular pocket radio, but small DAB/ FM radios still have their place. There are plenty of people who favour local radio, and want to be able to listen to talk radio or keep up with football scores on the go.
Majority's Petersfield Go features FM and DAB/DAB+ tuners, and comes bundled with a pair of earphones, all for just £30.
This neat little portable radio is made of plastic, but is well put together and doesn't feel cheap. It's about the size of a pack of cards, the build is robust enough, and the buttons all work responsively. You also get a pair of wired in-ear headphones bundled in. They are not the best earphones - about as good as the cheap buds you get on an aeroplane but there is an essential reason they are included: the FM/DAB radio uses its cable as the antennae, so you always need to plug in a pair of buds to get a sound. The bundled in-ears can be swapped out for any other pair of wired headphones you have, such as the excellent SoundMagic E11C in-ears (£40).
There are large buttons for accessing and saving presets and scanning available stations, which also do double duty for scrolling through the settings and selecting various options. Small but easy to press buttons let you switch between FM and DAB/DAB+, bring up the menu and cycle through additional station information. The radio can scan for stations automatically, or you can fine-tune the station frequency yourself.
We recommend saving your favourite stations as presets: you get 10 presets for FM and 10 presets for DAB.
The quoted 10-12 hours of battery life runs largely true, even with the LCD screen at its brightest. That screen is tiny but packed with information including the time, radio mode, station name, what's playing, and icons for battery life, signal strength and volume. The Petersfield Go uses the older micro USB port for charging, which means it will take a bit longer to charge up compared with USB-C. The charging cable is included, another nice bonus at this price.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/2ZxS62DNS1723620515333/zbG_NMV6Z1723620676680.jpg]
Clearly projected voices
There are no Bluetooth or other streaming options here; you have only FM and DAB radio tuners. And the stations you do get access to depends on your region and proximity to a transmitter. We lucked out with strong signals for local Berkshire and national BBC stations, although a train trip to London showed how any patchy or non-existent signal can stutter playback.
The Majority does two things very well: voices are projected clearly, and there's enough solidity, detail and punch to make music enjoyable to listen to. The included earphones make everything sound thin and harsh; swap them out for a better pair and you'll get a much cleaner, fuller sound.
Presenters' voices have a decent heft and richness to them, with Craig Charles' lush, deep voice sounding nicely textured, with ample detail and satisfying weight.
The unit pushes the midrange forward, making news and match commentaries clear and easy to follow. Listening to songs, whether Beyonce or Nirvana, we are treated to a zippy, agile sound that doesn't sound sharp, lumpy or muddled. The frequency range is fairly restricted - don't expect wide-ranging dynamics or soaring highs or deep lows - but what this radio does really well is deliver music with a good dose of rhythm.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/2ZxS62DNS1723620515333/AhqvT6EjQ1723620687504.jpg]
We spend a lovely hour or two listening to Classic FM, with the music flowing smoothly and instruments having decent space to flourish. Astor Piazzolla's Libertango is delivered with a great deal of energy and zeal. It's a fun, enthusiastic listen, and it can go pretty loud too.
For those looking for a super cheap and basic but good portable pocket DAB/FM radio for the summer, this little unit is worth checking out.
Roberts
Revival Petite 2
Tiny footprint, fabulous design, serious sound
£100
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1345126686/1723557444/articles/2ZxS62DNS1723620515333/sapzwoWc01723620799453.jpg]
Even as wireless speakers and music systems are getting more multi-functional every day due to increasing demand, there is something universally appealing about the humble radio, especially one with such a compact form and such lovely retro looks.
The Revival Petite 2 follows the same blueprint as Roberts' original five-star Petite: it's so tiny it can fit onto the palm of your hand and perch in any corner, narrow windowsill, bookshelf or clu...
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What Hi-fi Uk (Digital) - 1 Issue, October 2024