Digital radios: How to buy the best digital radio What is DAB digital radio?
DAB (digital audio broadcast) radio gives listeners access to lots more radio stations than FM and long wave. The government is committed to a digital radio future, but have said that a switch of national radio stations from FM to digital will be consumer led.
What's on DAB radio?
As well as the stations you currently receive through analogue radio you’ll have access to lots more. Most cater for specialist audiences who like listening to one type of music - like jazz, classical or rock - or speech.
Why buy a DAB radio?
As well as the array of stations available there are other advantages to DAB.
• Pause and rewind
Some digital radios, like the Pure Evoke-3, have extra features, such as the ability to pause and rewind live radio, and record broadcasts. For more information, see What to look for in a digital radio.
• List by station name
Stations are listed by name so you don’t have to remember the frequencies. With some digital radios you can have stations listed in the order of those you listen to most, making them quicker to find.
• Unaffected by pirate radio
If you live in an area where there are lots of problems with pirate radio stations broadcasting on FM, digital radio may be worth considering. Currently, digital radio doesn't suffer from problems with pirate stations.
LCD screens can display information about the radio channel and what you're listening to
• LCD Screen
A digital radio has a screen on the front that gives details of the programme you're listening to. Some stations broadcast the name of the song and artist you are listening to. Speech or sports stations often tell you the name of the show or the commentator.
Where you live will still affect which stations you can receive. Check which radio stations you're likely to pick up by entering your postcode at www.getdigitalradio.com.
For help choosing a DAB digital radio watch the Which? buyers' guide video
DAB sound quality
Digital radio doesn't always provide better sound quality than FM. Where FM radio is working well it can offer better sound quality than DAB. For digital radio to fit in lots of stations, the data travelling to your radio is tightly compressed by removing parts of the signal the broadcaster feels you won't be able to hear. This can reduce the sound quality on your digital radio.
All stations are compressed on digital radio to some extent. It's less noticeable on spoken word channels because the sound they transmit is less demanding than classical music channels for example, and therefore require less space.
For the best of both worlds you could opt for one of the many DAB FM radios on the market - letting you switch between FM and DAB at will. For the best models check our DAB radio reviews.
Most DAB radios launched since mid-2009 have been fitted with a multi-standard chip. This chip enables the radio to work with - or be upgraded to work with - DAB+. DAB+ is the digital standard that is being adopted by many European countries.
For more details about DAB+ and how it affects listeners in the UK visit our DAB+ explained page.