Home » Review: Goodmans GDPRDAB – Pocket sized portable DAB Radio

Review: Goodmans GDPRDAB – Pocket sized portable DAB Radio

Goodmans GDPRDAB

I like DAB radios. I have a lot of them at home, and they come from various companies. I like the programs on offer, and in many ways, I am a sucker for digital, be it radio, television, or just any kind of information. As such, I have been after the perfect DAB radio to carry around with me. They come small, but never very small. Never fit in your jeans pocket and go for a run (also, do not go for a run in tight jeans!) small. So, I have been on the lookout for a DAB radio that lets me do that. Another application I had in mind was keeping a portable DAB radio in the car. My car doesn’t come with one pre-installed, and I wanted to see if a portable DAB radio would work in a car. Of course, a car is a very bad place to try and get a signal. That is why car antennas are always on the outside!

So when I came across the Goodmans GDPRDAB, I thought I finally had the answer to all my needs.

Features

  • Portable DAB+ Digital & FM RDS Radio
  • 1.44″ Colour TFT Display
  • 40 Station Preset (20 DAB and 20FM)
  • Replaceable Lithium-ion Battery
  • Micro Speaker
  • Low Battery Warning
  • Key Lock Function
  • 360° Directional Telescopic Aerial

And at 52 x 89 x 17 mm cube, it easily fits in my pocket!

Look and feel

GDPRDAB-1

As expected, this is tiny. It easily fits in the palm of my hand, as well as my pocket.

The front features a 1.44″ colour display, and though the only colour I have seen is when the battery is charging, it is probably not much of a price difference these days to bother with a monochrome display.

Also included on the front is a speaker, and four buttons, for Preset, for Power and the two volume keys.

GDPRDAB-2

The back can be prized off to show a removable battery. The right side features a micro USB port, a lock button and a dial which can be used to change and select channels, or show more information from the DLS.

On the top is a retractable 360 degree antenna, which works reasonably well even when it is hidden inside the radio.

Also included is a 3.5mm aux port to plug in headphones, or other speakers.

Setup

The setup is incredibly simple. You turn it on, it scans for channels, and you’re good to go.

Ease of use

The usage on the device is incredibly simple as well. The dial on the side lets you go through channels and select them, and the front buttons allow you to adjust volume, go through Presets, or just turn it on and off.

To go between FM and DAB mode, just press power once.

Apart from that, there isn’t much to it.

Sound Quality

The built in speaker, despite being rather tiny, packs in quite a punch. It is loud enough for normal spaces, and easily loud enough for a car. However, don’t expect to be blown away by it.

You do have the option to plug in headphones, or as I tried, other speakers via the AUX/3.5mm headphone socket in the top.

Reception

The test was done in and around Oxford, and it was tested inside and outside a car.

Outside this worked reasonably well, both indoors (house) and outdoors, and the reception was good. For outside use, you can easily put the antenna back in, and slide this in your pocket to enjoy some good old fashioned BBC Radio 6 Music.

In the car though, it struggled in patches, especially with the antenna in. With the antenna out, the performance was a lot better, but it still felt a bit patchy at times. However, this is a harsh test, and should not be used against this. It was just something I really wanted to try.

Battery Life

It promises a battery life of about 9 hours on average, and it definitely delivered on that.

However, when it is being charged, it does emit an annoying buzz that can be heard through any headphones plugged in. Interestingly, the buzz is not audible through the main speaker.

More information

More information on the GDPRDAB can be found on the Goodmans website:

http://www.goodmans.co.uk/support/gdprdab-digital-radio.html

It retails for £34.99 and can be bought online from various retailers including Amazon.

Verdict

Tiny, portable, useful. This packs in a punch and is set to replace the old portable radios people used to carry around for everything ranging from music to some good old fashioned sports commentary.

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