Sony XDR-S16DBP DAB+ digital radio

With the digital radio market slowly expanding in Australia, the cost of digital radios has come down significantly. The Sony XDR-S16DBP DAB+ digital radio is no exception, with a very reasonable price tag of $199. Sony's digital radio offers excellent audio quality, is easy to use, and has an attractive design.

Sony XDR-S16DBP DAB+ digital radio: Features and design

The Sony XDR-S16DBP DAB+ digital radio won't take up too much space in your home and would look equally good in a classic or modern setting. Normally the sight of veneer-clad technology has us rolling eyes and sighing — it usually looks tacky and cheap — however, this is not the case with the Sony XDR-S16DBP digital radio — it looks stylish and attractive.

A thin, glossy piano black top panel holds a two-line LCD screen which is small but easily readable, so navigating through the menus and options is a simple task. Located on the left of the LCD display are the dials for tuning and volume control, and the Sony XDR-S16DBP DAB+ digital radio's power button can be found on the far right. Below the glossy black upper panel, all the other buttons are located along the silver strip.

A metal grille conceals two 6.6cm speakers with a total power of 1.6W. Over on the back of the Sony XDR-S16DBP digital radio you can find a telescoping aerial, headphone jack and power socket. There's no USB port for upgrading the device's firmware, though.

Sony XDR-S16DBP DAB+ digital radio: Performance and sound quality

The Sony XDR-S16DBP is an excellent digital radio, delivering audio quality that is on par with other digital radios we have tested including the Pure Avanti Flowand the Pure Evoke 1-S Marshall. There is a lot of depth to the audio produced by Sony's digital radio. We were able to turn the digital radio up to its maximum volume without much distortion from the speakers. Mid-tones and treble frequencies are well balanced and clear, and while bass is a little weak it's certainly not non-existent. Unfortunately there's no equaliser, so you can't adjust the bass and treble.

Also worth mentioning is the Sony XDR-S16DBP's features — it automatically sets the time and date — unlike the Bush BCR26DABIP digital radio — as well as facilitating quick changes between the digital radio stations.

The Sony XDR-S16DBP digital radio is definitely one of the better digital radios that is on the market at press time. It impressed us with its good looks, fair price tag, ease of use and excellent audio quality.

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