Stuff’s top 6 internet radios
Tired of the predictable indie and inane babble served up by UK commercial radio? It’s time to shell out for an internet radio and sample deligh
Tired of the predictable indie and inane babble served up by UK commercial radio? It’s time to shell out for an internet radio and sample delights like KCRW and FiP. Here’s our guide to picking the right one for you:
Best for: Sound quality
Pure Evoke Flow £150
Pure’s first foray into the world of internet radio has the best overall sound quality we’ve heard. While it lacks the bass weight of the Tangent Quattro Mk II, it’s the most musical we’ve heard, looks great, streams music wirelessly, and gives you access to Pure’s portal .
Best for: Extra features
Revo iBlik Radiostation £180
The original Blik Radiostation was the first combined DAB and internet radio, and this version adds an iPod dock. It doesn’t have the weightiest sound and the screen isn’t the brightest, but there’s a good level of detail and no other internet radio offers so many sources of music.
Best for: Build and bass
Tangent Quattro MKII £180
Solidly built and intuitive to use, the Quattro MkII is ideal if you who prefer your sound with plenty of bass and punch. There’s no DAB and it doesn’t serve up the same amount of detail as the Pure Evoke Flow, but wireless streaming, an FM tuner and the Reciva online portal make it a sound investment.
Best for: Style
Radiopaq Rp5 £250
It might be the most expensive of the bunch, but the Rp5 is the most stylish internet radio we’ve seen. Sound should be forceful thanks to the five-way speaker system and it accesses the excellent Radiopaq site via Wi-Fi to let you download podcasts and pick your favourite stations while your PC remains soundly asleep.
Best for: iPod docking
Intempo RDi-W £170
The RDi-W is essentially an iPod dock with internet radio, and combines a throne for your Touch with an FM tuner plus, of course, Wi-Fi for web streaming. We’re hoping sound quality will be better than the RDI dock, although a 30W speaker plus a subwoofer sounds promising and it’ll play tunes from SD card or USB dongle.
Best for: Portability
Roberts Stream 202 £150
If you want an internet radio that you can take out to your garden, check out the Stream 202 – it has a carry handle and can be powered by batteries. DAB and FM tuners are also on board, as are Ethernet, USB and headphone ports. The treble is a little thin and harsh, but there’s enough detail to keep your shell-likes happy.