You can tune the RDK-2 manually in DAB mode, but we found its auto-tuning system was able to pick up all stations available in the area we were testing in. FM also has auto and manual tuning, and four RDS playback options.
There's an instant pause function that can record a maximum of five to 15 minutes of a DAB broadcast - you don't need an SD card for this, thankfully - depending on what station you are listening to.
Good on treble, poor on bass
Longer recordings will require a card, and can be begun simply and quickly with one touch. Roberts reckons that a 512MB card will give between eight and 16 hours of recording time, but the machine doesn't work with cards greater than 2GB capacity or SDHC cards. Cards that have been formatted elsewhere have to be re-formatted for the radio to be able to use them.
Sound quality is never going to be a world beater here. You have a down firing 100mm driver outputting 3W. The unit doesn't create bass very well, and we found our cupboard vibrating and negatively affecting the sound. The unit performs well enough to cope with most kinds of broadcast, but it's never really inspiring. The RDK-2 is at its best on talk stations and music that has more treble than bass. Two levels of Dynamic Range Control setting are available to help with quieter stations, and this does improve performance a little.
Other functions include an 'egg timer’ which works fine - and can be used whilst playing music - but it only goes to 99 minutes. If you want to time anything longer, you'll have to use the radio's alarm clock.
Verdict
The RDK-2 comes across as a very durable unit with decent enough performance to keep most listeners happy. We smeared enough sticky stuff at the touch controls and gave the unit enough punishment to establish that it should stand up to the rigors of a busy kitchen. The sound is acceptable and the functionality is perhaps at a higher level that you might expect for a product of this type. The £100 price tag is a little on the high side, but the build quality just about justifies it.
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Roberts RDK-2 kitchen radio
COMMENTS
@Anonymous Coward
LOL. You really are a git AC. You will find them in your local store along with other brand quality items which are cheaper.
To answer you other questions, delivery to/from Europe should cost around £6.85.
The current exchange rate British Pound to Euro is 1=1.07218 (from xe.com)
Re: Lidl
How much for shipping from Malta then?!
And that's before considering the crappy euro exchange rates.
Lidl
Lidl are selling a kitchen radio for a tenner.
http://www.lidl.com.mt/mal/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20081222.p.Kitchen_radio
Not DAB but who cares.
Or because...
An analogue radio is essentially a few transistors and maybe a simple IC or two thrown together with the odd resistor and capacitor as glue. A DAB radio is to all intents and purposes a miniature computer bolted on to a conventional tuner, and whilst they are still a bit over-priced, it will pretty much inevitably always be a bit more expensive than its analogue counterpart.
Mind you, Roberts radios of any flavour don't tend to come cheap, so a lot's in the name. For affordable and stylish DABs, look to Intempo and the like. Rather like with "real" computers, you'll find there's actually only a very small number of people manufacturing the innards, and you may even end up with pretty much exactly the same radio in a different and more affordable case.
