The Sony XDR-M1 is a compact DAB receiver measuring 60 x 21 x 80mm which makes it ultimately pocketable, but it does not sacrifice function for it's stature, in fact with a 4 line LCD display its one of the most generous user interfaces we've seen.

The 119 gram device is about the weight of a mobile phone and has a 9 hour battery life from each charge, we can't help but be a little disappointed in the battery it would be reasonable to expect a radio to outlast what most people agree is the poor battery life of an Ipod Mini.

Sony's menu driven device has a few extra tricks up it's sleeve beyond the basic hiss free DAB reception, the main one being FM reception which is essential given the rather patchy UK DAB network available in the UK today, there is also the ability to store the text sent alongside the DAB signal. Uses for this text store are limited but you could store the name of a track so you can hunt it down when you get home.

Missing from the Sony XDR-M1 is the ability to actually record the audio, many DAB units now have this Sky+ like feature but Sony have not given the unit anywhere near enough memory for this feature and there is no external memory capability either. Instead the XDRM1 majors on it's style and audio quality, first reports give it a thumbs up with a much more meaty sound than other portable DAB units in part due to the "mega bass" function, but this does not overwhelm the sound and it still manages a good all round performance.

Driving the XDR-M1 is made easier by a decent 40 station preset memory, although with DAB it's not too arduous to scan through the named stations, but the addition of an in line remote control makes things that bit easier and the clock is also kept locked accurately using the DAB sync feature.

Overall the black acrylic and silver aluminium casing adds a touch of class to what is a limited improvement on current DAB offerings, we can't help but wonder how many more of these units would have sold with a memory stick slot and a MP3 encode feature. That in part may have justified the expected £129.99 RRP for the Sony XDR-M1 which seems steep for what you get.

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