So what do you get in this rather solid and heavy wooden case, well for a start the speaker has moved to a top position allowing for the full space available on the front to be used for controls and an LCD display. The Model DAB has an AM / FM tuner alongside the DAB technology and the large 5:1 tuning dial is used to control the analogue reception while the digital display and buttons are used to tune the DAB reception.

The 212 x 114 x 133 mm unit is finished in a classic walnut wood and has a cream facia suggesting it is part of a bygone era but do not let this fool you as the innards of the Tivoli Model DAB are bang up to date. The full UK DAB reception offers crystal clear sound without the hiss and crackle of most FM sets and the warmth of the Tivoli speaker is something of a surprise when you first fire up the Model DAB.

The relatively small top mounted speaker make a good job of providing a well balanced sound with only a hint of muddiness on the faster more complex tracks, its not exactly a room filler but is more than competent for smaller rooms such as a kitchen. The good bass response is in part due to a vented underside which seals the acoustic package and provides this powerful little box with a low end response which far outweighs its physical presence. Like the best selling Pure Digital radios it has only a single speaker which always strikes us as a little strange, however a plug in stereo speaker will be an available option.

Searching through the DAB stations is simple using the push button interface and LCD screen, up to 5 stations can be stored as presets although this seems a little pointless with the ease of tuning with a DAB radio. Tivoli have equipped the DAB model with a alarm clock feature which does a good job of stirring you from a deep sleep, plus it has that snooze function for when you don't want to get out of bed.

The Tivoli range always has an external input allowing their electronics to be used with a range of audio equipment for example an Ipod or other MP3 player, the Model DAB retains this feature. Plus its easy to forget that the Model DAB has the same award winning AM / FM tuner that seems to manage to lock onto frequencies that lesser radios can't even find.

It does seem unusual to think of using a crafted unit like this one for a bedside radio, it is far better built and constructed than many DAB units even the well respected Pure radios. Unlike the Pure digital range Tivoli demand top dollar for their DAB radio, the basic Model DAB starts at £229 making it the most expensive on the market, plus the additional speaker is another £70 just at get stereo sound.

So as much as we like the Tivoli Model DAB radio and are drawn to its excellent sound and superb build quality we really can't recommend paying north of £200 when you'd probably be just as happy with a Pure Digital radio for half the money.

Published - 06/06/2005

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