Some UK stations still broadcast over the older DAB standard, which uses the dated MP2 codec. One of the most confusing things about DAB is that there are actually two standards in play: vanilla DAB and the newer DAB+. DAB, in case you’re wondering, uses a broadcast DAB signal so it will work in places where Wi-Fi isn’t available. This is great, but it might restrict where you can listen.

This streams radio stations from the internet by connecting via your household Wi-Fi network. In the event that you’re not covered, or your station selection is poor, you could opt for an internet radio station instead. Is DAB available in my area?ĭAB reception now stretches across most of the UK, covering 97% of the UK population. Check out our guide to the best internet radios to find out more. If you’re interested in streaming music or podcasts, or suffer poor reception, you should consider paying extra for an internet radio, which will have the required features built in. A higher spend will get you more luxurious materials, a larger speaker, a more powerful amplifier, stereo and more features but you don’t have to spend more than £250 unless you’re looking for something that’s less a radio than an all-in music system with DAB built in. DAB radios are now available at around the same prices as the old analogue models, and you can pick up a decent, simple, single-speaker radio for £30 to £40.

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