Digital radio finally launched in Australia back in August 2009, and two years on, 7.6 per cent doesn’t seem like much. Until you note that two per cent of that growth came in the last six months alone. New industry data suggests that almost a million people now listen to digital radio in the five state capitals — are you one of them?
I hate to say it, but I’ve never really bothered. I’ve got my phone, MP3s, podcasts, and Ministry of Sound app streaming local radio. That’s always felt like enough despite the cleaner sound of DAB+, extra digital-only stations, tuning by station name, plus scrolling info for tracks and weather. It’s also great to see you can get DAB+ integrated in your car stereo.
According to the GFK Marketscope Q2 2011 report, 508,462 digital radios have now been sold. If you’re tuned in, could you go back? If you’re not — are you in the wait and see pattern like me?
[Digital Radio Plus]
maddogeco
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 3:40 PMI really want this in my car but it doesn’t seem like any body wants to sell me this product.
Stephen
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 3:44 PMHalf-a-million radios sold, nearly one million listeners? Yes it’s possible that someone somewhere shares their radio listening, but I’d be curious to see how these figures reconcile.
In the meantime, I can’t seem to get my crystal set tuned in to it.
Roland
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 3:45 PMWhen it comes time to upgrade my headunit in my car then I’ll look into it.
At this stage I’m over radio with crappy adds and hosts continually yapping…
I’m sure to expect the same when I move to digital…
Stephen
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 3:48 PMYou need to switch to ABC. Remember, it’s your ABC.
smurfydog
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 6:33 PMGiven that ABC local radio is mostly “hosts continually yapping…” then I’m not sure that ABC radio is for him.
Yes, The ABC is Your abc, but it’s not Everyone’s abc.
Some people seem to like being constantly bombarded with advertisements and such. Can’t understand it myself, but that’s life I guess.
jonny
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 3:49 PMAs an early adopter of this DAB+ I reckon the BIG drawback is the lowly bitstreams and therefore audio quality of this format. I might as well listen to an MP3. Good old FM provides a higher level of audio satisfaction.
Philip
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 3:56 PM“almost a million people now listen to digital radio in the five state capitals”
There are six states, and each has a capital city… Do you mean that one of the states doesn’t exist anymore, or did you mean to write mainland capitals, taking Tassie out of the count?
Stephen
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 4:10 PMIf they count Hobart, shouldn’t they include Auckland? Or hasn’t the takeover been finalised yet?
Philip
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 4:17 PMThey are still arguing over the pronunciation of “fish and chips”… ;)
olly
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 4:36 PMGotta say that ABC Dig Radio on DAB+ is the best radio station I’ve ever heard. Almost entirely music it’s programmed by Arnold Frolows, the bloke who programmed Triple J in the 80′s and 90′s. It’s like triple J for adults – the music is much mellower but not mainstream. Radio nirvana…
StevoTheDevo
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 4:45 PMI’ve got a Kogan Digital/WiFi radio on Liveprice preorder..
I’m hoping DAB+ will eliminate the buzzing sound I get from my current clock radio.
I’d use Internet Radio through my phone, but for the fact that I live in SA and Triple J is 30 minutes ahead of time for me on Internet Radio.. Gets frustrating when I switch back to broadcast radio in the car and I have to listen to 30 minutes of repeat content!
BrisBilly
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 5:04 PMMy Bush DAB+ portable (if you can be bothered cramming it with six(!) C-class batteries) arrived today, a week earlier than I had been led to expect, so that was good. Sounds fantastic on ABC Jazz, but rather less so on other ABC stations, with a nasty little vibration in the cabinet. Grrr! I would, and probably eventually will, be interested to check out the medium on a higher specified set, or to try piping this one through my audio receiver/amp.
David
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 6:41 PMStill waiting for a decent car stereo head unit with inbuilt DAB+ from a big name (eg: Alpine).
Currently running a Pure Highway via the Aux-in, but it’s not the most practical solution.
Peter
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 7:55 PMSeems to me, as part of a retailer offering digital radio, uptake would be so much higher if they threw an AM tuner in there. I get it’s a step backward, but try telling that to a 90+ year-old who is convinced their station is only broadcasting on AM…
Dennison
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 8:54 PMDAB+ is seriously cool, I have the radio on all day in my shop, and there is nothing more annoying that hearing the same song played 4-5 time in 8 hours.
I love Dance music so Novanation is my saviour since WildFM went of air.
Steve
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 10:39 PMWhy is it that so many DAB+ radios look like they were made in the mid 20th century? Most aren’t even stereo. And as others have noted why aren’t there decent options for the car?
I’ve got a Pure Siesta Mi clock radio, mostly because of the price but also because it at least looks like a modern clock radio. I do like SBSCHILL.
Having said that I do like the radio in the pic above, it’s kind of retro 60′s shaped but the touchscreen display is a very nice feature… 10 points for not ruining it by putting an iPod dock on the top. I’d like this for the kitchen & patio.
StevoTheDevo
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 9:13 AMThe problem with pictured radio is the $450 price!!!
It’s the problem with all DAB radios!
Seriously, they’re mp3 players with a tuner, we can do that for analogue tuners at ~$50, why can’t we do the same for DAB+? Surely you can feed whatever the tuner module receives straight into a mp3/aac/wma decoding chip?
I bought the Kogan cause it:
1) comes with Stereo speakers (and “sub”)
2) has Internet Radio capability (which I think will quite shortly supersede DAB+)
3) has iPod and Aux input
4) has analogue output
5) the price is comparable to other DAB+ units with none of the above features!
Sean C
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 6:56 AMI’d really like to try this but in crappo Emerald QLD – the service isnt around yet. They sell DAB+ radios locally but theyre useless…
warcroft
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 7:14 AMWe have digital radio, but why all the crappy mono, single speaker digital radios for sale?
Its like we have gone back to the 1940′s.
Or will it be a sales/marketing ploy?
Next year it will be like “Digital radio, now in stereo!”
Internet radio FTW!
Jamie
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 9:49 AMAs others have said, I won’t make the switch until the likes of Kenwood or Sony start making car headunits with digital support. I only listen to the radio in the car and I think it’s insanely stupid that no one has done it yet.
Abe
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 2:51 PMIts definitely clearer and CD quality but im over Novanation(been listening sine June 09), sick to death of the same music everyday,only good is at night. Need more dance stations.
Mark
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 4:44 PMAfter finding Beautiful Clock Radio app on my iphone all I listen to is streaming radio! It is great for Talk but the quality is not there for music on most stations yet.