TechRadar Verdict
Pure strikes again with an excellent DAB radio that's simplicity to get started with
Pros
- +
Great design
Great sound
Easy to use
Cons
- -
Fiddly alarm setup
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This DAB radio has been around for a while, but Pure does it again in the style stakes. Although we've a soft spot for the retro-elegance of the Tangent, the Chronos's sleek lines and unusual triangular shape make this radio easy on the eye.
Connectivity is minimal, with just a headphone socket, but its setup is hard to beat. Get the radio out of the box, unravel the aerial, plug in the power and off you go.
The scrolling text of the display shows additional data such as song titles, performers' names, news headlines and so on; user-friendly and informative. The display shows the date and time when in standby mode and the time is constantly updated from the broadcast signal; you needn't worry about resetting the time when the clocks go backwards or forwards, which is a neat touch.
One minor criticism we would make is that although the scrolling display has a dimmer control, it's bright even when dimmed - bad news for light sleepers.
Four alarms
Speaking of which, the Chronos has four alarms, which can be set for weekdays, weekends, and every day or just as a one-off. You can also have the old-school approach of a simple alarm tone if the dulcet tones of Wogan aren't your bag. The alarms are a bit fiddly to get to grips with initially, however.
So far so good, but how does the Chronos perform? Admirably - it sails through dialogue-based broadcasts such as Radio 4's output with aplomb. Voices sound crisp and clear and delivered with natural authority. It can handle rough-and-ready music too.
A performance by the White Stripes on BBC Five Live wasn't sanitised; Jack's guitar solos and Meg's thundering drums lost none of their power. Classic FM was rendered with precision and clarity too; all the sonic boxes ticked, then.
So this DAB is another great performer from Pure. Its sound is clear and undistorted, the design is great, it's quick and easy to set up - what more do you want from a DAB radio?
