Pure Evoke 3 Reviews: DAB and FM

+ Very good sound and battery life.

- When using the SD card, insufficient information is displayed about the songs and artists, making selection difficult.

+ Excellent reception, facility to record, neat looks, ease of use, (once you have understood the manual)

- The manual is poor, probably written by an engineer rather than a user.

+ Bought for recording feature - very few have the timer record facility

- size
fiddly scroll/select knob

+ The recording capabilty.

- Stereo separation.

+ Very easy to use and is perefct for our kitchen!

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Extremely useful to have the timed recording facility

- Display panel rather bright when tring to sleep!

+ Great sound quality,and how good is the fact you can listen to the broadcasts that you would have missed ,when you want to ,at the time you want to.

- If your playing back from the SD Card on a 2 Hour recording you cannot go back to where you stopped, you have to fast foward and remember the approx time at which you last stopped..The display EPG and other information,other than the clock,could be made larger and remote control could be better set out and of better quality.

+ Excellent sound quality,
Facility to record programmes to SD card to play later on the radio, or on an MP3 player,
Easy to use on mains or battery,
Battery needs no attention once installed, as it recharges itself from mains, and it does not use much energy
Clear programme information on EPG.

- Slightly fiddly design
Takes a little time to master controls

+ Alarm settings. Sound quality. Hardware options / compatibility. Eco features.

- Cheap feeling knobs. Not future proof: DAB+ will supercede this year.

+ Reviewer left no comment

- Sound quality on DAB is inferior to my 20 year old FM Radio Cassette which it was intendeed to replace. Pure Digital's literature states that the output is 7 watts RMS per channel, the instruction booklet say 3 watts per channel. I contacted Pure who confirmed that it is 7 watts per channel, although their FAQ on their website states that the output is 5 watts. When recording a times event, the event is not cancelled after recording. Pure say that this is very unusual and I have said that I will put up with it as I cannot waste any more time dealing with this disappointing piece of kit.

+ Superb sound and ease of use, far greater than my expectations. Brilliant piece of equipment. Far outclasses other radio's I have, in fact it is now the only one I use, in fact all others are in a state of redundancy.

- After four weeks of use, sorry, none so far.

+ Easy to use and good recording facility.

- External power supply - these are almost always the least reliable part of any equipment.

+ ease of setting up recordings, in particular repeat recordings
storage capacity is excellent from a 2Gb SD card

- poor reception in my area, some areas are excellent, when will UK coverage be the same?

+ Style and structure, sound and signal, ability to record and 7 day programme guide.

- SD card compatibility can be a nightmare

+ Good features, particularly the record and pause features.

- DAB displays are still poor compared to TV EPG's

+ Records from DAB to the SD card
Plays MP3's from SD card.
Very versatile when used with rechargable battery (not included)

- Records in MP2 and not MP3. Requires a conversion package to convert to MP3
You have to buy the rechargable battery separately.

+ Operation logic
Sound quality

- poor finish of case
display hard to read and too bright at night

+ The product is very well made and is a lovely design. The remote control works well and the display is very clear. The station search works well and the presets are easy to use. The SD card reader also makes it easy to listen to your own tracks now and again as well as recoed programs, The live pause and rewind is very good.

- For a portable radio, it does come at a high price, but it does give a good listening experience. The instruction booklet is also a little sparse.
The panel butons aren't the biggest or clearest but they are clear enough.

+ SD memory card recording. 7 day EPG (which automatically updates itself, to reduce the time taken to preselect programmes for recording) Full & rounded sound quality. Display - with a light touch handle to switch on the backlight during nightime use. Remote control. Fun!

- DAB is threatened BUT it is wireless & simple. The "IPOD connection" is phono only - not digital. The controls take some getting use to.

+ Good sound quality and reception and good recording facility

- The user manual is poor. It does not explain features properly and the author simply has not tried to put him or herself in the position of a potential user.

+ Recording Off Air though MP3 Record would be better.

- No Station pre-select buttons on the actual radio. Can't be bothered with "remotes" though it does have Station pres-select buttons on it.

+ Am pleased with all aspects of this product except one, see bad points.

- The display could be dimmer on the dimmest setting as it is still quite bright when the radio is used in the bedroom as this is.

+ Recording,live pause. Nice feel to the buttons as they click through the display. Looks nice too.

- Display of recorded programme does not give a date... I record afternoon plays and they all appear the same . Also cannot tell if they've been listened to. I don't always delete them straight away because I fall asleep and have to replay a few times before I am ready to delete plus some I keep if they are very good to listen to again.
Be nice to have a day time mode for bright display and night time mode as even on the dimmest setting it is quite bright in a dark room at night so I have had to set display to very dim for the night time which is more important when changing channels but it is hard to see during the day.

+ Excellent sound.

- When you record a programe, you have to listen to it on your MP3 player, no playback on the radio bizarre. Would not have brought it had that been made clear. Whilst you may argue it's makes the programme "portable" I would prefer to have the choice of listening via the radio or my MP3 player...choice is what the public wants. Not used via battery so have no comments about that. Also I have read that the powers that be are going to "scrap" the DAB Radio format, have we not learned the Betamax/Video argument...Sigh

+ Plug in to the mains and listen to a whole new world of radio, wonderful

- Still thinking

+ Recording facility through EPG and playback of files

- Bit of an opaque interface

+ high tech features

- sound quality

+ Relaible, easy to use, excellent sound quality. The menu system which allows tou to select and record programmes in advance is the selling feature.

- Does not work with 4 GB SD Card but does not make that clear.

+ Very good sound quality. Good build quality. Good instruction book. Easy to use guide and recording to S D card.

- We are in a poor reception area and in certain weather conditions the radio is not usable.Format used on S D card is not usable on a computer.

+ Overall the product is good.

- MPEG 2! Poor display when navigating SD card

+ Really good sound

- Is quiet heavy

+ The facility to plug in external devices is great, and to use an SD memory card.

- Not sure there are any, I guess the bass level could be better, but then I think the speakers would need to be bigger.

+ Build quality,sound quality,and being able to record directly to SD card and play mp3 files that have been loaded onto the SD card.

- The display could be better but otherwise a fantastic product.Highly recommended.

+ Rewind live radio to replay a favorite song or listen to something again; save radio to a memory card; energy saving feature; many alarms; sleep feature and snooze handle; nice remote; fairly intuitive menus; detailed song/programming information at certain times for certain stations.

- Poor reception in our basement flat for many stations, no apparent input for additional antenna.

+ Information on screen about the programme you are listening to.
Ease of moving between stored stations.
Sound quality of music stations such as Radio 3.

- Occasionally loses station but could be because of our location.
Not advisable to have this radio playing at the same time as a analogue radio because of the time lag - approx 1 second

+ The pause and record functions, beautiful design

- Sound level through aux in connected to an ipod is weak

+ ability to record 7 days in advance, with the recording transfer it to any other SD compatable equipment

- menu system could be improved

+ Useful features, such as instant replay (if the phone rings etc) and the ability to preset recording of favourite programmes once and for all time (eg The Archers) - all in a well designed unit, with good looks, nicely engineered feel to the controls, plus excellent sound.

- 1. I noticed a mistake in the manual, presumably created by an improvement in the product not reflected in a re-write of the manual.
2. I think there should be more than one colour option for the wood trim - I would have prefered something lighter.

+ CLEAR DISPLAY,QUALITY BUILD,QUALITY SOUND.RECORDABLE DAB..GREAT!

- RECORD BUTTON FUNCTIONS HARD TO READ ON A SUCH A DARK BACKGROUND.MOVING FROM SD TO DAB OR DELETING TRACKS CAN BE CONFUSING.SIMPLER OPERATIONS WOULD MAKE A BETTER PRODUCT.FOR THIS REASON I COULDN`T RECOMMEND IT FOR AN ELDERLY PERSON.

+ I really like the features: the large time display that can be turned down to a low level, the touch handle to snooze the alarm - no-one could miss it, no matter how bleary-eyed, the ability to store programmes I'd normally miss during the working day to an SD card. And as a new DAB user, I'm loving the programme info for days ahead. I'm also hoping that the eco setting is saving me some energy.

- I haven't found any! I've been really impressed

+ To be able to pause and rewind radio, and then record what you have just rewound is brilliant. It certainly seems good at picking up stations; at first it found 18, but with the aerial fully extended, it found 40. (We live in a poor digital reception area with two good "freeview" channels). With the ChargePak in place it runs happily during the day, and it is plugged in at night. We bought it for the bedroom... but it tends to follow us around the house during the day as well.

- It is a big radio; on the limits of being portable. You will need to also purchase an SD card, and ideally a ChargePak, to get the full benefit of the radio. (Ours was fussy over which brand of SD card it would use). It is a technical piece of kit, and so the menus can be a bit complicated; probably not suitable for Great Uncle P. Not Mac compatible... but it doesn't look as though you would need to update the software very often. The environmental claims for the low energy use of the radio require the clock display to be disabled (which happens anyway when using the ChargePak). WiFi would have made it the best radio in the world!

+ The ability to record large numbers of programmes (on my 2GB SD card), the sound quality and large range of functions. I really like it and haven't recorded onto audio cassettes since I got my first one. I have 4 DAB radios in total, two are "Evoke 3"s and the one in the bathroom in a Pure "One", using their rechargable battery. This location used to have poor reception but is now perfect and the battery lasts a couple of weeks or so.

- The Pure radios are a bit pricey and "Evoke 3"s are a little complicated to use to begin with. It is also a bit fiddly using the various options if below eye level, such as at the bedside. But overall I think my "Evoke 3"s are a excellent radios.

+ Being able to record is a fantastic feature and the sound quality is amazing.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ The reception and options are brilliant. Ordinary radio does not even come close to Pure EVOKE 3.

- Can have unexpected glitches for now reason. Simply unplug and start again.

+ After using the DAB Radio for the last couple of months, I have been very pleased with the number of stations that can be received and the quality of the reception. I have had no problems with the Pure DAB Evoke 3 at all and would have no hesitation in recommending the radio to anyone who was interested.

- None.

+ Record to SD disk/ pause & rewind live radio/ Radio guide/ remote

- Sound quality good but still not up to my old Grundig FM radio

+ Fantastic to be able to record those programmes that are on at times when you cannot listen. Also to pre program to record the whole series.

- Digital signal in this area still not brilliant. Had to wait ages for it to pick up the time and date.

+ Being able to record the program of your choice with the EPG and listen to it when you want.

- Takes a bit of time to learn all of the features as there are so many.

+ No more poor late night reception - it's crystal clear.
I can record programs which I'd otherwise miss and rewind or pause to hear up to 30 minutes again.
The charge-pack batteries re-charge automatically when the radio is plugged into the mains, no more removing batteries for re-charging or re-placing.
Before I bought the Evolve 3, I didn't listen to radio very much, but now I listen to the radio much more than I expected I would. It's like the comparison between analogue t.v. and digital t.v. -a different world !

- I can't connect it to my Bose speakers.

+ The only radio at the time capable of recording live programmes.

- Instruction manual not easy to read, the info is there but could be written in an easier format.

+ Good sound, very good signal reception

- Set up and other issues poorly explained in manual. Mains / dc transformer is not very tidy.

+ Rewind and record facility

- Display too small, some controls fiddly

+ Does what is says - good quality sound

- Controls not intuative - need to read the manual for of the more involved functions.

+ Ease of use, ability to play MP3s and record radio shows (live rewind excellent)

- Can't connect an auxillary speaker like other Pure models (not required for the stereo sound but would be useful to extend into another room.

+ excellent all round product - especially with the chargepack - which at £30 is a worthwhile investment for those who wish to take the radio away with them, etc.

- First radio had to be returned due to corrupt LCD display but there were absolutely no problems regarding exchange.

+ It is an excellent design, and very high quality. The sound is magnificent - nothing tinny here

- Buttons are hard to guage in the dark!

+ recordability

- Few

+ great sound lots of options

- knobs are too similar also if want to stop an alarm going off for that day only if wake up early not an easy procedure to cancel just that dayalsoshould have an easy preset station option

+ Excellent product. The ability to record is especially useful

- None found so far

+ Good sound quality, great styling,

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Good quality sound for listening to radio and very useful to be able to plug the ipod into and use as an ipod dock.

- Doesn't charge the ipod as you use it, but then you aren't wasting electricty charging something when it might not need it.

+ The main reason I bought it, the ability to set timer recordings

- My wife doesn't think the sound is good! (She is used to listening to radio on my decent hi fi)

+ EPG and the ability to record from it. Playing mp3s from memory card. Portability thanks to battery pack. Remote control.

- FM section isn't great. The clock display is FAR too big.

+ Great sound and lots of features

- It's in my basement so the reception can sometimes be a little hit and miss

+ Good sound and lots of facilities

- You won't remember how to use half the functions

+ The radio has opened up many new stations for me and gives me a quality of listening that I didn't have with previous radios.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Good sound quality lots of stations on DAB. You can record radio on to a memory card. Can pause and rewind live radio. Remote control.

- Battery pack extra.

+ I love the fact that I can record and pause dab radio onto a memory card and potentialy listen to my own music if I put in a memory card with MP3 music, The portability is great for listening round the house and Garden.Good sound and we plug ours into the stereo speakers for our usual listening .

- No external Airiel input for connecting it to a outside and better reception scource so we can pick up a greater choice or stations as were still a little limited in West Sussex. The record format is not MP3 format so I was a bit disappointed that I could not record programs and then put the memory into another device so I I could listen to programs in the car as it records in a particular format that is not recognisable by an MP3 player . To do this I would have to convert the files onto the computer to MP3 which is an extra step which I don,t have time for. Finally my last critisism it whilst its got a great EPG I wish it worked more like a sky box so I could "series Link" programs I was interested in listening to for more than a week in advance. The one it has is 7 days only.

+ Large number of features, and ease of use.

- Lack of control over display brightness.

+ Excellent sound from a small piece of kit and it has an SD card as well

- the battery is too expensive

+ can set it up to record, onto the SD card, the program that i want to listen to later.
Can download the recorded program onto my computer (then mp3 player or CD)
Pause live radio

- Can't find a way to listen to another channel on the radio whilst it recording
The carrying handle is very awkward to hold.

+ Just a fantastic piece of design. They haven't over complicated things as is often the way with other multi-function radios. Amazing shielding, even a mobile held against the case doesn't induce interferance on play or recording. Quality of the wooden case is also excellent.

- Nit picking, but the 2GB max capacity of the SD card could be better, and also if you leave the radio on low-energy consuming stand-by, if there's a power cut, the radio will turn on fully when the power returns (i'm really struggling here!)

+ Rewind live radio and record the bits you want to hear again.

- Display too small to read at a distance

+ Excellent sound. Rewind of live radio is an great idea. Recording will be useful,
Large clear screen on front ( rather than on top) is very good

- Fairly bulky for use in a kitchen. Antenna does not swivel forwards. Large handles on top not to averyone's taste.

+ Ease of use, able to replay missed programmes. Best feature is the MP2 recording to SD card.

- Audio is heavy on the bass tones.

+ Ease of use, sound quality, good design

- none really

+ excellant product,buy it with pure rechareable batteries

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Ease of use and setting up very good. It looks good and sounds good. Remote control a bonus for when working.

- none found

+ Sound & versatility

- Battery pack should be included the price

+ It looks "the business" I'm looking foreward to recording bits and pieces and using the re-vue option. I live in a poor reception area and can only get reception from one upstairs window, but this model has an "F" plug to disconnect the aerial so an external "A/E" is the next thing.

- Nothing much, larger external sensitive loudspeakers might improve the sound, there's plenty of power to do this.

+ sound, record/rewind facility, alarms, presets, chargepak ready

- menus sometimes a little longwinded

+ Sound
ease of getting stations

- Unable to shuffle cds. Can only shuffle between cd themself.

+ Pause/record function, rechargeable battery pack (optional) and great reception

- Price!

+ Very easy to set up - just plug it in

- no bad points, so far

+ masses of useful features.

- sound would be better with bigger speakers,and seperate ones for full sterio effect