Readers might recall that last year, I reviewed the Ocean Digital WR-26 portable radio and was pretty impressed. Also, consider buying a subscription service like Sirius to pair with your internet radio station. Sirius has devices explicitly made for streaming its channels. The Ocean Digital WR60 offers good value for money, and gives you a huge choice of radio stations to listen to. You can adjust the EQ to get a decent level of bass, though the over-sensitive volume control can be somewhat frustrating. Internet radios are more versatile than their name lets on – most, but not all, models can play audio in several different formats. As you’re shopping for an internet radio, consider your different music sources and which you’ll want to access. Consider both common and rare music formats, including the following. Radio streams

In short: I like Skytune. It’s easy to search, they’ll add streams if they’re missing any, and it’s well-organized. Instead of reviewing the aggregator again, I’ll point you to the Ocean Digital WR-26 review for more detail as the navigation is identical other than the WR-23D has a nice color screen to display information. While the app is a little buggy at the moment, it’s been getting better and more stable as the company pours more resources into it. The Ocean Digital WR-23D stands out with a reliable UPnP & DLNA player, which lets you easily connect to your home network and play music from your computer or other devices. Plus, with the external telescopic antenna, you can get clear reception even in areas with poor signal strength. DAB is the latest development in radio broadcasting and stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting. Although the first DAB radio stations were opened in the 90s, the real uptake of the technology is happening as we speak with the latest standard DAB+ being current now. As I mentioned, I really appreciate the matte finish ABS chassis. I like to know that my portables can survive a fall.

Not many internet radios are portable, and despite a slightlybulky size, Mondo Elite offers precisely that. It felt easy to carry and have it on the go, but you need to get the rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is sold separately. Pandora is one of the most familiar and commonly used music streaming and curation apps, so if you’re looking for a simple and accessible app that works with most internet radio devices, it’s a good choice. SiriusXM WR-230S has an ethernet port, and can receive DLNA and UPnP, basically making a good solution even for multi room music listening, especially if you’re a fan of vintage solutions. There’s Bluetooth 4.2 support too, along with an Aux input, and a headphone output. The headphone output is comedically well driven, but won’t be my main choice with IEMs as there is some hissing with low impedance transducers.

FM on the other side is a later modulation method that stands for FrequencyModulation and represents a superior capability to carry better quality audio than an AM wave. It is the most widely used radio modulation method hosting almost all music-focused stations in the world. The treble is smoother, without much presence and extension in the highs. The treble extends as high as about 8-9 kHz realistically, and that is still quite good for the price point. Most of the energy is in the mids, with the bass keeping company so that the sound isn’t boring, but the treble really is’t the highlight of WR230S and their sound. Dynamics are ok, better than I expected from a radio, but still a bit behind competitors like multi room solutions. The Ocean Digital DBA01C8 is an FM/DAB/DAB+ radio receiver rather than a radio itself. It’s important to note that it doesn’t have its own speaker—you need to connect it to a speaker to listen to the radio. Don’t just compare models; compare remotes. A poorly designed remote control can sour your experience with an internet radio, so pay special attention to what comes with each internet radio. Look for remotes that aren’t easily lost and those that offer one-touch access to a specific audio source. The remote control may be the primary way you access your internet radio, so don’t be afraid to rule out options with remotes that don’t feel right to you.

Similar radios

The Ocean Digital WR232 is an internet-only radio that could be a good choice if you’re living abroad and want to listen to stations from your home country, or if you live in an area with poor FM or DAB reception. Features Another massive factor in the audio streaming world, Pandora might be one of the most popular services around. The Ocean Digital WR282CD is essentially a more advanced version of the WR282 reviewed above, this time with the addition of DAB/DAB+ radio. Don’t be fooled by the product’s name—the WR282CD doesn’t contain a CD player. It’s an internet radio with a good range of features including Bluetooth. Features