Sangean DDR-66BT

Excellent – Please read McCactus review so I will not repeat his/her words. I can only add some suggestions that would further improve this excellent radio. Radio remote controller would be a better option than a standard one. I would like to the possibility to preset more than 10 stations in internet radio, DAB and FM.

Sangean DDR-66BT Desk top radio with the works – It is almost a case of what doesn't this desk top radio have. DAB+ Digital Radio, FM, Internet Radio, Bluetooth, CD, Aux in, Optic out, USB playback/recording, SD card slot, Near Field Technology, Spotify, multiroom device capable, Clock, Alarm, ethernet & WiFi connectivity and a telescopic antenna that can be removed to allow external antenna… Read more

connection. It even comes with a wipe cloth, a 115 page instruction book and a CD User Manual. Phew! and I might of missed something.

Anyway it is pretty straight forward to use and has a start up wizard function to help set up. If not read the book or CD.

The sound quality for the 7W per channel stereo system is pretty good, a little biased to the bass side though. It does have 7 equaliser settings, one you can adjust to your own liking.

Yes, you have the option of using the front panel controls, the remote is ok to use with your favourite station settings at a single button push, and you can download the UNDOK App and use your smartphone via the WiFi/ethernet connection to control it at your will.

WiFi setup is pretty straight forward and the UNDOK App will even tell you the WiFi signal strength in greater definition than what your smartphone is capable of. On the downside I had trouble trying to connect it to my iPhone Hotspot at a remote location. This is only problem if you are trying to access internet radio away from a proper WiFi / LAN connection.

DAB+ Digital Radio reception is very good. Where I live, looking at the mountain, the telescopic antenna hardly needs extending for perfect reception. I tried it 95km away from the transmitter in the central highlands lakes area, behind 70 metres of ironstone forested range, inside a shack, and the telescopic antenna still picked up the DAB+ signal okay. It did drop out once or twice but only when I was standing near the antenna. Now you can remove 2 screws at the antenna base, undo a nut, remove the telescopic antenna, then connect an F type coax cable to your Band 3 TV antenna (174 - 230 MHz) to get better reception, in a worse case scenario. See page 107 of the operating instructions. This is not the easiest bits of information to find in the book, which is one of the few criticisms I have.

An extra bit of info on DAB+ transmission is that it is vertically polarised. So if your external antenna connection is still not good enough, you might need to install another Band 3 antenna that is vertically polarised to get the best reception (elements are vertical and front of antenna pointing towards the transmitter). Another point is, in theory, if using the telescopic antenna on the radio is to make sure it is vertical and about 36 cm long (quarter wavelength at 206 MHz).

One other small criticism is that it's a bit like a teenager, once it gets a sniff of WiFi it's always looking and nagging for it. The only difference is you can shut this complaint up and it will behave itself after that.

I'm very happy with mine. The recommended price is $799 but I found one on eBay with a 20% discount special for $519, so do some hunting or be patient for the specials to come around.