Internet Radio with digital out - Grace Digital IRDT200

[foxysounds]

I'll soon be moving out of my lovely house with a DAB aerial on the roof and into a ground-floor flat so I'm currently weighing up options for replacing my DAB radios. Since FM is being switched off soon here in the UK I really don't want to get into the whole analogue vs digital radio debate - I just want to ensure that I get the best quality digital radio receiver I can afford and it has to have a digital output so I can run it through my Beresford TC-7520. Since I won't have a roof on which to put a DAB aerial I'm thinking about internet radio but I don't want to have to put my PC on to listen to it and I don't want to spend a fortune.

I've found the Grace Digital IRDT200 on several websites and it looks like exactly what I'm looking for - except that it seems to only be available on US sites so I guess it runs on 110V. Does anyone here have one and if so can you tell me whether it has a universal PSU - or a 110/230 switch?

Alternatively if there are any other products I should consider which I haven't thought of then please let me know!

Thanks,

Simon.

[StanleyB]

Have a look at THIS (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WIFI-WIRELESS-INTERNET-FM-DAB-DIGITAL-RADIO-USB-LAN-MP3-/350486948856?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Tuners&hash=item519aa66bf8). Ticks all the right boxes and more.

[foxysounds]

That looks perfect Stan, thanks!

Simon.

[dave2010]

Have a look at THIS (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WIFI-WIRELESS-INTERNET-FM-DAB-DIGITAL-RADIO-USB-LAN-MP3-/350486948856?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Tuners&hash=item519aa66bf8). Ticks all the right boxes and more.Stan

Interesting recommendation - seems to do a lot, but is it built to a price, so that it does lots of things, but does none of them particularly well? Or merely OK? Or GGGGREEATTT?

I have a Squeezebox Boom which does the Internet Radio stuff OKish (though I also use an SB3 Squeezebox more often. I have to confess that the FM tuners and the DAB tuner don't get turned on very often these days, for one reason or another - bit of a shame as I think both are good (Sony 777ES DAB/FM tuner and JVC TX 55). For the radio I fear we quite often use our TV now (works on some channels) and/or the PVRs which we can also use to record, and one of the PVRs can be fed out via an SPDIF link to a DAC if needed.

In our kitchen we have a RED DAB set bought from Sainsburys before the mags said that it was a great piece of kit - really is good as a kitchen set - but when we went back to get more they'd realised and taken them off the market.

Some pieces of kit are really only any good at one thing, hence my comments on your suggestion.

[StanleyB]

Hi Dave, as many who have used any of my DACs have found out you can get a massive improvement from your internet and satellite radio from even a Sky box or PC. All you need is the digital signal to feed the DAC with. That EAG radio has a wide range of reception method, and digital outputs. It's those features that are of interest to me. The standard analogue outputs are unlikely to be a match against the analogue output from a decent DAC.

[WAD62]

Squeezeboxes are a great solution, music and internet radio all over the house with digital outs, but one does have to go down the whole server route for it to be worthwhile...I suppose a touch could be a standalone option, but a bit pricey at the moment, particularly as just a radio :)

[dave2010]

Hi Dave, as many who have used any of my DACs have found out you can get a massive improvement from your internet and satellite radio from even a Sky box or PC. All you need is the digital signal to feed the DAC with. That EAG radio has a wide range of reception method, and digital outputs. It's those features that are of interest to me. The standard analogue outputs are unlikely to be a match against the analogue output from a decent DAC.Ah. Agreed. That makes some sense.

German readers can read reviews here - http://www.amazon.de/AEG-4427-Internet-WMA-Player-LC-Display/dp/B002K8PE7O The link through to the UK site should result in.a price less than or about £100. Simon should check to see if the DAB tuner has a SPDIF output too. It's very unlikely the FM will though.

[webby]

Stan

Interesting recommendation - seems to do a lot, but is it built to a price, so that it does lots of things, but does none of them particularly well? Or merely OK? Or GGGGREEATTT?

I have a Squeezebox Boom which does the Internet Radio stuff OKish (though I also use an SB3 Squeezebox more often. I have to confess that the FM tuners and the DAB tuner don't get turned on very often these days, for one reason or another - bit of a shame as I think both are good (Sony 777ES DAB/FM tuner and JVC TX 55). For the radio I fear we quite often use our TV now (works on some channels) and/or the PVRs which we can also use to record, and one of the PVRs can be fed out via an SPDIF link to a DAC if needed.

In our kitchen we have a RED DAB set bought from Sainsburys before the mags said that it was a great piece of kit - really is good as a kitchen set - but when we went back to get more they'd realised and taken them off the market.

Some pieces of kit are really only any good at one thing, hence my comments on your suggestion.
Dave, how is the boom at accessing your digital music? Can you navigate ok with the remote?