AZATOM Sonance T1 DAB Radio Review

Summary: With a compact design and good sound quality, the Sonance T1 is one of the best clock radios in its price range.

Buy it online: See price on Amazon.co.uk

The AZATOM Sonance T1 is a small and compact digital radio with a bright, modern design. The Sonance T1 offers DAB/DAB+ radio as well as FM. Find out what this radio can do and how it performs in this review…

Features

Dimensions: 14 cm wide x 14 cm high x 4.4 cm deep
Weight: 360 g

Performance and use

The AZATOM Sonance T1 is very easy to set up. It automatically scans and finds radio stations and sets the clock via DAB. The sound quality is decent for a radio of this size and price, and the reception is fairly strong on both FM and DAB. The instruction manual, which you can find online here, is quite straightforward and easy to understand.

The radio stores 60 preset stations, which is more than enough for most people. They will remain stored when the battery runs out or if there’s a power failure.

This radio has a built-in battery pack which charges when the radio is plugged into the mains. Battery life is decent, and you should be able to listen to the radio for about 8 hours on a full charge. There’s also a USB port for charging a smartphone or other device. This is handy if you have the radio on your bedside table and want to charge your phone overnight. It’s important to note that the USB port can only be used for charging other devices—you can’t charge the radio itself via USB.

The Sonance T1 has all of the essential features you’d want from a clock radio. It has a dual alarm clock with a snooze function, a sleep timer and a dimmable display. The display has several brightness levels: high, medium, low and sleep (which means the brightness is very low so it won’t disturb you at night). You can choose the source for the alarm: FM, DAB/DAB+ or a buzzer sound.

The AZATOM Sonance T1 isn’t especially attractive, but it has an interesting modern design reminiscent of the Majority Arbury. The radio has a rubberised finish and is available in a choice of colours: red, green and purple.

The design and layout of the buttons on this radio could be improved. Most of the buttons are the same shape and size and they aren’t backlit, so it can be hard to find the right button in the dark. The on/off button is also used to switch between FM and DAB, which can be a bit fiddly. It would be easier to have a separate button for this.

Verdict

For the price, there isn’t much to complain about with the AZATOM Sonance T1. It’s a compact radio with decent sound quality and all the essential features you’d want from a bedside radio. As long as you don’t need more advanced features such as Bluetooth, this is a great clock radio.

Similar radios

One good radio with similar features is the Majority Madingley Hall, which offers FM/DAB radio, an alarm clock and two USB charging ports. Another alternative from AZATOM is the AZATOM Horizon which is an older but highly rated product with similar features.

If you want something more high-end, check out the Pure Siesta Rise, which has a beautiful design and great sound quality for a clock radio.

For more options see our roundup of the best clock radios on the market in the UK.