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The Tempo Solo is a small and stylish digital radio with a minimalistic Scandinavian-style design. It’s one of the cheapest offerings in John Lewis’s line-up of own-brand digital radios and could be a good choice if you want a basic yet reliable radio.
You can buy this radio with either a grey or a navy speaker, though there isn’t much difference between the two finishes. Like most John Lewis radios, the Tempo Solo is currently sold with a 2-year guarantee.
Find out what the Tempo Solo can do and how it performs in this review…
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- Dual alarm clock with snooze function
- Sleep timer
- Saves 20 presets (10 on DAB/DAB+ and 10 on FM)
- Can be battery powered with 4 C batteries
- 2W speaker output
- Telescopic aerial
- Adjustable display brightness
Dimensions: 15.5 cm wide x 15.3 cm high x 8 cm deep
Weight: 650 g
Performance and use
The Tempo Solo’s compact size and dual alarm clock make it ideal for using as a bedside radio. The radio also has a sleep timer which is good if you like to fall asleep listening to the radio as it will turn the radio off after a set period of time.
The clock is on the top of the radio which can be inconvenient if you’re using it as a bedside radio as it means you have to sit up to see the time.
For such a small radio, the Tempo Solo has good sound quality. It’s not very powerful or detailed with just a 2W mono speaker, but the sound is clear.
There are three preset buttons: buttons 1 and 2 let you access your favourite two stations easily while the 3+ button lets you access stations 3-10. Many people only listen to 2 or 3 stations, so this is quite convenient.
You can plug the Tempo Solo into the mains using the adapter provided or use it as a portable radio with 4 C batteries, which aren’t included. The Tempo Solo only weighs 650 grams, so it’s easy to carry around the house.
Pros
- Stylish
- Great size for a bedside table
- Easy to use
- Good value for money
- Strong DAB reception
Cons
- Clock is hard to read when in bed
- Tuning button is a bit fiddly
Verdict
The Tempo Solo has a very stylish design and produces a nice, clear sound. It offers good value for money and makes a great bedside radio if you don’t mind the clock being on the top of the radio.
Similar radios
The model up from the Tempo Solo is the Tempo Duo, which is essentially the same as the Tempo Solo except for being twice as wide and having twice the power output, with stereo sound. If you want something with the same minimalistic design as the Tempo Solo but with more volume, the Tempo Duo is ideal.
If you want a clock radio with a few more features, you might want to consider the AZATOM Horizon. It costs less than the Tempo Solo (at the time of writing), but offers Bluetooth and a USB charging point in addition to digital radio and a dual alarm clock, so it’s great value for money.
For some more options see our reviews of the best DAB clock radios and the best DAB radios under £50.