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The Majority Barton II was released in August 2018 as an update to the earlier Barton retro DAB radio released in 2017. The Barton II has updated software and improved alarm clock functions.
This radio has a stylish upright design with a wood effect finish reminiscent of the Pure Evoke H2. Like many of Majority’s radios, the Barton is named after a village near Cambridge where Majority are based.
Find out what the Majority Barton II can do and how it performs in this review…
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- Dual alarm clock with snooze function
- Sleep timer
- Saves 20 preset stations (10 on FM and 10 on DAB/DAB+)
- LCD display
- Headphone jack
- Sleep function
- Telescopic aerial
Dimensions: 19 cm high x 12 cm wide x 12 cm deep
Performance and use
The Majority Barton II is quick and easy to set up. As soon as you plug the radio in it automatically sets the correct time via DAB radio. The radio itself is easy to use, and the instructions manual (available online here) is clearly written.
Reception is generally strong on the Barton II, and it picks up both FM and DAB/DAB+ so you can switch between the two if you have problems with the signal.
This radio has a small 12 x 12 cm footprint so it fits easily on bedside tables and kitchen countertops. It can be used as an alarm clock, though it’s not ideal for this purpose for several reasons. Firstly, the LCD screen is small so it’s hard to read the time from a distance. Also, the radio needs to turned on to change the alarm settings, which is inconvenient as you might wake someone else up.
Another issue with this radio is that the lowest volume setting is still quite loud, which isn’t very good if you want to listen to the radio in bed without disturbing other people. The Barton II has a nice design, but the wood effect finish looks quite cheap.
Unsurprisingly for such an inexpensive radio, the Barton II doesn’t have any advanced features such as Bluetooth or a USB port. It’s also not portable, and has to be plugged into the mains at all times.
Pros
- Good value for money
- Clearly written instructions manual (available online here)
- Relatively good DAB reception
- Small footprint, so it doesn’t take up much space
- Easy to use
Cons
- Doesn’t have much bass
- Wood effect finish looks cheap
- Display is quite small
- Not portable
- No Bluetooth
- Can be unreliable
Verdict
The Majority Barton II
Similar radios
One similar looking radio is the Pure Evoke H2. It’s significantly more expensive than the Majority Barton, but is made to a higher standard and doesn’t look cheap like the Barton does.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, Majority offer a range of cheap radios including the Majority Shelford II, which has similar features to the Barton but can also be used with batteries. The Majority Little Shelford is also worth considering, as it has a similar price tag but also features Bluetooth.
For some more options, see this roundup of the best DAB radios under £50.