Majority Newnham DAB Radio Review

Summary: Generally a decent radio for the price, but the radio reception is below average.

Buy it online: See on Amazon.co.uk

The Newnham Radio is a rechargeable portable FM/DAB radio in the affordable Majority range. It comes in a black finish with a large carrying handle. Let’s look at the Newnham in more detail…

Features

• FM and DAB radio
• Saves up to 20 preset stations (10 DAB and 10 FM)
• Auto time set
• Auto-scan tuning feature
• Alarm clock with choice of buzzer or radio sound
• Sleep function
• LCD display
• Headphone jack
• Telescopic aerial

Dimensions: 21 cm wide x 18 cm high x 6.5 cm deep
Weight: 980 g

Pros

• Good sound quality for the price
• Simple design
• Good weight – reasonably sturdy but not too heavy
• Cheap
• Integrated battery is convenient

Cons

• Generally poor DAB reception compared to other radios
• Fiddly controls
• Pre-sets aren’t easy to use
• Sound is quite tinny and there isn’t much bass
• On/off screen button is very small
• Some buyers have complained that they received a white radio after ordering a black one

What’s in the box?

In addition to the radio itself, the Newnham also comes with an instructions manual and a mains power lead.

Performance and use

Charging the radio takes between 2 and 4 hours. On a full charge, the Newnham offers 4-6 hours of playback, which is relatively poor compared to other radios that can last for 8 hours.

The quality of the DAB reception you get varies greatly depending on where you live and also where in the building you use the radio. Nevertheless, the Newnham DAB radio fares worse than most other DAB radios in this respect. Unless you live in a very strong signal area, you might be disappointed with this radio’s DAB reception.

The Newnham’s sound quality is fairly decent for a radio of its size and price, though it does sound a bit tinny and it doesn’t have much bass.

Verdict

The Newnham is a basic portable radio that might be a good choice for the kitchen or garden shed. However, the reception offered by this radio’s telescopic aerial doesn’t seem to be up to scratch. Even in strong signal areas, it can have problems picking up popular stations like Radio 5 Live.

DAB reception varies greatly, but we’d recommend getting a similarly priced portable radio with a better aerial. A better choice could be the 1byone Portable DAB Radio, which should offer better reception and also has Bluetooth functionality, so you can stream music wirelessly from your phone or tablet.