Ocean Digital Radios Compared

Ocean Digital Radios Compared

Radio Reviews /

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Ocean Digital are a Hong Kong-based manufacturer who produce a large range of affordable DAB and internet radios. Their products are made in China and are priced favourably when compared to better known brands like Pure and Roberts.

It can be hard to choose an Ocean Digital radio as there seem to be so many similar models to choose between. In this article we’ll explore Ocean Digital’s range of radios in depth, comparing and contrasting their features and design.

Ocean Digital radios can be split into three categories:

  • FM/DAB/DAB+ radios
  • Internet-only radios
  • Internet radios with FM and/or DAB

 

FM/DAB/DAB+ radios

These radios let you listen to FM and DAB/DAB+ radio stations. Unlike other Ocean Digital products, you can’t use them to listen to online radio stations.

 

Ocean Digital DB80

Model FM DAB/DAB+ Internet Bluetooth Portable Stereo Sound
DB80 ✔ ✔ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✖

The Ocean Digital DB80 is one of the smallest radios in Ocean Digital’s line-up. It’s an affordable DAB radio that can be used with mains power or with AA batteries.

Features

  • FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
  • Save up to 8 preset stations: 4 on FM and 4 on DAB
  • Alarm clock with sleep and snooze functions
  • Alarm gives you the choice of waking up to a buzzer sound or FM or DAB radio
  • Dimmable display

Dimensions: 17 wide x 9 cm high x 10 cm deep
Weight: 921 g (boxed)
Power: Mains powered or portable with 6 x AA batteries

Pros

  • Low price
  • Stable shape with plenty of depth

Cons

  • Display is quite bright even on the lowest setting, meaning it’s not ideal as a bedside alarm clock radio
  • Buttons are small and fiddly

Verdict

The Ocean Digital DB80 is attractively priced, but it does have some notable flaws including the small buttons which can make it fiddly to set presets and configure the alarm.

Ocean Digital DB220B

Model FM DAB/DAB+ Internet Bluetooth Portable Stereo Sound
DB220B ✔ ✔ ✖ ✔ ✖ ✖

The Ocean Digital DB220B in an FM/DAB/DAB+ radio with Bluetooth for wirelessly streaming music or other audio from a phone, tablet or laptop. This affordable radio also comes with a remote control.

Features

  • FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
  • Telescopic aerial
  • Bluetooth
  • Saves 10 preset radio stations
  • Dual alarm clock with a choice of an old-fashioned beeping sound or waking up to the radio
  • Sleep timer
  • Headphone jack/line-out port
  • Clock, which is displayed in standby mode

Dimensions: 17 cm wide x 10 cm high x 10 cm deep
Weight: 798 g
Power: Mains powered

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Good range of features for the price (radio, alarm, Bluetooth, remote control)

Cons

  • Feels quite cheaply made
  • Not portable

Verdict

The Ocean Digital DB220B is a good choice for a cheap DAB radio with Bluetooth. The sound is somewhat tinny, and the design isn’t very special, but this radio offers good value for money.

Ocean Digital DB230B

Model FM DAB/DAB+ Internet Bluetooth Portable Stereo Sound
DB230B ✔ ✔ ✖ ✔ ✖ ✖

The Ocean Digital DB230B is very similar to the Ocean Digital DB220B reviewed above. It’s an FM/DAB/DAB+ radio with Bluetooth and an alarm clock.

Features

  • FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
  • Save up to 20 preset stations—10 on FM and 10 on DAB
  • Bluetooth for streaming music from a smartphone, tablet or PC
  • Dual alarm clock with a choice of waking up to an alarm sound, FM or DAB radio
  • Sleep timer
  • Dimmable screen

Dimensions: 20 cm wide x 12 cm high x 12 cm deep
Weight: 1.2 kg
Power: Mains powered

Pros

  • Screen is easy to read
  • Alarm gradually fades in, making waking up less stressful
  • Decent sound quality thanks to the use of wood
  • Good Bluetooth signal

Cons

  • Can be fiddly to use
  • Wood used in the construction is poor quality

Verdict

All-in-all, the Ocean Digital DB230B is a good radio, but the R.R.P. seems quite high given its cheap construction. If you can get it at a discount it’s a good choice.

Ocean Digital DBA01C8

Model FM DAB/DAB+ Internet Bluetooth Portable Stereo Sound
DBA01C8 ✔ ✔ ✖ ✔ ✖ ✖

The Ocean Digital DBA01C8 is an FM/DAB/DAB+ radio receiver rather than a radio itself. It’s important to note that it doesn’t have its own speaker—you need to connect it to a speaker to listen to the radio.

While this radio receiver has Bluetooth, you can’t connect it to a Bluetooth speaker as it only has a Bluetooth receiver rather than a Bluetooth transmitter.

Features

  • FM/DAB/DAB+ receiver
  • Save up to 10 preset stations
  • 8-inch colour display
  • Bluetooth receiver for streaming music from a smartphone or other Bluetooth device
  • Remote control
  • Antenna input socket
  • Audio out port

Dimensions: 13.5 cm wide x 9.2 cm high x 3.7 cm deep
Weight: 200 g
Power: Mains powered

Pros

  • Small and light
  • Intuitive controls
  • Good DAB signal

Cons

  • Quiet when used in Bluetooth mode

Verdict

If you already have some decent speakers or have a good hi-fi that you’d like to add DAB radio to, the Ocean Digital DBA01C8 is a good solution. Overall, it performs very well for the price and picks up digital radio well compared to many other units.

 

Internet-only radios

Radios in this category pick up radio stations via a wireless internet connection only; they don’t have an FM or DAB radio receiver. This is quite a new concept, but since the share of people who listen to the radio online is rising, it makes sense that you can buy radios exclusively for this purpose.

If you have a good internet connection, internet radio should offer better sound quality than AM/FM, and it won’t suffer from the gurgling and loss of signal that can affect DAB radios, especially in the UK. It’s also a good solution if you want to pick up foreign stations, or if you’d like to pick up UK stations from France, Spain or other countries.

Ocean Digital IRT01C

Model FM DAB/DAB+ Internet Bluetooth Portable Stereo Sound
IRT01C ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✖ ✖

The Ocean Digital IRT01C is a compact internet radio receiver with Bluetooth. It doesn’t have a speaker built in, so you will need to connect it to a separate speaker. You could use it to add internet radio streaming capabilities to an old radio or hi-fi.

Features

  • Displays weather information such as a weather forecast and the current temperature
  • Bluetooth
  • Colour LCD display
  • Line out and headphone jack
  • Remote control

Dimensions: 13 cm wide x 9 cm high x 3 cm deep
Weight: 200 g
Power: Mains powered

Pros

  • Easy to set up and start listening to radio via WiFi
  • Good sound quality when you connect it to some better speakers
  • Display is easy to read

Cons

  • Small and easy to knock over or drag off a table if you have headphones plugged in

Verdict

The Ocean Digital IRT01C is very easy to use and is a convenient way to upgrade an old radio or listen to online radio through some separate speakers.

Ocean Digital Internet Radio WR-210CB

Model FM DAB/DAB+ Internet Bluetooth Portable Stereo Sound
WR-210CB ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✖ ✖

The Ocean Digital Internet Radio WR-210CB