Pure Evoke Radios Compared

The Evoke range from Pure is one of the most popular ranges of DAB digital radios in the UK. These radios have stylish designs, quality engineering, and all come with a 3-year warranty. All Evoke radios have the digital tick, meaning they are future-proof and are ready for a potential digital switchover in the future.

With an Evoke radio, you can listen to digital-only stations such as Planet Rock and Radio 4 Extra as well as regular stations such as Talk Sport and Radio Two. Evoke radios range in price from roughly £70 to about £350.

Let’s explore and compare the different Pure Evoke radios one-by-one, starting with the cheapest.

 

Evoke D1

Price: See prices on Amazon

This is the cheapest radio in the Pure Evoke range. It’s compact size means it should fit easily in your kitchen or bedroom. It comes in a choice of two colours: black or white.

Features

• Use mains or battery power (up to 30 hours)
• Rechargable using the environmentally friendly ChargePAK F1 battery (not included)
• Alarm (either an alarm sound or radio)
• Stereo headphone socket
• Aux-in socket allows you to listen to music from a smartphone or tablet
• LCD screen shows song titles, station names and other information
• Digital Tick approved (ready for any digital switchover)
• Telescopic aerial
• 20 radio presets
• Sleep timer
• DAB, DAB+ and FM
• 1.6W RMS audio output
• Kitchen countdown timer

Pros

• Great sound quality
• Bass and treble can be adjusted
• Optional battery pack

Cons

• Can’t go very loud
• Doesn’t include a battery pack (which costs around £35 extra)

Is it right for you?

If you want an affordable, quality DAB/DAB+ radio, the Pure Evoke D1 is a good choice. It offers better sound quality and a more durable construction than cheaper DAB radios, but lacks the advanced features of more expensive Pure Evoke models.

 

Evoke D2

Price: See prices on Amazon

This radio won What Hi-Fi’s “Best Radio under £100” award in 2015. It is almost identical to the Evoke D1, except that the D2 comes in a choice of either a walnut or oak veneer casing.

For features, pros and cons, see those of the D1 above.

Is it right for you?

The Evoke D2 is pretty much the same as the D1, the real difference is in the outer oak or walnut casing. The wooden casing contributes to a better sound overall, and also looks great.

If you don’t mind spending an extra £10 for a more attractive radio with a slightly better sound, the D2 is a good choice. Otherwise, you can get the same features for a cheaper price by choosing the Evoke D1.

 

Evoke D2 Mio with Bluetooth

Price: See prices on Amazon

For an extra £10 or so, you can get the Evoke D2 with Bluetooth, which will let you stream music or radio from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. The D2 with Bluetooth comes in maple casing.

For features, pros and cons, see those of the D1 above.

Is it right for you?

The Evoke D2 with Bluetooth is a good choice if you listen to a lot of music or internet radio on your smartphone, tablet or computer, and would like to listen through your radio using Bluetooth. Otherwise, you are better off sticking with the D1 or regular D2, which are cheaper.

 

Other Evoke D2 with Bluetooth Models

In addition to the standard Evoke D2 with Bluetooth, there are a number of different designs available, often at a higher price. Evoke D2 Mio with Bluetooth have the same features as the maple Evoke D2 with Bluetooth reviewed above, but come in a range of colours (raspberry, almond, aloe, cerulean, charcoal, pewter, scarlet). If matching your radio to your decor is important to you, choosing an Evoke D2 Mio could be a good option.

You can also get an Evoke D2 bluetooth DAB radio with a papercut casing designed by Rob Ryan, or one with a Sanderson wallpaper design, if you want something really quirky.

 

Evoke D4

Price: See prices on Amazon

This radio has a different shape to the D2; you could say it is landscape rather than portrait shaped. Like the Evoke D2, it comes in either a walnut or oak veneer casing, which helps give it a balanced and natural sound.

Features

• Up to 50 hours of playback using the rechargeable ChargePAK F1 battery (not included)
• Comes with a remote control
• Activate the snooze feature of the alarm just by touching the handle
• Up to 30 DAB/FM preset stations
• Alarm with a choice of an alarm tone or the radio
• Countdown timer and alarm for using in the kitchen
• Headphone socket and aux-in for connection an MP3 player, smartphone or other device

Pros

• Remote is simple and easy to use
• Offers both FM and DAB, which is good if you have inconsistent digital radio signal
• Excellent sound

Cons

• Some buyers found their radio suddenly stopped working (though it does come with a 3-year warranty)
• Sound is too bassy for some
• Doesn’t include a battery pack (which costs around £35 extra)

Is it right for you?

The Pure Evoke D4 is stylish, has a high-quality build, and sounds great. In terms of features, it’s quite similar to the D2. Compared to the D2, the D4 lets you save more preset stations, and has a longer battery life (though the battery pack isn’t included).

Your decision between the D1, D2 and D4 will probably come down to price (the D4 costs about £40 more than the D2 and £45 more than the D1). The design is also quite different, so you should consider which design will look best in your home.

 

Evoke D4 with Bluetooth

Price: See prices on Amazon

Like the D2, the Evoke D4 is also available with Bluetooth. This lets you stream internet radio or MP3s from your phone, MP3 player or laptop (provided they have Bluetooth). The Evoke D4 with Bluetooth comes in a maple veneer casing. It has the same features and design as the regular D4 except for offering Bluetooth connectivity.

For features, pros and cons, see those of the D4 above.

Is it right for you?

If being able to stream music from a Bluetooth-enabled device like a smartphone or laptop is important to you, the Evoke D4 with Bluetooth is a good option. Otherwise you should go for the regular Evoke D4, which costs less.

 

Other Evoke D4 with Bluetooth Models

The standard Evoke D4 with Bluetooth radio comes in maple casing, but you can choose from a range of colours in the Evoke D4 Mio with Bluetooth range. The colours on offer are the same as those in the Evoke D2 with Bluetooth range (raspberry, almond, aloe, cerulean, charcoal, pewter, scarlet).

Some of these radios cost more than the regular Evoke D4 with Bluetooth radio, but they are a good option if matching the radio to your decor is important to you.

 

Evoke F3 with Bluetooth

Price: See prices on Amazon

Unlike the radios looked at so far, the Evoke F3 is an internet radio. This means you can connect to WiFi and listen to Spotify or the 20,000+ internet radio stations from across the world. You can also connect to your phone or other device via Bluetooth to use your radio as a wireless speaker.

The Evoke F3 looks much more modern than the D1, D2 and D4 models, which could be a good or bad thing depending on your taste.

Features

• Remote control
• Colour LCD display
• Listen to millions of songs using Spotify Connect (paid feature)
• Bass-ported cabinet for a rich sound
• Pure Select app lets you control the radio from your smartphone from anywhere in your house
• 20 preset stations
• Alarm with either an alarm buzzer tone or the radio
• Stereo headphone socket
• Aux-in socket
• Set two alarms

Pros

• Reliable WiFi connection
• Listen to music through Spotify
• Excellent sound

Cons

• Light doesn’t completely turn off unless you switch it off at the mains
• Connecting the radio to a WiFi router isn’t always easy

Is it right for you?

If being able to listen to thousands of radio stations via the internet sounds exciting, the Evoke F3 could be a good buy. It’s a very modern and reliable radio with lots of smart features, and can connect with your phone, laptop and other devices.

If you just want a digital radio and aren’t interested in connecting it to the internet, an Evoke D2 or D4 is probably a better option. As with all Pure Evoke radios, you can except great sound quality.

 

Evoke F4 with Bluetooth

Price: See prices on Amazon

This radio is similar to the Evoke F3, but with some different features and a slightly different design. Some of the key additional features include the ability to record radio on a USB stick, and the ability to simultaneously listen to music on other Pure devices such as the Jongo Multiroom Wireless Speakers using the synchronised multiroom feature.

This radio won What Hi-Fi’s “Product of the Year” award in 2013.

Features

• DAB, DAB+ and FM radio
• WiFi connectivity to listen to over 20,000 worldwide
• Bluetooth connectivity
• ChargePAK F1 battery (not included) for up to 12 hours of portable listening
• 40 preset stations
• Alarm with either alarm tone or radio
• Activate the alarm’s snooze feature just by touching the handle
• Aux-in
• Stereo headphone jack
• Listen in several rooms at once using wireless speakers
• Record radio onto a USB stick
• Weighs 1.5 kg

Pros

• Attractive and stylish
• Good customer service
• Compact size
• Internet streaming feature is easy to use
• One touch recording to USB memory stick
• Crisp sound

Cons

• No aux out
• Battery pack isn’t included
• No remote control

 

Evoke D6 with Bluetooth

Price: See prices on Amazon

The main difference between the Evoke D6 and the Evoke D4 is that the D6 has two built-in speakers, offering stereo sound. This radio has an attractive real oak wood design.

Features

• Stereo sound
• Easy to read display
• Stream music from your phone or laptop via Bluetooth
• Remote control
• Up to 50 hours of portable listening using the ChargePAK F1 rechargeable battery pack (not included)
• Up to 30 preset saved stations
• Self tunes to find DAB stations

Pros

• Great sound quality
• Sensitive treble and bass controls
• Looks nice

Cons

• Doesn’t go very loud
• Can’t change source using the remote

Is it right for you?

This radio isn’t cheap, but it looks and sounds fantastic. Unlike many other DAB radios, it offers stereo sound thanks to the two built-in speakers. If you don’t mind spending a bit more to get a really top-quality product, the Evoke D6 with Bluetooth is a good buy.

 

Evoke C-D4

Price: See prices on Amazon

What makes this radio different to those reviewed above is its built-in CD player.

It has an attractive design with a walnut casing.

Features

• DAB and FM radio
• Built-in CD player
• Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music via a phone or laptop
• Remote control
• Aux-in
• Stereo headphone socket
• Bass and treble can be adjusted
• Plays CD, CDR and CD-RW discs

Pros

• Feels solid and sturdy
• Finds and tunes into DAB stations quickly
• Looks like a quality piece of furniture with its wood finish
• Nice tone

Cons

• Fairly expensive

Is it right for you?

If being able to listen to CDs is important to you, the Evoke C-D4 is a great digital radio/CD player combo. If you’re just interested in listening to the radio, or are content with connecting the radio to your phone or laptop, the Evoke D4 will do the job at a more affordable price.

 

Evoke C-D6

Price: See prices on Amazon

The Evoke C-D6 is like the C-D4 except that it has two built-in speakers giving it stereo sound.

For features, pros and cons, see the Evoke C-D4 above.

Is it right for you?

The Evoke C-D6’s sound quality is better than that of the C-D4 thanks to the stereo speakers. It is fairly expensive at roughly £240, but it offers excellent sound, DAB and FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity and a CD player. You’re unlikely to be disappointed with this radio.

 

Evoke C-F6

Price: See prices on Amazon

The Evoke C-F6 is the most high-end model in the Evoke range. It combines all of the features and qualities of the radios reviewed here into one package. It is similar to the C-D6 except that it also lets you listen to internet radio stations.

Features

• DAB, FM and internet radio
• Built-in CD player
• Powerful stereo speakers
• Stream music via Bluetooth or Spotify Connect
• Colour display
• Remote control
• Save up to 36 preset stations
• CD player has shuffle and repeat options
• Plays CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs
• You can use your smartphone as a remote control via the Pure Select app

Pros

• Flexible: Bluetooth streaming, listen to MP3s, Spotify, internet radio etc.
• Easy to use
• Dimmable screen
• Customisable EQ
• Quick to set up – finds DAB radio stations automatically
• Option to only search for stations with strong reception
• Excellent sound quality for all kinds of music and speech

Cons

• No USB input or USB recording (which is offered by the Evoke F4 with Bluetooth)
• Display can be hard to read
• High price

Is it right for you?

At roughly £350, the Evoke C-F6 isn’t cheap. However, it has an impressive range of features and offers pretty much everything you could ask for in a DAB radio. You can stream music through Bluetooth or listen to one of the 20,000+ radio stations available online. It also has two built-in speakers, a CD player, and has a quality build with great sound quality.