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ibexman



Member Since: 13 Dec 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 2945
United Kingdom 
DAB radio is it worth having
dAB worth having ,are additional aerials needed Whistle
Post #297216 9th Jan 2014 5:06pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20376
United Kingdom 
Yes you need an additional aerial, there are internal and external.
Reception can be some and some and personally I don't have nor want it but I guess it depends on how much of a radio listener you are. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R
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Post #297234 9th Jan 2014 6:13pm
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bm52



Member Since: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 2189
United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Havana
Yes Thumbs Up BM52
Post #297240 9th Jan 2014 6:39pm
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jimbob7



Member Since: 06 Jul 2013
Location: uk
Posts: 2055
I bought a DAB radio (they still have FM as well) but have yet to buy an ariel as the decent ones start from £30 up,bin told to buy an external body mount,as opposed to a stick on window internal/external aerial.You can convert your standard aerial to DAB but don't know if it's worth doin.Also DAB frequencies are not standard throughout Europe,summut to consider if you travel a lot. Pov.spec,ftw. 2006, 110,TD5.
Post #297242 9th Jan 2014 6:42pm
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diesel_jim



Member Since: 13 Oct 2008
Location: hiding
Posts: 6092
United Kingdom 2006 Defender 110 Td5 SW Epsom Green
One of the chaps at work has a brand new Toyota rav4 (4x2), and it had DAB.

If you flick between normal FM and DAB, there is a considerable difference, bit like HD to normal TV/SCART, but IMO the FM is plenty good enough.

As said, depends on how much of a radio buff you are, but with the general din and racket of a defender I think the extra quality will be lost anyway.
Post #297245 9th Jan 2014 6:57pm
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couplands



Member Since: 31 Aug 2011
Location: Peak District & Cornwall
Posts: 1826
United Kingdom 2001 Defender 90 Td5 HT Oslo Blue
Listen to DAB (5Live) all the time, all over the country. Very few areas where it drops out, and much better coverage than on medium wave.

Brilliant.

Cheers

Simon
Post #297251 9th Jan 2014 6:59pm
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bm52



Member Since: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 2189
United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Havana
The Kenwood HU can be set to stay on either FM or DAB or auto switch between the 2 if a signal is weak.

As far a noise is concerned a heathly helping of Dynamat, good speakers and a sub work wonders BM52
Post #297258 9th Jan 2014 7:17pm
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WelshGas



Member Since: 01 Oct 2010
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Posts: 935
Wales 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
Have a Kenwood DAB radio in my 90 XS. Used the Kenwood interior aerial. Excellent reception in S and Mid Wales, along M4 , London, Norfolk and many other places in S and Mid England. Wouldn't be without it. No extra sound proofing. Recommend it. Thumbs Up Thumbs Up Thumbs Up LANDYWATCH

Neighbourhood Watch for Land Rover Owners

http://www.landywatch.co.uk/smf2/index.php
Post #297271 9th Jan 2014 7:31pm
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theorangebandit



Member Since: 03 Jun 2013
Location: Stowmarket
Posts: 862
Yes! I havent used normal radio since I fitted it! I use an internal arial and I get good reception. I have it stuck on the roof windows behind passebger door love it
Post #297280 9th Jan 2014 7:55pm
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me@td5.org



Member Since: 16 Jan 2011
Location: Warwick
Posts: 856
2000 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
couplands wrote:
Listen to DAB (5Live) all the time, all over the country. Very few areas where it drops out, and much better coverage than on medium wave.

Brilliant.

Cheers

Simon


5 live just doesn't sound right if it doesn't sound like it was broadcast from someones bathroom. DAB for the win. www.td5.org
Post #297350 9th Jan 2014 10:02pm
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Interlet



Member Since: 10 Oct 2011
Location: Norwich
Posts: 461
United Kingdom 1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi HT Alpine White
Bought a Pure head unit coming up to a year ago now, great bit of kit, two aerial cables, although I chose a two-in one proper antenna, mounted where the OE aerial went. Usually signal is fine, around the Fens it sometimes drops. I think after tampering with wiring near head unit, I must have recently disturbed it, cause it's now not working too well. Weekend job Rolling Eyes 1998 110 300Tdi White Hard Top
Post #297352 9th Jan 2014 10:15pm
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countryman69



Member Since: 10 Jan 2014
Location: malvern
Posts: 3
Re: DAB radio is it worth having
ibexman wrote:
dAB worth having ,are additional aerials needed Whistle


It depends. Only if there is a station on DAB that you can't get on FM IMO. Just like FM, DAB coverage can be iffy depending on where you are in the country and what roads you use. Just because one person says that they get great reception where they are, does not mean that you will as well. There are too many variables in the equation such as (a) getting a decent radio (b) a proper aerial and (c) installed in the right place.

If you do go down that route then make sure the radio supports DAB+ because I think that possibly in the future that is where we might go. The Govt (and Labour before them) have messed around re DAB for so long, the DAB standard has long been superceded by better ones (at least from an audio quality perspective).
Post #297464 10th Jan 2014 10:38am
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MartinK



Member Since: 02 Mar 2011
Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border)
Posts: 2665
United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Orkney Grey
SWMBO has DAB in the Evoque, and it's great Thumbs Up Absolute 80's rocks Thumbs Up

At home I have a PURE DAB tuner on my hifi, with a large aerial in the loft - brilliant reception. Not quite as good as a CD for sound quality, but loads better than an itunes-downloaded source (which sounds comparably like I have muffled the sound by placing a cushion over each speaker). I'll be buying a Cyrus streamer soon as well so I can also have internet radio...

FM will be replaced in coming years (target 2015), so DAB will be the most likely suceessor:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/digital-radio

In Scotland, DAB does drop-out whilst driving in more remote areas (in wifey's Evoque)...but then again so does FM. Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's)
Post #297484 10th Jan 2014 11:50am
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DingoDad



Member Since: 02 Jan 2014
Location: Norwich
Posts: 20
England 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi SW Blenheim Silver
Have had DAB in my work Mini for the past 2 year and now I have my 110 I am having a Pioneer DAB tuner and replacement speakers and amp put in on Monday. Will post pictures when I get in back.... Cant wait to finally have a stereo after 4 months of having nothing but the dulcet tones of a 300tdi engine 94 Defender 110 Wagon
2012 Mini Countryman SD (Work Car)
Post #297514 10th Jan 2014 1:44pm
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Pam W



Member Since: 25 Oct 2011
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1169
England 1998 Defender 90 Td5 SW Auto Oslo Blue
Had DAB in mine for about 3 years now - mainly listen to Radio 4 and Planet Rock. Reception depends on whether it is a national broadcast signal or a regional one. Planet Rock is national and works anywhere I can get a DAB signal, where as Kerrang! uses regional signals and is pretty useless if you are not near enough / right direction for one, whereas in the same place you can receive other DAB stations no problem.

I use dual FM/DAB antenna, a short rubber ducky one, on the wing. Headunit is a JVC DAB ready one, with a separate DAB box tucked behind it inside the dash. Our blog - http://landytravels.com/

Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net
Post #297527 10th Jan 2014 2:13pm
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