I want to get a bluetooth car doobery for the phone to stream spotify from the phone but quite fancy DAB too.

Was thinking of getting a DAB & BT new stereo rather than just wiring in a BT attachment.

My question is, is DAB worth it in the car? Can you actually get a signal for a decent length of time? I’ve heard mixed reports.

Thanks.

A

I have only ever lost signal in north wales (and I get about a bit!).
Is it worth it? Well it depends if you like any DAB stations really! Have a browse, see if there are stations you are likely to listen to maybe?

I end up getting a lot of hire cars in my job. Some manufacturers have DAB setups that are incomprehensiblly user unfriendly for no apparent reason…can’t just scroll through all stations, you have to select a band..11a..or whatever..then scroll through those stns, then select a different band etc etc. I think it’s ford who do that..maybe Vauxhall. Bloody annoyingly awful

Hi – I do like DAB, listen to it all the time at home just heard mixed reports about dropped signals in the car.

Thanks. Useful info.

I used to plug in a portable dab and the reception was patchy. The one in our Ford is amazing and even gets reception where I know fm cuts out.

Good DAB is good. Crap DAB is crap. You need a decent DAB aerial, primarily.

I really miss the factory-fit one in my old Mondeo, it was ace.

lol @ gwaelod. good tip, will check out the operation beforehand!

thanks – I did say to guys with the patchy reception that it might be their aerial, it does sound like that might have been right.

Ta.

Until recently, the M27 – a bloody busy stretch between SOuthampton & Portsmouth – was awful for DAB reception

Just lately it has improved, so they just might be doing something useful with gaps in the networks

I think it’s ford who do that..maybe Vauxhall. Bloody annoyingly awful

It’s several years ago now (late Vectra period) but I too found that with the Vauxhalls of the time. Whether that’s a manufacturer issue or an age issue I don’t know, but it’s certainly not my experience with Ford.

Let me know if you find one. I have been looking for a good DAB radio with Bluetooth for a while, preferably Mech-Free. However, there did not appear to be any on the market. I think the last time I looked I did eventually find one but have lost the link.
Where we are in Wales the FM signal has got progressively worse in the past few years to the point of being almost unusable on most drives. My brother has a DAB in his latest car (Ford Focus) and that is perfect wherever he drives round here. It is a factory fitted one mind

Had a dab radio I fitted in my old car and a proper Dab aerial worked very well but hassle to fit.
New car came with FM !?! but got a twenty quid portable dab with no aerial that plugs into the aux-in, bought as a stop gap and it’s almost as good, so can’t be arsed to upgrade it now

Cheap enough to try it and see if you like it

http://www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/9153219.htm

The signal in my BMW f20 1 series was great – no issues at all. I found a few black holes where the signal would drop, but only for a few seconds, mostly around built up areas. Obviously that’s a whole optimised system with proper aerial etc. I suspect aftermarket options might drop signal more frequently.

I miss it in my new (to me, but actually older) car. Actually, I only really miss radio 6 and the track name function of DAB. I looked at getting it wired in but a professional setup is expensive so I haven’t bothered. I can stream the stations via 4g on my phone anyway.

In tempted by one of those Bush radios though.

I’ve just bought a xaiomi roidmi. Sits in the cigarette lighter, connects to phone via BT and rebroadcasts on FM. It’s tiny, seems to work well and I can move it between cars. And it was £15.

I’m not bothered about dab until radio 6 move Keaveny off the morning slot

I would never buy anything made by Bush. One of their Tvs almost burned my house down. Was not impressed.

I think it’s ford who do that..maybe Vauxhall. Bloody annoyingly awful

I’ve got an 11 plate Vauxhall which came with a DAB radio and it’s been great. You just turn the diall to scroll through the list of stations. No choosing a band first or anything.

Factory fit DAB in my f30 3 series worked well. Factor fit DAB in 3 insignias worked OK too. Missing DAB ,in my Merc so so will look at those plug in options.

I don’t have DAB in the S-Max, I do in the Fiesta. Always really miss DAB when I’m in the S-Max

Reception is generally really good, but for some reason I can’t fathom Kerrang! radio cuts out near where I live. Get a few miles away and it’s rock solid. Odd, ‘cos other stations are fine

Anyway – yes get DAB, well worth it

Factory fit in our ford works very well. Just a couple of regular spots I can think of where it drops signal but they’re in Devon. Nowhere else and I travel a fair bit.

We also have an aftermarket aerial fitted to a VW which is slightly less good but probably still better than FM. I’m happy with it. It suffers interference with cig lighter socket chargers except the lowest power ones.

To my mind both ford and VW head units are no problem in use but even if stations are hard to find (you do have to do more cycling through bands with both than I’m used to) you only do it once.

The one in my Golf is fantastic it’s setup to pick up FM if DAB fails too, the one in the work car isn’t so good. It drops, the interface is terrible and doesn’t pick up as many stations for some reason, it’s a ford.

dabs essential for me, would hate to be driving without listening to 6 music. older car tho which doesnt have it as standard so set meself up with a dab adaptor from dabonwheels.

DAB all the way. If you’re fitting an aftermarket unit though, a good antenna will make all the difference.

I have a Pure Highway 300 in the van, DAB, line in, iPod. Couldn’t be without it.

The new version looks good:

http://www.halfords.com/technology/car-audio/dab-car-stereos/pure-highway-400-in-car-digital-radio-adapter-mobile-music-controller

I got a sony one from halfords and an aerial that sticks to the inside of the window. I paid for them to fit it. The DAB quality and coverage is superb. Im sure they had a mechless head unit in there when i bought it (sony one came with a cd which ive used more than i thought i would). Menu and usability of the sony system is dreadful though so next time i would go for a different brand and get a full colour touch screen display

Dabonwheels.co.uk for aerials

With their recommended aerial on the outside of the glass we get solid reception

Knwood head unit with their BT add on (6 years old now) works well. They have BT built in now.

Yes. I’ve got a Pure in mine, it’s excellent.

Dabonwheels.co.uk +1

I had the Pure DAB Highway which at first with the screen mounted antenna was very hit and miss. Heated windscreen elements may have been an issue. Replaced the factory fit FM antenna for a DAB one from dabonwheels and perfect reception. Only place I lost reception was going through the Eurotunnel but was surprised to get it again in Calais but not for long.

I’ve had a Kenwood DAB unit in my Octavia for several years, which was installed with just the supplied stick-on window antenna, which has been OK for the five years or so I’ve had it, but I’ve noticed some places where the signal drops out when previously it was fine, so I’ve had a proper external antenna fitted.
It’s a magnetic one, with just a thin wire with the centre part coiled, looks a bit like something on a police car.
Cost £40 fitted, which wasn’t bad, as the head unit is very tight for space in the back, and the antenna is on the very furthest corner of the roof.
It’s brilliant, I’ve yet to find anywhere where I lose the signal, although I’ve yet to drive across Salisbury Plain, which is a bit of a radio black hole. I can’t fault the head unit, it was a bit over £100 when I got it, but with no BT.
Go for it, get a good make, Kenwood, Pioneer or Sony, and get a good external antenna fitted at the same time, it’s much better than FM.
If you want a proper body-mount antenna, you can get shark fin ones now: http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/SharkFin_DAB_FM_Car_Aerial.html

Thanks guys, great tips. Much appreciated. dabonwheels looks good as well.

Better prices for the same kit that half’s too.

A

I have a factory fitted unit in the Fiesta and a Pure head unit in the van.

Both are equally as good as each other, the van has a separate roof mounted DAB aerial and is as good as the factory set up in the Fiesta.

Regarding coverage, for some reason I’m losing DAB totally when near Lancaster when I’m in the Van, not been up in the Fiesta so don’t know if it is an area problem. Some stations have re-tuned to the national d2 ( I think ) transmitter so I’ve had to retune. Absolute 80’s and Kisstory are in the middle of a re-tune and the signal is loads better now.

I have dab and it’s great. Occasionally lose reception but it’s very rare I can get FM but not dab. Worth it if you want the extra stations if you can get something user friendly.
I’m not sure how much effect the aerial has, mine was fitted to a new car.
Edit-Future proof too- when are they planning to switch off FM?

2012 IIRC…

@Simmy – that’s interesting to know. I live in Lancaster and I don’t have much DAB reception.

I think DAB is worth it, regardless of occasional blackspots around the country. I love listening to Radio 6 and when we brought our new car a DAB head unit was a must.

CZ, ive got the octavia/magnetic combo too and experimented with a few aerials before settling on this one. i found the neatest solution was to place the aerial on centre of the tailgate, just almost touching the rear window. the lead can then follow the line of the wondow, tucking into the recess up to the top corner, down the side of rear seat, under the floor mat and into the armrest console where my adaptor is. cant see it at all.

of course….. you may like yours where it is, i just dont like seeing cables 🙂

DAB in my Volkswagen and it works impeccably. More importantly, the sound quality is so good that you can hear speech clearly even at a low volumme.

For the last few years I’ve driven about 35k a year all in cars with DAB radios built in. I’ve pretty much driven the length of the country and only place I drop signal is a few miles of the M74 (the bit with the overpass where the cops sit in the speed camera van) not sure what the areas called.

I like it for the improved choice of stations and quality. Although I do tend to only listen to about half a dozen stations. Current 6 favourite presets are – Radio 6, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, five live, Radio Scotland. Of these Radio Scotland can be variable on DAB the closer I get the border but that’s a transmission issue not a car stereo problem.

I’d get one, or spec if if it was an option every time.

G

Currently in a hire Vauxhall until new car arrives, regularly drops DAB signal in the South Downs. Hoping the VW unit will be better

DAB in the car? I wouldn’t bother. I’ve found DAB pretty pointless at home. Ropey signal strength, some programs in stereo on FM are broadcast in mono on DAB, and now there’s internet radio. I haven’t bothered with DAB in any car. My reasons are: Radio 4 is on FM. Anything else I can BT in via a ‘phone using e.g. iPlayer radio. If the 4G or 3G signals drops I listen to a podcast, music, or music on a USB stick plugged into the car.

Amplified aerial on the back of our Octavia, ran the power back at the same time as the DAB lead. Improves FM signal too. Kenwood headunit, no BT on ours, but is an option, I’m just not fussed for using the phone whilst driving, got a USB stick for extra music.
Welshfarmer will be glad to know that this setup has only a slight stutter at one point up Llanthony valley and that it holds clean signal around Abergavenny bypass.

Will add it to the Panda once we find a double din unit that will blend in with the dash nicely. Probably use a window aerial for that as can’t be bothered to drop the interior.

@Simmy – that’s interesting to know. I live in Lancaster and I don’t have much DAB reception.

It was fine till about 4 – 6 weeks ago now it just cuts back to FM and I have to listen to The Bay…..

Just to add, I can’t stand listening to FM after the sound quality of DAB, FM sounds like an old cassette tape whereas DAB is like a CD ( stepping back into the 90’s there )