Pure Elan Connect+ Internet Radio REVIEW (Updated)
Added 2023-05-27 22:15:25 +0000 UTCIn this video I test out a budget Internet Radio that might prove to be a bit of a bargain.
If you’re in the UK or Germany and fancy picking one of these up from Amazon there are affiliated links in the description on Youtube, alternatively you can find this with a regular search.
If you’re elsewhere in the world then sorry if the deal isn’t relevant, but if this kind of functionality appeals then perhaps you can find a similar device locally.
That’s it - I’m taking Sunday off. Speak again soon. All the best, take care.
UPDATE: I sorted out my FM tuning problem - it was the LED panel studio lights generating interference that was misidentified as broadcasts by the radio. I’ve gone back and re-shot the FM section to make it more accurate.
I’ve added in a new section about connecting this device via the Undok app as quite a few people mentioned this.
I also used the opportunity to tidy up a few sections and add some new overlays in.
The updated version is the one embedded and linked above.
I’ll likely put this one out on Wednesday as hopefully all the discounted deals won't have disappeared by then.
Comments
Mine arrived today. Very pleased with it. The best feature is how the internet radio streams are stored; if you have a direct stream URL, you can paste it into one's preferred preset via the web interface, so it's not reliant on a proprietary portal somewhere that could be shut down at a moment's notice. I just wish it had more than 20 presets. Thanks again for the heads up, Mat.
OzRetrocomp
2023-06-06 08:28:58 +0000 UTCI couldn’t resist it following the original video last weekend (as my Roberts 93i Stream is getting long in the tooth!). Adding this to my UNDOK options was the icing on the cake, ordered the Grey Stereo version via your link and it arrived last Tuesday so thanks for the pointer and no buyer’s remorse!
Raymond Okoński
2023-06-03 13:13:32 +0000 UTCMy mono version turned up in a paper bag (similar to the ones Fast Food places use).
Duncan
2023-06-02 19:10:43 +0000 UTCOut of stock in the U.K. on 1st June. Colours are Black, or White, with Yellow coming a bit later.
Duncan
2023-06-02 19:04:04 +0000 UTCGreat video, I’m still a bit hesitant with internet radio as my Denon Ceol system suddenly announced I had to subscribe to a (cheap) service for it to continue. /edit just checked and Vtuner is now $6 a year and from what reviews say it's pretty poor.
Stephen Cooper
2023-06-02 12:07:58 +0000 UTCIt looks like Amazon sold a few - I accrued the life-changing sum of £22.26 commission yesterday.
Techmoan
2023-06-01 18:20:08 +0000 UTCThe buying frenzy already kicked in - the prices went up 5 EUR on each model ;) I hope some of them were bought via your affiliate links!
Christian Giudici
2023-06-01 18:10:15 +0000 UTCThanks for letting me know, I’ve tidied it up now. Most of the YouTube comments seem to be people telling me why they aren’t buying one. Reminds me that I need to go on a video about the Lamborghini Huracan to let everyone there know why I’m going to carry on using my Smart Car instead. …I’m sure they’ll be interested.
Techmoan
2023-06-01 09:37:28 +0000 UTCI noticed the video went up on YouTube now. The affiliation links in the description are duplicated there, there are links for UK / Germany / France and then again UK / Germany France
Michiel Beijen
2023-06-01 09:21:49 +0000 UTCWelp, mine is currently in transit to Australia. Looking forward to testing it with my intended use case i.e. hooked up to my hifi to add internet radio, DAB+ and Bluetooth. Will be interesting to see how it goes (or indeed if it goes).
OzRetrocomp
2023-06-01 00:41:14 +0000 UTCI’ve heard you on there. All I need is for them to keep making the show…Mondays would be much worse without it. Oh and congratulations.
Techmoan
2023-05-31 20:59:12 +0000 UTCMat, if you ever need anything Comedy Bang Bang related let me know and I’ll ask Scott to set you up with the works! We had lunch last week as we are both new dads!
Jake Fogelnest
2023-05-31 20:44:33 +0000 UTCSo I’ve finally watched this video, and I remember why I didn’t buy one of these before. It’s just so ugly. I know that’s subjective, but I think it’s poorly designed. It looks cheap and not in a good way. When you were showing the internet radio montage, I noticed that the word “Internet Radio” was bottom aligned, the clock top aligned and the battery centred. Why? Did no-one who worked on it have eyes? The full screen clock is ugly, the little tag out the side is ugly. I feel like Pure, who used to produce beautifully designed radios, really just threw together the cheapest thing they could. It makes me sad.
Kirk Northrop
2023-05-31 20:40:06 +0000 UTCHi folks, just wanted to let you know that Audio Technica start selling the new soundburger( 2 colours to choose from ) from 9am today, 31st May. I personally am going to wait a few weeks for the limmited eddition to go live. Sorry for highjacking your comments section Mat. Just thought people would find the info helpful.
Andrew Fletcher
2023-05-31 07:26:21 +0000 UTCI reviewed one that acts much like this a few years ago - not too impressed but perhaps the newer ones are a bit better. https://youtu.be/tnOHod0Bqas
Techmoan
2023-05-30 20:26:10 +0000 UTCNice one Mat. Am looking for an Internet Radio Tuner to add to my Denon stack system At the moment, I use a BT link to my iPad going into the AUX but that's battery powered and I keep forgetting to recharge it. A nice mains powered tuner with Internet and DAB+ would be a good thing to review if you come across one. I'll buy it and you can review it if you want?
Chas Large
2023-05-30 19:12:08 +0000 UTCNPR (National Public Radio) has some programming like that.
VWestlife
2023-05-30 14:40:03 +0000 UTCThat is very odd indeed.
Techmoan
2023-05-30 12:48:00 +0000 UTCWell, ordered the mono version and it arrived today, I got the weirdest issue with it. Basically, every time I turn it off my router gives up and restarts itself. After some factory resets on both devices I think I fixed it by not setting up via WPS and by disabling my Wifi extender during the radio's setup. What a bizarre thing.
Nuno Silva
2023-05-30 12:45:29 +0000 UTCIs there a US-based talk radio station that's more-or-less exactly like the one in Frasier, or don't these really exist anymore, if they ever did? One that doesn't have news or current affairs shows. News tends to get my mental state in disarray, and I prefer to relax to voices rather than music. Mind you, there's probably hundreds of them.
Brad Jones
2023-05-30 07:43:18 +0000 UTCFantastic video, true classic delivery. Hopefully you're also feeling better lately. I was thinking the whole time, the software is the same as my blackpunkt Napoli, and nowadays when you see the same software, probably a good chunk of the hardware is the same too. Then you pointed me to an app!
Raul Ramos
2023-05-30 07:34:09 +0000 UTCFor US residents: I found an alternative (more expensive) internet/FM radio option: https://ibb.co/CWbQZcJ Ocean Digital WR-800 FM Wi-Fi Internet Radio https://a.co/d/2YNFUwR
Grace Robbins
2023-05-29 19:25:13 +0000 UTChttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_five_live
Grace Robbins
2023-05-29 18:58:42 +0000 UTCAre BBC radio stations available via Internet radio? I'm asking since, being based overseas, it would be nice to have a dedicated device that's capable of picking up the sport stations.
Stephen Pettitt
2023-05-29 18:50:07 +0000 UTCRockefeller
Techmoan
2023-05-29 18:23:10 +0000 UTCThank you, mine arrived today. Black, stereo, the most expensive. 'Cause that's how I roll 🤣
CBits Tech
2023-05-29 18:22:02 +0000 UTCJust re-watched the edit - this thing is appealing to me more. 'Ferocious Mullet - Cakewhole - Uberzone' on Nordic Lodge Copenhagen sounded much different than I would have expected.
Grace Robbins
2023-05-29 17:34:15 +0000 UTCIt has a very similar interface to the Majority Fitzwilliam you reviewed previously. That has a separate volume and navigation knob which might explain the odd setup on this that prevents volume change when navigating.
Steven harris
2023-05-29 16:42:03 +0000 UTCI'm updating the video with a new FM scan section - turns out the interference was at my end.
Techmoan
2023-05-29 12:16:06 +0000 UTCDeutschlandfunk is old people speaking in German. Sounds about right!
David Fulton
2023-05-29 01:16:46 +0000 UTC"Why is that sticky?" Not sure if I'd ever want an answer to a question like that!
David Fulton
2023-05-29 01:16:02 +0000 UTCA quick search for "Internet Radio" on Amazon reveals that pretty much the majority of these devices run the same OS, the interface is exactly the same on all of them, there's even a "Phillips" branded one with separate knobs for menu and volume. I'd imagine the insides of these things are all pretty much alike, with the major difference being the speakers and their quality.
Nuno Silva
2023-05-28 23:17:04 +0000 UTCBought the stereo version last night and it arrived today. I'm really quite impressed! The sound quality is surprisingly good for such a small and cheap radio. It's easy to use and works very well indeed, including scanning for FM stations.
Gary Bleads
2023-05-28 20:53:03 +0000 UTCMine arrived today, in an Amazon box (maybe because my partner wanted one too - it did say it'd arrive in original packaging). It's pretty damn good, excellent for 45 quid. My FM scan is working fine! I was baffled when it wasn't working for Mat in the video. Cheers for the recommendation, great wee video. Something I did not need at all, but I'm glad I bought. 👍
Gary McConnell
2023-05-28 20:30:22 +0000 UTCI see that DAB+ will actually be of use to you in Australian Cities.
Duncan
2023-05-28 19:22:46 +0000 UTCI have just ordered the grey mono one to have a play with. At £35 that is less than I pay for the internet each month. I might as well make use of it.
Duncan
2023-05-28 19:18:27 +0000 UTCQuick general note that Amazon put the address label straight onto the box - that's minimal packaging I suppose. You can choose the "gift" option for shipping and I suppose that will mean the radio is packaged and therefore won't have the label stuck on the box. For those of us who keep the boxes for a while.
Simon Arnold
2023-05-28 17:37:48 +0000 UTCGrace, I mentioned above about HD radio being available in the US followed by Tunix's more in-depth comments comparing DAB to HD radio. You can find more info here: https://hdradio.com/
Mark Hesse
2023-05-28 15:11:36 +0000 UTCGreat little device for podcasts without all the distractions/notifications that happen when using a smartphone. £45 for the "stone grey" one now (just realised Mat mentioned this....sorry tired got bit by a tick and its been a long week)
LANDLINEMAN.com
2023-05-28 14:36:32 +0000 UTC• Your assessment of the items in the box reminded me of prior videos that I've enjoyed - the disdain of the warranty, instructions, and power lead; I'll just toss these away (love it) • Thank you; a film peel 'take it off' (love it) it's been so long since the last. • Dialogue about a need for a 2nd volume control made me smile; your candid thoughts are so frank and honest. • I wonder if US FM radio stations that are also on internet radio can be found on this thing. 100.3 The Bus, it's an FM on the internet here. I doubt it will be found there but that's the channel I listen to these days. Nicely done video! I can't find fault with it. The item was okay, even though we don't have DAB (or whatever it'll be called over here when/if we eventually get it). It reminds me of the small shortwave radios I keep seeing in abundance on eBay - and most of those only have one speaker, so I agree it probably would not matter buying the cheaper mono model. Enjoy your day off and take care 🤍.
Grace Robbins
2023-05-28 13:09:47 +0000 UTCAccording to Pure's FAQ it works with the UNDOK App for phones/tablets that someone mentioned on the Youtube side. That seems to make it a bit more usable and help a lot with the intial finding of known FM stations - still no excuse for stopping all the time and not allowing to use the dial to go up/down the frequency band quickly. And no, I didn't know about UNDOK either, not sure how you'd find out except browsing the FAQ (in my case Google found it for me since I knew the name). Not sure if it's worth editing to add testing with UNDOK before going non-Patreon.
Torbjörn Lindgren
2023-05-28 12:36:56 +0000 UTCThanks for the review! I also checked today's (May 28) prices: 52€ in France for the stereo model. I bet it will skyrocket when your review gets public, since it's a nice device.
CheeseParis
2023-05-28 12:34:09 +0000 UTCNice little device, reminded how long it’s been since I had a wander around the internet radio world. If I’m ever in Barbados I know where to get paint now. 😁
Phil Collins
2023-05-28 11:45:33 +0000 UTCJust want to add that I have the bedroom devices (chargers, hair dryer etc.) on an alexa plug/socket. If anybody's interested in how it retains information between power cycles I'll let you know. I generally switch all of the devices off in the morning.
Simon Arnold
2023-05-28 11:32:32 +0000 UTCNo DAB radio here in Portugal but even without that, at 53€ on Amazon Spain it looks like a good buy, seems to work well as a Internet Radio device. Shame about the FM interface, that's absolutely awful.
Nuno Silva
2023-05-28 11:14:40 +0000 UTCBear in mind that this is a £99 device normally.
Techmoan
2023-05-28 09:33:29 +0000 UTCAs a UK consumer it has frequently been cheaper for me to import products from amazon.de than ordering them from amazon uk.
Gadgetman
2023-05-28 09:22:02 +0000 UTCYes "H/P" = Headphone. If using it as a "Line Out" set the radio's volume to 50%, then adjust the volume on the powered speakers to the desired level.
Gadgetman
2023-05-28 09:19:26 +0000 UTCI think the cost of it reflects its build quality and finish, although your studio lighting will be a bit less forgiving for plastic goods like that. You've reviewed a lot worse and thankfully no app required so it stands a chance of working more than a year.
Giles Jones
2023-05-28 09:18:53 +0000 UTCI love Pure radios. I have bought a number of them over the years and I have never been disappointed with their looks, sound quality and useability.
Gadgetman
2023-05-28 09:16:12 +0000 UTCSurprisingly good little device. What stood out for me is how quickly the menu responds. In this price range I'm more used to sluggish and hard to use controls. The "HP" port probably allows it be linked to some powered speakers to improve the sound.
István Nagy
2023-05-28 09:12:05 +0000 UTCI couldn’t find any mention of the battery life and had intended to search a bit more online before I finished the video but it slipped my mind. After doing that search now - there’s nothing in the manual or on the specs page online - however one review mentioned 7-8 hours, but I can’t confirm that. One part I did cut for length was that they advise not to use lithium batteries as they can supply too much power.
Techmoan
2023-05-28 09:01:44 +0000 UTCThanks for the review! Here in Germany it's 52,95 EUR for the Stereo and 39,95 EUR for the mono version at. Amazon.uk also delivers to Germany, but because of tax/customs/etc it would be better to order it locally. So you could also add an affiliate link for amazon.de if you want. Best!
Christian Giudici
2023-05-28 08:01:39 +0000 UTCSeems like a bit of a bargain, and despite the FM tuning usability and volume control, for the price the device looks reasonable. One point not covered in your video and not sure if worth mentioning is battery life. Given it has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios on board, I would think the latter would impact run time - if not, even better! Thanks for another great video Mat!!
Mark Walsham
2023-05-28 07:06:16 +0000 UTCWe bought this radio for the father of my girlfriend 1-2 years ago at the Lokal “Mediamarkt” here in Germany. It’s being used as a very compact kitchen radio. Unfortunately the Bluetooth speaker does not work well with a 3.5mm-to Bluetooth dongle attached to the kitchen tv, so .. almost perfect 👀
Ludwig Kormann
2023-05-28 04:56:13 +0000 UTCI know this won't be anywhere nearly as nice to use as my old Pure One Mini, but this has more features (and is probably still nicer to use than that bloody Denon thing from last week).
OzRetrocomp
2023-05-28 04:29:33 +0000 UTCSomething's changed in the past five years or so: a piece of tech with no recognizable brand name and the most basic feature set is no longer guaranteed to be garbage. It's often a fine value. This radio looks like it's built well enough, works well enough, and has enough features for most people, while being affordable for nearly anybody. And most people don't really care if the industrial design isn't at a Jony Ive level.
Andy Ihnatko
2023-05-28 03:59:16 +0000 UTCNice little device. Wonder if they’ll make a US edition.
Chris Horry
2023-05-28 03:57:20 +0000 UTCThe other issue with non-standard batteries is what happens when they die. The battery on my Pure One Mini finally died last year. My choices are to buy another one for about £30, go without a battery, or futz around with a couple of new 18650 batteries and replace the old cells. I went with the third option, but soldering batteries onto terminals is an exercise in frustration (I got there in the end). Saved myself at least £20, so that's something.
OzRetrocomp
2023-05-28 03:32:49 +0000 UTCThanks for the heads up, Mat. Just bought the mono version. Around $92 dollarydoos delivered to Australia.
OzRetrocomp
2023-05-28 03:17:03 +0000 UTCDeutschlandfunk might be just about the most serious radio station in the German radio landscape. You tuned into an interview in which an elderly couple complained about their difficulties in applying for carer's allowance. Maybe not quite what comes to mind during a cheerful equipment review, but it's guaranteed not to trigger a content match… Gave me a chuckle :D About the device itself: I like the fact that it takes four AA batteries instead of coming with an internal rechargeable battery. Try charging the latter if there is a prolonged power cut. That's exactly the kind of situation where you want to have a working radio. However, when I look at the illuminated full-colour display, I wonder about the actual battery life in practice. The fact that the rotary switch both serves as a menu selector and volume control is indeed a nuisance. Even smartphones usually have dedicated buttons for this. The FM station search is also in need of improvement. It would be better if you could also set the frequency manually with the rotary switch instead of having a station search that stops at every signal strength, no matter how faint. Otherwise, I like the unit both in terms of operation and features. You can browse the selection of internet radio stations relatively well. The fact that it can display the audio codec is a welcome addition, especially with DAB(+). But it is surprising that a music station is content with 40 kbps AAC+. HE-AAC v2 is undoubtedly better than MUSICAM (aka MP2), but it can't do wonders either. Probably the intention here was to accommodate as many stations as possible in the DAB ensemble. I've enjoyed the review pretty much and in my book it's a proper one with no rough edges at all.
Tunix
2023-05-28 01:54:28 +0000 UTCSeems good for the price, the portable units with headphones aren't much cheaper than the mono model. I'd be interested in how much better the £422 Pure Evoke speaker is, I'd damn well hope it's amazing at that price. While I was looking Amazon tried to sell me a Philips micro system with internet radio, DAB+ and separate tuning/volume controls.
Matt Tester
2023-05-28 00:48:25 +0000 UTCI saw this on there the other month but the size put me off, looks like I should have jumped
Dvdmike
2023-05-28 00:11:39 +0000 UTCThanks for the tip. I've ordered a stereo one. They remind me of my youth, 50 years ago, listening to broadcasts from all around the world on a short wave radio - without all the fading and interference of course.
Gary Bleads
2023-05-28 00:06:53 +0000 UTCGreat video! Aren't we on daylight savings tho? I always get confused by this option, especially with devices that set their own time. Not as confused as those devices though that are often one or even two hours wrong!
Alistair Boyer
2023-05-27 23:43:34 +0000 UTCI'm really only interested in this as a standalone device. As soon as you start messing about in a web interface you might as well just use your computer and forget about something like this.
Techmoan
2023-05-27 23:38:10 +0000 UTCNeat looking device. I don't really listen to radio, internet or otherwise, but I like the design and size of it. A perfect kitchen or garage companion. Incidentally here is the Amazon Australia link for AU$119 Prime next day delivery: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08L6VJ2DM or AU$99 for the single speaker: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08L6SHMJL
Explosive Action
2023-05-27 23:38:08 +0000 UTCIt feels like it would be cheaper to leave the stereo output capability in rather than re-engineer the whole thing - but your guess is as good as mine as to what they've really done.
Techmoan
2023-05-27 23:36:48 +0000 UTCI was looking around on Amazon USA for something comparable and noticed that several used that same interface, that explains it. I hadn't thought of it, but I suppose when designing a product like this the software could be just another component that is sourced from an outside vendor.
Dawn Anthes
2023-05-27 23:34:43 +0000 UTCI'm assuming if you wanted to get the cheaper mono radio that you could still get stereo sound by plugging a stereo system into the headphone jack.
Mark Hesse
2023-05-27 23:32:38 +0000 UTCJust saw this in the Amazon reviews: "It's also possible to set-up and control the radio via a web browser using its IP address, very cool!" Might be worth checking out, see how functional it is, possibly providing more material for an update to the video. Just seen in another review, apparently you can use the Undok app to control it also, which someone else mentioned in the comments on here for another radio.
Adam Gurney
2023-05-27 23:25:01 +0000 UTCUS has Sirius satellite radio, which has made it hard for DAB to break into, especially with the population spread/sparseness contributing to coverage problems.
Adam Gurney
2023-05-27 23:22:58 +0000 UTCI’ll take a look at adding other links before it goes live. Give than it’s DAB+ it won’t be available everywhere.
Techmoan
2023-05-27 23:15:38 +0000 UTCI like the idea of this as an up to date radio alarm clock. I ordered it via the affiliate link. The link went straight to the stone grey model, thanks for that. Arriving tomorrow.
Simon Arnold
2023-05-27 23:02:45 +0000 UTCThe radio is running software from a company called "Frontier Silicon". Their software is used by different vendors, I have a Noxon radio which I use to plug into my stereo, it uses the same UI for the 'internet radio' capabilities, and that one has Spotify Connect on top (your device doesn't). However for all Frontier-based radios, there's a companion app available, called UNDOK, which you can install on your phone and allows to control all radios on your network. the newest Frontier Silicon versions also allow to use them as a 'multiroom' system, meaning you can have multiple devices around the house and play the same stream on it all in sync and controlled from one place. Yours (and mine) unfortunately do not have this feature.
Michiel Beijen
2023-05-27 22:55:44 +0000 UTCI spoke to a nice chap who’s store specialised in Roberts radio and while it’s not the 1930s Roberts, the more recent owners of the brand have been the same for quite a while now and it’s not just one of those badges stuck on any old tosh.
Techmoan
2023-05-27 22:49:35 +0000 UTCThat's not a bad price at all. I was looking at the What Hi-Fi awards winner for 2022 in this sector. They raved about the Roberts Stream 94L. Not the cheapest unit on the market but still cheaper than the 1st DAB Pure radio I bought many years ago. I'm guessing it's not the original Roberts and the name holding company just licence the name out these days.
evilution
2023-05-27 22:45:39 +0000 UTCA quick search amazon.us failed to find. Lowest price on similar unit was $71.something. One limiting factor for US market is the lack of DAB radio. It seems we're one of the few major markets that don't offer this. It really limits the units that are offered to us. (Sigh)
CrimsonPig808
2023-05-27 22:34:21 +0000 UTCIt’s €52,95 in the Amazon.nl (The Netherlands) shop. So it’s probably a bargain in other countries as wel.
Marcel Smid
2023-05-27 22:28:36 +0000 UTC
