GOODMANS MICRO 1106 DAB REVIEW

I live in a poor signal area, so was banking on being able to plug in a roof antenna, but fortunately, the reciever is fairly strong, so with a bit of fiddling, I can get a reasonable signal, although many of the channels are subject to the gurgling noise that tells me the signal just isn't strong enough; this I blame on my locale, not the 1106.

So, what of the unit itself ? The build is typically Goodmans, which means it is adequate rather than special. The wood effect vinyl is fairly cheap looking, and the controls are so-so. The design seems to be borderline 'ghetto blaster', but with no carry handle and no battery power, the point of the single box design is questionable.

The CD lid seems relucant to pop-up until about the third press of the button and the volume control is fiddly. The station selection is also slightly fiddly - certainly less easy to use than my previous DAB radio (Sainsburys "RED" £50 DAB portable). The sound from the unit is ok, but lacks bass from the two one-way drivers. There is no bass boost function either, which is unusual in this price range. The sound from the cheaper 1104 unit is better, especially with CDs. As with the 1104, there is also a background hiss during DAB usage, although it doesn't interfere with normal listening.

In conclusion, this unit is fine for a kitchen or bedroom set-up, unless for a demanding teenager, who would certainly expect more power and a bigger sound. At £190-£130, I can't help but think it is overpriced, especially at the 1104 can be had for £70, and the one box unit brings no real advantage that I can see - it's not even that compact ! So, it is an adeuqate combo for occasional use, with a reasonable but not brilliant sound. Just be sure you know what you're getting because many of the web sites, Amazon included, are describing features that are not present on this Goodmans MICRO 1106 DAB micro syustem - at least according to my interpretation of the technical specs I have read....