Showing online as $39 but only $29 in store. Plenty of stock available. Not sure if the same price elsewhere.
https://www.kmart.com.au/product/rechargeable-dab+-digital-r…
DAB+/FM radio
Up to 4 hours playtime
10 DAB and 10 FM radio preset stations
Mains powered
Rechargeable battery
Headphone output
22.5cm (H) x 6.7cm (W) x 17.4cm (D)
I know these models far too well😢
Original $9 deal
That earlier version V1 was $9 on clearance.
Think this is V3 with some improvements.
Bought & returned so many @$9.
My review - of faults!
Photos of internals
Finally found 4 that worked, but micro-USB port failed on all pretty quickly.
Returned 1 & somehow convinced Kmart to give me $39 voucher - profit on the 4 x $9 spent😀
But… First & 2nd version (& likely this model) all had Micro-USB ports that fail over time - some dead at time of purchase with V1. The board is common to a number of brands of cheap DAB+ radios.
Link to photo of troublesome board Latest version has cable added, LED was changed in V2&3 so case did not glow at night.
Using 1 modified to car DAB+ fed into AUX of head unit, using car TV antenna. Did not require faulty board for power & amp, so a good use for a faulty design. Still works great.
Purchased one of the earlier Audiosonic models from back then when they were clearing them for $9 and it was crap. Ended up just keeping the 5V 1A micro USB power adapter.
As you mentioned. Faulty volume control that randomly jumped all over the place. Poor sound. Plus an annoying bright red charging / blue charged light on rear that light up the whole room. Especially at night when connected to the USB power adapter and standby that also bleed through the front of the radio. Read that the latest model revision fixed the problem with volume control. Not sure about the other problems.
Sound on latest model is same - just ok, but with only enough volume for small room.
Plugged into an old amp through headphone socket, volume improves, but sound quality only improved slightly due to larger & better stereo speakers. Not great for music. Compared with a small Sangean DAB+ radio ($13 in a DS deal years ago) it sounds so lifeless - that unit is so enjoyable through amp.
LED was changed after that first version, so does not bleed light through case & just gives some red/blue light at back. Easily covered - but not necessary in my use.
Volume control was a major design issue ("retro" rotary dial was meant to contact 2 Vol up/down switches - but did not work reliably) - fixed after first version.
I've wired in 5V power directly to power board at rear to solve ongoing Micro-USB issue. Suspect this will be same issue with this model, but requires time to tell.
Once power socket fails (poor quality, bends easily, contacts fail) radio no longer works!!
(I "borrowed" this latest model for a few days to check differences - very little, seems to work same as previous upgraded model, with an additional wire between boards that I couldn't tell the reason for - worked same with wire unplugged.)
Battery capacity was downgraded after first version, giving shorter play time. 1500mAh 18650 batteries were replaced with less than 1000mAh flat ones, but case still has mounting for the 18650 batteries.
Harvested the plug-in 18650 batteries & added to a cheap powerbank circuit. As the radios are only used on power, there is no need for the batteries. Radio stores stations between use & turns off when USB power supply is switched off. So rear power switch is permanently left on (it's poor quality).
Still have 3 in almost daily use in kitchen, bathroom, & car. Pretty good going for a cheap unit! Better since I made a profit on the deal (with $39 on return of 1) & enjoyed making the modifications.
@Infidel: I’m not sure why you got negged but I agree with your review. Just bought this and the sound quality even through the headphone jack is quite poor (or lifeless as you called it). I’ll probably end up returning this and getting something a bit better in quality.
@azndragon168:
Thanks. Who can understand the mysterious motivations of the anonymous negger😉
Yes, compared to a quality DAB+ radio - sound quality isn't good.
If you are comparing with a tinny AM radio these often replace - it's such an improvement in features & sound.
I thought poor sound was due to the small speaker & plastic case. But amplifying the headphone output proved that theory wrong.
Most units in this price range use the same circuit boards, so sound won't improve. Check if it has same Micro-USB power socket & slide switch - that indicates it has the same power / amp board.
White (not black) $29 @Garden City Brisbane a few days back.
Wait for price to fall further.
But power board is likely to fail, meaning ratio is useless.
Mono sound volume & quality is not good on this model (surely that is why you buy a "mantel" digital radio - to enjoy better sound than a tiny portable).
Volume is only enough for small room, but sound quality is not great for enjoying music. Sound quality is barely improved plugged into stereo amp.
Have used this latest version. Outlined in comment above.
Was ok at $9 (but first version had faults), wouldn't pay $29 or $39 - due to sound & likely short usable life.
But at this price, quality of sound & unit are similar to other units tried, and all seem to use same fault prone power / amp circuit board with Micro-USB socket which fails over time - meaning radio can no longer be used.
This dearer stereo DAB+ radio had good reports on sound quality & volume. But antenna breaks easily! With an eBay code, might be worthwhile.
Check your locality receives DAB+ signal - only in capital cities📻
It was $9.- in Victoria 2 years ago.