Panasonic RFD3 DAB Radio Review

Panasonic RFD3 is compact portable digital radio boasting that boasts DAB and FM with full range stereo speakers, graphic equalizer modes with 10 pre-sets each for both frequencies. It has both phono and line out to connect to headphones, your hi-fi amplifier or your computer. It can take both mains and batteries.

DAB reception was acceptable in my area however I had to place the radio 2 meters above ground height to receive weaker signals like the excellent XFM.

The RFD3 build quality was light however very solid and it certainly looks better in real life than it does in the pictures. The symmetrical layout and nice silver knobs and buttons give it a classy slight retro look.

Sound quality boasts two "full range" speakers with no tweeters and what you see in the photograph are two small symmetrical front facing bass ports. I made huge mistake in the first couple of days use as I had accidentally left on the "S.Virtualizer" making the sound quality truly awful and spent time trying to change the "Sound EQ" to an acceptable level. Why Panasonic feel the need for "S.Virtualizer" is crazy and claims of 3D sound baffling. Switch off "S.Virtualizer" and any "Sound EQ" for the best sound. At this setting the Panasonic RFD3 has better sound quality than the equivalent priced DAB radios but it is in no way "hi fi" and is typical sound you are going to get with speakers around 2 watts each. Any more wattage would drain the batteries too much. I wounder if larger mono speaker with possibly a tweeter would have sounded much better as I question if two stereo speakers side by side is of any benefit.

I will keep the Panasonic RFD3 in the kitchen becuase I do not require good sound quality when cooking and if you want hi fi sound I would plug it into the phono or line in of my amplifier in the lounge because I do not have DAB there. Headphones sound very good. If you really want close to hi fi sound then the best is the Tivoli Model Dab Radio (£220) is also available with matching subwoofer (+£90) and speaker (+£100.00) for stereo sound. Tivoli matching seeker alone is more expensive than the Panasonic RFD3!

Other features of the Panasonic RFD3 include scrolling text display, last station memory, timer making this an all round good reformer for under £80 and scores a very good 8/10

Teac Reference 300 MKIII Review (optional DAB)

Also known as the Teac 300 MK3 this is an improved version of the very successful MK2 that broke many hearts with its stunning good looks and a grown up sound. Much of the success of the Teach Reference range is down to the looks, solid build quality and a affordable price of under £500 that can not be matched.

The MK3 is identical apart from a re-tuned amplification stage and it certainly sounds a little better at low volumes making speaker matching easier. I do recommend some larger speakers than the Teac’s own that are only suitable for bedroom sized rooms.

The Teac 300 MK3 sounds good and neutral at all levels. It sounds nothing like having an exciting NAD amplifier with strong tuneful bass guitars and (arguably over) extended sound stage. The Teac's "grown up" sound comes down to personal preference and is typically Teac. Sadly the over-sensitive tone and balance control never help. The AG-H300 MKlll Stereo Receiver at 35 watts per channel the does play very loud but not as loud as a NAD or ROTEL but this could be down to Teac's reserved levels.

The Teac comes with T-H300Mklll AM/FM tuner but if you want DAB then you must select the excellent T-H300DABMklll where you can listen to many niche stations such as XFM and Chill. With both tuners you can wake up to a radio station thanks to a digital clock and timer function perfect for the bedroom. There is nothing much more to say apart from the remote control is adequate and the system is also available in black however silver gets my vote every time.

The negatives of the system apart from the unexciting sound quality is unlike my Teach Reference 255 there is no USB to connect directly to an MP3 player, USB memory stick or external hard drive. This would have really helped with sales figurers.

Final words; stunning, unique looks with good but unexciting sound that may be enough for some fashion contentious audiophiles. 8.5/10

A guide to choosing a budget digital camera

As technology improves the price of digital cameras are falling at a dramatic rate. However we must remember a large LCD screen and all the Mega Pixels in the word will not make up for a lack of other features. These include most importantly a lack of a good quality large lens that otherwise would have resulted in dark photos and soft corners. Lack of AF-assist lamp for much better focusing in low light indoor photographs. Lack of image stabilisation resulting in foggy pictures due to hand shaking. And auto-white balancing essential for indoor night time shots.

There is only so much Photoshop one can do so it is important to get it right and you don’t just dive in for the Mega Pixels count. In my opinion 4-5 Mega Pixels will be sufficient for excellent photographs even blown up. Professional Photographers will of cause capture more Mega Pixels for glossy magazine covers, but remember they also use a tripod and altogether better Digital SLR cameras that make use of the extra pixels.

Because of the rate of change over the years it would be hopeless for me to recommend you the best deals however traditionally Canon, Fuji and Panasonic have always got my attention as offering good all round budget digital cameras. Panasonic for exceptional image stabilisation has become my favourite but both Canon and Fuji for consistent image quality must be applauded.

The final word when choosing a budget digital camera is to look at the price and then read the reviews on these excellent websites:

www.steves-digicams.com
www.imaging-resource.com
www.google.com

As for Christmas 2006 I can recommend the Panasonic Lumix DMC LS2 B from Comet for half price of only £75 and can not be beaten today. I even got one for my parents.