Sangean digital radios at Canohm

AM radio listeners in the five mainland capital cities will be the biggest winners from the digital radio revolution that will shortly sweep Australian airwaves; however FM lovers will also appreciate the additional features and sound clarity, according to Marketing Manager of Canohm, Robert Costello, distributor of the Sangean range.

"For AM radio listeners it will be like the difference between black & white and colour TV* (see below). They and FM fans will also really enjoy the ability to display additional information on the LCD screen, such as the name of the song and the artist, or traffic, sports and weather updates," he said.

Sangean, one of the world's largest specialist radio manufacturers, has earned a solid reputation internationally for its ability to deliver outstanding radio performance from its wide range of analogue models and their experience with digital radio puts them in the box seat to capture the market in Australia.

The entry model, the compact Sangean DPR-69, is a mere 16cm wide, 10.5cm high and 3.7cm deep. In addition to its high-quality speaker, it offers stereo playback through the headphone jack (headphones not supplied) and weighs less than 350 grams, making it a highly portable unit. Users can stay in touch with their favourite music or sport stations as they work around the garden, enjoy a picnic - or it will fit into the pocket of a winter jacket to go the football - and the unit can "lock" to keep settings in place. Rechargeable batteries (not supplied) can be topped-up by the radio, using its 240 volt a/c adaptor or it can operate on traditional AA alkaline batteries (not supplied).

Other Sangean models being rolled out include the larger DPR-99 portable radio which will appeal to AM listening audiences, especially those who appreciate their football and cricket broadcasts or listening to the ABC. FM lovers will also notice the superior sound quality.

The WFR-1D table top model has been designed to become the family radio hub, receiving digital and FM radio, as well as offering access to stations around the world via internet radio. It also has the ability to stream your own music selections stored on your personal computer.

And for those who have a component hi-fi system, the WFT-1D digital radio replaces the old AM/FM tuner and connects to the amplifier, again offering global access to internet radio and PC-based music as well as FM.

Sangean digital radios will be available from selected Myer, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, Clive Peeters, Bing Lee and Retravision outlets in the major capital cities in the broadcast area and will be on sale from May.

* For those new to the concept of digital radio they should be aware that most commercial radio stations and the ABC and SBS in the major mainland capital cities will be broadcasting in this new format (as well as in traditional AM and FM), heralding a wonderful new world for listeners with vastly superior sound quality and the ability to transmit information. Broadcasters are "switching on" progressively ahead of the August 2009 official launch of digital radio.