Technisat, known for its TV receiver boxes, also offers a wide range of digital radios. We tried the Digitradio 650, it is half a meter wide and 20 centimeters deep, so it can already appear as a compact stereo system. It also underscores this claim with its equipment. Three loudspeakers make the music. Two broadband chassis emit the sound to the front, a bass speaker with a 12 centimeter flat membrane sits in the base of the device and sends low frequencies from there between the device feet to the outside, a bass reflex channel helps him with this. Elac is responsible for the acoustic tuning.
The Digitradio receives analog VHF and digital DAB+, and countless Internet radio stations can be added via a WLAN connection. 20 memories remember your favorite stations, five of which can be called up directly with buttons on the front of the device. Spotify and Amazon Music can also play along via the home network. Their apps on the smartphone establish the necessary connections. Mobile devices contribute a number of other music sources to the program via Bluetooth.
Analogue contact to device peripherals
If you still have a well-stocked CD shelf, you will be happy about the built-in drive, which draws in the silver discs via a narrow loading slot. Even USB sticks can deliver the music. For the analog contact to the device peripherals, input and output sockets in cinch form are used according to old tradition, there is another input for devices with a jack plug. The radio can also be used as a charging station: an induction surface on the upper deck provides the necessary energy wirelessly – provided the mobile device is compatible with the Qi standard.
Before it can be used for the first time, the Digitradio requires a number of setup procedures, and a software assistant helps with this. DAB and FM reception each require a search run, WLAN traffic requires the usual contact with the router, Bluetooth radio requires the devices involved to be paired before the first connection. All of this takes a few minutes, but ultimately works smoothly, even if one detail irritated us at first: For some reason, all available WLAN stations appear twice in the router list.
Clearly designed remote control
A colored, almost nine centimeter large display shows all setting steps, a rotary knob navigates through the menus. If you like, you can also use the clearly designed remote control or a smartphone with the manufacturer’s control app. Technisat has not used voice control – a pity really, because the manufacturer has developed its own system for this, which does not require the help of Google or Amazon.
Before the first hearing check, it is worth taking a look at the equalizer menu. There you will find a number of pre-programmed sound filters, for example for speech, classic, rock or pop, and a treble and a bass filter are available for individual sound cosmetics. However, we first listened to our test program in its pure form – and achieved remarkable results: The compact box plays like a small bundle of energy, with impressive dynamics and powerful, if not abysmal basses. Sometimes we would have wished for a wider image, especially when large orchestras were playing the program, but one shouldn’t expect miracles from a device with this basic stereo width. This also applies to other sound criteria: although the digital radio makes music without any noticeable discolouration, it nevertheless reveals a certain preference for medium frequencies – a typical characteristic of broadband drivers that have to process a very wide sound spectrum.
The digit radio cannot replace a mature hi-fi system with separate multi-way speakers, but it still cuts a fine figure in smaller rooms, even with its outfit: Technisat offers it in the colors anthracite, white, silver and walnut. We find its price of 630 euros quite reasonable, also in view of its large variety of functions.
