Pure Evoke H4 review
Contributing Editor
Designed and optimised by UK engineers, Pure radios are some of the most impressive audio tools in the marketplace today.
Offering an excellent combination of sensational sound quality and beautiful aesthetic appeal, Pure is a brand that always seems to impress.
Like other leading companies in the radio landscape, such as Roberts and Ruark, Pure offers a wide variety of different solutions to choose from, including DAB radios, portable audio systems and complete sound systems with their own CD players.
Today, we’re going to be looking at the Pure Evoke H4. The Evoke H4 is a DAB radio with FM and DAB+ streaming, as well as a full-colour display and Bluetooth connectivity.
This digital radio system is very similar in style to the rest of the Evoke series, although it comes with a few distinct features that are worth checking out, too.
For those who want an even more luxurious experience, there’s even the option to upgrade to the Pure Evoke H4 Prestige version.
Pure Evoke H4 review: Design and build
At first glance, the Pure Evoke H4 looks just like the rest of the DAB radios available from the Pure Evoke range. If you’ve checked out our review for the Pure Evoke C-D4, then the H4 probably looks very familiar.
The biggest difference is that the Evoke H4 is smaller than the C-D4 and doesn’t include its own CD player.
Another point worth noting about the design of the Pure Evoke H4 is that it comes with a colour display, making the system a lot easier to use.
The Evoke H4 features a 2.8-inch display with an ultra-clear screen where you can quickly skip through a multitude of excellent channels and streaming options. You’ll even have the option to showcase the artwork of different stations and albums as you play your music.
Another thing that makes the Pure Evoke H4 radio stand out is the presence of a handy metal carrying handle. Though personally, we think that this device is a bit too chunky and expensive to take with you on your weekend camping trips – it’s still easier to transport than the Evoke CD-4.
If you decide to make this radio system portable, you can use the ChargePAK F1 adapter to get up to fifty hours of portable listening without connection to an outlet.
Unfortunately, the ChargePAK isn’t included with your Pure Evoke H4 purchase. That’s a big shame, as the optional portability would have really helped this DAB radio to stand out.
On the plus side, although you don’t get portability as standard, you do get the incredible classic design of the Evoke series and a sensational wooden casing. We tested the walnut option and have to say that the wooden casing really adds to the depth and timber of the device.
Pure Evoke H4 review: Features
The Pure Evoke H4, like many of the tools available from Pure Radio today, comes with technology that has been carefully tuned by UK engineers.
That means that you’re not just getting an attractive piece of technology. You’re also getting something custom-designed to make your music sound better.
Whether you’re listening to DAB+ radio stations or podcasts over Bluetooth, the Evoke H4 has you covered.
The Evoke is an all-in-one system for music streaming and digital radio. One of the things that we liked most about this device is that, unlike some DAB devices, it’s very easy to use. You can scroll through channels with ease using the large ultra-clear screen.
What’s more, thanks to digital tick approval, you get the benefit of knowing that you’ll have endless channels to choose from for years to come.
The Evoke H4 also has a very practical design so you can use it for a range of different reasons. You might keep it on your bedside to use the two alarms to manage your schedule.
Alternatively, the automatically updating clock makes it a fantastic accessory for your living room or kitchen too.
Oh – one extra thing we loved too is that you can just touch the handle instead of finding the snooze button. How convenient is that when you’re exhausted after a long Friday night?
You’ll get features like:
- Headphone output
- Auxiliary input
- ChargePAK optional portability
- Easy-to-use button layout
- Slideshow artwork with colour display
- 2.8-inch display
- Advanced audio engineering
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Digital tick approval
- DAB, DAB+ and FM radio
- Bluetooth streaming
- Multiple alarm choices
- Snooze handle
- Up to 40 preset options
One standout feature we noticed about the Pure Evoke H4 Radio is its one-touch preset buttons. This is special because it’s not easy to find a DAB radio with even a single one-touch preset button.
Since the Pure Evoke H4 has five such buttons, its one-of-a-kind design makes finding and saving your favourite radio stations a breeze.
The radio’s dual alarm function comes in handy, especially if you want to accomplish different missions at different times. For instance, you can set one alarm for weekends and the other one for weekdays.
The snooze handle and built-in sleep timer make this device a particularly useful choice for people in search of the ideal bedroom radio.
However, we think that the compelling design of the Pure Evoke H4 or the Pure Evoke H4 Prestige would fit well in any environment.
Pure Evoke H4 review: Performance
Before you rush out and buy yourself a Pure Evoke H4 DAB radio, you’ll probably want a bit more information about how it performs.
As mentioned above, the Evoke H4 is an excellent device from an ease-of-use perspective.
The Bluetooth connectivity is easy to set up, so you can start streaming music from your laptop or phone in no time. Additionally, you can even connect your radio to your TV!
We particularly liked the fact that Pure Radio has gone above and beyond to offer sensational usability with things like a practical button layout and a snooze handle for when you don’t want to search for the right button first thing in the morning.
From an audio quality perspective, the Pure Evoke H4 is pretty impressive, too. The H4 features some of the best speaker technology from Pure, the same as what you would find in the C-D range. This high-quality system comes with Class D amplification for excellent volume.
Additionally, you can still enjoy great audio wherever you put your radio. The amplifier is positioned so that you still get good volume if your device is on a shelf, against a wall, or on your bedside table.
The wooden body also impacts the radio’s audio quality. This is the design that contributes to H4’s immersive, rich, and full sound.
As a medium-sized radio, the Pure Evoke H4’s volume can be pretty loud if you crank it to the highest level. However, don’t expect its volume to rattle your window frames, as is the case with most large models. The best thing is that this radio can comfortably fill your living room with solid sound output.
Although this radio can be a bit overpowering in terms of bass with its default settings, it has an equalizer you’ll use to adjust the sound to your liking.
Pure Evoke H4 review: Verdict
If you’re looking for a bedside radio that offers a range of convenient features and great sound quality, then the Evoke H4 is an excellent choice.
We appreciate the appearance of this radio, as well as its compact design and useful screen. However, we can also see why some Evoke H4 reviews aren’t entirely positive.
Having to pay an extra £30 for portability is a huge ask when you’re already spending £246 on your radio.
Additionally, the fact that there’s no remote control option is a bit of a pain, particularly if you don’t want to walk over to your radio whenever you want to change the channel.
What’s more, although the volume of this Pure radio is quite good, it’s not going to blow you away either.
Looking for other excellent digital radios? You may check out our reviews on the VQ Blighty Portable Digital Radio and the Pure Chronos CD Series II.
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