Pure Pop Midi review
Contributing Editor
Simple, elegant, stylish.
Those are all words that seem to come up a lot when we have a chance to review something by Pure Radio here at Radio Fidelity. As one of the leading manufacturers of UK radio technology, Pure is a much-loved brand for radio listeners everywhere.
Their ability to move seamlessly between retro and vintage designs and modern products like the Pure Pop Midi makes this company one of the most impressive market leaders.
The Pure Pop Midi is an intuitive and easy-to-use DAB device offering one-button control and five dedicated preset buttons so you can jump between your favourite channels instantly. If you’re looking for something contemporary and creative that will work well anywhere in your house – you’ll love the Pure Pop Midi.
Pure Pop Midi review: Design and build
The Pure Pop Midi is one of the leading personal DAB radios available today, and it’s easy to see why. Available in a range of colours – including a particularly stunning blue that goes well with our office – this is a device that looks as good as it sounds.
Despite being compact enough to fit easily onto a shelf or in the corner of your bedside table, the Pop Midi packs a lot of character and personality into its small size.
Belonging to the wider “Pop” family of the DAB digital and FM radios from Pure, the device shares many of the same characteristics of bigger products, like the Pop Maxi.
Measuring about 9cms wide by 17cms high and 10cm deep, the Midi is one of those devices that you’re sure to find room for somewhere in your house. What’s more, once you’ve discovered how great it looks in your home, you’re likely to want another three or four, to finish furnishing your property.
Another excellent thing about the Pure Pop Midi design, is that it comes with the option to convert your DAB radio into a portable device.
With the Pure ChargePAK D1 replacement rechargeable battery, you can take your radio with you anywhere, without having to rely on constantly changing the batteries. Unlike other Pure radios, there’s also the option to power this device entirely through AA batteries too if you prefer.
Pure Pop Midi review: Features
Straightforward and stylish, the Pop Midi is a product that just feels fun to use. From the moment you get it out of the box, it’s like getting a new toy at Christmas. You can’t wait to fiddle around with the system and start finding your favourite channels.
The great thing for people who aren’t used to DAB radios, is that this particular Pure product isn’t nearly as complicated as some other digital devices.
Although there’s no Pure Pop Midi Bluetooth functionality available as standard, you can scroll through virtually endless digital stations using the central button in the top of the device. All you need to do is push the button down to turn it on, then twist to adjust the volume.
The dedicated preset buttons also mean that you can have your favourite channels ready to listen to in an instant.
Additionally, while Bluetooth might not be an option, that doesn’t mean that you can’t stream content from other devices. There’s an auxiliary input included with the machine, so you have even more options available.
For just under £50, the Pure Pop Midi features:
- Pop button for simple all-in-one use
- Tactile and easy-to-use interface
- Compact design works well in any room of the house
- Rechargeable battery with up to 20 hours of playback with the Pure ChargePAK D1
- Battery-powered operation if required
- Alarms with ringer or radio station
- 20 station presets and preset buttons
- Sleep timer
- DAB, DAB+ and FM radio
- Aux-in connectivity
- Kitchen timer
Because the Midi comes with both an alarm and a set of kitchen timers, it could work well in either a bedroom or a kitchen environment. We like it best sitting in the corner of the staff kitchen, but it would look just as good in virtually any room of your home.
What’s more, because you don’t have to rely on a wall socket to power it – you can move the device around as often as you like.
Pure Pop Midi review: Performance
Pure is a brand that always seems to deliver on ease-of-use.
If you’re getting used to DAB radio technology for the first time, or you don’t have a lot of experience with modern technology, the Pure Pop Midi is going to feel like a breeze to use.
All you need to do is hit one button to turn it on and use the same button to adjust the volume. Additionally, you can find and store radio stations fast too.
When it comes to audio quality, we think that the Midi performs very well for such a small and compact device. The sound is deep and clear, and you don’t get a lot of distortion at higher volumes.
However, it’s worth noting that you are limited in the level of volume available. This isn’t a device that’s going to fill your entire house or office with sound.
Another slight downside performance-wise with the Pop Midi, is that you don’t get as much control over your sound as you do with other Pure products. There’s the option to listen to music via headphones or listen through the speaker, but you won’t be able to adjust treble and bass levels.
Pure Pop Midi review: Verdict
The Pure Pop Midi is a fantastic piece of lightweight and portable radio technology. If you need something that’s going to make your home look and sound fantastic for less than £50, then it’s hard to go wrong with this device.
Not only does it look great, but it comes with plenty of portability via the ChargePAK option, and you can enjoy features like alarms and kitchen timers too.
With a host of digital stations to browse through, and more than exceptional speaker quality (for smaller rooms), the Pure Midi is an excellent investment. However, don’t expect it to replace your entire sound system.
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