MULTIMEDIA

Pure Evoke F4 - DAB and Internet Radio

8/31/2013 11:27:38 AM

The latest internet radio from Pure can do much more than play your favorite stations. Andy Shaw puts it to the test.

In Issue 316 (bit.ly/webuser316), we tested six internet radios and gave Pure’s Sensia 200D Connect our Gold Award. However, its unusual rugby ball-shape doesn’t appeal to everyone, so if you're after a more traditional design, Pure’s new Evoke F4 looks more conventional but still includes innovative and interesting new features.

The basic radio function includes FM, DAB and internet radio. The latter is streamed through the Pure Connect service (connect.pure.com), which offers access to more than 21,000 international stations.

Pure Evoker F4

Pure Evoker F4

Unlike the Sensia 200D, there's no touchscreen on the F4, just a standard text display to tell you what's going on. The two large knobs on the front have a solid, textured feel when you turn them: one can be rotated to select from menus; the other controls the volume.

There are five touch-sensitive buttons between the screen and the knobs, which change their function according to context, to perform actions such as adding the current radio station to your Favorites.

Menu navigation

The menu system isn't as easy to control as a touchscreen. We found the selection knob a bit slow to respond, which left us twiddling pointlessly, waiting for it to kick in. It's also difficult to remember whether a clockwise or anti-clockwise twist will send the menu selection up or down. Pushing the button to make your selection feels like you might push over the radio itself, though the rubber feet do a good job of stopping the radio slipping.

The Pure Evoke F4 has a smart retro look

The Pure Evoke F4 has a smart retro look

To avoid the F4’s fiddly knobs and menu buttons, you can set up your favorite stations on the web or by using the Pure Connect app (available for free on Android and iOS). The app can also be used as a remote control for everything on the radio except DAB, FM and streaming music from network or USB storage.

Play stored music

To play tracks stored on your phone or tablet, you need to use the F4’s Bluetooth dongle. This plugs into the USB port on the back of the unit and lets you pair the radio with any Bluetooth-compatible device. You can then play music from the apps installed on that device. Visitors can also play their music, without having to download the Pure app.

Pure Evoke Mio

Pure Evoke Mio

The radio also works as a media player, so it will play any songs you have stored either on your network or a USB storage device. However, the radio only has one USB port, so you can’t have the Bluetooth dongle and a USB storage device plugged in at the same time.

The app doesn’t let you scroll through and select tracks, so you have to use the selection knob. However, it recognizes UPnP-compatible playlists, so you can prepare these in advance using a program such as Windows Media Player to cut down on unnecessary twiddling.

Audio from the device is good for a unit of its size, but it only has one speaker. If you want stereo, you’ll have to buy a separate speaker for $52.87. When we compared its sound with the Sensia 200D Connect, we found the F4 didn’t sound as good, and was much less powerful.

Pure Music

To get the most from a Pure radio, it’s worth subscribing to Pure Music. The free service lets you stream radio, but for $7.54 per month, you can also get access to Pure’s streaming service, which uses 7digital’s catalogue of artists and albums. Although this provided access to a vast selection of music, we found that rival service Spotify provided more. Spotify also lets you save songs for $15.09 per month, although Pure intends to introduce a similarly-priced premium service that will allow you to do this. On the other hand, Spotify charges an extra $7.55 a month to stream its music on other devices, such as your phone or tablet, which Pure Music has in its $7.54 service.

Pure Evoke 2S

Pure Evoke 2S

If you already use a different streaming system, or would prefer to use Spotify to Pure Music, you can still fall back on the Bluetooth connection, as long as you’re subscribed to the Premium service and can stream through a Bluetooth device.

Pure Music is integrated into the Pure Connect app, so if you’re listening to music on your phone and want to play it on the radio, you can click the Pure Connect icon and choose the radio from the list of available speakers. It’s a bit like Apple’s AirPlay, except it only works with Pure devices.

However, if you have more than one of these, and they’re compatible with the Jongo system (as this radio is, see the box out above), the app one speaker on your network, syncing the sound so all the speakers are playing the same music at the same time.

You can set up your favorite stations using the Pure Connect app

Jongo Multi-room

One of the cleverest tricks built into the F4 is its compatibility with Pure’s new Jongo multi-room system. Pure’s Jongo S3 (bit.ly/s3321, $256.85, launched in April) is a standalone portable speaker with a 10-hour rechargeable battery. It connects to your Wi-Fi, will play music from your Pure Connect app, and also has Bluetooth streaming, so you can play music from other music-streaming services apart from Pure Music. If you place several of these speakers around your house, you’ll be able to listen to music wherever you are.

Pure’s Jongo

Pure’s Jongo

The Evoke F4 works on the same system, so you can link the devices together, and play radio broadcasts through other Jongo speakers, or use the radio as an extra speaker as part of your multi-room system.

If you already have a stereo or speaker, you can use the new have a stereo or speaker, you can use the new Jongo A2 (bit.ly/a2321, $151.08) as a bridge to connect it to the Pure system. Simply set up the A2 with your existing speakers using coaxial digital or standard stereo cables, and it will stream music from your F4 via Wi-Fi, playing everything through the connected speakers.

·         Our Verdict 4/5

·         Features 5/5

·         Performance 4/5

·         Ease of use 3/5

·         Value for Money 4/5

The Pure Evoke F4 is a good standalone internet radio, but it’s at its best when used with Pure’s phone apps.

If you intend to use it with a music-streaming service, and are happy to spend money upgrading the other speakers in your house, then the interconnectedness of Pure’s Jongo range can provide you with a seamless and flexible set-up.

Pure’s Jongo multi-room

Pure’s Jongo multi-room

If you only want the basic radio, the F4 will work without any of these extras, but we think you’d be better off with the Gold Award-winning Pure Sensia 200D Connect. This is available at a similar price but has more powerful speakers and a touchscreen interface that is much less fiddly to use.

Product Info Pure Evoke F4

·         Website: www.pure.com

·         Price: 271.9

Specifications

·         DAB, FM and Wi-Fi internet radio (Ethernet optional)

·         802.11b and 802.11g Wi-Fi

·         WEP and WPA/WPA2 encryption

·         Supports WMA, AAC, MP3, MP2 music formats

·         UPnP media server compatible

·         7W RMS audio power output

·         3.5mm auxiliary line-in

·         Full-size USB port for recording/playback

·         3.5mm stereo headphone socket

·         128 x 175 x 110mm

·         1.5kg

For

·         Good audio quality for a small radio

·         Integrates well with Pure Connect app

·         Works with Jongo multi-room system

Against

·         Fiddly to use without apps

·         Sensia 200D Connect has better speaker and touchscreen

 

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