It Works!

Yes that is the default Apache install htdocs page title, so why did I use it as the title of this review? Well, it rather sums up the Duronic radio rather nicely. That's not a derogatory slant, it's just my response to the question "how do you review something which is very basic in terms of features and just does what it's supposed to?" So let's step back a bit and explain what the Duronics Hybrid Solar / Windup / USB rechargeable radio is. See what I mean? The name explains it all. OK so that was a cop out, so we'll try again shall we?

I got this radio for a few reasons, but it's main role is going to be to provide me with some sounds while shaving, or having a bath. It lives on the window sill where it can top itself up with the sunlight. It also provides at least some entertainment when I get a power cut. You always tend to forget how reliant you are on electricity until it goes out for a couple of hours. I rather enjoy the occasional ambiance of candles but the silence is hard. A radio that just needs a little winding up is ideal for this, and you needn't worry about remembering to keep the batteries charged either.

Electricity and water don't mix, which is another reason to have a completely disconnected device that you can sit away from any risk of falling into the sink or bath. Being able to easily handle with moist hands is also a good thing. I have no qualms about it living in a moisture rich environment as I feel it's been designed with this in mind.

The size of the unit is tiny too. Click on the image; what you're seeing is not far from actual size. The image is probably slightly bigger. When you're travelling, the key is to try and get as much bang for the buck in terms of packing space and weight. The Duronic radio fits the bill rather nicely in that regard. Another reason it'd be great for outdoors is the sound level. It's very loud, even at it's lowest levels. I find the ideal volume for me in the bathroom isn't much beyond "just on". It still has about 90% left to go. Outdoors seems to eat volume from sound sources. Anyone who has a radio, cd player etc in the garden in the summer knows they need to turn it up a lot louder than usual just to get the same levels as indoors. Sound relies on bouncing from walls etc, so when there's nothing to bounce from, you lose that.

The sound quality isn't too bad either, considering the price and the fact that it's a mono radio with an telescopic antenna. It'll never win any prizes but for what it is, it's a winner and perfectly clear. That being said, I tend to listen to a lot of talk radio, which has different demands than music. The odd tune I have caught on it seemed fine though. One area it does seem to excel is in the reception strength. The side of the building my bathroom is on is kinda iffy for reception but the Duronic didn't seem to have read that script. The reception is great. This bodes well for taking it camping and being able to pick up a reception in harsher environments. It does need an 8 hour charge via USB to start it off which is painless. After that, you have a choice of 3 ways to recharge it. You can give it a quick boost of 1 minute winding it up will give you about 25 minutes of listening. No matter how you're caught out, you can still get sounds. The time the charge lasts is dependent on how loud you have it too. In my case the volume is barely on, so I expect it'll last longer than the bench tests found.

So with all of that, would I recommend buying one? Yes. The build quality is good, it feels rugged. Even if you have no reason to use it as an every day device, having some audio entertainment when the power goes off is priceless. Depending on your area, it could be handy to listen into emergency transmissions with storm updates etc. It also avoids the problem of finding that you forgot the travel adapter when you get to the hotel and find you can't plug your devices in.