Pure expand digital and internet radio range

By James Cridland for media.info
Posted 5 September 2015, 3.00am edt

At the annual IFA consumer electronic trade show in Berlin, Pure have announced a raft of new DAB+ digital radio sets.

The most interesting device is the Pure Evoke F3, pictured above. It's a first for the company in a number of ways.

First, this device uses Spotify Connect rather than Pure's proprietary music service which the company is closing. Second, it appears to have a brand new user interface, and a 2.4" colour screen: the first time Pure have released a device with a simple colour screen, and only the second colour screen in Pure's history.

All released product shots appear to show the menu above, which it would appear is a piece of Photoshopped artwork: the 'FM' icon is a pixel taller than the rest of the icons, and the text under each icon is of varying sizes.

It's unclear whether this device supports DAB+ slideshow, or RadioDNS slideshow delivered via IP for FM and DAB+. Pure were unable to confirm. DAB+ slideshow is in use in many parts of France, Germany and Australia; RadioDNS slideshow is in use for all Global and Communicorp stations in the UK along with many others.

The Pure Evoke F3, while 'acoustically tuned' and in a wooden cabinet, is a mono receiver. Unlike the Pure Evoke Flow, which it takes its design cues from, it appears to have physical controls. At an SRP of £129.99 it is a relatively affordable device, and also contains access to Bluetooth. No review units are currently available for us to look further.

Pure have also released what the company call a new 'One' family: the One Mini, Midi and Maxi, which have historically been the cheapest Pure devices sold. Apparently these devices have a fresh new design with controls moving to the top of the unit (so you can press a button and they won't fall over), though images are currently unavailable. All units are mono, apart from the Pure One Maxi.

A set of "all-in-one table top home audio entertainment systems" called the Evoke C is also promised, in three models - the Evoke C-D4, C-D6 and C-F6. No images are available of these devices either; the C-D4 is mono, while the other units are in stereo.

Finally, Pure have also released the Siesta Rise, a brand new and quite attractive bedside alarm clock radio. It includes a 1A USB charging socket for your mobile phone. At an SRP of £79.99, it is a mono radio with a wire antenna. One interesting note - it's powered by a standard 2A mini USB power adaptor, rather than a more proprietary circular power plug. Mini USB, not micro USB, though.

All Pure devices now sold are DAB and DAB+ compatible and are compliant with the UK's Digital Radio tick mark.

Press release

Berlin, 2nd September 2015: Pure announces new line of digital and internet radios with Bluetooth to cater for significant growth in this sector across Europe and beyond. The 2015/16 range incorporates a wide variety of price points all with Pure’s signature audio quality and innovative design.

The new line-up includes: the Evoke F3 digital and internet radio with Bluetooth and Spotify Connect; the third generation of the world’s best-selling digital radio family, One Mini, Midi and Maxi; a new bedside radio, Siesta Rise, and the Evoke C series, a range of all-in-one home audio systems.

Digital radio is making significant advances across Europe and beyond, with Norway the first to commit to a switchover date in 2017. The UK continues to make good progress towards achieving the criteria necessary to set a switchover date* and 2016 will see the biggest commercial radio expansion in the UK with the launch of a second national digital radio multiplex. Denmark, Germany and Switzerland have all made key developments on the road towards digital radio switchover, while the Netherlands are continuing to roll out new regional digital radio multiplexes. Digital radio coverage is increasing in Italy and, in France, the regulator is beginning a consultation on the second wave of cities to adopt digital radio, after Paris, Nice and Marseille.

Broadcast radio continues to have the largest share of ear within the overall audio landscape and is listened to by the majority of adults every week. At the same time, both internet radio and on demand music streaming consumption is growing particularly driven by the younger generation. This change in behaviour is likely to lead to a shift in the audio landscape over the next few years.

Nick Hucker, global marketing director at Pure, comments: “At Pure, we strive for continuous innovation and to develop high quality products that match consumer demand. Our new range reflects the significant advances broadcast digital radio is making across Europe while catering for the growth in streaming.”

Evoke F3 – Internet Radio

First in the line-up is the Evoke F3, a compact digital and internet table top radio with Bluetooth and Spotify Connect. Evoke F3 (SRP £129.99) comes with an easy-to-read 2.4 inch full colour TFT display and remote control so users can easily find the content they want to listen to. Evoke F3 incorporates Pure’s full internet radio service with instant access to over 25,000 stations worldwide, in addition to ‘listen again’ programmes and around 270,000 podcast episodes.

Boasting an acoustically tuned real wood cabinet with a matt black finish, chic style and smooth functionality, the Evoke F3 delivers a superior audio experience.

Introducing the new ‘One Family ’

Pure announces the third generation of the world’s best-selling digital radio range with the One Mini, Midi and Maxi. The new One family has a fresh new design, enhanced audio, a bigger and better display and is easier to use thanks to a new user-friendly button layout with the controls moving to the top making them even more accessible.

Evoke C Range

Evoke C range is a series of all-in-one table top home audio entertainment systems that take design cues from Pure’s iconic Evoke range. The three products in the series, the Evoke C-D4, C-D6 and C-F6 offer a range of audio options from digital, FM and internet radio to Bluetooth or CD so there is something to suit everyone and every home.

Siesta Rise

The latest addition to Pure’s Siesta family of bedside digital radios, Siesta Rise’s new sleek design includes a handy USB Smartphone charging port and high-detail, digital quality sound.

Siesta Rise has been engineered with an easy to read ultra-clear display, easily visible in a dark room but not harsh on sleepy eyes as it automatically dims to match the room lighting. Siesta Rise’s large display can also be manually adjusted for brightness ensuring the perfect setting for each user.