Dab... What's your thoughts, worth it?

[toplad]

Hey

Just wondering people's thoughts on dab radio. I've just installed a RNS 315 which has dab, I only have to buy an aerial and install, but Im not sure I can be bothered, I'm pretty lazy 
I'm not the sort of person who wants it for a tick in a box or for the sake of it. Do you rate the dab quality,  easy of use and program's?
FM is still going strong at the moment 

[xs2man]

Depends on where you live.

I put a DAB radio in my old Passat, and had one in my old BMW.  I liked the extra stations I could pick up, but unfortunately, coverage in my area isn't great.  So it would often drop out on some of the stations I listened to.  That said, there are some parts of the network around here where FM drops out too.

None the less, I wish I'd went for the 315 DAB rather than the RNS510 I ended up getting.  If it were me, I'd definitely install the aerial.  Not just for the "tick in the box", but because all your missing is the aerial, and why miss out on functionality you already have for the sake of a £20 aerial and 20 mins running it.

[toplad]

Can you actually notice a difference in sound quality with dab

[SI-R32]

Depends what you listen to, if just radio 2 or 4 or 1 then no point, if you like swapping through many different stations depending on mood that fm can't offer then it's good. As for sound quality that's a different matter, most main stations bbc kiss capital broadcast in 112 to 160kbps in stereo so will sound pretty good, other stations non mainstream channels are mostly going over to 80kbps in mono so the sound is thete and is OK, but not as good as fm in stereo or main line sartions, to be fair though the roof aerial install is at most 100 quid which is nothing to add the dab part to the stereo

[toplad]

100 quid and my time is a lot for me as I don't really think  I'm that bothered 

[xs2man]

As I said, I went for a windscreen mounted aerial for £20 or so off ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-MVH-X580DAB-Car-Radio-Stereo-Glass-Mount-Amplified-DAB-Aerial-Antenna-/401132493448?hash=item5d655c1a88

[toplad]

Thanks for the replies/link guy's, very helpful 

[willni]

Thanks for the replies/link guy's, very helpful 

I think there's a noticeable difference in quality, I think dab sounds clearer, for the likes of radio 1 xtra (different station to radio 1) and all other DAB only stations, I liken it to my listening to spotify through it and I have my spotify on extreme quality.

But yeah signal isn't that great, in semi-rural areas here

[Andy]

my lasses 17 plate Sorrento has dab radio and keeps loosening signal but that is in rural areas

[mrxbox360]

i retro fitted an rns315 dab with the correct dab roof aerial in my mk5 cost wise approx £100 with all the leads etc included & im well happy listing to my 80s & rock - metal music..plus ive the bonus my gps & phone all go through the aerial so ive a full signal 99% of the time.