Portable MP3 player with FM/DAB Radio

darkgen · 23 Oct 2019 at 17:44

I've been rocking an iPod Nano for years; which has been perfect as an ultra-portable with the added benefit of having an FM tuner. However, the battery does not hold its charge anymore so I am in the market for a replacement.

I'm struggling to find a decent MP3 with radio, whether FM or DAB. What gives? I thought this would have been a thing but hardly any MP3 player on market has any form of radio support whatsoever outside of Blue-toothing to your phone and then Internet.

I do not need the ultra-portability of a Nano but something like the Sony NW-A45 would be perfect if it had an FM tuner.

Is there an obvious reason why manufacturers aren’t supporting radio or am I missing something here?

E:Apologies, Sound City would have been a more appropriate forum. Could a mod move please?

darkgen · 23 Oct 2019 at 18:44

hornetstinger said:
Maybe they see radio is dead it's all streaming. Maybe look for older MP3 player, both my iriver and sansa.have FM radio

Is streaming really more battery efficient that receiving FM or DAB directly? I'm of a position of utter ignorance. I don't mind looking for older models that support FM or DAB; I would like something to last like this Nano.

darkgen · 25 Oct 2019 at 08:45

So I went trawling through Sony Walkmans web-site and the NW-A45 does have an FM tuner, it just isn't advertised at all! So decided upon that.

darkgen · 28 Oct 2019 at 14:43

So, I did do the above but the tool indicated the limiter was already off?! Player seems loud to me anyway!

I've not really a sound or music aficionado or have I had the chance to put it through its paces. But compared to the iPod nano the sound is much fuller and the player has quit a few effects to punch the sound up and out even further, even when using the same earphones, I had with the nano.

What I did forget about was the fact the in-line controller on wired headsets does not work with Sony players! Grrrr, so typically I got myself a pair of wireless BT phones (RHA MA650) which arrived today and the sound is definitely even fuller!

Of course; the FM tuner requires a wired set to work!