Comparison Soundmaster DAB700 vs Adler AD 1908

Clock face shape. This parameter affects only the appearance of the device and is practically not related to the functionality. Therefore, you can choose a watch according to the shape of the dial only for aesthetic reasons.

Note that although the traditional shape for a pointer dial (see “Dial Type”) is round or rounded (oval), this is not limited to square / rectangular options. With digital, the situation is similar: in addition to the classics in the form of a rectangle, other forms are also used.

— FM. The most popular broadcasting range among radio listeners today is primarily due to the fact that the vast majority of music stations broadcast in it. This is due to its features: FM uses frequency modulation, which makes it possible to broadcast sound with a fairly high sound quality, and even in stereo format. In the frequency band, the term "FM" usually refers to the 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz portion of the VHF band, although the range of individual receivers may vary. The disadvantage of FM is the limited range — within the line of sight (up to several tens of kilometers), which has secured the reputation of "urban" stations for FM stations.

— AM. Formally, this designation is not a range, but a type of modulation: "amplitude modulation" — amplitude modulation. In consumer radios, AM most often means the medium wave range of about 520-1610 kHz. Such waves have a propagation range of hundreds of kilometers, but the sound quality in this case is somewhat worse than that of FM, and therefore the AM band is mainly used by radio stations of the “conversational” genre (for example, news or journalistic).

— SW. Broadcasting on short waves (short wave) in the general range from 2.5 MHz to 26.1 MHz, divided into a number of separate sub-bands. Sound quality is average. Short waves are able to reach the opposite side of the Earth, but immediately outside the line of sight of the transmitter, a “dead zone” is formed, several...tens of kilometers wide. As a consequence, SW is commonly used for overseas broadcasts.

— DAB. Abbreviation for Digital Audio Broadcasting, i.e. "digital broadcasting". This term describes the key difference between this range and those described above: broadcasting in it is carried out not in analogue, but in digital format, the MP2 codec is used for transmission. This gives a number of advantages over traditional transmitters — in particular, a greater range with less power and high quality of the broadcast sound. In addition, this sound is practically not subject to distortion: weak interference does not affect its quality, and when the transmitter power is critically reduced, the signal is not distorted, but disappears entirely. The latter, however, can be written down as disadvantages; but the really significant drawback of this option is perhaps its low prevalence (so far) in the CIS countries. Technically, such broadcasting can be carried out in any band above 30 MHz, but in fact several options are used (depending on the country) related to the VHF band.

— DAB+. An updated and improved version of the DAB standard described above. It has all the characteristic features of digital broadcasting, and differs from its predecessor in higher sound quality at the same bit rates — both due to the use of a different codec (HE-AAC v2), and due to the use of more advanced noise correction algorithms. DAB+ broadcasts cannot be received on DAB receivers: at best, this will require a firmware update, and at worst, you will have to change the receiver itself.

Number of stations, i.e. certain fixed frequencies, which can be stored in the receiver's memory. This greatly simplifies tuning: by fine tuning the frequency once, in the future you can turn on the desired station by simply selecting it from the list (and in some models, it is enough to press a separate button once). The memory is usually found in receivers with a digital tuner (see "Tuner type").

— Bluetooth. Wireless technology for transmitting sound from mobile phones, tablets, etc. Allows you to connect a device wirelessly at a short distance from the signal source. The quality and overall capabilities of Bluetooth depend on its version:

— Bluetooth 4. Each version brings improvements over the previous one. In version 4.0, three standards were effectively combined: traditional Bluetooth, high-speed channel, and energy-saving mode for small amounts of data. This allowed for optimized channel use and battery consumption. Version 4.1 enhanced resistance to interference when working near 4G LTE modules. Version 4.2 mainly introduced general improvements in speed and security.

— Bluetooth 5.0. One of the most important innovations of the Bluetooth 5.0 standard was the expansion of BLE ("Bluetooth Low Energy") capabilities: if necessary, the device can increase range by reducing speed, or speed up transmission by reducing range. Moreover, several improvements related to simultaneous operation with multiple connected devices were introduced.

— Bluetooth 5.1. A significant upgrade in version 5.1 was the ability to precisely position the signal transmitter (receiver). Whereas previous versions could only determine distance, version 5.1 can also determine direction. This improved navigation function, which enhanced the operation of smart home systems, connected device search, etc. Additionally, improvements a...gain touched on energy consumption savings and simultaneous operation with multiple connected devices.

— Bluetooth 5.2. The next update after 5.1 in the Bluetooth 5 generation. The main innovations in this version were several security improvements, additional energy consumption optimization in LE mode, and a new audio signal format for synchronizing parallel playback on multiple devices.

— Bluetooth 5.3. The Bluetooth v 5.3 wireless communication protocol was introduced at the beginning of 2022. Innovations sped up the channel negotiation process between the controller and the device, implemented a quick switch function between low-duty cycle and high-speed mode, improved bandwidth and connection stability by reducing susceptibility to interference. In the event of unexpected interference in Low Energy mode, the channel selection procedure for switching was accelerated. The 5.3 protocol does not present fundamental innovations, but a number of qualitative improvements are apparent.

— Bluetooth 5.4. Introduced at the start of 2023, this version increased the range and data exchange speed. Also, improvements were made to the BLE energy-saving mode in Bluetooth v 5.4. This protocol uses new security features to protect data from unauthorized access, offers increased connection reliability by selecting the best communication channel, and prevents connection losses due to interference.

— USB-A. The presence of a USB-A port allows connecting USB drives, mobile phones, MP3 players, and other similar peripherals. Accordingly, such models have a built-in player and allow connected gadgets to be used solely as storage devices.

— Card Reader. Like the above-mentioned USB-A, this item implies the presence of a built-in player. And a card reader allows using memory cards as storage on which songs will be recorded.

— Line Input. An input for transmitting sound in analog format. Through such an input, you can connect an external signal source — for example, an MP3 player — to a radio receiver and listen to music through the receiver's speakers. Despite the development of digital standards, the line input remains one of the most popular connection interfaces.

The maximum power output of the receiver speaker(s) in normal operation, without overload. The higher the rated power, the higher the sound volume, but louder devices and energy require more.

A connector for connecting headphones in radio receivers, most often a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack. Headphones can come in handy when the sound from the main speaker might disturb others, or in noisy environments where an external speaker doesn't do well.

Power supply methods provided in the design of radio receivers and table clocks.

- Batteries. Powered by standard replaceable batteries ( AA, AAA, type C, LR44, PP3, etc.). There are two main advantages to this diet. Firstly, a shrunken element can be quickly replaced; for this, of course, you need to have fresh batteries in stock, but it’s easy to take care of this in advance. Secondly, consumer devices are independent of outlets; this allows you to install them on almost any suitable surface, easily move from place to place, without worrying about the length and placement of the mains cable. Batteries, of course, need to be purchased separately, which slightly increases spending. However, many replacement batteries are also available as rechargeable batteries. Thanks to all this, battery-powered models are very popular today.

- Network. Powered by a standard 230 V network. On the one hand, this option eliminates the hassle of batteries, and on the other hand, connecting to the network is associated with a number of inconveniences: the power cord limits the ability to install a radio or clock in places where there are sockets nearby, moreover the device may interfere or simply not fit into the overall environment. Mai...ns power in watches is quite rare in its pure form - much more often it is used as a fallback option for battery-powered models: if the situation allows, you can plug the watch into an outlet and not waste the charge.

- Battery. Powered by an original battery that is not related to standard sizes. Like the batteries described above, this option provides the device with autonomy. However, the key difference is that the battery, as a rule, does not provide for quick replacement: a non-standard format makes it difficult to purchase a spare battery, and more often than not, it is generally made non-removable. Therefore, the main, if not the only, option for discharging is charging, which requires a connection to the network and takes quite a long time. As a result, rechargeable batteries are considered a less suitable power option than replacement batteries and are rarely used.

Theoretically, a higher capacity allows for greater autonomy, but in practice, operating time also depends on power consumption - and it can be very different, depending on the characteristics and design features.

Type of connector used for charging the built-in battery, specifically for connecting an external charger. Such a device can be a mains or car adapter, power bank, or even a PC or laptop USB port (with the appropriate cable).

— microUSB. A smaller version of the USB connector created for portable devices. It appeared quite a while ago but has not lost its popularity and is still used by the vast majority of manufacturers.

— USB-C. A miniature USB connector positioned as, among other things, a potential successor to microUSB. Unlike its predecessor, it has a reversible design, allowing the plug to be inserted into the socket in either direction. It is still relatively rare, but it is likely that this will change in the coming years.