Best DAB+ digital radios

Starting with the capital centres, the nation's airwaves are in the process of switching to the invisible digital delights of DAB+ (Digital Audio Broadcasting Plus) radio.

DAB+ offers more stations with better reception, much improved stereo audio quality and accompanying text information — plus it's all free. So, what's the catch? If you think you'd like to hear (and see) what all the fuss is about, you're going to have to buy a new radio. Yes, DAB+ radios are popping up all over the place, from handheld portables to bedside clock radios to full-size home stereo components. Here is a round up to give you a taste of what DAB+ has to offer.

Eight years in the planning, it has taken a while for Australia to follow in the likes of the UK's DAB broadcasting footsteps, but it was the first country in the world to introduce the new, more bandwidth-efficient standard: DAB+.

For a more comprehensive explanation of the digital radio phenomenon, check out our feature Digital radio: All you need to know.

Location plays a big part in actual DAB+ reception, and many of the radios here were tested on the lower Central Coast, north of Sydney — for more info check www.digitalradioplus.com.au, which lists coverage and station availability nationwide.