Pure EVOKE Flow digital radio

The Pure EVOKE Flow is a DAB+ compatible digital radio with integrated Wi-Fi networking, a battery port and auxiliary inputs. While it's not as full-featured as other digital radio players, its construction is second to none.

We were very impressed by the build quality of the Pure EVOKE Flow digital radio. You really need to see it to appreciate the finishing details. The piano black finish is glossy and rich, and the metal accents are finished in a dark shadow chrome. When you switch on the digital radio, a bright, super-crisp OLED screen fires up that puts the four line display of the OXX Classic DAB+ to shame. The Pure EVOKE Flow digital radio has a significantly higher resolution than the OXX Classic, and it displays additional information including the current volume, station name and scrolling track details.

It's simple to navigate the menu on the Pure EVOKE Flow digital radio. We had no difficulty viewing the different options and modes available using the bright high-resolution screen, and switching between FM, DAB and the wireless media streamer modes was easy.

Sound quality is good but not superb. The Pure EVOKE Flow has similar settings as the Pure ONE Classic for adjusting treble and bass to tailor the sound quality. In our tests we found the audio quality during DAB+ and streaming playback was good especially in a quiet environment, but the clarity was quickly lost if there was any background noise. Like other players of a similar size, the Pure EVOKE Flow has reasonable mid-range response so music and vocals often sound warm and rich. We like the way the Pure EVOKE Flow sounds, but it’s only at its best in a quiet environment.

The wireless features offered by the Pure EVOKE Flow digital radio are great. You can connect to a shared PC on your home wireless network and stream your downloaded music collection, and the Pure Lounge service is an added bonus you’ll only get with the company's digital radios. USing this feature you can browse recommended Internet radio stations and podcasts as well as download from Pure’s bank of sound effects — such as waves crashing on a beach, and birds chirping in a rainforest — which can be set as alarm sounds.

Pure has a range of optional accessories for the EVOKE Flow digital radio, ranging from a matching external speaker that increases the soundstage to an iPod dock and a remote control. These are all styled in the same manner as the radio itself, so if you’ve got some extra cash to burn you can upgrade the unit to suit your needs.

Let's make it clear — we don’t think that the Pure EVOKE Flow represents the same good value that we saw in the OXX Classic DAB+. That said, for the price you pay you get a piece of hardware that’s very stylist, as well as some well integrated features to make it a useful household addition.

Follow GoodGearGuide on Twitter: @Goodgearguide