Is Dab worth it?

[Mercy49]

Hi

first post, I am hoping to purchase a 220 cd se executive to be exact the facelift post 2012. Not many of these have the Dab radio as an option. Its more common with the Amg Edition... So my question is the Dab really worth it? I have read the posts relating to the problems of software upgrades and signal drops.
I have Dab at home and enjoy it. I could save myself a lot of hassle and don’t bother with it in the car.
Any thoughts gratefully received


angus

 

[flango]

I love my dab definitely would not go back or buy a car without it now

 

[Orwic]

I've got DAB: hardly ever listen to FM in the car now. Definitely worth it in my opinion.

 

[acej]

Yes and I haven't experienced any problems. Much better quality as well

 

[c63chris]

Yes it's worth it. One of those that once you've got it you don't want to go back.

 

[geraldrobins]

To be honest I cant tell the difference and I find I lose the signal more often with DAB than with am/fm. Do you have more choice with DAB? We listen to Classic FM and Smooth. My car doesn't have DAB but my wife's does and I don't notice a quality difference but of course listening while driving isn't the same as listening to a concert.

 

[Yugguy]

Not hugely impressed with dab. Cars Ive driven with it always had dropouts and with dab its just all on or off. Fm and am will hang in for ages. I listen to r5, 4 and 2 and my own music. Dab wasnt an option I cared about when looking.

 

[400ixl]

Really depends on whether the stations you want to listen to are on FM or just DAB. If on FM it wouldn't be a priority for me (and wasn't) but if you do then it would be quite high on the list.

 

[jpwilliams]

DAB ? MY 1949 MINOR JUST HAD LONG AND MEDIUM WAVE !

Regards
John

 

[geraldrobins]

DAB ? MY 1949 MINOR JUST HAD LONG AND MEDIUM WAVE !

Regards
John

And that was an optional extra no doubt???

 

[KoFidee]

DAB ? MY 1949 MINOR JUST HAD LONG AND MEDIUM WAVE !

Regards
John

1968 Sunbeam Alpine sport got DAB in that even

 

[Mercy49]

I appreciate your replies.
I am a luggite or bemoans lossed sound quality compared to FM.
I only want it for Bbc 6 Music. it seems an expensive option when it is usually speced with Sat Nav and or Pano Roof mostly which I do not really need..
It is very nice to have these choices though.

 

[Harridog]

I love the dab in mine, when the signal drops on R4 goes to FM great feature

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Have DAB in my workvan. As much as I'd love to swap it for cruise control, I'd be lost without it

It depends entirely on what channel you listen to

Myself, I just listen to 1xtra so it's a winner for me

If you don't fancy paying for integrated DAB, but a Bush DAB receiver from Argos for £25, plugged in and powered via jack aux input and the USB input. I have one of them in my car and it's brilliant

 

[Orwic]

DAB ? MY 1949 MINOR JUST HAD LONG AND MEDIUM WAVE ! Regards John

Made me think of my old mini countryman (1967) - portable battery radio on back seat with a plug-in cable linked to an external antenna clamped to sliding rear window. Station and volume had to be pre- selected before driving! Worked OK though. That was back in 1974 / 1975.

 

[Orwic]

DAB ? MY 1949 MINOR JUST HAD LONG AND MEDIUM WAVE ! Regards John

Reminds me of my mini countryman (1967). Portable battery radio on back seat with cable to external antenna clamped to rear sliding window. Station & volume had to be pre-selected before driving away. Worked OK though. That was back in 1974 / 1975. Then I gave up on the in-car radio thing: too much hassle.

 

[Orwic]

Reminds me of my mini countryman (1967). Portable battery radio on back seat with cable to external antenna clamped to rear sliding window. Station & volume had to be pre-selected before driving away. Worked OK though. That was back in 1974 / 1975. Then I gave up on the in-car radio thing: too much hassle.

Oops, sorry, double post. First attempt gave a message saying 'timed out?!

 

[Piff]

I'm 50/50 on that. Mostly listen to radio 2. In the previous car we had DAB and generally I used that, but next time I got in the car I found SWMBO had changed to fm (for no apparent reason!)
Current car doesn't have DAB and to be honest I notice no difference.

 

[Headhurts]

To be honest I cant tell the difference and I find I lose the signal more often with DAB than with am/fm. Do you have more choice with DAB? We listen to Classic FM and Smooth. My car doesn't have DAB but my wife's does and I don't notice a quality difference but of course listening while driving isn't the same as listening to a concert.

My previous car an 2014 E300 Hybrid often dropped the DAB signal but my new car an 2016 E350 rarely drops the signal and seems much much better.

Not sure if there are any updated electronics in my new car though.

DAB has far more stations than FM but I really cannot notice much difference in sound quality.

 

[Doodle]

I've had/fitted DAB into previous cars but now I normally just stream it from my phone. Quality is often better and certainly it's no worse for dropouts.

The antenna is everything for DAB reception, the retrofit sticky screen foils are rubbish compared to a proper external antenna.