JBL Tuner

Portable Bluetooth speaker with DAB+/FM radio $129.95

Fortuitously arriving during the cricket season, we gave ABC Grandstand a good workout on this 16cm-long Bluetooth/DAB/ FM speaker, which clearly benefits from JBL’s success in the wireless speaker market. It’s like a mini Flip in that regard, charging to deliver eight hours of battery play, weighing under half a kilo, and happy playing on its side or vertically. A minijack auxiliary input and Bluetooth streaming from your smart device are useful abilities, while the long telescopic antenna achieved clear DAB+ reception even in difficult areas, along with all the convenience of digital station names, although you have to tab through these one at a time rather than enjoying a more convenient rapid scroll via knob. The other major omission is a headphone socket (an essential if you actually go to the cricket). It scores well enough on sound, though box-bound and mono with a single 44.5mm driver, so if Bluetooth is your priority, the Flip 4 has far better sound, and waterproofing. But as a radio, it’s a nice portable DAB+/FM unit. www.jbl.com.au