CHF137.– was CHF167.–
Imperial Dabman i200 CD
Web radio, DAB+, VHF, FM, Wi-Fi
Product ratings
Pros
Cons
34 reviews
Very disappointed.
Lots of functionalities, elegant construction but the handling (directly on the device but also by means of the remote), as well as the configuration menu is terrible. The SW seams not to live up to the HW. Here a few examples of the issues you could face:
- If connected (WiFi, DAB) automatic setting of the time will always show GMT. To get another time you have to set it manually.
- To get all tracks of a CD played in sequence once you need to configure shuffle mode 'repeat all', otherwise only one track is played and you have to move to the next track manually. Simply ugly!
- While listening to a CD, you can switch manually in the configuration menu to get some setting changed. Doing so though, the commands on the device that are used to control the CD (e.g. play, pause/stop, next track, ...) are reset to other DAB functionalities (i.e. saved DAB station list). What the hell!
There are also some design flows. Here two significant examples:
- The time is displayed at a decent size (so that you can see it from relatively far) ... but just if the device is in stand-by mode! If you're listening to a DAB station, a unnecessary static image is displayed, which occupies most of the display. The time info is then resized and relegated in the top part of the display (unreadable from few meters away).
- IR remote only (can be used just in front of the device, where the sensor is placed)
Moreover, If I do not use the device for some time, leaving it in stand-by mode, it wont resume anymore; you need to turn it off and on to get the think work again.
Not one SW update available yet. Will we ever have one?
To sum up, I would definitively not buy this device again.
Update 11.2020: Still no SW Updates available/possible. The worst radio & support ever seen. It will land soon in the waste disposal (I don't even think about reselling it).Pro
- solid construction
Contra
- handling is terrible and counterintuitive
- sometimes stuck in stand-by mode
- automatic time shown is GMT time
- IR remote only (can be used juszt in front of the dvice, where the sensor is placed)
This review was created for a different variant: Dabman i200 CD (Web radio, DAB+, VHF, FM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi)
For this price, quite ok.
Good sound, many playback options (Aux, Dab, Internet radio, CD, etc.) Cool design. The station changes for DAB and Internet radio are sometimes long and sometimes it doesn't find the stations the first time. Software update has shown improvement but still not quite optimal.
Pro
- Sound
- Playback options
- Design
Contra
- somewhat long for programme change DAB
- a little long for programme change IntR
Almost egg-laying wool-milk sow with software weaknesses
This little almost all-rounder replaces my bedroom stereo system, which is over 20 years old. I hope it will last at least as long.
Thanks to 2 alarm clocks, I could wake up to one DAB station during the week and another station at a different time on Saturday.
A scan with the enclosed aerial found over 80 DAB stations.
The Bluetooth connection worked without any problems.
The USB stick in the Fritzbox was found via the network without any problems and the music there can also be played, although operation is somewhat slower than usual.
When a USB stick with music is inserted, DAB playback stops and the stick is read.
With DAB, the last station listened to is played after switching on, but if you switch to CD, settings or any other mode and then back to DAB, the previously SAVED station is played... This problem can be solved by simply saving the most listened to station as the last one or saving it again in the favourites list. the sound quality and volume are sufficient for my bedroom, if I want more, I connect a Logitech Z2200. :-)
Addendum:
After 2 weeks of use, my conclusion is a little sadder. The (weekly) alarm clock (Monday to Friday) worked perfectly on Monday, from Tuesday onwards there were no more alarm noises, the communication of the network cable (recognisable by flashing LEDs on the back) were the only signs that the system should be doing something. It wakes me up most reliably with the melody when a DAB station was playing before switching off. Otherwise the software hangs too often.Pro
- Internet connection possible with or without cable
- Bluetooth
- 2 individually adjustable alarm clocks
- Many channels receivable
- Integrated CD player
- Remote control and device have many buttons
- Station memory with direct selection buttons on the device
Contra
- USB music playback only with FAT32 sticks
- Always last saved station when switching to DAB
- immature software (several hangers)
- unreliable alarm clock
- No Internet connection at times despite LAN cable
- No direct source switching
- Music interrupts when switching to settings
- When changing sources, the last station listened to often does not play
- Device buttons unlit
- Display brightness in standby = Switched on
Almost perfect with Lan connection
The important functions are there, a simple design.
The performance is good.
There is certainly an ideal place for the device.Pro
- Everything you need
- Lan connection
- DAB +
- CD
Contra
- slightly less direct access memory
Unbelievable but true...
The disappointment is really big. If you want an all-rounder with DAB, Internet radio and CD, with a maximum height of 38cm, to use in the kitchen, the market is very tight... You have to invest a few hours to find something. It is now the third radio (1xBrack, 2xGalaxus) of this type that I have had to send back because they all showed signs of defects from the start or after just a few hours. It seems that they are no longer able to make these things these days. It's a shame that Telestar has gone out of business... to which this IMPERIAL brand radio also belonged.... I was hoping that it was of the old variety (manufactured in 2017) and better than the newer devices. It's definitely going back and I'll probably have to pull out all the stops at Galaxus to get a full refund....
Pro
- Sound is very good
- its versatility suits me
- Size of the device, as well as the workmanship
- Actually price/performance... but only if it worked perfectly...
- and it doesn't, so that's more of a minus point
Contra
- Standby clock cannot be dimmed separately
- "Hangs up" again and again: be it with DAB, Internet radio or CD
- CD cannot be stopped or ejected: disconnect from power supply and switch on again helps
- An update was made immediately after the first use, now none is available anymore
- The remote control is actually ok, but the buttons are small and close together, e.g. favourite selection
- It takes rather a long time before it is switched on and ready for use... but you could live with that
- Favourites list is suddenly gone, saved channels are empty....
- The only thing that helps with all problems is to disconnect the power supply and switch it on again - a real pain, isn't it?
- Internet radio: the track display stops, the new songs are not updated...
This review was created for a different variant: Dabman i200 CD (Web radio, DAB+, VHF, FM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi)
Outstanding
easy to use, highly recommended, good value for money
Pro
- easy to use, highly recommended, good price-performance ratioPerformance ratio
This review was created for a different variant: Dabman i200 CD (Web radio, DAB+, VHF, FM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi)
6 out of 34 reviews
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