26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure One - Pure Joy, 1 Feb 2012
Pure v Roberts: I listened to several radios before choosing this. I found the Pure radios more mellow than the Roberts range which to my ears were slightly too harsh (this seems to be a feature of the Roberts sound; I found a Roberts radio more harsh 20 years ago when I compared it with a similarly priced Sony - I bought the Sony).
MP3 capability: During my pre-purchase testing I was disappointed to find that, like my little Pure Move radio, the Pure One Elite (not the Series II model) automatically switched to auxiliary input when a 3.5mm jack plug was inserted in the input socket, and that the volume of the auxiliary source was not controllable by the radio volume control. However, the fantastic sound was more than compensation for this, and I found that, even at maximum, the volume control on other radios did not make my mp3 input any louder than the Pure One Elite; it could only make it quieter.
Having bought the Pure One Elite Series II (on the grounds that it was £8 cheaper on Amazon than what I suppose we must now call the Pure One Elite Series I) I am delighted to find that it does not automatically switch to auxiliary input when the cable is plugged in (you can leave it plugged in and press the `source' button when you want to swap from radio to your mp3 player), and that the volume of the auxiliary source is controllable by the radio's own volume control (and may even amplify it).
I am puzzled why this modification is not trumpeted by Pure, but all credit to them for responding positively to the comments made by the reviewers of the Pure One Elite Series I.
Sound quality: It is difficult to put into words how impressed I am with this radio's sound. I like a mellow sound and the Pure One Evoke certainly delivers this, but I am grateful for the tone controls (accessible through the menu) which allow me to add a bit of treble.
Handle: I am not a fan of portable radios having handles - they seem to get in the way - but I must admit that it is a notable absence from this model as it is so chunky. As a six foot tall male I have quite large hands but do not find this radio comfortable to hold for more than few seconds. However, the size may contribute to the rich stereo sound so it's a compromise I am willing to make. I have a Pure Evoke 3, which I bought when they first came out, and believe the Pure One Elite has equivalent sound quality. As the Evoke 3 is nearly three times the price that is quite an achievement.
Battery life: I am using C batteries as the radio is constantly being moved about, so mains connection is not practical, and I can change them for another set of C batteries in a few seconds instead of waiting for the Charge-pack to charge up. The battery charge seems to be holding up well.
Display: I like the bright white display, which can be made to stay on all the time even when using batteries only.
Finally: Well done, Pure, for making such an excellent radio at such a reasonable price.
Update March 2013 - after a few weeks of periodically changing the 'C' size batteries, I decided to buy the dedicated Pure battery. A great decision. I use the radio for about an hour a day and the Pure battery goes for months between charges. I think I've charged it twice in the last year.
One little gripe: over the past few months a fault has developed: the digital radio signal momentarily drops out for about two seconds within about 10 minutes of switching the radio on. Irritating if you are concentrating on speech, but as it only happens once each time I switch on I haven't bothered to report it to Pure.
I am still extremely pleased with this radio and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is happy with a very mellow sound.