Einhell Dab Site Cordless Radio - 18V

Fantastic device for home and workshop

This is my first site radio. I purchased it because I already own 15 Einhell tools and was looking for a decent, easy-to-use speaker. After reading plenty of reviews, I decided to purchase the Einhell TE-CR 18 DAB radio unit. First, I want to clarify that I don’t use this on a construction site. I keep this radio at home—in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom—and use it for background playback. Build Quality and Form Factor The radio is built very well. Nothing squeaks or vibrates when audio is playing. It has a very solid handle that makes a satisfying locking sound when opening or closing. There are 8-ohm speakers on both sides. On the right, you’ll find the antenna, which can be turned in any direction; it stays firmly in place once positioned. When not in use, there is an antenna holder near the speaker cover. The control buttons on the front are made of rubber and are quite soft. When pressing them, you can feel the momentary push buttons on the main board. It is worth noting that these buttons are not backlit. The control wheel has a nice, tactile "click" feedback for every turn position. On the bottom, there is a DC input, a 5V output, and an AUX input. You can plug or unplug the external power without any disruption to playback, and the power source info updates immediately on the display. The display is decent; it could be brighter, but it is acceptable. It shows the time, battery level, current date, and playback mode. Overall, the build quality is excellent, and the black hard-rubber edges make the unit look attractive and compact. Audio Performance I know this is a site radio, but please bear with me—I have some thoughts on the sound quality. I have seen many comments describing the sound as "great," but that is hard to judge without a comparison. I have owned a 1st Gen HomePod, a 2nd Gen Google Nest, and a Sony HT-S2000 soundbar. Compared to these, the Einhell is closest to the Sony soundbar in terms of sound profile. The HomePod definitely has the best audio quality with deep bass, but it struggles at high volumes, causing distortion. The Google Nest 2nd Gen is balanced and crisp—it sounds great at low to medium volumes, acting like a smaller version of the HomePod. The Sony HT-S2000 has seven speakers to create a surround effect and is excellent at high volumes, but it lacks the crispness and punchy bass I prefer. The Einhell TE-CR 18 is great in its own specific way. It is incredibly good at high volume—even with bass-heavy songs, it never distorts. It plays songs clearly within the speaker's limits. The radio has 32 volume levels, though I would note that Level 1 is quite loud, and Level 2 is a significant step up. Importantly, from volume levels 1 to 10, the bass is generated by speaker vibration. From level 10 and up, the radio housing itself begins to work with the speakers. The bass isn't generated like it is in a HomePod (by pushing air from the main driver), but rather through cabinet resonance. This is likely why it was designed for a working environment; it has a major advantage in that it easily cuts through background noise. The mids are loud and clear, the highs can be adjusted in the EQ settings, and the lows will be heard across the entire room. Because of this, it is very important to find the best location for the radio to get a balanced sound. This is a distinct advantage over smart speakers and soundbars, which are tethered to a wall outlet. Functionality I mostly use Bluetooth audio, which is simple to link and works stably. If you want to link a new device or disconnect the current one, simply press and hold the volume knob. I also copied approximately 200 songs to a USB flash drive. While the playback works, the functionality is limited. The files are played in one continuous list, and you cannot select specific folders or scroll quickly to a specific song. You have to press “skip” multiple times to get to your track. It is not the main way I use the radio, but it would be great to see better USB folder support. Also, every time the radio is disconnected from power or turns off automatically after two hours of inactivity, the time and date reset. To quickly sync them, just switch to DAB radio mode, and the data will download automatically. Finally, there is plenty of space in the battery compartment to store the external power supply adapter, though it would be even better if there were a partition separating the battery from the empty storage space. Despite my use of this as a portable home audio device rather than a construction site radio, I definitely recommend it. It is easy to use, solidly built, cordless, and produces a strong, clear sound.

Karlis, 25 - 34

Sturdy and powerful radio

German build quality and excellent sound …plus when using the battery seems to last even when using radio and or remote Bluetooth which connects smartly … love this product highly recommended

PJAYS, 55 - 64, Keynsham Bristol

All good

Good sounds nice job a lot better than the old one

null, 65 or over, Stourbridge

Best site radio ever

Love this radio . Dab stations , Bluetooth,battery and cable powered . Sturdy and loud enough for a disco.

Slingers Painting

Best site radio!

Amazing radio! Does everything you need it to! Honestly, if you're looking for your first site radio, I would go with this 100%! The sound is great, feels great, nice display, perfect!

null, 25 - 34, East Yorkshire

Great quality not loud enough unfortunately

I bought this radio to replace my old Festool radio after much deliberation as I was unsure whether to buy this or one of the Makita offerings. I decided on the Einhell after reading through quite a few reviews and comments. Whilst the radio is of great quality and value the one thing it needed to be was a lot louder, I have no complaints about the sound quality its just not loud enough outside on a building site, it gets drowned out by all the plant that is being used. I have taken inside a more completed building and it is much better in that environment, so if you’re a sparky or plumber etc it would be fine .

V Green, 45 - 54, Bristol