I got rid of my CDs around 20 years ago. Ripped them to iTunes (well, only the 'best' songs as storage was tight) and then flogged those shiny silver discs on eBay. I thought I was embracing the future while making some easy beer money at the same time.
Looking back I'm now regretting it. Physical media has never gone away and, in fact, vinyl, tapes and CDs have witnessed something of a resurgence over the past few years. Same with Blu Ray and DVDs. It turns out signing up for streaming apps (be that video or music) only means you rent that song or film. You never own it and, who knows, one day that stuff you really like might just vanish.
With that in mind, I was very pleased to test out the Majority Oakington all-in-one DAB radio CD player. I quick trip to the attic revealed I had kept some of my favourite CD albums to one side so I was eager to relive the past while also keeping one eye on what's to come.
The player is a lovely mix of the new and the retro. With brushed aluminium to the front surrounded by oak. it feels and looks premium. Just a heads up a darker walnut version will be available in the autumn so choose the one that best suits your decor.
It's an all-in-one so the Oakington lives or dies with the quality of its two small speakers. Luckily, they pack a punch way out of their weight class. Matority's patented HD sound uses a 30-watt speaker system that is acoustically tuned in Cambridge to deliver crystal clear stereo sound that is crisp, deep and warm. It fills a room with no distortion. You to play around with the EQ settings via the remote.
Let's not get stuck on the CD player as the Oakington also boasts DAB/DAB+ digital and FM radio. The reception is pretty decent thanks to the retractable antennae on the back of the unit. But, of course, your DAB/DAB+ experience is somewhat limited to what the signal is like in your area. This is nothing to with the radio itself, but rather how the broadcasters have rather mucked it up.
Still, whether it was listening to Test Match Special or a music station I found little to complain about and setting up favourites was a doddle. Another string to the bow is you can connect another music device via Bluetooth, aux-in (a cable is supplied) or even USB and blast out music or podcasts from those powerful little speakers. And, as an extra bonus, you can also use USB to charge your phone.
There's no wifi so there's no voice control, internet radio or direct access to your music apps, but I didn't find myself missing them. I was too busy having fun with those shiny silver discs!
The Majority Oakington all-in-one DAB radio CD player is available on Amazon and the Majority website for £139. Currently available in oak, the walnut version will be available in early October.
Majority is one of the world’s first carbon-neutral audio brands, launching the Majority Forest with Ecologi. As of April 2023, the company has planted 435,824 trees and removed 481.55 tonnes of carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
