In 2022 it seems almost anachronistic to talk about radio, very often relegated to traveling by car, just to keep us company while we drive. But let’s try for a moment to broaden our horizons, imagining a radio that not only broadcasts the classic stations, but that is able to reproduce all possible sources, from web radios to Spotify, from Amazon Music to DAB radios.
The result? 3Sixty by Teufel, which has managed not to make the word “radio” obsolete by not limiting it to FM stations. Here is the device I’m about to introduce you to in this review.
3Sixty: packaging and first installation
Inside the package you will find the devicea TV remote and the instruction manual. Nothing more and nothing to assemble, since once the power cable is connected the radio is already working.
Appearance is its strong point, with that retro touch that makes it very special; And compact and relatively light (28cm wide by 17.5cm high, about 2.5kg weight), with one LCD screen on the front of 240 x 320 px, a control knob on both sides and one row of buttons at the bottom. We tested the black version, very elegant but with the defect of immediately noticing fingerprints and dust. Alternatively it is also available in a completely white version.
On the back side we find instead the antennathe USB socketthe attack for the power supply and the entrance AUX. The USB port also allows you to charge your smartphone, making the product a sort of powerbank.
Once turned on, you are asked to connect it to the application, available for both iOS and Android systems, which works like a remote control, as well as allowing you to connect the radio to the home wifi network. According to Teufel with 3Sixty you can listen to almost all the radios in the world, a statement that is difficult to verify but given the countless number of possible choices I can admit that it comes very close.
It may seem like a secondary feature, but 3Sixty also has one wake up function that activates with your favorite radio station. The LCD display, when the radio is not active, shows date and time and I personally found it very useful, having placed it in a room where there are no other clocks.
Ultimately there are three ways in which you can interact with 3Sixty, and all three are very convenient.
Using the knobs and buttons on the radio
The knob on the left adjusts the volumewhile the one on the right allows you to change radio station choosing from the list on the display. The menu button next to the knob allows you to choose the source (internet radio, Amazon Music, Spotify, USB, DAB, FM, Bluetooth, AUX).
If the radio is placed in an easily accessible place, for example it is on the desk you use to work, the commands on the device are certainly the most comfortable, but it should be noted that for Spotify and Amazon Music it is necessary an action from the connected phone. There are 4 buttons for a instant access to favorites (radio stations or Spotify playlists) but they are 30 possible bailoutsaccessible via the “favorites” menu, indicated by a star.
Through the application
Apart from the management of the FM radio, which must necessarily be done via the search knob, everything else can be managed via the app, including the various equalizer settings and function setting wakes up. There is also a handy function that allows you to set a sleep timerfor example if you want to fall asleep listening to music (or the sounds of nature broadcast by one of the many web radios).
In my opinion, the application is the most convenient mode, since the smartphone is always at hand and allows you to manage the radio even from another room. Also if you have a lot of music saved on your phone, you can use bluetooth mode and stream it directly to 3Sixty.
The last option, the remote control
I left it as a last resort because I personally did not find it convenient to use the remote control. It has far fewer controls than those on the device and needs some proximity to work, however it can be handy for some quick operations like turning the volume up and down or skipping to the next song.
Aside from the volume and favorites controls, most of the others need to see the display; but if you are close enough to see it, then the remote loses its usefulness.
The audio and transmission quality
Under the fabric cover on the top of the 3Sixty Radio there are two broadband speakers arranged vertically which send sound waves in all directions through 360 degree cones, while a subwoofer, placed in the lower part, takes care of the bass tones. All of this is powered by a 3-channel amplifier delivering up to 30W.
Remembering that it is an extremely compact device, the sound is very powerful and this surprised me a little. I couldn’t try it at maximum volume, otherwise they would have thrown me out of the house (and in any case it’s really loud enough not to be bearable), but bass are well balanced they highs are not cut. The built-in subwoofer does a brilliant job, the music sounds rich and deep although not comparable to that of a soundbar, but it comes close enough. Mid tones are also produced well and actually the sound is sent in 360 degreessince when you move around the room you will not hear changes in the sound, as happens with one-way devices.
Broadcast on bluetooth is perfect, I tested it while watching a movie with a tablet using 3Sixty as a speaker, and there was no delay or loss of signal. The only flaw I noticed with some DAB stations where the sound was interruptedbut the fact that it has happened on rare occasions did not allow me to verify if it was a defect in the transmission or the radio.
In conclusion
Is a product worth buying? Of course the retro look plays a fundamental role in the choice, as whether you choose the white or the black model you will have a elegant product that integrates into the environment home. There easy to use allows you to install the device in no time and immediately start listening to your favorite music, whatever the source.
You also have more channels available than you will ever be able to listen to, which can also be selected through a convenient search: for example, I, who am a lover of 90s dance music, have found numerous stations that broadcast over the internet continuously. And I also discovered that there are radio stations that play Christmas music every day of the year, just because in the test I tried to type “christmas” as a keyword!
We have recently entered spring, but I will tell you that this return to the Christmas atmosphere made me happy! The LCD display it offers a wide view also from the side, allowing you to always have an eye on the information of what is being transmitted.
3Sixty is purchasable on Amazon or on the Teufel website at 349.99 euros.
#Teufel #Radio #3Sixty #review