Pure has dominated the airwaves with its radio rich line up for quite a while now. The company has plentiful different products that offer all sorts of takes on the conventional radio. Everything from DAB bedside action to in car tuners is catered for.
Latest to be added to the setup is the Contour 100Di. Incorporating DAB and FM radios, as well as a clever revolving dock, it is a prime candidate for kitchen radio territory. The device itself looks like a plastic half moon with a silver revolving dock stuck in the middle. It definitely strays from the usual retro look that Pure products take on.
On top is six buttons; source, volume up and down, mute, favourite and power. These are set into a silver plastic band on top of the radio, it makes for a nice looking device albeit one with a tad too much plastic involved. Then again, if there had been any brushed aluminium on show things might have cost quite a bit more.
One of our favourite touches is the magnetised remote that sticks to the back. It is simple in design and has a colour scheme that matches the black and silver approach of the radio. It also gives you quick access to all the functions of the radio itself.
The actual revolving dock on the front, as bizarre as this might sound, doesn't revolve quick enough for us. You have to wait a little too long for it to spin round before you can plug your iPhone in. When returning it to the closed position. you have to push it back in a slightly awkward manner.
That really is all the bad we can say about the Contour 100Di. It incorporates the Pure 'The Lounge' app, which if you have membership to (its free until the end of the year), provides plentiful music in podcast, BBC and live station forms. It also means you can control the radio through your iPhone screen, a much better interface than the conventional controls found on other radios.
Audio quality was reflective of the product's £100 price tag. It certainly filled the room and didn't sound half bad but is by no means something that would satisfy and audiophile. Then again the Contour 100Di does a lot that other hifi systems wont allow, namely the iPod app control and thorough DAB integration. As such it becomes the perfect high tech device for radio fans and those not that bothered about sound quality.
Good stuff yet again from Pure. We see this as one for those looking for something a bit less retro but wanting the same functionality as the rest of its top end product line up. For the price, we cant think of a much more formidable kitchen radio setup, especially if you own an iPhone or iPad.
What do you think to the Pure? Like it? Let us know in the comments below ...