Pure Evoke F4 review
This radio and audio streamer’s great of features are let down by a clumsy menu interface
The Pure Connect app, available on the Apple Store and Android Play Store allows you to control the F4 from your phone. The app has a few rough edges, though. For example, when we tried to create an account via the app, it reported an “unknown error”. We were also presented with an unknown error when we tried to reset a forgotten password via the app, so it’s best to configure accounts using the Pure website.
Once installed, the Android app detected the F4 as a compatible Jongo device, so we could pair it with other Pure Jongo music devices and stream music or radio stations to it from our phone. We were delighted to find that this works extremely well and we liked being able to search for and add stations to our Favourites list easily. You can also mesh Jongo-compatible devices together to create multi-room audio systems. You can mesh the devices together to create multi-room audio systems.
The app also gives you access to hot new releases available on Pure’s music network, but unless you buy a subscription you’ll just get to hear a few minutes of the tracks. You can even access on-demand radio content, so we could catch up with the Archers Omnibus.
As with the Flow, the Evoke F4 has its share of non-standard and slightly counterintuitive interface quirks. We got used to them, but some things, such as browsing content on DLNA media shares, never became easy. We’d have liked to do that via the app, and build proper playlists with it, too. As it stands, the Evoke F4 doesn’t quite live up to its potential, even though it has a great combination of features. The Evoke F4 is a good system, but if you don’t need DAB the Logitech Smart Radio UE is cheaper, much easier to use and has both a full colour screen and a battery.
Basic Specifications | |
---|---|
Rating | **** |
Media Streamer type | audio streaming device |
Audio Compatibility | |
Audio MP3 playback | Yes |
Audio WMA playback | Yes |
Audio WMA-DRM playback | No |
Audio AAC playback | Yes |
Audio Protected AAC playback | No |
Audio OGG playback | No |
Audio WAV playback | Yes |
Audio Audible playback | No |
Other audio formats | none |
Video Compatibility | |
Other video formats | N/A |
Image Compatibility | |
Image BMP support | No |
Image JPEG support | No |
Image TIFF support | No |
Network Interfaces | |
Wired network ports | 1x 10/100 |
Wireless networking support | Yes |
AV Interfaces | |
Minijack line outputs | 1 |
Minijack headphone outputs | 1 |
Stereo phono outputs | 0 |
Coaxial S/PDIF outputs | 0 |
Optical S/PDIF outputs | 0 |
Total SCART sockets | 0 |
HDMI outputs | 0 |
Component outputs | 0 |
S-video output | 0 |
Composite outputs | 0 |
Other connectors | USB |
Physical | |
Size | 175x209x110mm |
Power consumption standby | 1W |
Power consumption on | 4W |
Server Compatibility | |
Software included | Pure Connect |
UPnP | Yes |
iTunes | No |
SlimServer | No |
SMB | No |
Buying Information | |
Price | £180 |
Warranty | two years RTB |
Supplier | http://www.petertyson.co.uk |
Details | www.pure.com |