As you probably know, Europe has chosen Eureka 147 rather that IBOC as its digital radio standard. (Although I understand the French are playing with IBOC on an experimental basis). This morning, I visited an electronic shop in Oslo, Norway. They had several DAB radios on display. None were connected up, so I couldn't hear any of them, but manufacturers included Sony, Panasonic and Grundig. The cheapest one was priced at 1499 NOK (Norwegian Kroner). Most were in the 1695-1995 NOK range. At the moment, there are about 6 Kroner to the US Dollar. You do the math. That places the cheapest one at about $250. I would guess that there is tax above that. I think VAT (their sales tax) is 18.5%, but I could be wrong about that figure. It may be different on radios.
Norway is certainly not the cheapest place I've ever visited, and I'll bet the shop I happened into was not the cheapest in town. Nonetheless, Europe has been at this for some time. Ten years maybe, and the radios are now down to $250-300 or so. I think that is an interesting comparison with digital radio prices in the US. I suspect that any form of digital radio will cost more than an analog only radio for a very long time. Incidentally, all of them also had analog FM capabilities, and most had AM as well. I only saw one with Long Wave on it, which is pretty well abandoned even in Europe.
I have heard reports that some stores in England are only carrying DAB capable radios It is not because there aren't any analog radios to be had. Rather it is because it just isn’t worth the stores time to sell them. It takes just as long to sell a $15.00 radio as it does to sell a $200.00 radio. Your gross profit margin on the cheap radio might be three dollars, but you might make $50-60 on the more expensive radio. Cheap radios are the realm of the mass merchants. It’s the Walmart effect, not the end of analog technology, as we know it.
Norway is certainly not the cheapest place I've ever visited, and I'll bet the shop I happened into was not the cheapest in town. Nonetheless, Europe has been at this for some time. Ten years maybe, and the radios are now down to $250-300 or so. I think that is an interesting comparison with digital radio prices in the US. I suspect that any form of digital radio will cost more than an analog only radio for a very long time. Incidentally, all of them also had analog FM capabilities, and most had AM as well. I only saw one with Long Wave on it, which is pretty well abandoned even in Europe.
I have heard reports that some stores in England are only carrying DAB capable radios It is not because there aren't any analog radios to be had. Rather it is because it just isn’t worth the stores time to sell them. It takes just as long to sell a $15.00 radio as it does to sell a $200.00 radio. Your gross profit margin on the cheap radio might be three dollars, but you might make $50-60 on the more expensive radio. Cheap radios are the realm of the mass merchants. It’s the Walmart effect, not the end of analog technology, as we know it.
