Pure Sensia 200D Connect

Do improvements make t pis Sensia a radio to be reckoned with?

Our handful of complaints about the first-generation Pure Sensia have mostly been corrected with this new 200D Connect model. Its touchscreen controls are now smoother and more responsive. The lag that bedevilled the original Sensia is mostly gone, and flicking between on-screen apps such as the weather, Picasa viewer, RSS reader, Facebook and Twitter is much easier. it’s still not perfect; the Sensia’s screen doesn’t compare favourably with the iPad’s, for example. But it’s much better than its predecessor’s.

The power button has been redesigned and repositioned so you don’t keep catching it accidentally. Its volume and mute controls are now atop the device, which is far more convenient than having them on the touchscreen. A USB port at the rear lets you play audio

tracks from and record radio to a thumb drive, and you can schedule recordings to avoid missing your favourite shows. Bass and treble controls are present, and you can add a rechargeable power pack for portable play (sold separately).

Once again, you can stream music from your Mac or uPnP NAS drive, but now you can also stream it from your iOS or Android device using the Pure Lounge app. It’s a decent enough alternative to AirPlay, which the Sensia doesn’t feature. Navigating to a specific album and finding the tracks in alphabetical rather than album order is irritating, but at least audio quality is improved. Its sound is rounder and deeper than before, with better stereo. It’s not quite up there with Revo’s K2, but it packs enough power to fill a decent-sized room without distortion.

The 200D is a worthy successor to the original Pure Sensia. Its gorgeous design and versatile touchscreen are wisely retained, and the additional features and improvements are very welcome.