When one thinks of Roberts radios, the immediate association is with a traditional form factor, a device intended to sit on a nightstand or kitchen counter, near permanently tuned to something warm and inviting. It’s the reason why Roberts carries a Royal Warrant for King Charles III (having originally been granted one for his mother back in 1955).
Browse RobertsRadio.com however, and you’ll experience the huge scope of products, from speakers and turntables, through to modern updates of classic form factors like the Revival and Rambler.
Now there’s an even newer model in town, the Roberts Revere. This family of three all-in-one audio solutions is being launched to tackle one of the missing links in the line-up, the compact disc player, providing a high-quality, room-filling sound machine that covers all bases.
Available in three sizes, 100, 300 and 500, the Revere eschews the usual colourful Roberts spread in favour of a simple stripped-back black lozenge, made from wood with a black leathercloth finish. All have top mounted controls, a front colour LCD display and forward and rear-facing speakers.
The simplest model is the Revere 100, which comes with the broadcasting triumvirate of DAB+/DAB/FM radio along with Bluetooth speaker capability. Two 2.25-inch full-range drivers are combined with a 5.25-inch passive bass radiator.
The Revere 300 is where things get more interesting. This model adds a CD player, together with USB device playback and the ability to charge a smartphone, along with a remote control and all the features of the 100. The speaker system includes two 3-inch full-range drivers with ported bass.
The new flagship is the Revere 500, which takes the 300’s functionality and adds in internet radio and podcasts, along with support for hi-res Spotify Connect, and Deezer, as well as control through a dedicated app and the ability to shape the sound profile depending on the placement of the device. The speaker systems includes two 2.5-inch full-range drivers along with two 3.5inch woofers.
According to Roberts CEO Owen Watters, ‘the Revere collection continues our sound-system legacy for Roberts. We have been lucky to have successful sound-system models such as the MP and Blutune series to establish our presence in this category, but Revere is a clear step-up’.
The CD revival is gathering pace, although it might never reach the heights of the renewed fascination with vinyl. With that said, CD sales are up ten per cent year on year in the UK, and Roberts cites stats from John Lewis (one of their key retailers) that show searches for CD players have increased by 96 per cent in the last few months.
‘The Revere range caters for all sizes and aspects of technology and has been crafted with our audience in mind, from slotting into the bookshelf to full-blown hosting in an open-plan area,’ Watters continues. ‘Our Roberts heritage has been visually preserved in each system, leveraging iconic design elements from the Revival family but doing this sympathetically and sensitively.’
The trio preserve the Roberts ethos whilst also adding something new (the CD component), and Watters notes that the welcome solidity of its classic radios has been carried through to the Revere models. ‘The tactile element of owning a Roberts has been preserved by the notable weight of the product, while packing the warm, rich, signature Roberts sound,’ he says, ‘We’re incredibly proud of the Revere series, and we hope Roberts fans will be even prouder.’
Roberts Revere 100, £249.99, Revere 300, £399.99, Revere 500, £599.99, RobertsRadio.com, @RobertsRadio