Don’t quite call it a comeback because it never left, but sales of CD have been growing in the past few years and Roberts Radio wants to join in on the resurgence with the launch of the Revere range, three stereo systems combining CD, radio, Bluetooth and streaming playback.
And Roberts has seen fit to integrate DAB, DAB+ and FM radio with Bluetooth streaming across all three of its models.
Each unit sits inside a hand-built, acoustically tuned wooden cabinet finished in premium black leathercloth, a construction approach more commonly found in higher-end hi-fi separates than compact all-in-one systems.
Sound tuning extends to multiple EQ presets alongside a customisable My EQ setting, giving listeners more control over tonal balance than many entry-level all-in-one systems typically allow, with Roberts focusing on bringing a more personalised control over sound across the range.
Digging into the range itself, the entry-level Revere 100 pairs twin 2.25-inch stereo drivers with a 5.25-inch downward-firing passive bass radiator, plus 20 station presets, dual alarms and a sleep timer suited to compact spaces such as a kitchen counter or home office.
Stepping up, the Revere 300 adds a built-in CD player, USB playback and device charging, along with a remote control and larger twin 3-inch drivers with rear-ported bass for richer output in a living room setting.
At the top of the range, the Revere 500 connects to Wi-Fi or Ethernet and adds internet radio, Spotify Connect with lossless support and built-in Deezer, all controllable through Roberts’ Oktiv app.
Its four-driver speaker system, built from two 2.5-inch full-range drivers and two 3.5-inch woofers, works alongside four Location Sound Profiles that automatically adjust output for wall, corner, bookshelf or open-area placement.
That attention to real listening environments echoes comments from Roberts chief executive Owen Watters, who framed the launch as a deliberate balance, saying: “Revere is about bringing together two things that don’t have to be at odds: the character and ritual of physical listening, and the convenience of modern technology.”
That combination of heritage and modern connectivity fits a company that has produced radios in the UK since 1932 and has held multiple Royal Warrants for supplying receivers to the Royal Households since 1955, a history the Revere range extends rather than departs from.
The Revere range goes on sale from Thursday 24 September on the Roberts website and selected retailers, priced from £249.99 for the Revere 100, the Revere 300 is priced at £399.99 and the flagship Revere 500 will cost £599.99
