Although I love streaming music, I still spend much of my day listening to the radio. Perhaps it’s my age, but radio is the medium I grew up with and I enjoy speech and music programming being intelligently curated for me. I listen to the radio when I am working and now that we have Internet radio, the choice of stations on offer is almost unlimited.
Ruark is a British boutique audio brand set up in 1985 and still believes in the power of radio. The company says radio is thriving, with recent polls showing that radio is still the leading entertainment for many people during the day.
To pay homage to this enduring medium, Ruark has announced a brand-new DAB/DAB+/FM radio that includes functions fit for the digital age. The Ruark R1S offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming and Ruark is touting the new device as a complete music system that’s compact enough to be put anywhere in the home for providing entertainment throughout the day.
The Ruark R1S draws its design inspiration from the rich tones of slow-growing hardwoods but without the ecological impact. The cabinet and grille of the radio blend nicely with the trademark Ruark RotoDial controller and there’s a new color display that makes the most of the technical capabilities of the R1S.
Although many of us still listen to live or linear radio broadcasts, we are also increasingly enjoying radio via catch-up services. Meanwhile, podcasts are more popular than ever. The R1S is designed to make it easy to listen to these two types of programming.
The R1S has a color TFT screen that displays the time, alarm setting and program information for Wi-Fi sources. The display can show album and radio station artwork, while a light sensor automatically adjusts the screen brightness levels, making it suitable for bedside use. Other valuable features include a USB-C charging port and an MP3 playback port. For private listening, there’s a headphone output, switchable line input and even an optional BackPack 3 battery pack for taking the R1S on the move.
To make the R1S sound as good as possible, Ruark says it has used a dynamic linear amplifier. The company claims the R1S produces a highly listenable sound at all volume levels by using adaptive equalization. Ruark’s latest NS+ speaker driver has been housed in an enclosure optimized to produce a smooth and extended frequency response with bass far more profound than a small radio could typically make.
Aesthetically, the R1S displays subtle curves and a mid-grey finish alongside a composite wood speaker grille. The overall effect looks fresh and contemporary. The speaker grille is made from sustainable woods, spliced, colored and recomposed to mimic the look of tropical hardwoods.
The SmartRadio tuner built into the Ruark R1S offers access to Internet stations worldwide and has a source dedicated to podcasts. To browse through all the great content available, the R1S has a search facility for finding and saving stations and podcasts using the RotoDial controller.
For convenience, the R1S has an optional remote control, plus the device can be controlled using the Oktiv smartphone app. Oktiv provides control of most of the R1S functions and is ideal for swiftly browsing stations and podcasts. As well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming built, the R1S can directly support Spotify Connect, Amazon Music and Deezer. Other streaming services can be streamed via Bluetooth.
It’s good to see that radio is still a popular medium, especially for an increasing number of people working from home. It’s good to see this new compact radio from Ruark bridging the divide between traditional radio broadcasts and the wealth of programming available from the Internet with catch-up and podcasts. I’ve bought two Ruark radios over the past decade and I am still using them.
Pricing & Availability: The Ruark RS1 is available in the UK now and costs £229. Global pricing is to be confirmed.
More info: www.ruarkaudio.com
Features:
- Streaming: Wi-Fi with Spotify Connect, Deezer and Amazon Music.
- Bluetooth: Version 5.
- SmartRadio tuner with internet radio/DAB/DAB+/FM.
- Combined USB-C charge and MP3 playback port.
- Optional Infrared remote control.
- Analog input/headphone output.
- Full-color auto-dimming TFT display.
- Class A-B amplifier system.
- Ruark neodymium NS+ full range driver.
- Finish: Mid-Grey lacquer with Composite ‘Fused Walnut’ grille.
- Dimensions (HxWxD): 175 × W130 × D135mm.
- Weight: 1.6 kg.