Ruark Audio R1-30 (Swiss Red) deluxe tabletop Bluetooth Radio

A very sad return.... only because the pictured red was for me more of an orangey red in the flesh.Cracking radio though, not worth £200 in my view however more accurate value at £179 sale price.As I say, a sad return, only because of colour. Suggest anyone considering red trys to view an actual Red Ruark.

After an exhaustive look for a suitable bedside clock radio I stumbled across the R1 from Ruark. Anyone whose an audiophile will have heard of Ruark Acoustics and their excellent speakers. Normally I wouldn't put so much money down on a bedside or kitchen radio, but being a Hifi geek this little device fills several roles. On the one hand its a diminutive alarm clock and radio, on the other it's a rocking Bluetooth speaker for use in the garden or when away in the caravan. Also the 30th anniversary limited Swiss Red colour appealed!So what's it like? It's well thought out, simple to use, great display (brightness levels are separately configurable for both on and standby) with a useful range of ports - audio out, audio in, USB phone charging. You can also buy (separately) a battery pack and carry case for complete portability.Sound quality is suitably impressive (and loud) for something so small, and build quality is also excellent, as you'd expect from Ruark. Quality costs and this is well worth investing in if sound and build quality is paramount.

I decided to replace my old kitchen transistor radio with a much better one, and after very little research decided on this Ruark which gets top reviews in it's various Vita/Ruark iterations. Apart from the sensitive future-proofed FM/DAB/DAB+ radio needing nothing more than the supplied telescopic aerial, it has many useful functions including two settable alarms and Bluetooth connectivity. Music and Voice sound very good indeed with a good bass from the internal amp and decent 3.5" ported speaker. The top all-purpose dial is easy to use and the 12/24 hour clock OLED display is discreet, dimmable, and clear. I can't see why this nice 'Swiss Red' finish should be £30 cheaper than the veneered chipboard walnut effect one - but it brightens up my kitchen. For the same money you could get a proper hi-fi quality DAB stereo radio with CD player, but the small footprint means the Ruark can be set out of the way on a kitchen shelf or bedside table. Recommended. Mind you, I noticed too late that the supplier is actually selling these radios slightly cheaper through his own website, and with free first class posting too. I guess we're paying the surcharge for the privilege of buying under the Amazon umbrella, but I for one won't be caught out like this again.Additional:Regrettably my Ruark clock radio developed an intermittent fault whereby the clock kept poor time and the display occasionally blanked out. I contacted Ruark several times but they were no help at all, simply saying "try switching it off and then back on again" and "leave it for a while and see if it sorts itself out". Poor customer service, and crucially they did not once offer to repair it under their so called "no quibble" guarantee. In the event I gave up with them and returned it to the dealer for a full refund. Thank goodness for the cast iron Amazon money back guarantee. The moral is, do not buy one of these clock radios because if you get a duff one, Ruark just don't want to know.

Just arrived - I'm in love. Beautiful looks and sound and the first DAB radio ever which has got a signal in the flat I live in. Doddle to set up; plug in; follow the instructions; minutes later all done and dusted. This is small, ultra cute and functional - bit like me!With regard to the redness of the red if you're colour coding - I think the colour is called 'pimento red' which has a smidge of orange rather than a 100% deep red. Please Ruark, start making them in all different colours - you'd sell loads more (do I get future commission for this suggestion?!).

Yes it's expensive for a portable radio but everything about it feels high quality, even down to the packaging.It's simple to use looks great as a feature in my window sil and the sound quality is amazing. Bear in mind it's a portable radio regarding sound quality so you won't get thumping bass, so look elsewhere if that's your aim.

Bought to use in a cellar kitchen, after trying another brand that could not pick up a signal. Really impressed with the Ruark, the sound is excellent and it looks and feels great quality.

Great product. East to set up and use. Sound quality is great - much, much better that the Roberts and Sony devices it is replacing. Appears sturdy and build to last. Would thoroughly recommend. Treat yourself!

Bought For My Wife She Loves It