Revo iBlik RadioStation digital radio
This versatile and modern digital radio is hampered by its mono speaker
Pros
- Good looks and tabletop size, Wi-Fi and iPod dock
Cons
- Muffled mono speaker, no official iPhone support
Bottom Line
The Revo iBlik RadioStation is a digital radio that rivals the Kogan Digital Radio and the OXX Classic DAB+ when it comes to versatility. It's a stylish unit as well, but there are a few issues that stop us from recommending it wholeheartedly.
-
Price
$ 449.00 (AUD)
The Revo iBlik RadioStation is a desktop digital radio with an iPod dock and Wi-Fi networking. It's stylish and modern, but the troublesome controls and an imperfect mono speaker mean it isn't a great choice.
We like the look of the Revo iBlik RadioStation: the vaguely trapezoidal shape and black finish reminds us of a certain lovable robot. A gloss accent on the front on either side of the blue two-line LCD adds a touch of class. Unfortunately we found the buttons difficult to navigate and having the screen on the front (away from the buttons) doesn't help. We get the feeling the iBlik RadioStation is destined for many bedside tables — an iPod dock and buttons that are easy to use when you're standing by your bed, and a crisp screen that's easy to see while you're lying down.
Like the Kogan digital radio and the OXX Classic DAB+ digital radio, the Revo iBlik RadioStation has an internal Wi-Fi chip and aerial allowing it to connect to your home network. Be thankful you only have to connect it once for it to remember your password — the push-button interface of the iBlik RadioStation means that every character is tortuous to enter.
Once the initial setup is out of the way, the experience takes a massive change for the better with a huge range of Internet radio stations available, in addition to whatever media you have stored on the PCs on your Wi-Fi network. Navigating through media and Internet radio stations is quick and trouble-free. The iPod dock is an added bonus and although our iPhone 3GS wasn't officially supported, music played back with no difficulties (though only supported devices can be operated via the remote control).
Sound quality is our main sticking point with the Revo iBlik RadioStation. It has a single monaural speaker like the majority of other digital radios on the market, but it's a smaller speaker than many others. Its upwards orientation means the digital radio has a room-filling sound when the volume is turned up, which is a pleasant alternative to the more focused sound of the Pure ONE Classic. The speaker has reasonable mid-range response but there was a distinct lack of treble clarity, often leaving music sounding more muffled and closed-in than other players. There's also no scope for adjusting treble or bass weighting through an equaliser, so you can't tailor the sound to suit your tastes.
We think the Revo iBlik RadioStation looks great and is a good table-top alternative to the taller, more imposing units from Kogan and OXX. Unfortunately, the lack of official iPhone support is puzzling, the controls may take some getting used to and the sound quality isn't brilliant. If you're intending to use it as a fire-and-forget system for the living room or bedroom, the Revo iBlik RadioStation should serve its purpose well.
Follow GoodGearGuide on Twitter: @GoodGearGuide
Brand Post
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 Acer K242HYL review: An affordable monitor for any occasion
- 4 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 5 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
Latest News Articles
- You can now rock out to Apple Music on Roku devices
- Complete guide to the new AirPods Pro 2
- Apple Music adds DJ mixes in spatial audio
- Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ will be free for the first 12 weeks of the season
- Apple TV+ makes history at wild Oscars ceremony
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D
The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
- Every TV in Samsung's 2022 line-up: OLED, Neo QLED and more!
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?