Revo iBlik RadioStation digital radio

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.

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