Roberts Rambler RD76 review

While Intempo has sought the attentions of a new generation of radio listeners with its gaudy KTM-02, Roberts has been a little more conservative with its 'Rambler'. So much so that it looks like a museum piece.

Like Marmite or Lyon's Golden Syrup, the Rambler's packaging is the same now as when it was first dreamed up in the Sixties, with only minor differences.

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OK, so there's a tiny LCD screen that shows station name, artist, song title, scrolling news text and whatever else is broadcast by your favourite frequency. The Rambler is also available in pink, aquamarine, blue, green or, as here, in pale blue, another nod to modernity.

The same goes for its effeminate carrying handle. Forget the polished wood veneers that some DABs boast about, because here's a real, rough 'n' ready wooden front that looks great in separation. The overall style is a bit weird, though, as it looks like a wooden handbag.

A great help is the similarly old fashioned layout of the buttons - all on top, with tuning on one side, volume on the other. It features a lightning fast autotune and tunes in well to individual stations. It also holds the signal well. Scrolling between stations is simple and doesn't require reading the manual.

The sound quality is impressive for such a small product. It's better than most with music and has enough for a decent rendition of music. Lending weight and depth to voice radio, the Rambler does well in terms of sound quality.

If you don't mind the retro design, this DAB radio has real appeal. It covers the basics well and works well with both speech and music.