The Roberts Rambler Classic is an updated version of one of Roberts', well, classic models. As part of their refreshed Rambler lineup, the Classic is very much the flagship model in this range. But is it any good- and is it worth the premium price tag? We put it to the test in another of our in-depth reviews. Read on to find out what our experts thought of it!
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Design & build
One of the reasons why Roberts have lasted for almost a century is their distinctive approach to design. While they're probably best known for the Revival range, the Rambler series has been in production since the 1970s. Like its sibling range, the Rambler has kept the same basic look over the years, but with the occasional update to incorporate new technology. Of the new range, the Classic is the closest in size to the original Rambler.
The Rambler Classic comes in two different colours: either duck egg (or light blue if you prefer) or navy blue. While the previous iteration of the Rambler, the Rambler Mini, was made entirely from plastic, the new range is a return to their leatherette-and-wood design Roberts are best known for. Overall the build quality is very good- the radio feels nice and solid without being too heavy for a portable radio.
The front of the Classic is taken up by the iconic speaker grille, while all the controls are on the top. It has twin dials on the top- something that we personally like. These have a nice satisfying click to them when you turn them- a little tactile touch, but part of why Roberts products are so desirable. There's also a full-colour screen on the top, which displays station and track information while you're listening. It's not huge, but
Sound performance
As well as having a knack for great design, Roberts also know a thing or two about getting great sound quality from their radios- and the Rambler Classic is no exception. As one might expect, it's a fair bit more powerful than the smaller Rambler Uno, and maintains the well-balanced sound that we enjoyed from that model.
On the bottom of the Rambler Classic, there's an indented section that allows you neatly plug in the cables without them sticking out the back. But this also doubles as a bass reflex port, to give the radio a bit of a boost when it comes to low-end frequencies. It's not quite as bass-heavy as its sibling model, the Rambler Midi, but
Features
The Rambler Classic can tune in to both DAB and FM stations. This gives you a really great choice of stations- when we first turned it on and it scanned, it picked up over a hundred in total. With so much choice, though, it can take a while to scroll through all available stations to get to the ones you regularly listen to. That's why the Rambler Classic has five one-touch preset buttons, which allow you to instantly tune in to your favourites. These work independently for DAB and FM modes, and there's also the option to save an additional 15 presets for each mode in a separate menu.
It also has built-in Bluetooth connectivity, so you can connect up your phone to listen to your own choice of music or podcasts rather than what's on the radio.
The smaller models in the new Rambler range, the Uno and Midi, can both be powered by AA batteries. However, due to their larger size, the Classic and Max models both require a bespoke power pack to make them truly portable. This is the one real shortcoming of the Rambler Classic in our book- given the price of the radio, it would have been nice to have a built-in battery, especially since portability is the USP of the Rambler range.
Finally, there's also a USB charging port on the bottom of the Rambler Classic, so you can use it to charge up your phone, as well as a headphone port and aux-in port down there as well.
Roberts Rambler Classic: The Verdict
While a built-in battery would have been welcome, the Rambler Classic is otherwise a real return to form from Roberts. With fantastic sound quality and Roberts' signature flair for design, this is a radio we'd be proud to take out and about with us.
Final Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
