Retro Radios

Do you want flawless digital sound, but from a classic-looking radio? Then a retro radio could be perfect for you. A retro radio is a radio that looks vintage in style and design. While you can still buy older radios, you might not get the kind of sound quality you need to really enjoy music and radio stations. Instead, you can choose a vintage radio or retro radio that comes with DAB and DAB+ capability – and even Bluetooth-enabled, too.

Retro radios aren’t necessarily old. If you’re looking for a modern, digital radio that has a retro-style design, there are lots of options available.

Many retro radios come with not just FM radio, but DAB and DAB+, giving you access to a vast range of radio channels. If you choose a retro DAB radio with Bluetooth, you can also stream music or other audio content from a smartphone, laptop or tablet.
 

Popular features of a retro radio include preset channel function – you can store 20 or more of your favourite channels – the option of using battery or mains power, alarms with sleep and snooze function, a wide choice of colours and styles, and sizes.

At Roberts, we know all there is to know about retro radios. Why? Because we’ve been crafting radios for 90 years, so retro isn’t a gimmick for us – we were building top-quality radios throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. We can pour that expertise and knowledge into our modern range of retro style radios.

Retro DAB radios from Roberts are available in a choice of designs and styles. There’s the Revival range, which includes the Revival Uno, iStream3L Platinum, Uno BT and the Revival Petit, which is only 7.6cm in length. Another compact option is the Revival Mini. We also have the special edition iStream3L X Amy Edition, inspired by Amy Winehouse.
 

Our Rambler range of retro radios has 1970s vibes. The Rambler MINI has wireless Bluetooth streaming as well as DAB and DAB+ radio. The collection includes the Rambler BT and Rambler BT Stereo.

Check your specific product for instructions but generally, it’s simple to use a Roberts retro radio. Just turn on the power – either by plugging it into a plug socket or adding batteries – and then go from there. There will be a set-up message or an option to press a mode button to scan and tune for channels, connect to Bluetooth, etc.

You can find all our user manuals  here.

You should be able to receive all, or the majority, of radio stations on your retro digital radio, though it may be dependent on the type of retro or vintage radio you have. If you don’t have a radio fitted with DAB+ service, you won’t be able to pick up DAB+ radio stations. Most retro-style radios now come with both DAB and DAB+ capability but do check – it’s something to bear in mind when deciding what type to buy.

Sometimes, location can affect how many channels you can receive. There are online postcode checkers you can use to see what radio stations you should be picking up. If you aren’t picking up radio stations that you once were, you probably need to re-tune now and again.

It couldn’t be simpler – just plug it in to mains power, or use the right type and number of batteries, and switch the radio on.

Again, it’s simple enough. On a DAB retro radio there tends to be a button called Auto-Scan or Auto Tune, so just press that and your product should re-tune automatically. If you don’t have a button like that, you’ll probably find it within the menu option.
 

Yes, vintage DAB radios should deliver excellent sound quality. The vintage or retro element is usually just the styling and design. The technology involved – DAB, DAB+ and Bluetooth connectivity – means the sound should be close to crystal clear.

You can charge Roberts retro style radios easily, making them portable so you can move them from room to room, or even outside. Some models come with a USB-C charging cable, or a USB cable, to help them recharge.

Yes, if you take your retro radio abroad it will still work though you’re unlikely to be able to receive all the same channels as you would do at home as you’ll be out of range of many radio station frequencies. You will be able to tune for radio stations closer to you though, so you’ll still be able to enjoy music. And of course, if your retro radio has Bluetooth connectivity, you can stream music from your smartphone.