There have been plenty of DAB/FM and Internet/FM combinations, but never a single product that delivers the ultimate triple whammy of DAB, FM and Internet. This dream is a reality with Revo's introduction of the multi-talented Blik RadioStation.
Strengths
The Blik is lightweight and compact, with a housebrick- sized footprint, so finding a spot for it on a bookshelf, worktop or desk won't be too difficult. It's also finished in rather natty matte black, which sets it aside from the usual boxy wood-finished DAB efforts. A white version is also available.
There's built-in Wi-Fi, so hooking it up to your home network is simply a matter of keying in the WEP or WPA key using the credit card-sized remote. The remote's buttons can be unresponsive and fiddly, so the fact that you only need to do this once is quite a relief.
Once you're connected, you can access over 9,000 Web radio stations from all over the planet. As with most devices of this type, the Blik groups them into genre and country to make browsing the list less daunting. If you get bored of these, you can also stream MP3, AAC, WAV, RealMedia, AIFF, AU and WMA music from a Windows PC or Mac.
Despite the lightweight plastic build and single speaker, the Blik delivers solid sound quality across its full range of abilities. Of course, much of this depends on the quality of the signal -- or the bitrate in the case of DAB and Web radio -- but we found the results more than acceptable whatever we were listening to. It's not going to have audiophiles going into raptures, but they can always use the line outputs to hook it up to a more sonically adept system if they want.
Speaking of connections, the Blik comes with a 3.5mm auxiliary input rather grandly dubbed the 'M-Port'. This is basically just a way for you to hook up iPods, MP3 players and mobile phones, should you want to run their contents through the Blik's speaker.
Weaknesses
As we've already mentioned, the sound quality on the Blik isn't the tip-top finest we've heard from a DAB or Web radio. The plastic body means that bass is kept light and airy, while the single speaker means you can forget about having a wide stereo separation. But this is strictly a basic desktop radio and the price tag reflects that.
Conclusion
The Revo Blik RadioStation is probably best described as the ultimate radio, as it's the only device we've seen that manages to serve up both DAB and Internet radio as well as FM and music streaming. It's a winning combination that ensures you've always got something to listen to, and the affordable price tag is the icing on an already scrumptious piece of sonic confectionary.
Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday
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User reviews3
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Sandy Sandaver 3 August 2010
Comment: It has a lot of options but maybe it's trying too hard to be everything to everybody, however, it has its uses. If you do not get a good FM signal and live iin an area with no digital signal for DAB then link it into your Hi-Fi through the RCA outputs and you have through your Wi-Fi a relatively cheap tuner with the addition of an iPod station that you can use for that or any MP3 device payback. you can also stream music from your PC throuhg it onto your Hi-Fi so it has its uses. Forget the alarm, the units speaker etc. Just plug it in the mains and groove.
t m 17 November 2008
Good: All in one
Bad: Too many loose ends
Comment: I purchased this unit, because it is supposed to have all the functions you wish for: ipod docking station, FM receiver, DAB radio, WiFi, plays music from your home network and it has an alarm.
Nice features, but when it comes to usability it simply doesn't do what it is supposed to. Too many of the features don't work properly. Here are the things i don't like about the Revo iblik radiostation:
- Clock: Setting clock has to be done manually. It should be working automatically by synching to your network. When you unplug it for any reason, you have to reset everything. The clock has no extra battery or anything.
- Alarm: Doens't go off when you set the function to anything else but the funciton you want your alarm to use to wake you up. e.g. you want the WiFi radio to wake you but you have set it to ipod before going to sleep. It simply doesn't wake you in the morning! And since the clock has no extra battery, you'd have to use a back up alarm, just in case of a power failure over night or anything like that.
- Sleep: function simply doesn't work!
- Remote: you have to point right at the receiver from very close by! you might as well not have it.
- Play music for network: doesn't support 4ma files (apple's itunes). They said it might do so with the next software update...
- Display: too bright to have it on at night. I have to shove the unit under my bed to avoid my room to be too bright at night. It's also not quite as userfriendly as you'd like.
Bottom line: don't buy this unit if you are looking for a combination of all the features. It simply isn't good enough to spent your money on.
Brian Thomas 16 August 2008
Good: Looks OK but that's about it.
Bad: Bad display, mains only, poor reception
Comment: Buying the Radiostation was this year's mistake. I was mainly interested in the wi-fi feature and it’s been a major disappointment. Perhaps the next generation might be worthwhile.
A small radio that has to be plugged into the mains? When you do plug it in you have to set the time all over again (if you ever planned on using it as an alarm) and then you wait and wait for something to listen to?? I should have read the specs more carefully!
Any old second hand portable PC would have been MUCH better. The display is user-hostile, the wi-fi range is pathetic, it's SO slow in locking onto any station and then it drops them as fast as it can.
If you have more than one small room to live in then this item is not for you.
I've gone back to using my trusty wi-fi speaker (half the price!) that picks up from a small transmitter plugged into the PC speaker socket. It has twice the range, much better tone, uses rechargeable batteries and it gives max versatility.
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