Slick looking speaker offers a range of playback options
The 4th-gen Ruark Audio R2 speaker has been unveiled by the UK audio specialist, offering a plethora of playback options from a small footprinted, slick looking, speaker.
The Ruark R2 Mk4 is a much more refined device than 2015’s model; a slatted wood grille, combined with a bonded glass display and Ruark’s trademark RotoDial controller helps to create a stylish retro-radio aesthetic.
The auto-brightness LCD display on the front not only shows the time, alarm and programme information, but also presents station and album artwork.
Packing DAB+, FM and internet tuners for radio, the R2 Mk4 also works with Spotify Connect, Amazon Music and Deezer.
There’s also a USB-C port for both charging and file playback and a switchable auxiliary line input and headphone output.
It would have been nice to see Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice controls baked in, but you do have the option of adding in a smart speaker, such as an Echo Dot via the line-in on the back to add some smarts.
The R2 Mk4 is also capable of acting as a regular Bluetooth speaker so, aside from those officially supported streaming services mentioned above, you can use your phone or tablet to ping across any digital music you want.
However, the R2 isn’t part of Ruark’s multi-room audio system; unlike its predecessor.
To get involved with that you’d need to pick up the R5 (£999), the MRx (£399) bookshelf speaker, or the R7 Radiogram (£2,300).
Ruark Audio, who hail from Southend-on-Sea (where all great things come from), are a favourite here at The Ambient, and we’re sure the R2 Mk4 won’t disappoint.
We look forward to putting it through its paces in the coming weeks, stay tuned for a review. It’s on sale now, direct from Ruark, and costs £479. It comes in two styles, ‘espresso’ and ‘light cream’.
