Hacker or Roberts Radio - Which is the Best? Imagine this, it's Summer 1975 and you can Buy One!

Come and join me in my time machine. I have set it to a Saturday morning in June 1975. I have cash in my pocket and I'm out to buy a British-made premium transistor radio. I have a choice between the Hacker and Roberts radio brands. What will I buy, and what radio would you have sitting on your kitchen top in 1975? Join me as we take a blast into the past.

[@MHS1975]

I used to work for Hacker Radio, which became Hacker Sound, was based in Norreys Drive, Cox Green Maidenhead, Berkshire, I assembled most of the Radios, Speakers and MC 600 Music Centres, I still own one in mint condition assembled by myself, it was a small factory enjoyed my time working there, knew every person there, still great memories which will never fade away ❤️❤️❤️

[@radiowyn1703]

Hello. How wonderful to have someone who actually worked for Hacker Radio watch my video! I have just looked on Google Maps and can see that there are a lot of industrial-type units on Norreys Drive. I wonder if the Hacker factory still stands? I would imagine it was a great place to work with it being a small business and personal. Such a shame we have lost most of these great British companies. I bet you had great pride in your work. Both my Hacker radios still work well with no repairs, such great quality. Was there a production line for assembly, or did an individual assemble most of a radio unit? Cheers!

[@allencarey5735]

Brilliant overview. Thank you.

[@radiowyn1703]

Hello. Thank you very much for watching. It's good to know you enjoyed my video, and great to share our interest in these old radios.

[@Pazza72]

Just got myself a Hacker RP25B - cracking sound quality also great audio input to plug in your smartphone.

[@radiowyn1703]

I like the idea of playing music through your phone and inputting through a jack lead into your RP25B. Hide the phone behind the radio and blast those 1970s tunes out. They are great radios with superb sound quality! Cheers.

[@barbsblogs1563]

Thanks for sharing 👌I have been an amateur radio operator for many years and just recently I have started buying up a few Robert’s radios from the auction sites refurbishing and realigning them, I’ll be looking out for a Hacker now your collection looks great 👍🏻…

[@radiowyn1703]

Hello, thank you for watching and commenting👍. Great that you are rescuing old Roberts radios and bringing them back into service. You won't be disappointed in Hacker radio ownership, a premium product of its day. They look very complex inside, and very well engineered. I admire your skills in repairing these old radios👏👏...

[@Pazza72]

I have the Hacker RP72MB - super model and sound great + build quality. I also have a later Roberts R25 again another good radio.

[@radiowyn1703]

Yes, the Hackers were a top-notch radio. The Roberts R25 is also a good set, I have one of those too. I don't think we will see radios of the quality of British-made Hacker and Roberts again. It is good that we can still enjoy listening to them.

[@darrensmith6999]

Great Selection!! I have 2 Hackers a Herald and a Sovereign, and far too many Roberts to mention (:

[@radiowyn1703]

Hello. Yes, I can fully understand. I have Roberts 📻everywhere and just the two Hackers as seen in the video. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@Jericho297]

I’ve been using a Roberts RIC 2 since 2018 and so far has been performing well even though it has no FM. Since living in Scotland the reception hasn’t been amazing so its kinda been a ornament while I use my Pilot T91 which does have FM. Other than that a few friends always preferred Hacker over Roberts for mixed reasons.

[@radiowyn1703]

I also have a Roberts RIC 2 and a RIC 1. They seem undervalued and produce a good tone. The first British radio to use a microchip incorporating a Mullard TAD100. I think we will have a lot of cheap AM radios on the market soon as we lose more stations. Luckily they rolled back the FM switch off. So your Pilot T91 is the way to go. I have an Ekco U319 with FM and just had it serviced. It seems that Hacker will always win the majority of support. Definitely a better quality product than the Roberts, but I believe that Roberts Radios are more practical in use. Thanks for watching.

[@neilsradios]

Nice summary and review there. I've had a few of the Hacker and Roberts stable. Generally the Hackers are easier to work on in my opinion, but both when in order give very good sound. The only problem using them nowadays is the restricted VHF/FM top end (Hackers generally only go to 101 MHz and Roberts to 104 MHz, because in those days above 100 was police radio. Nowadays there are quite a few stations you can't get with these. It's this restriction that makes me use the Roberts ones more often.

[@radiowyn1703]

Thank you for watching and for your comments much appreciated! You surprise me, I thought the Hackers looked much more complex than the Roberts sets. I know the Roberts R707 radios are very difficult to service regarding access to the modules hidden behind the waveband switches. I've seen Radiocruncher do a few of these. The Hacker sets look very well-engineered in comparison to Roberts. As a child back in the 1960s my father had a Bush VTR103, he was blind then, so the radio was always on, and he listened to the Police on VHF. I can still hear those pips. I wanted to listen to pop music.

[@simontaylor2319]

I have 3 Hackers a Sovereign III & 2 Hunters - THE BEST but need the power pack which I have, Beatutifully designed with excellent sound quality. Bought my Hunter in 1973, the Sovereign was my late uncle's (an ex BBC Producer! (putchased in the 60s - he knew what he was doing choosing a Hacker)

[@radiowyn1703]

Thank you for watching and sharing your Hacker story. It must have been quite a treat purchasing a brand new Hacker in 1973, and wonderful that you still have it. I imagine a big purchase in those days, but well worth it to get the best of British radio. Our family radio in the 1960s/70s was a Bush VTR103 with VHF, which I still have. Being a BBC producer, I'm sure your uncle knew the best radio to purchase. Amazing these old Hacker radios still continue to serve. and having your radio for all those years has paid you back many times over.

[@michaelstaley2241]

Excellent yes I have, I own a hacker sovereign 111 green Swede purchased in 1978 from Rackhams in Birmingham..

[@radiowyn1703]

Brilliant! I can only imagine what it would have been like to buy a Hacker back in the 1970s, and you actually purchased one new and still have it, a rare Hacker at that. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@6643bear]

Hi great over view , I have big selection of Robert’s and some hacker , hacker always had get sounding radio it had elac speaker in them , regards mark

[@radiowyn1703]

Hello Mark. Thank you for watching my videos and sharing your interest in these wonderful old radios. I doubt we would ever see radios made to the same quality standards as Hacker again. I tend to prefer the styling of Roberts over Hacker, but when it comes to quality and sound, I think Hacker wins, with the R707 a close 2nd. Cheers

[@chriswilshaw]

I have a rad 29 fidelity radio which I still use

[@anthonylawrence60]

i don't think you would have been able to buy a hacker in rumbelows

[@radiowyn1703]

Hello, and thanks for your input. Yes, I agree, I came to that conclusion as I progressed through making the video and looking at my Hacker Sovereign III. It would be interesting to learn which retailers Hacker used to sell their radios?

[@danielrussell446]

It says on the old hacker brochures it was the finest radio dealers in town

[@neilpaxman]

I'm pretty sure you could. I was a manager at Rumbelows in 1980/84 and I'm convinced we had Roberts and Hacker in stock.