Roberts Radio Ecologic 4 DAB Radio Review

After some detailed market research I have bought the Roberts Radio Ecologic 4 DAB radio from John Lewis here in the UK. I am delighted by the radio and cannot fault the service from John Lewis. This new radio is truly portable and so I have installed my favourite Ansmann rechargeable batteries to complete the perfect package.

[@wolfnuzzles]

Thanks very much for taking the time to review this, it's on my birthday wishlist now!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

This radio follows us around the downstairs of the house and we listen to it at various time every day. It is a great design and sounds super. I hope your birthday is not too far away. Peter

[@kitefighter]

A superb review of a very appealing radio. Quite a reasonable price too.

[@mickyp3357]

Superb review, you did miss a couple of features in your description, Bluetooth connectivity for example. But even so, a well presented and wonderfully delivered presentation that should be a standard on KZbin.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Micky, I don't think this radio has a Bluetooth capability. Peter

[@SKAatelier]

I have been looking for a DAB radio for the lowest price and best quality. I'm really glad to find your review of this Roberts Radio ecoLogic4 BT Radio. It gives me confidence to spend the money :)

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Sookoon, Mine still works today as well as it did when I bought it. I am also still using those same rechargeable batteries. Cheers. Peter

[@MollyiXXX]

Excellent presentation, I'm doing my own research before I make a purchase and this formed part of that.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Liam, That is a good idea. I have both Roberts and Pure digital radios and I recommend both. Peter

[@Doug5524]

I purchased one of these Roberts Radio Ecologic 4 DAB radio from Curry's about 6 years ago and still works perfectly I admit it does not move it stays in the kitchen and I have never used batteries the sound quality is very good and picks up loads of station with ease and I live in Essex UK , if it stopped tomorrow I would buy another one and they are cheaper now than 6 years ago, usually John Lewis give a good warranty on there goods

[@NewBritWorkshop]

+Doug J Thanks Doug. Ours has batteries in and is moved around a lot. Enjoy your listening. Peter

[@ianwatson4355]

thanks for good review

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Ian, Many thanks. Peter

[@baycity71]

Thank you Peter for an informative video on the Roberts Eco 4, I have been thinking of buying this for a month or so now, But after seeing your video my mind was made up. I have just placed my order and have also purchased some Ansmann D batteries and Battery charger after seeing your battery video. Thanks Peter. Justin.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

***** Hi Justin, Mine is doing well despite it getting the odd knock. The Ansmann batteries are brilliant. I was visiting a professional photographer a few days ago and on his desk he had 3 new packs of Ansmann AAs. He said that they are the only ones that he buys. Peter

[@braindeadtoo]

Really great sound. Nice bass and extended treble. A much brighter sound is possible than on my Pure radios. However this can be tuned to taste with the tone controls. The only disappointment is that the speakers are not good at handling the available bass and start flapping when the bass control approaches a mid setting, unless the volume is set low.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Thanks for sharing!

[@JamesE707]

Hello Peter, just noticed that the Ecologic 4 version you have appears to (potentially) decode DAB+, and *yet* this very model, in this video does *not* have an Auxilary input socket, but a Line Out as engineered into the original model? - a little puzzling. Perhaps your radio is an early production-run model of the second series, who knows? Excellent video BTW, I too have been looking for a 'decent' DAB radio - it's a toss up between this and the Hepburn MKii. Regards.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Interesting. Cheers. Peter

[@jimporter]

Really Peter, I subscribed to your channel for tool reviews and woodworking tips and projects, not for reviews of every new toy you get. Now I know I don't have to watch but thought I would just let you have my opinion.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Jim, Just keep an eye on the title of the videos! Peter

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Alex Burnside You are welcome Alex. Peter

[@richardcorry8928]

Only just saw your review this afternoon. I was going to go for the Retro Revival one, but after seeing bad feedback about their reliability, coupled with the leather peeling off, I decided against it. Drove to Currys and bought this. Aren't they excellent? I hope you're still enjoying yours?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Richard, I am listening to mine right now (Desert Island Disks with Gareth Malone as guest) and it is brilliant. I have had no trouble with this radio at all and it is still just as new. I use it for about 3 hours a day. Peter

[@frankburns8946]

Did you mention the wattage? You need a bit of Oomph for music. Otherwise...what's the point?

[@petercurtis9297]

I just purchased the blue tune 5 after watching your video on ecologic. I think it's a new version. I've wanted to find something with long battery life.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Peter, Yes, I think yours will have Bluetooth which is handy. Cheers. Peter

[@carlszymanski5812]

Bought one of these as a Christmas present to myself, from Argos...lasted 11 months...power amplifier failed...also after about 6 months it would loose memory of the stored stations if power was turned off or batteries removed...luckily Argos exchanged it for a Pure one elite series 2, which seems more reliable...lasted 3 yrs so far.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Carl, Yes, I have a couple of Pure radios as well and they are excellent but my Roberts is still going strong and is used for several hours a day. Peter

[@kernowrock555]

this looks great , but is there an external antenna output ? Thanks ( Darren , Wiltshire, U.K.)

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Darren, No but all you need to do is use a crocodile clip from your external antenna to the telescopic antenna on the radio. Peter

[@chesterfield44]

I'm currently looking at buying one of these peter, but the reviews regarding the on- off switch is holding me back a little, is this still a issue with the radio

[@NewBritWorkshop]

+chesterfield44 I can only tell you that I use my radio all the time with lots of on/off activity. It is on at breakfast, coffee time, then lunch, afternoon tea (you would think that no work gets done here) and then in the evening during supper. The radio is the same today as it was when I bought it. I am delighted. Peter

[@nickhickson8738]

I have had this excellent radio since 2009 (how time flies by) but tonight I turned it on and then an hour later tried to turn it off but it wouldn't so had to pull the mains plug on it. I tried to turn it on again but no go. I appears that the ON/OFF button or its flip/flop circuit has failed and so I am left as to what to do - try and get it repaired or buy the same again or the replacement model with Bluetooth which I don't really want. What a pain.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

+Nick Hickson Hi Nick, The failure of the on/off switch has been reported time and time again and it is a great pity. I do not know whether the on/off function works but it is clearly not a toggling mechanical switch otherwise your radio would have worked again after turning the mains back on. There is a chance that the contact that does the flip/flop that you describe just needs to be cleaned with Electrolube. This might be possible and if you could only find a suitable repair person. Good luck. Peter

[@1965Scotia]

Hello, Just wondering how many hours did you get from Ansmann 8500 Mah in your test?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

+1965Scotia It was too many to worry about...I use the radio every day for about 45 minutes at breakfast, 15 minutes during coffee, 90 minutes over lunch and then twice more in the afternoon (say 15 minutes each and then about 45 minutes in the evening. So, about 3 hours 45 minutes a day. The Ansmann batteries last about a month. Peter

[@mikeypeters7003]

Does the radio charge the batteries whilst plugged in, as the newer Roberts do? Thank you.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Mikey, Unfortunately not and that is something that I fed in to Roberts when I bought the radio. That said, My rechargeable batteries easily last a month per charge and they then just charge over night ready for the next 4-5 weeks of use. Cheers. Peter

[@clkbateman]

What battery charger do you use for your Ansmann rechargeable batteries?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Andy, I have a collection of 3 Ansmann chargers - two are just for AA and AAA and the larger one does all type. They all seem to be very good. Peter

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Russiaincolor, I am not sure if it is made in China - it does not say where it is made on the radio itself. The Chinese are great manufacturers and so it does not worry me at all if it is made there. Peter

[@Sweetboy2204]

I know this may sound like a stupid question Peter and forgive me if it is but i read somewhere that you cannot charge the rechargeable batteries whilst they are in this particular radio, is that true?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Glen, That is true and I have sent an email to Roberts suggesting that they consider doing this with future radios. Despite this, I am finding that the radio will last up to 6 weeks on a single charge (using the Ansmann batteries). This is despite the radio being on a lot throughout the day. The batteries recharge over night and so it is no big deal. Peter

[@mariumrajah]

just bought one of eBay £60 .. I already have dab6 dab76 too ..

[@moochincrawdad]

Great review - why didn't Roberts just put a rechargeable lithium ion cell inside this radio?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

moochincrawdad I am not sure - I did suggest that they should at least build a charger into the radio so that people could add their own rechargeable batteries. Many thanks for the kind words. Peter

[@braindeadtoo]

I much prefer separate rechargeable batteries. It means I don't ever need to connect my radio to the mains and with two sets, I can be charging the old ones whilst listening with the new.

[@MegAndJas]

Mines is just two weeks over two years old, a Christmas present to my wife. It died today!! No sound from speakers or headphones, looks like a dead amplifier, I've also read about some poor reliability issues, so I have decided against an expensive repair preferring to look foe another (cheaper) radio, I think the days of superb quality Roberts radios are long gone.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

There have been several people wondering about the quality of Roberts Radios but I can only judge things from my own experience. My Roberts radio is still going strong with no issues whatsoever. My Pure radio, which is a lot older, is also doing really well too. Peter

[@MegAndJas]

Of course, personal experience is the best! Mine was used every day for 105 weeks without a problem, then it died, let's hope yours goes for longer than mine :)

[@TheWestlondongent]

great video. I had this radio but the sound suddenly stopped working.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Sorry to hear that

[@soldierloz]

Hi there, does this radio support DAB+? How many stations on DAB has it found?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

You will need to check the manufacturer's web site as the models change quite frequently. This one was bought ages ago. It is still working very well but I have recently bought the Roberts Revival iStream 3 which is terrific. Peter

[@soldierloz]

@@NewBritWorkshop thanks Peter, I’ve got the chance to buy a “used twice” one for 40 pounds but not sure whether it’s worth me paying more for a newer model. How many stations have you got on yours? Roughly?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

That sounds like good value if it is genuine. Check that the on-off switch is okay as in the early days of this video people reported that they sometimes went wrong. Mine is fine. As for the number of stations, it will depend where you live and the signal strength. We have tons of channels. Peter

[@Jamesnebula]

Hi do you know this model is DAB+?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi James, It says so on their web site and on the box. Peter

[@SamuelUK_]

Can I play aux off this radio without interference

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Yes you can - it says so in the manual. Peter

[@frankburns8946]

I've a Robert's 'SOUND 80' stereo which I've had for 3 years. I treat it like a baby...only problem is that the radio goes 'off' station sometimes and then I'm reduced to using my old( but excellent) Sony analogue radio which has served me well for 15 years.And it never goes 'off' station. Why do people buy 'mono' DAB radios? Never understood why you would spend a lot of money on a DAB radio to listen to music in boring mono...

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Frank Burns This is stereo and works well. Peter

[@frankburns8946]

New Brit Workshop Thanks. I love DAB radio but it still has a lot of problems reception wise. I listen to 4Extra and in the middle of a drama the radio makes a 'gurgling' sound and up comes on the screen the words 'OFF AIR.' Then it's a case of moving it around the room to another socket in the hope that it will 'kick-in' again. Not so with my Sony analogue.From reviews I have read it seems to me that the brand 'PURE' is the one to go for. They have a model which pumps out 30 Watts RMS? Impressive!!

[@29au81]

I used energizer recharge batts...Takes up to 16-20 hours to charge and am lucky to get 2 hours out of it!!!!!Feel like getting rid of it...Personally think the sound ie bass is rubbish

[@vousden]

Good, detailed review, but seriously, 2.5 minutes on how great your batteries are?!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi George, Well I have had those same batteries for several years now and they are still brilliant. Peter

[@Super12101963]

i don't have any sound, radio is working with head set

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Joe, I cannot help you and suggest that you speak to your local repair man - it should not cost too much as the insides of these radios are quite simple. Peter

[@dougsinden6881]

"new brit workshop"? you don't look very new?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Doug Sinden Hi Doug, It is all about understanding adjectives and the nouns that they apply to - you are right, I am no spring chicken. Peter

[@KirillShvalev]

Kinda radio, sorry that in the workshop quickly becomes blocked.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

I really enjoy listening to the radio in the workshop. I may even put digital radio into my ear defenders. Peter

[@philipspiers8252]

+New Brit Workshop (Peter) Sorry, my experience is problems with the on/off switch. I was initially delighted with the set until it was about 2 months out of warranty. Then it started acting up. I am not going to pay Roberts £40+ postage to get this fixed. Looking on the web it seems there is a problem with a foreign sourced logic chip. If I can't fix it myself then the set will be in the recycling bin. I will not be buying another Roberts product.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

I wonder whether there has been a bad batch of these radios as mine is still perfect. Peter

[@29au81]

75 hours on one charge!!!!!!!!....I have one of these radios,and if i can get 15 hours without the the thing dying on me i consider myself lucky..

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Paul, It may vary with the usage pattern, My usage is a series of short bursts with considerable space in between. Also, I do not have the volume up very high as the radio is next to my chair. Peter

[@29au81]

Ok Thanks Peter for the reply....I will try that...

[@johnmilton3200]

hi peter these radios are of dubious quality, with a known on off switch fault do not buy.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hello John, I have already bought mine and have been using every day since the beginning of November. I have not experienced any problems at all and have not heard of on-off switch issues of any sort. Peter

[@johnmilton3200]

great radio but the on off switch with this model is a known fault, be lucky if you get two years.real shame great radio.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Luckily I bought it from John Lewis then. Peter

[@g7npl]

You did not mention this radio does not have DAB+ big let down.

[@gabrielsurvey10]

DAB + is written on the radio and also on the box. Since the review is Dec 2013 it might just be DAB +. Roberts states 2014 as dab+ enabled.

[@georgethepatriot2785]

Great radio until the on/off switch fails . Common fault look up reviews in Amazon and elsewhere. Mine lasted just over 2 years . Roberts are well aware of this but appear to not care . They will offer a repair at a charge. Never again will I buy Roberts .

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Peter Ainsworth Hi Peter, Yes it is a great radio but I will be jolly annoyed if the on/off switch fails - if it does I will let everyone know straight away. Many thanks. Peter

[@georgethepatriot2785]

New Brit Workshop Hi Mine lasted a lot longer than many others. Im furious I spent over 70 pounds for what? I think theres a case for the radio not being of merchantable quality and I shall look into this.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Peter Ainsworth Please keep us all informed. Peter

[@asamarea]

Peter Ainsworth hi Peter my on/off knob failed after 14 months. I contacted Roberts who totally denied the systemic issue and wanted to charge £40 to fix it with only 6 month warranty. I''l never buy a Roberts again until they admit the fault and mend their ways! What a shame the directors of a British company can be so unconcerned about people they are supplying.

[@fodfa63]

Peter Ainsworth I had this radio given to me as a gift. I must admit I hardly used it. Have had it just over 18 months and recently it started to switch itself on of a night time which freaked me out the first time it did it. The only way I could turn it off was to pull the plug (mains power). A couple of days later I tried it and it reluctantly turned on after some time. A couple of hours later whilst listening to it I smelt something electrical burning. I went to the radio and found that it had some major elec fault going on. I pulled the plug again and since then it will not switch on. Its useless, and possibly has the potential to cause a fire ? So I now see the store from which it was purchased has withdrawn them from their shelves. This is in Australia by the way. No more Roberts for me either !

[@starsnstuff842]

I don't like Roberts products, I've had several of their radios over the years both DAB and analogue and they just don't last.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Leslie, I have had Roberts radios for years and I have never had one fail. Peter

[@starsnstuff842]

HI Peter, I've had three Roberts FM World band radios that broke down on me and a Record R that just went dead a couple of days ago after just 3 years of fairly light use.They are good products while they last but it can be a bit expensive. Having said that I have a five year old Roberts Sports DAB 5 personal radio that's had a lot of use and is still going strong even after dropping it a couple of times.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Leslie, I have a small Pure personal DAB radio which is stunning. Peter

[@goldie69X]

Bought this. Packed up 3 years later. No help from Roberts. POOR!

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Mine is still going strong with no problems at all. I use it every day - 2 hours in the morning, 1 and 1/2 hours at lunch time and about an hour in the early evening - 7 days a week. Peter

[@goldie69X]

Peter, it lights up. Tunes in,.But NO speaker noise. BUT if you add a external speaker it works . What is the issue?

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Paul, I don't know. I am not a radio technician. In the old days there was a man at the end of the high street who could fix something like that for about £2. Peter

[@goldie69X]

send him to leeds , or can post :-)......or bin it ! Cheers P

[@NewBritWorkshop]

The chap at the end of the high street disappeared a long time ago - we live in a throw away world and people who can do repairs are hard to find. Peter

[@david.voyeux212]

placer boite poire allé tel tout le 1h ce o radio àpel sur log des a peluche ré su sur radio miradior

[@NewBritWorkshop]

David, I cannot get any sense out of what you have written. Peter