Roberts DAB radio: retro chic

Ah... those sweet childhood memories -- huddled around a valve radio waiting for it to warm up; sitting cross-legged on the floor, listening to the shipping forecast while the smell of baking bread floated through from the kitchen. When we laid our hands on the Roberts Gemini 10 digital radio, it took us right back in the wayback machine.

For a start, the Gemini smells amazing. Before we’d even plugged this sucker in, it was obvious it was something a little special. It’s a kind of leathery, wooden smell; the kind of smell you’d expect if you stuck your head in an antique grandfather clock – definitely not what we’re used to from digital radios.

Switch the Gemini on, and aside from the instant warm-up, you’re back in 1940's. Jazz FM had no right to sound so good through the Gemini’s Lilliputian 1W speaker, but it did. There was some serious double-bass action going on in the session we listened to, but the Roberts handled it easily, only distorting very slightly when we turned the volume up full. Expect a full review soon. -CS