Ruark R2 Mk4 in the test: How good is the noble radio with streaming functions?

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Premium all-rounder in a stylish design

Thanks to WiFi reception, you don’t have to rely on digital and analogue radio. Instead, the Ruark R2 also receives online radio stations and integrates into your home network via DLNA streaming. The Ruark R2 also supports Spotify Connect, Amazon Music and Deezer, so you can stream your favorite music to the radio via WiFi.

Alternatively, you can send music to the radio via Bluetooth with support for the aptX codec or connect USB media with your music collection via the USB-C port. Given the possibilities, it’s a bit of a shame that Ruark doesn’t support Chromecast or AirPlay 2, which would have made the R2 Mk4 even more flexible. There is also no integrated CD player like some other DAB radios, such as the Pure Classic C-D6 or Technisat Digitradio CD BT.

The Ruark R2 Mk4 is dressed in stylish wooden struts that give it a cozy impression.

The British manufacturer packs the diverse functions into a compact housing that visually underlines the premium claim with its mix of retro charm and modernity. Our list of the best gives you an overview of the other design approaches in the area of ​​digital radios:

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Ruark R2 Mk4 im Klangtest

In terms of sound, Ruark has bigger guns with the R2 Mk4 than you might expect from such a compact digital radio. Despite its small size, the system has enough power to provide sound even in larger rooms. The stereo stage can be heard well differentiated. Optionally, you can activate a 3D sound option using the rotary wheel menu on the device, which expands the stage using software tricks. In our test room, this actually provided an even clearer differentiation, but it sounded a bit artificial, so we liked the sound of the Ruark R2 Mk4 better without the option.

Naturally, the radio shows its strengths best when streaming from Spotify and Co., as higher bit rates are possible here than with DAB reception. In the default setting, the sound is quite warm and minimally bass-heavy, but does not forget the highs and mids.

The Ruark R2 Mk4 clearly outperforms simple kitchen radios in terms of sound.

The Ruark system shows slight weaknesses when reproducing high frequencies at higher volumes. With guitar solos or higher vocals, a certain sharpness mixes into the sound, which throws the balance a little out of balance. In practice, this is actually criticism at a higher level that not all listeners have to share – especially since we are really talking about volumes that would be more likely to be heard at parties than in typical everyday listening.

In addition, you can adjust the sound settings using the integrated equalizer and thus soften the “sharpness” effect a little. We liked the “Jazz” preset as a balanced universal solution for most genres a little better than the basic setting. Optionally, you can also adjust the treble and bass to suit your taste.

At high volume levels, the Ruark R2 sounds slightly sharp, but the effect can be mitigated using an integrated equalizer.

Overall, the Ruark R2 Mk4 impresses almost across the board in terms of sound and delivers a sound volume that doesn’t need to hide from the DAB radio competition or WLAN speakers in the upper price segment.

Ruark R2 Mk4 in everyday life

Ruark’s compact digital radio scores not only with its sound quality, but also with its well-thought-out operation. The initial setup is impressive: the device is quickly connected to the WLAN and searching for digital and analogue radio stations is also easy. All 61 digital radio stations available to us have been found and saved.

The ability to save your favorite stations or streaming playlists as presets and quickly open them is practical. This works with DAB and FM radios as well as with Internet music. It’s a bit of a shame that Ruark only allows eight presets – other DAB radios often offer more, such as the Teufel Radio 3Sixty with its 30 presets.

The operation of the Ruak radio is well thought out, but unfortunately it only lets you save eight stations or playlists as presets.

The color display, which is easy to read even in bright light, gives us nothing to complain about. It provides you with information about ongoing content and helps you navigate through the logically structured menus. This also comes into play when using classic radio functions such as the sleep timer or setting an alarm clock.

The display of the Ruark R2 Mk4 is always readable – even when exposed to light.

Operation via app, remote and rotary controller

You can control the Ruark R2 Mk4 in several ways. On the device itself you will find a practical rotary dial as well as a series of buttons with which you can control the volume, source selection, track control and more. Alternatively, you can use the remote control, whose selection of buttons is minimalistic but is completely sufficient for everyday radio use.

You can control the Ruark R2 Mk4 via your smartphone using, among other things, the Undok app. | Screenshots: Undok

As a third option, you have two smartphone apps to choose from: the older universal app Undok or the newer version Oktiv. Using both apps, we were able to easily find and set up the Ruark R2 Mk4 on our WiFi. We were able to select music via radio or streaming platforms as well as the settings of the radio itself without any errors during the test period.

The second control option on the smartphone is the Oktiv app. | Screenshot: Oktiv

A search for our HIFI.DE “Stream ab!” podcast in the radio’s internal podcast function revealed a downer: the episodes did not appear on either Undok or Oktiv, while they were directly available on Spotify, for example. So keep in mind that the podcast search may not be perfect.

The R2 Mk4 also lacks a multiroom option, although other Ruark systems offer this. That’s a shame, especially since the lack of support for Chromecast and AirPlay 2 comes into play here once again.

Elegant design and workmanship

Visually, Ruark relies on a combination of modern and retro aesthetics for the R2 Mk4. The result is a design that is as elegant as it is timeless. The front, with its wooden speaker grill and the shiny bar that also houses the display, should fit well into most living environments. Small disadvantage: The glass bead is quite susceptible to fingerprints. Since you probably rarely move the radio and there are no controls here, this isn’t a major problem in practice. In addition to the dark “Espresso” version we tested, you can also buy the Ruark R2 in the light “Cream” version.

Ruark also lives up to its premium standards on the outside. Design and workmanship leave no room for criticism.

The housing of the Ruark R2 Mk4 is made entirely of high-quality materials and its workmanship is impressive across the board. Weighing around three kilograms, it is also robust and conveys a high level of quality. It’s also nice that Ruark has included connections for headphones and external players via line-in on the back of the case.

Ruark R2 in the test: conclusion

With the Ruark R2 Mk4, the British manufacturer delivers a versatile DAB radio that is almost consistently impressive in terms of both sound and functionality. It offers a surprisingly powerful sound for its compact housing. The ability to play music via WiFi, Bluetooth or UBS-C is an added value to classic DAB reception. Visually it is also a real eye-catcher. However, given the hefty price tag, you should consider whether a high-quality streaming speaker might be a better option. The lack of support for Chromecast and AirPlay 2 as well as the omission of a multiroom option within the Ruark portfolio are questionable decisions. If you can live with that, you will get an excellent digital radio that can play in the top class in terms of sound.

((test seal))

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