Roberts Sound MP-53
The basics
All-in-one clock radio with CD deck, stereo speakers (2 x 8W amplification), iPod dock, SD and USB playback of MP3s and an integrated DAB/FM tuner.
The good
You can breathe a sigh of relief – here’s an all-in-one system that combines effortless ease of use with decent sound quality. Slap on an iPod and it’ll charge it up while letting you select songs using the remote control. Or you can record tunes from any of the DAB and FM stations, or the built-in CD, straight to an SD card or USB stick. The acoustically tuned, high gloss piano black wooden cabinet blasts out music with more power than its 8W spec suggests, and even the alarm clock knows not to wake you at the weekends.
The bad
While the Roberts looks better and costs less than rival Bose systems, the sound buys richness and warmth at the cost of some clarity: classical music and talk radio have sounded better. The price is also on the steep side for a player that doesn’t quite reach an all-out tech climax, lacking Wi-Fi.
The bottom line
Flexibility and convenience are the name of the game here. The Roberts will slide seamlessly into a modern bathroom, kitchen or bedroom very much the way a chameleon, with all due respect to its reputation for disguise, won’t. Although admittedly it won’t do as much for your house fly and cricket infestations.
User comments (8)
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capitalginger723 February 2010
you have made this a buget object when the cheapest that i could find it was £278.00 that alot of money for a buget object!
Report as inappropriateBen Norman27 March 2010
Ive been saving for ages and i have £150. What are the best, good looking speakers i can get???
Report as inappropriateCaptain_Chao527 April 2010
I agree with capitalginger7 - £278 is hardly budget..If i was spending that much I'd get a Bose dock or a B&W Mini Zeppelin...and have change!
Report as inappropriateTony T04 July 2010
I had one of these briefly - I bought it as an unboxed clearance item from my local department store. It went back as the tuner didn't work. I don't have an iPod (yet) so I just tested the CD player against my 10 year old top load Bose Wave Radio CD. I was hoping that a fully working model would be an ideal update from my old Bose. Unforunately, the sound doesn't come even close - quite harsh in comparison and the display is way too bright (and can't be dimmed) for bedside use.... I'm saving my pennies for the Vita Audio R4...
Report as inappropriateRyan25 November 2010
this is not budget!!!!
Report as inappropriateSteve06 December 2010
I agree with the reviews. This is not a budget price! I'm very happy with my JBL On Stage 200ID speaker dock I bought about a year ago. Now £66.99 on Amazon. Plenty of good reviews.
Report as inappropriatesathiyan24 April 2011
I agree with the comments, not at all a budget review, i somehow feel this is more of a sponsored interest for actors to showcase and to sell. And i somehow see this is more of a different marketing strategy for program and products.... i am sorry but mostly i see this kind in most of the items listed here.
Report as inappropriatexypk218 August 2011
thin is certainly not budget. i bought a logitech pure-fi anywhere 2 for just £70 off amazon and it has not failed me one bit
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