Verdict
Cute flavor , wellness lineament and clear-cut audio performance make the Robert Zen Plus a DAB radio worth considering for your bedside table , though it is on the expensive side .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Roberts is popular for its attractive and retro - styled radios and the Zen Plus is another one of its kinky - look attempt .
This digital radio supportsBluetoothand features health features such as ‘ Sleep Sounds ’ to help put you to sleep .
Is the Zen Plus a calming influence , or is thisDAB radioa nightmare to use ?
Design
The Zen Plus look not too dissimilar to Amazon’sEcho speakers , and perhaps its look is mean to deliberately call forth those innovative fresh speakers even though it bears no actual ‘ smarts ’ .
It also looks a bit like a tooth if you endure it vertical , and whenever I admit it in my manus , my mind gravitates towards Magic 8 - balls . It ’s a fashionable effort with a corking textured fabric covering wrap around the top half of its body , its compact size ensures it bring up less space on a bedside board . The Roberts Zen Plus comes in three colours : white , opprobrious and duck’s egg egg . It ’s a dim-witted but modern - looking radio .
The front - facing side features a soupcon sieve with a orotund clock / timekeeper face . It shine in the night in its standby mode which makes it easy to recognize the time if you ’ve find receive 40 heartbeat troublesome . The backlight can be alter between Auto , High , Medium , and Low – and pull up stakes on the first option , after a few minutes the screen will auto dim , convenient if the light spilling from the Roberts distracts .
The LCD screen features two dustup of image at the top that pertain to alarm / reasoned modes and intensity / tuner / select options . On the side of the clock / timer are smaller picture relating to horrify , snoozing , sleep timer on the right , while the left field reveals the Zen Plus ’ current modality . On top is the ‘ Select ’ push button to put the Zen Plus into standby .
Around the back is aUSB input signal for charge machine such as a smartphone , with a Sleep Sounds Memory Card space ( more on that later ) and a Backup Battery for fourth dimension / alarm clock / setting stand-in , the living expectancy of which is say to be several years .
Features
As this radiocommunication is called the Roberts Zen Plus , you ’d be right in adopt there ’s a standard Zen example . The main differences between them are that the Zen Plus carries a DAB radio , Bluetooth cyclosis , more presets , and Sleep Sounds .
In condition of presets , 10 are afforded to DAB and 10 to FM for a total of 20 . There are cheaper radios such as theGroov - e Zeusthat have thrice as much , but then 60 presets seem like overkill . enrol scope and select ‘ Save preset ’ to tally a place , or pillage through the single already created with the ‘ Recall preset ’ .
There ’s the capacitance for go under two dismay by holding the ‘ Alarm ’ button ( top left ) . Here you’re able to choose the oftenness of the alarm ( ‘ day-by-day ’ , ‘ workdays ’ , ‘ weekends ’ etc ) ; what mode / sounds to consociate with it ( DAB , FM , Sleep Sounds ) and volume . Hit the forty winks button and you get nine minutes before it beckons your input again .
A tap shows what ’s already been set with repeated water tap cycling through to switching the alarms off completely .
Sleep Sounds are noise to aid you sleep , set for a duration of twenty minutes . Some of the 13 choice include ‘ Gentle Stream ’ , ‘ Ocean wafture ’ , ‘ Rainfall ’ , ‘ Pink Noise ’ , ‘ Record End ’ ( for the vinyl lovers out there ) and ‘ Kitten whiz ’ , although the last one sounded fairly strong-growing to my tired ears .
The Zen Plus ’ interface can look complicated at first but spend some sentence and it becomes relatively conversant quite quickly . Oftentimes it figure out fine , but on a few social occasion it lacks responsiveness , leaving me prodding at the screen , and at other times it flashes repeatedly for intellect I ’m not sure of .
When working as it should , the menu preferences and navigation are relatively well-heeled enough to contend with . Tap the image that expect a little like a lemon with three dots to cycle through the Zen Plus ’ manner ( Sleep Sounds , Alarms , DAB , FM , and Bluetooth ) .
curb the same clit to insert the menus and then utilize the arrows for pilotage , with the ‘ Select ’ button to tick through and venture deeply . To follow out it ’s a hold on the menu picture . All - in - all it ’s a moderately unproblematic mean value of cover the menus .
Sound Quality
For a speaker of its sizing , the Roberts Zen Plus sounds much secure than expect . It ’s clearer and detailed than the large Groov - e Zeus and come to a more natural tone across DAB and FM stations .
Push the bulk to its loudest and it does n’t fathom strained , though your mileage may vary depending on the station and what ’s playing . A rummage through DAB and FM station and there was only one where I sense that the Zen Plus started to strike the ceiling with its volume ( Greatest Hits Surrey ) . At around 50 % volume it ’s readable and crisp with the spoken word , with no sibilance notice mind to Bloomberg , Absolute Radio , or any of the BBC Radio channels .
Though vocals take up much of the direction , there are appreciable stage of detail and definition to instrument in Mr. Mister ’s Broken Wings . The midrange is clear , and the top ending of the frequency reach is the right way shining enough to stand out without sounding fuzzy or dull . A more energetic track like John Parr ’s St. Elmo ’s Fire get decent thrust , and though the Zen Plus ’ passive radiator is poor of straight-out bass depth , there ’s enough present tense to furnish a sense of low frequencies that are free from twisting .
You may find some FM stations go good than DAB ( BBC Radio 2 was one example ) . Also , no matter of where I baby-sit in relation to the Zen Plus , the full - range driver within delivers a consistent operation from all angles . response has also been potent both upstair and downstairs , and though FM has testify to be a little crackly , a slight warehousing can avail in most cases .
Its Bluetooth execution is one I find more or less anemic with a flat sentience of energy and dynamism . Volume must be become all the way to max on both the Zen Plus and source machine for the receiving set to give a solid account of itself .
It ’s ok but it wo n’t replace a Bluetooth speaker like the similarly pricedUltimate Ears Wonderboom 3 . That portable utterer offer better , more rounded bass and clearer vocals with Jay - Z ’s Hard Knock Life . With Dove ’s Black and White Town , the Zen Plus is short of detail and definition in the midrange , the track ’s more industrious and percussive elements get across as just noise . The Zen Plus is certainly a honorable radio receiver than it is a wireless speaker .
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Should you buy it?
Stylish , smart speaker esque looks think of this bedside radio take up little space and look in force while doing so .
Considering what it does , just shy of £ 100 is a substantial asking cost for what ’s on fling .
Final Thoughts
sorcerous aesthetics are allied with a clear audio performance from both DAB and FM stations – the Roberts Zen Plus is an complete bedside radiocommunication . The Sleep Sounds feature is a dainty touch , and the USB port is useful for those who desire to shoot down their smartphones overnight .
The LCD screen ’s responsiveness can be a bit of a bother at times , and the Bluetooth audio operation is average . The price is also one I detect a little gamy given its respective feature band . Indeed , even the stock Zen model ’s cost of £ 59.99 also feel a petty high given what else is out there .
But if you ’re happy to make up for the cunning looks and added functionality over the Zen simulation , the Roberts Zen Plus is deserving a tipple . For a bedside radio you ’ll find out better value elsewhere , but not as full audio .
Trusted Score
How we test
We examine every radio we refresh thoroughly over an extended period of prison term . We use industry stock tests to compare feature properly . We ’ll always recount you what we find . We never , ever , take money to review a product .
observe out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
you could set two alarm clock with the Zen Plus , and you have a pick as to what ‘ healthy ’ to take up with such as DAB and FM stations , or Sleep Sounds .
Full Specs
Sustainability
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