Best internet radios Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s guide to the best internet radios you can buy in 2020.
Radio is a medium that needs to be believed to be seen, or so the saying goes. Well some of these radios need to be seen to be believed.
We're focussing on internet radios here, those that connect to the thousands of stations available online. Want troubadour jazz? Hungarian hip-hop? Or is pygmy skiffle more your cup of tea? Chances are there's a station for you.
While the many internet stations might vary wildly in quality, these radios do not. We've selected only the best that we've reviewed in recent memory - these are all five- or four-star products, so you can rest assured they'll do you proud.
When buying you should look for wi-fi and wired ethernet capabilities (for the most stable performance), as well as Bluetooth and NFC to expand your range of listening options. All of these offer Spotify Connect built-in, while some go further and include support for other streaming services like Tidal and Deezer too.
Roberts has a great track record when it comes to radios, and this is another stellar entry. As well as internet radio (over wi-fi or ethernet), you get FM and DAB, Bluetooth, access to digital music files over LAN and built-in Spotify Connect. So you're not short of listening options.
It's a very enjoyable listening experience, too, with a detailed midrange that's fizzing with warmth. The audio is balanced, and confidently handles the dynamics, whether you're blasting out hip-hop or enjoying Desert Island Discs on a Sunday. It's everything you could want from a radio, and more.
Read the full review: Roberts Stream 94i
The iStream 3 also isn't short of listening options. As well as all the features of the Stream 94i, you get built-in access to Tidal, Amazon Prime Music and Deezer, providing you have subscriptions to them. So while it might look retro, it's very much a modern-day wireless. Sonically, it's beautifully rich and warm, with a focus on the midrange (essential when listening to the vocal-heavy medium of radio). There's also great rhythmic agility and a nice sense of sonic organisation that makes this radio stand out from the crowd.
Read the full review: Roberts Revival iStream 3
If you're going to put the word 'Super' in the name, your product better be something special. Thankfully the Revo SuperConnect is just that. You get the full suite of connectivity options, including wi-fi, Bluetooth aptX, and Spotify Connect, and it's easy to use, thanks to the clear OLED screen and large control dial. And the sound? Impressively weighty, with serious scale and authority and not a hint of harshness or brightness. At times it can be a little too weighty - that bass could do with being reined in a little. Nevertheless, it's a great option for anyone looking for a new Internet radio.
Read the full review: Revo SuperConnect
With a handy carry handle, this is the most portable of the bunch. And you needn't worry about it surviving the journey: it feels satisfying weighty and solid, like it could take a few knocks along the way. Sound-wise, the presentation is nice and clear, with good body and texture, even if the treble can sometimes sound a little harsh. It also has a good sense of rhythm - impressive given how compact it is.
Read the full review: Goodmans Heritage Portable
The Evoke F3 feels confidently well-built, and looks the business. It sounds great too, with a warm, full-bodied midrange and plenty of detail. There's bags of expression at play, making for an engaging listen. The only niggles are the remote, which is a little fiddly and plasticky for our taste, and the slightly closed-in nature of the sound. It makes for a slightly claustrophobic listen. But this is a focussed performance that will please many listeners.
Read the full review: Pure Evoke F3
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