A mighty speaker that couldn’t look sleeker

MOST wireless speakers tend to look either like air fresheners or sinister electronic listening devices (which, in the case of those made by Amazon, isn’t far from the truth). But in my house at least, this doesn’t wash.

Any hi-fi kit that doesn’t meet the rigid style standards of the feng shui police (my wife) finds itself vacating the front room and levitating back into my study.

Hence the Ruark MRx, a wireless speaker built to be looked at (and possibly stroked, if you really get carried away) from a family-run British firm known for gorgeous wooden radios and a CD player that pretends to be a table.

It’s relatively small in stature but is a gutsy piece of proper hi-fi kit, with two full-range drivers and a linear amplifier inside. It can blow the rafters off if needs be.

It’s also stereo, rather than mono (as most wireless speakers are), and sounds stunning with high-quality music over wi-fi.

You can get cheaper wireless speakers, but this works brilliantly with everything (after a small amount of prodding via a paired app). It delivers internet radio (ie, every single British station, plus tens of thousands of bonkers ones from around the world), plus streaming services such as Spotify, and effortlessly plays music on PCs via wi-fi.

Phones connect easily via Bluetooth, and if you’re monstrously well-heeled, it works as part of a multi-room system with other Ruark kit.

Sound-wise, there’s little to match it – and the subtle design means it’s still taking pride of place in my living room. For now.