Roberts Stream 94i

Great sound; modern design; Spotify Connect FOR AGAINST Nothing of note

Roberts’ Stream 93i radio won a What Hi-fi? Award for three years running – so how do you improve on something that is clearly the best in its category? The answer is carefully. Roberts has made just a few small changes for its replacement, the Stream 94i, including the addition of Bluetooth – the only significant thing we felt was missing from its predecessor.

With that feature and a snappy new design, the Stream 94i sets the bar even higher. As well as its Bluetooth connection, it has a whole host of ways in which to play audio. It has access to FM, DAB and internet stations, so you should never be lacking for sounds – whether from your local radio or connected to the world wide web via the built-in wi-fi or ethernet port.

Other physical connections include USB and 3.5mm inputs, while the Stream 94i can also access digital music over a local area network (LAN) in MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC, ALAC and WAV formats.

You can also use Spotify Connect (if you have a premium subscription) to get the radio to grab your tracks directly from the site’s 30 million strong database. If we were being picky, we’d have liked Chromecast support, to provide greater integration for services such as Tidal and Deezer, but that's unlikely to be a deal-breaker for most.

You can also manage the radio’s playback through the UNDOK app, which is useful if the Stream 94i’s easy-to-use remote is out of reach. If you want to hook some powered speakers up to the radio, there’s a line out connection next to the headphone port.

Hits the high notes

Roberts has given a fresh look to the radio, with a line of rectangular buttons replacing the segmented ones on the Stream 93i. They’re good to use and make the radio look more elegant in our eyes.

While the material quality hasn’t altered much, the switch from the glossy, deep black exterior means that the Stream 94i looks smarter. The handle has also been changed – gone is the stiff metal arch in favour of a flexible material one, which makes the radio easier to carry about.

If you are looking to take it out and about, you’ll have to pay an extra £35 for the battery pack. However, if you already have the pack for the Stream 93i, it will work for the Stream 94i too.

We’re pleased to hear that Roberts has maintained the sound quality of the 93i, and that's possibly because the ‘subwoofer’ at the back of the unit and the two smaller drivers on the front remain unchanged.

We start by playing Dua Lipa’s New Rules through Spotify Connect, and the attention to detail this radio pays to the midrange is laudable. The Stream 94i manages to convey the lyrics’ distinctive character without making it sound dull or disinterested. As she hits the high notes, there is never any sense of harshness.

Complete package

While a focus on vocals is a vital aspect of any audio experience, it’s especially important for a speech-based platform like radio. As such, the warmth and balance from the Stream 94i is pleasing – we could listen to BBC Radio 4 for hours on end.

Change to something more complex, such as Kanye West’s Black Skinhead through the Bluetooth connection and this radio strikes you with a suitably aggressive rendition. The relentless, punchy drums and intimidating panting that kicks the track into action reach forward and grab you, before the Stream 94i comfortably delivers West’s attitude-laden vocals.

Ending our test with a DAB broadcast of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major – a stiff test of any hi-fi’s dynamism – this radio doesn’t let us down. From the smooth clarinets to the energetic movements of the strings, this radio has a confident handling of dynamics, and an iron fist when it comes to keeping each instrument distinct.

As a replacement for the 93i, the Stream 94i ticks all the right boxes, rectifying the lack of Bluetooth connection without compromising sound quality. The Stream 94i is the complete package, making it the best radio (for its price) out there now.