Ruark R2 Mk4

Introduction

A music system with radio functionality, or a radio that’s also a music system? That’s the conundrum of the Ruark R2 Mk4 – a music system with radio at its heart, but it is also much more than that.

With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality, plus Internet Radio, it’s an all-in-one system for those who want a music system to take pride of place in the home. Marry that with its good looks and Ruark’s approach to sound – it surely should be an absolute belter of a music system?

Design

• Integrated RotoDial for control
• TFT display
• Mains powered device

Gorgeous and big. Those are the first words to come to my mind when unwrapping the Ruark R2 Mk4 from its box. The version I have is the one with the Espresso lacquer and walnut grille, and like many a Ruark product, the craftsmanship of the cabinet is high quality.

Mixing a natural look (the wood), with a more sophisticated, model appearance (rounded cabinet and display screen); there is a timeless look to the Ruark. In ten years from now, it’d still look terrific. There are two more colours in a cream option, and a ‘Sea Mist’ version (availability TBC). I prefer the cream version – it obviously stands out more – but I wouldn’t turn down the ‘espresso’ version.

The TFT display is bright (you can dim it in the settings), and viewing angles are wide, so you can see the lettering from an angle. It also helps that there’s white lettering on a black background, the contrast making it easier to read from a distance.

It is a wide speaker too. At 34cm it occupies space, and given that it weighs nearly 3kg, it’s a system that you’d want to find a permanent space rather than carry it around. That said, it’s not as heavy as the 3kg implies. Unlike the Roberts Stream 95i, there’s no handle to make the Ruark fit for more portable use.

On the back, in a recessed area, are your connections. A USB-C input, 3.5mm headphone jack and a 3.5mm stereo jack as well. The aerial is detachable, and extends to quite a height – you shouldn’t struggle for reception.

Means of direct control come in the form of the integrated Rotodial that sits in the top of the R2. It’s a nice means of controlling the unit, smooth and responsive when scrolling through the menu but as it’s not detachable it does encourage you to stand up and walk over to the R2. Unfortunately, there’s no detachable version of the Rotodial, but there is a slim optional remote control (£14.99). For the couch lovers out there, there is an app. More on that later.

Features

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support
• Compatible with Ocktiv app
• Dual alarm

The feature set expands the way in which the Ruark R2 Mk4 can receive incoming audio – though I don’t think it’s as wide as it could have been.

You’ve got Bluetooth 5.2, though streaming support is the lower quality SBC codec, which I’d say is a choice that’s close to an audio travesty, but I suspect Ruark believes that most will connect over Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth.

Wi-Fi presents the options of Internet radio, Spotify Connect, Deezer and Amazon Music compatibility. That leaves big omissions such as Google Cast and Apple’s AirPlay 2, the latter seems quite rare on any device outside of Apple compatibility.

That also means there’s no Tidal Connect, and it’s unlikely that they’ll be any support for Qobuz Connect, which launched in 2025. I was initially confused by Amazon Music integration which asked me to log in, before realising I had to download another app to do so. Not especially convenient.

For a device that markets itself as a music system, it’s left a couple of boxes unticked. The Roberts Stream 95i at least makes room for the likes of Tidal and Qobuz through its bespoke app. The Ruark makes use of the Ocktiv app (not the Undok app, which this model doesn’t support), but there’s no integration for those streaming services.

The app is at least swift to use – though loading times can be slightly long – and not particularly difficult to get a handle on unless you have a bad reaction to apps in general. It offers more convenience than having to get up from the sofa – you can switch sources, change the EQ, check for updates, create presets, set a sleep timer and scroll through DAB, FM and Internet radio stations.

The only feature I can’t find through the app is setting an alarm. There’s dual alarm functionality, and you can set it to wake up to a specific source, volume or preset; and the frequency of the alarm can be daily, once, on the weekend or weekdays.

There are only eight presets for each radio mode, which feels a little low – most radios seem to plant their flag with ten presets. The USB input supports audio but seemingly only MP3 playback up to 320kbps, which isn’t especially high quality at all.

Sound Quality

• Weighty bass
• Spacious soundstage
• Clear vocal performance

In my experience, Ruark is known for its rich approach to sound, and it’s always impressed me how it has managed to tune speakers to offer that consistent sound across multiple sources. The R2 Mk4 follows in that wake, though I wouldn’t describe the sound as consistently rich.

It does seem to depend not just on the source itself but on the quality of that source and even where you place the radio. I’ve done the majority of my testing in two rooms, and the Ruark has sounded slightly different. In one room, it is clear and more neutral in terms of tone; in another room, it sounded weightier with bass and warmer.

Nevertheless, with DAB+ and FM stations; the Ruark offers a clear, sharp performance with vocals (women’s voices can sound a little sharper), with radio stations fettered with good levels of detail and weighty bass where present.

Voices always have the focus, are given their own space within the soundstage, seem to be slightly pushed forward; and across a range of sources sounded very clear and natural. Whether it’s music or radio, vocals are consistently strong.

The soundstage is wide but not necessarily ‘tall’ because of the display above where the two 75mm Ruark NS+ drive units are. But the width is impressively, the processing of the sound makes it wider and more spacious than the cabinet itself at times, where there’s also depth that the Ruark brings to various tracks – Riot Jazz Bradd Band’s Equal Heights springs to mind – and it’s true stereo playback, so you get a sense of placement and positioning of voices within the soundstage rather than just one ‘big’ sound.

The Ruark R2 does convey a small struggle with the bass in Eminem’s Say What U Say over a Spotify Connect stream. It’s not the cleanest or most defined sense of punch to the low frequencies, the Ruark can sound a little hoarse in describing low frequencies – there’s a limit to how deep the bass can go.

The performance can vary across a range of tracks. There’s always clarity and spaciousness to the sound, but some tracks sound a little rough (Korn’s Blind) while Blondie’s Rapture offers clarity, good highs and a super-wide soundstage.

At best, it’s a loud, confident and flowing performance over a Wi-Fi connection – there’s a refinement to its sound that the Roberts Stream 95i can’t reach and that the similarly priced Revo SuperConnect Stereo can’t quite match even if it shares its slight bass problems.

Over a Bluetooth connection, you’ve got many of the same characteristics – spacious soundstage and depth, good flow and rhythm to music and solid levels of detail with vocals that sound a little smoother than over Wi-Fi. If you’ve sampled other Ruark speakers, you’ll enjoy pumping tunes out of this speaker.

Should you buy it?

FAQs