TechRadar Verdict
The Roberts Revival Petite 2 is a rare adorable piece of technology. It seemingly does everything you could need from a DAB/speaker combo, but its strength also lies in decent portable battery life, a cute design, and being the ideal thing to have sitting in your kitchen (or den, or bedroom).
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Roberts Revival Petite 2: Two-minute review
It’s not often one can call a radio cute, but the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is exactly that. Somehow, it has a smaller footprint than my computer mouse and is also shorter than my guinea pig (who is also called Mouse, and is just as cute), but what you need to know is that this is a truly portable radio that can be easily tossed into your bag ready to emerge looking adorable. (Note: do not throw guinea pigs in bags.)
This isn’t a matter of form over function either, as the Roberts Revival Petite 2 offers surprisingly loud sound for the size. It’s crisp, clear and all you could want from a DAB radio which also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker.
The only bulky part of the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is its solid, extendable aerialarm– but that’s a necessary and welcome addition. The model before it had a rubberised antenna string which could be attached to the back, but it really didn’t cut it for finding and maintaining an FM radio signal (yes, it does both). That’s solved now, meaning the Roberts Revival Petite 2 never misses an opportunity to shine.
At $99 / £99 / AU$195, it’s fairly competitively priced too. It’s a portable little beauty with a battery life of up to 20 hours before you need to connect the USB-C port to a power source.
Simple to use with an attractiveOLEDscreen, the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is that little gadget you take with you on your travels, to have music and radio following you whoever you go. It’s certainly vying for a place in my heart as one of thebest DAB radiosgoing and one of thebest Bluetooth speakersof recent times.
Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Price and release date
The Roberts Revival Petite 2 was released in the UK and Europe in February 2024. It costs £99 / €149 depending on your region (availability has not yet stretched to the US or Australia, sadly), so it’s fairly inexpensive for a DAB radio from a trusted name, but not the cheapest.
It’s cheaper than something like the sizeablePure Woodland, which is £40 more, but there’s always the increasingly dated looking and battery dependentSony XDR-P1, which is slightly cheaper but lacks the winsome, retro-but-smaller looks of the Roberts model.
The Pure Woodland was released in the UK and Europe in July 2023, costing £139.99 and €149.99 in those respective markets, which places it squarely in the mid-range market. All of which means Roberts has found a nice niche little market here, if the sound is good…
Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Features
If you’ve looked at the original 2021Roberts Revival Petite, you’ll notice what the sequel does so much better – it has a telescopic antenna which reaches out enthusiastically to ensure a strong signal whether listening via DAB or FM.
The priority here is with the DAB radio side of things, as it automatically starts here, but it’s nice to have the option of an FM radio too – for more nostalgic listening sessions.
A quick tap of the source button takes you through your options here, with Bluetooth 5.0 available for pairing up with your phone or tablet. It’s reliable and I didn’t suffer any dropouts. Switching between the sources is seamless too, so you don’t have to commit to anything specific if you don’t want to. Want to play a chosen song, then head straight back to the DAB station you were listening to? You’re all set here.
The Roberts Revival Petite 2 reports up to 20 hours of battery life and in my time with it, that’s about right. This is a distinctly low maintenance radio in every way. It just happily ticks along in the background with a straightforward USB-C cable for charging as needed. There’s also a headphone jack on the back if you want to listen more privately using some of thebest wired headphones(but in case it needs to be mentioned, Bluetooth connectivity is one way; you can’t send the Petite 2’s tunes to a set of wireless Bluetooth headphones, say – you’d have to use your phone). An alarm function can be accessed by holding in the source button, making the Petite 2 a great option for your bedside table too.
Features score: 5 / 5
Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Sound quality
The Roberts Revival Petite 2 is averysmall radio, so of course you shouldn’t come here expecting an exceptional aural journey of discovery and oodles of snappy bass clout. However, the device is surprisingly lively.
Catching up on nostalgia with Heart 90s FM, songs like Queen and George Michael’sSomebody to Loveshone through still sounding detailed and crisp. More dance-focused tracks like Eiffel 65’sBluestill sound good even if the bass isn’t quite as hefty as you’d like in an ideal world. Switch over to talk-show stuff and the rants on LBC Radio sound crisp and clear.
Volume levels are also surprisingly impressive. Most of the time, I was content listening to the Roberts Revival Petite 2 at increment levels 4-6, but you can crank it up higher. The higher volumes do lead to some distortion, but I’m not convinced anyone will need to go past 14 or 15 on its 0-20 scale. The Roberts Revival Petite 2 is pretty loud for the purpose, quite early on in its volume range.
Sound quality: 4 / 5
Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Design
Is it possible to fall in love with a radio? The Roberts Revival Petite 2 might make you question some things. It looks fantastic. It has Roberts’ iconic styling which is always appealing, but it’s the sheer size of the thing that makes you fall for it. It’s not as long as my computer mouse, has a lower profile than a mug or a canned beverage, and is dinky in every sense of the word (except the sound).
Living up to its name means the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is adorable. Just lift up the antenna and it’s all set to make your life better. Turning it on instantly switches to the DAB side of its output with a clear source button allowing you to switch to FM or Bluetooth. The buttons are chunky and attractive looking, with perhaps the only flaw being that they could have a tactile bobble on them to help those with sight issues.
The dial on the middle is a good size and perfect for moving through the channels with a satisfying “clonk” under your fingers. You will find yourself originally thinking the dial adjusts the volume though – a minor irritant that you’ll learn to get past. A small but clear OLED display helps you see what you’re picking. It’s tiny but clear enough, with the option to dim it as needed.
There are seven different colors with the one I tested being the midnight blue variety. Others include sunburst yellow, duck egg, pastel cream, pop orange, dusty pink, and black. And they all look delightfully classy.
Design score: 5 / 5
Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Value
Core competition for the Roberts Revival Petite 2 include radios such as thePure Woodland(more robust but less attractive) and the cheaperSony XDR-P1which looks hideous in direct comparison.
So, you can get something cheaper than the Roberts Revival Petite 2, but nothing that looks as good as this – or as lightweight to carry around.
Value score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Roberts Revival Petite 2?
Buy it if…
You need a good DAB radioThe Roberts Revival Petite 2 is the DAB radio you need, being super simple to set up and looking good too.
You want to take it around with youIt’s incredibly portable, the Roberts Revival Petite 2 will happily go camping, travelling, or to the beach with you thanks to good battery life.
You want great looksHave we mentioned that the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is so cute, soverycute? It’ll look lovely in your living room, your kitchen or in your bedroom.
Don’t buy it if…
You want fantastic bassThe Roberts Revival Petite 2 isn’t strong on bass. It’s crisp and clear but if you want a party atmosphere, this isn’t it.
You crave high volumesCrank up the Roberts Revival Petite 2 too high and you’ll get distortion. I don’t need to go that high but you might fancy annoying the neighbours.
You don’t need a radioNot everyone listens to the radio any more. If you just want a good speaker, there are good options elsewhere.
Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Also consider
Pure WoodlandMore robust but not as nice to look at, the Pure Woodland costs a little more but it’s slightly better suited to rugged life on the trails or the beach. Read our in-depthPure Woodland reviewfor the full story.
Sony XDR-P1The Sony XDR-P1 is very portable, but (sorry) it’s pretty ugly – especially compared to the Roberts. On the plus side, it does have a headphone port and the screen is a little bigger. Learn more in our fullSony XDR-P1 review
How I tested the Roberts Revival Petite 2
It’s high praise that the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is one of those rare devices that I don’t particularly want to box up and say goodbye to. It fits into my living space perfectly, both in terms of practicality and aesthetics.
It spent most of its time with me either on the window near where I work, or following me around the house – in the kitchen while I cleaned, the living room while relaxing, anywhere I needed music.
Sometimes it was connected via USB-C but often, I just ran it off the onboard battery, before plugging it in every once in a while when it wasn’t in use.
It is so easy to use, it made me listen to the radio more – and reminded me of how nostalgic certain music stations can make me feel. That meant listening to a lot of Heart 90s and 00s, but also I listened to a lot of talk radio including LBC and Radio 5 Live.
When using Bluetooth, I connected my iPhone 14 Pro to it and listened via Spotify andAppleMusic.
Jennifer is a roving tech freelancer with over 10 years experience. Having graduated from Swansea University with a degree in Media and Communication Studies, and later with a diploma from Staffordshire University with a post graduate diploma in Computer Games Design, she’s written for a huge number of publications, including T3, FitandWell, Top Ten Reviews, Eurogamer, NME and many more.
Her main areas of interest are all things B2B, smart technology, wearables, speakers, headphones, and anything gaming related, and you’ll find her writing everything from product reviews to buying guides and hunting down the latest coupon codes to save you money. In her spare time, she enjoys the cinema, walking, and attempting to train her pet guinea pigs. She is yet to succeed.
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