Ruark R1S Smart Radio

DAB+, Internet Radio, Wi-Fi Streaming & Bluetooth 5.2 in One Compact Cabinet

The Ruark R1S Smart Radio combines Internet/DAB+/FM SmartRadio, Wi-Fi music streaming (Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer), and Bluetooth 5.2 in a hand-crafted compact cabinet small enough for a bedside table, kitchen counter, or office desk. With a custom 75mm Ruark NS+ full-range driver, a 9W Class A/B amplifier, a colour display that auto-dims to your room, and Ruark's signature RotoDial controller, the R1S is the smart radio that won the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 — described as "as close to hi-fi as a small radio can get."

Why the Ruark R1S is the smart radio audiophiles actually want

The R1 has been a quiet star of the smart radio world for almost two decades, and the R1S is its big leap forward: the first R-series tabletop radio with built-in Wi-Fi and music streaming services alongside the FM and DAB+ tuners that made the line famous.

This isn't a kitchen speaker with a radio bolted on. The R1S is built like a Ruark — a properly tuned bass-reflex cabinet, a custom NS+ driver, a discrete Class A/B amplifier, and a fanatical attention to how a single driver should sound when you actually care about music. What Hi-Fi? gave it the 2025 Smart Radio of the Year award and called the sound "clean and fresh, packed with detail" with "timing... precise and lively."

It's the radio you wake up to, the radio that lives on your kitchen counter, the radio you take into the workshop with the optional BackPack 3 battery — and it's the only one in its price bracket that genuinely feels like hi-fi.

What you get

• SmartRadio with Internet Radio, DAB, DAB+, and FM with RDS (and a telescopic aerial included).
• 8 presets per radio source — instant access to your most-used stations.
• Wi-Fi streaming with Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, and Deezer built in. Everything else (Apple Music, TIDAL, YouTube Music, audiobooks) streams via Bluetooth.
• Bluetooth 5.2 receiver that remembers up to 6 paired devices, with synced volume control on the colour display.
• Dedicated podcast source for browsing shows and catch-up content from the RotoDial or the free Oktiv app.
• Custom 75mm Ruark NS+ full-range driver in a tuned bass-reflex enclosure.
• 9W Class A/B linear amplifier — the same warm, musical topology Ruark uses across its lineup.
• Adjustable bass and treble (±6dB) plus switchable loudness EQ to dial in the sound at any volume.
• New colour display showing time, alarms, station info, and album artwork — auto-dims to ambient light so it doesn't burn through a dark bedroom.
• Dual programmable alarms and sleep timer — making the R1S a properly serious bedside companion.
• USB-C port for charging your phone and playing MP3 files from a thumb drive (FAT32 format).
• 3.5mm headphone output for private late-night listening.
• 3.5mm switchable line input for plugging in any analogue source.
• RotoDial controller on top — the same tactile rotary control that's been a Ruark signature since 2006.
• Optional BackPack 3 battery pack transforms the R1S into a fully portable radio for outdoor use.
• Optional Oktiv app (free, iOS and Android) for browsing, presets, and remote control.

Sound: small driver, serious engineering

A single 75mm Ruark NS+ full-range driver doesn't sound like much on paper. In practice, paired with a Class A/B amp and tuned in a proper bass-reflex cabinet, it punches well above its weight — and well above most of the smart radios in this category.

What Hi-Fi? described the sound as "articulated, neutral, accurate, and authoritative" — a slight shift from earlier Ruark radios that leaned warmer and lusher. Voices are clean and present (the R1S is a genuinely excellent speech radio), music has timing and presence, and the bass-reflex tuning extracts more low-end punch than the cabinet has any right to deliver.

For larger rooms or fuller stereo sound, step up to the Ruark R2 (stereo, slimmer cabinet) or the R3S (stereo with built-in CD player). For the kitchen, bedside, study, or office, the R1S is the right tool for the job.

Design: classic Ruark, in compact form

The R1S follows the design language Ruark introduced with the R1 Mk4 — tactile curves, an acoustically damped enclosure, and a hand-crafted composite wood grille made from sustainably sourced wood that's spliced, coloured, and recomposed to mimic the look of slow-growing hardwoods. The colour display sits flush in the fascia; the RotoDial sits on top exactly where your fingers expect it.

Available in two main finishes:

• Light Cream Lacquer with Walnut grille
• Satin Charcoal Lacquer with Walnut grille
• (Plus an exclusive Mid Grey Lacquer with Fused Walnut grille at select retailers)

Compact enough to disappear on a desk, kitchen counter, or bedside table — but finished to a standard that quietly elevates the room it's in.

Connectivity at a glance

Specs

• Amplifier: 9W nominal Class A/B
• Driver: 75mm Ruark NS+ full-range
• Frequency response (typical, in-room): 55Hz–20kHz
• Cabinet: Tuned bass-reflex
• Display: Colour graphic display with ambient light auto-dimming
• Tuners: Internet Radio, DAB, DAB+, FM with RDS (87.5–108MHz)
• Bluetooth: Version 5.2 (SBC, A2DP, BLE) — remembers up to 6 paired devices
• Streaming services: Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer
• Presets: 8 per radio source
• Alarms: 2 fully programmable, with sleep timer
• USB-C: 5V / 1A (5W) charging plus MP3 playback (FAT32)
• Remote: Not included (optional IR remote sold separately)
• App control: Oktiv (iOS / Android)
• Portable use: Compatible with optional Ruark BackPack 3 battery pack
• Awards: What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 — Best Smart Radio
• Warranty: 2 years standard, extended to 3 years with online registration

Who the R1S is for

• Radio devotees who want all three flavours — Internet, DAB+, and FM — in one beautifully made box.
• Bedside listeners who want a real music system that doubles as a properly designed alarm clock.
• Kitchen households who need radio, podcasts, and streaming to soundtrack the day from a counter-friendly cabinet.
• Desk and office setups where space is tight but sound quality still matters.
• Workshop and garden listeners who'll pair it with the optional BackPack 3 battery and take it anywhere.
• First-time Ruark buyers looking for the cleanest entry point into the brand's design and sound.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the Ruark R1 and the R1S? The R1 Mk4 is the standard Ruark tabletop radio — FM, DAB+, and Bluetooth only (no Wi-Fi, no internet streaming). The R1S adds built-in Wi-Fi, Internet Radio, and direct support for Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, and Deezer, plus a new colour display. Same compact form factor, same Ruark sound — but the R1S is the smart version for households that stream as well as listen to radio.

Does the Ruark R1S have AirPlay or Chromecast? No — the R1S doesn't have Apple AirPlay or Google Cast built in. Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, and Deezer stream natively over Wi-Fi, and everything else (including Apple Music, TIDAL, and YouTube Music) streams from your phone via Bluetooth 5.2.

Is the Ruark R1S stereo or mono? Mono. The R1S has a single 75mm full-range driver. For stereo sound in a similarly compact cabinet, look at the Ruark R2 (two 75mm drivers) or the R3S (two 75mm drivers plus a built-in CD player).

What streaming services work with the Ruark R1S? Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, and Deezer stream natively over Wi-Fi (no Bluetooth needed). Apple Music, TIDAL, YouTube Music, and everything else stream from your phone via Bluetooth 5.2. The R1S also has Internet Radio with tens of thousands of stations and a dedicated podcast source.

Does the R1S support hi-res audio? No — the R1S doesn't support hi-res audio (no TIDAL Connect, no FLAC streaming). For hi-res, look at Ruark's 100 Series (R410, R610, R810), which support hi-res streaming up to 32-bit / 384kHz.

Can the R1S be used portably? Yes — the optional Ruark BackPack 3 rechargeable battery pack turns the R1S into a fully portable smart radio for use in the garden, on a balcony, in the workshop, or wherever there's no mains socket.

Does the R1S come with a remote control? No — the R1S is controlled by the on-board RotoDial and the free Oktiv app for iOS and Android. A compact IR remote is available as an optional accessory.

Does the R1S work as an alarm clock? Yes — the R1S has two fully programmable alarms (once, daily, weekday, weekend) with snooze and sleep timer. The colour display auto-dims to ambient light, so it doesn't light up a dark bedroom.

Can I connect a turntable to the R1S? Only via the 3.5mm aux line input, and only if your turntable has a built-in phono preamp (or you add an external one). The R1S doesn't include a phono stage and is designed primarily for streaming and radio.

Has the R1S won any awards? Yes — the Ruark R1S won the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 in the Smart Radio category, with the reviewers calling it "as close to hi-fi as a small radio can get."

What finishes does the R1S come in? Light Cream Lacquer with Walnut grille, and Satin Charcoal Lacquer with Walnut grille. An exclusive Mid Grey Lacquer with Fused Walnut grille is also available at select retailers.

What's in the box? The R1S Smart Radio, universal power adapter with regional plugs, telescopic aerial, and quick-start guide. (Remote and battery pack sold separately.)