Hardware Review – Revo Blok

Manufacturer: Revo
Website: www.revo.co.uk
Price: £195

It’s not just Apple who is embracing the environmental approach to technology, as more and more firms are beginning to shun plastic in favour of natural materials and honest good looks. Revo is one such company and its iPod speaker system, Blok, combines either American walnut or black oak with aluminium to create a stunning looking system. There is more than just aesthetic reasons for the use of wood in this system though, as the cabinet helps to create an extremely rich sound from such a small enclosure. There are just two speakers in the Blok and they deliver 2 x 20 watts from a class D amplifier, which translates to a 55Hz to 20kHz frequency range. The bass sounds full and deep, and highs are delicate and clear right up to high volume.
Controls are kept to a minimum on the unit, with just a power button and volume control taking up space on the wooden enclosure, as well as the iPod dock on top. This leaves the rest of the work up to the very cool remote. Called Kontrol, the remote is a round pod with soft-touch plastic buttons. It works very well, but because it’s round you will always yearn to use it like an iPod scroll-wheel, which sadly you cannot do. At £195 this isn’t a cheap unit, but you do get a marriage of style and great sound – so if you have the cash then this is a worthy buy. And if the remote worked as a scroll-wheel and it were a bit cheaper, it would definitely get nearly a perfect score.

Practicality: 9.0

Design: 9.9

Value for money: 5.9

Features: 9.5

Durability: 9.0

Kung Fu Verdict: 9.2