Back in the 1960s, few homes with a love for music would have been complete without a radiogram. A cross between a piece of furniture and an audio system, most radiograms offered a multi-band radio tuner and a vinyl turntable, often with an automatic multichanger so you could play a stack of records, a little like a jukebox.

Sometime in the late 1960s, the radiogram gave way to hi-fi separates like amplifiers, turntables, cassette decks and FM tuners. The wheel has turned full circle; many rely on music streamers for audio pleasure. British deluxe audio brand Ruark has taken advantage of this shift in the market to introduce its radiogram for the 21st century.

The Ruark R810 is a beautiful design that’s as much a piece of furniture as a state-of-the-art audio streamer. With its clean line and polished chrome stand, the R810 looks like a high-quality product that could enhance almost any interior.

The R810 is the successor to Ruark’s classic R7 model. However, it’s been redesigned from the ground up to include the kind of audio features you’d expect to see in a modern music streamer, like the superb Naim Mu-so or the larger models from Denon’s HEOS range. , R810 is conceived from the ground up to deliver timeless luxury and form the entertainment heart of the home.

The veneered cabinet of the R810 is made from fast-growing sustainable woods that are spliced and reconstituted, achieving grain patterns that closely resemble slow-growing hardwoods but without the ecological impact.

The full-color display on the R810’s display provides access to the settings and source information you need in a streamer. As well as displaying album artwork in high definition, the screen has a portrait orientation that mimics the smartphone screens we’re all glued to daily. Ruark says that by mirroring a smartphone screen, the display is like second nature to use.

With support for a wide range of music streaming services, the R810 can decode the best quality audio streams from Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect. Apple AirPlay and Chromecast built-in receivers are built into the unit so music can be streamed directly from smartphones, tablets and computers, enabling easy access to services like BBC Sounds, Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz and more. Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast also allow the R810 to be part of a flexible multi-room audio system.

The music playback on the R810 is marshaled using the improved Ruark RotoDial control system, offering pleasing tactile feedback when choosing audio sources or controlling music. Also included with the R810 is a matching and rechargeable Bluetooth remote, a portable version of the RotoDial control. Because the remote is Bluetooth rather than infrared, there’s no need for a direct line of sight to the R810 when pausing music, skipping tracks or adjusting volume levels.

For those who still enjoy playing vinyl records and CDs, these formats can be played by connecting a turntable to the R810’s dedicated phono inputs or hitching a CD ROM player to the unit’s USB-C socket. Other inputs include HDMI ARC/eARC connectivity for connecting the R810 to a TV, thereby boosting the soundtrack of movies and TV programs. The R810 would look great under a wall-mounted TV screen.

Like the original radiograms, radio hasn’t been forgotten on the R810. There are comprehensive tuners for DAB/DAB+ and FM broadcasts, plus access to the thousands of Internet radio stations available worldwide.

Ruark claims it has used the highest quality, audio-grade components alongside newly developed speaker units. There are two 30mm Ruark silk dome tweeters and a couple of 100mm paper cone woofers. The R810 has a high-capacity linear power supply coupled to a 4.1-channel Class A-B discrete component amplifier. With a nominal rating of 180W, Ruark says the R810 is powerful enough to fill even a large living room.

For more bottom end, the R810 also includes an integrated active subwoofer with a long-throw paper cone that produces sufficient bass to make the R810 a viable alternative to a traditional home theater system without the wires, speaker cabinets and complicated setup.

Verdict: The Ruark R810 looks like a stylish piece of furniture packed with the latest audio innovations, including Apple AirPlay, Chromecast, radio tuner and direct support for Spotify and Tidal Connect. The whole package looks superb and if it sounds anything like the R410 I reviewed last month, then it should be a real winner. For anyone who doesn’t want the hassle of wires and hi-fi separates, the Ruark R810 looks like a classic piece of audio equipment that will please the eye and the ear.

Pricing & Availability: The Ruark R810 is available now in soft grey and rich walnut finishes for £3,000.

More info: ruarkaudio.com

Tech Specs:

• Support for Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple Airplay 2 and Chromecast built-in.
• High-resolution music file support up to 32-bit/384kHz.
• DAB/DAB+/FM & Internet radio.
• Bluetooth with aptX HD connectivity.
• Inputs: HDMI with eARC, TOSLINK digital input (24-bit 192kHz), UPnP media server compatible, Stereo RCA phono.
• Rechargeable RotoDial Bluetooth remote included.
• High-resolution 4-inch color TFT.
• 180W 4.1 channel Class A-B discrete component amplifier.
• 2 x 30mm Ruark silk dome tweeters and 2 x 100mm paper cone woofers.
• 200mm Ruark long-throw paper cone subwoofer.
• Tuned twin bass reflex satellite enclosures and sealed subwoofer enclosure.
• Available in soft grey or fused walnut veneer with solid fused walnut grille.