Home > Consumer Reviews > Creative Soundworks 705 TableTop Radio Black

This arrived in the post this morning, and has more than lived up to my curious expectations.

First of all, it's very well built, with the black finish looking better than it appears in some photographs. It has a nice weight to it, too, and makes an attractive addition to the room.

Some reviews say that an additional FM antenna is required, but this isn't true: the radio comes with a removable antenna should you need it, but I found reception to be excellent without it (just using the internal antenna).

All the dials turn in a very graceful way, and the tuner itself is very precise - the lights telling you to tune up or down to hit the perfect signal are very helpful, rather like a guitar tuner.

I have tested the radio with BBC Radio 3 & 4, and have been very impressed with the sound quality. Whilst mono, music has that elusive 'live' sound, and is well balanced and detailed - I was very impressed. Speech is particularly good, with even the slightest of details coming through with clarity. The speaker is loud enough to fill the room without straining itself.

It is a very basic radio, but it does offer you the chance to connect your MP3 player using a supplied cable, with the radio acting as an external speaker. Apart from that, it's your basic AM/FM radio, in terms of features, and some may be put off by the absence of pre-set stations or DAB. Yet what the radio DOES do, it does very well indeed, and that is all I (and, I imagine, many Amazonians) am after.

Consider also that, while the turn-off date for analogue TV signals is not far off, it won't be for about another 10 years before the FM signal is put to rest. Also, FM still offers uncompressed sound quality, unlike DAB, which appears to be a dying medium (I imagine when FM is turned off, portable Internet radios will be the thing to turn to.)

So, bottom line, although 60 quid may seem a lot for a simple radio, I think it's well worth paying for what is a quality item.

[Note: the radio sold here is branded under the Creative label, unlike the Cambridge Soundworks example in the picture above. It is the same radio; only the label says 'Creative' instead of 'Cambridge Soundworks.)

Thank goodness for the trend towards simplicity which some electronics manufacturers are now following. This could not be more basic. Just FM and AM wavebands, mono, manual tuner, on off switch, a simple tone control and that's it. Just tuning it is almost a sensuous experience. With the help of tuning indicators it's quick to find the right spot on the dial.
On switching it on, I could hardly believe my ears. From such a small box came this wonderful sound. It is a joy to listen to, whether it's speech or music. I could not detect any colouration - no 'boxiness' or horrible resonance you get with other radios of this type. Turn the volume up and it will comfortably fill your living room with practically no peak distortion. Bass is solid but not boomy thanks to the bass port underneath. Mids and highs are clean and full of detail. Highs are especially crisp giving speech a clarity often lost on other radios.
As a bonus, plug in headphones, and you are listening in stereo. Despite its compact size (beautifully finished in high gloss black) I could not detect even a hint of mains hum. It has clearly been designed by folks who love radio.

I have had many radios over the years, from Sony, Grundig, to Roberts and this is by far the best.

A healthy FM analogue signal will always be much better than DAB, and I for one will treasure this radio as long as the FM transmitters are are left on.

This arrived today (06/04/09) and I couldn't wait to hear what it had to offer. The sound quality is wonderful, especially with speech which is rich arn warm, with great depth. The unit itself is very sturdy and looks good. Overall I am very pleased with it and look forward to many hours of listening. I know I could pay lots more cash for a radio that would never sound as good as this little baby! You can also attach an MP3 player to it and listen to your own music, sound is amazing form a mono speaker. If you are considering buying a standard radio then look no further! This is no "standard" radio.

Remember when bicycles didn't have 27 gears? When shoes had leather soles you could replace instead of throwing away when they wore out? Remember when you had to go to the local library if you wanted to do some quick research, and thumb through books? Spend some time with the Soundworks 705 and you'll feel a wave of nostalgia. The 705 has no presets, no digital display, and the design is reminiscent of a Dualit toaster, if it were fashioned out of polished Bakelite. The unit is reassuringly heavy (speaker magnet? power supply? chassis?). Despite having a case made entirely of plastic and rubber, it looks and feels like something of quality. Photos don't do it justice.

The quality of sound is just stunning. The Soundworks 705 makes you want to spend time *listening*. Old stations sound new. It makes you realise how artificial sounding table top stereo radios sound. There is just something so *right* about the 705's sound for FM.

While there is no clock or alarm, there is an ingenious 30 minute 'Sleep' function, which is activated by simply keeping the power button depressed for several seconds.

Be warned, while the tuner section of this radio is sensitive and does appear to lock on well to stations, it is no miracle worker. If you live in an area with poor reception, as I do, you will spend a fair amount of time fiddling with the wire antenna to find its sweet spot. If you have a roof aerial, your listening experience will improve exponentially. I live on Jersey, in a small valley with hills on all sides of our thick granite-walled house. My Roberts Revival FM/MW/LW portable, sitting by the kitchen window, only does a fair job of pulling in stations. My Sangean portable multiband SW receiver, even with an external antenna, is mediocre at best. Drive a mile down to the coast in a car with a decent radio, and there are more than a dozen French stations that come in loud and clear. The 705 can pull in exactly four (4), and only three of those well, in addition to the locally re-transmitted BBC. I bought the identical radio for my parents' home on Long Island, NY, and even there, where the airwaves are clogged with stations, the addition of a Terk FM+ antenna made a world of difference (the US version of the 705 does not come with a wire antenna).

At less than a *third* of the price of a Tivoli Model One, the 705 is a whole lot of radio at a bargain price. Combined with a good FM signal, the 705 produces a more pleasing listening experience than my Pure DAB radio did when I lived in London. If you like the pleasure of random listening to FM, grab one before they're discontinued.

This just arrived today and if there is a better value for £20 then I would like to see it. Straight out of the box this thing oozes quality. All you have to do is plug it in and switch it on, it's best if you extend the external aerial. Then just sit back and enjoy the sound. Couldn't be more simple!