Home > Consumer Reviews > Roberts MP53 Sound 53 CD/DAB/FM Digital Sound System with Dock for iPod-Black

This is a great product. The sound is first class and better than any standard micro Hi-Fi with those bulky separate speakers I've had before. It's nice and easy to use in fact when you get it just plug it in and it tunes in all the DAB channels and sets the clock. The functions are easy to use and I've managed to work most them out just with the remote and not using the well laid out and explained book that comes with it. The iPod dock is great but you I don't get the track playing info etc on the MP53 display when my son's iPod touch is connected. I think this is not unusual as it's the same with a friends Sony system. If you've got loads of music on your computer you can copy it onto an SD card you can then slot the card in and play from that...easy....reduces the needs for loads of CD's. The system picks up DAB well all stations are shown as strong signals when I slightly struggle with signal strength normally.
Also I love the look of it, its piano black and glossy and it does have a 10mm wide silver/grey band around the front which cannot always be seen on pictures.
I read loads of reviews on the MP23 and Mp43 and one of the few complaints was that the power and display lights were too bright for some users in the bedroom; I have mine in the lounge but can imagine that the same could still apply for the MP53. I'd compare it to a mobile phone screen level of brightness if that helps.
Would I recommend it to others... most definitely at just over £200 in my opinion because of the sound, looks, functions and ease of use you'll do well to get more for your money...

This is an outstanding piece of kit. The plug-and-play feature mentioned in Dave A's review is very helpful, and the sound quality is superb, especially for such a small unit.

I particularly like the fact that you can unscrew the telescopic aerial provided, exposing an RF socket so that you can plug it into your loft aerial for perfect FM and DAB reception.

A word of advice, the setup is som simple that you might be tempted just to throw the instructions in the drawer and get on with it. Do have a read through them though, as there are a few functions in the book worth knowing - especially the ability to customise the light settings on the display so you can dim them!

Thoroughly recommended.

Beautifully made quality product that worked as expected straight out of the box. Simple intuitive controls, a system that produces a nicely balanced sound from all media, excellent digital radio reception, detail and full spectrum sound from CD and ipod. If like me you want a one box solution and your technology to do everything you reasonably expect without fuss, the Sound 53 is for you. Better than Bose but don't expect big punchy sound, for that you have to buy a Harmon Kardon GO and Play, ipod dock only but excellent auxillary inputs, nothing else comes close.

I've had my Sound 53 for a month now. It has all the features I need, looks and sounds great, and having just one cable (the mains supply) it blends easily into any room. The Sound 53 is better than the Sound 23 or Sound 43 in that it has individual control of bass and treble (as well as preset equaliser settings) and can record to SD card or USB memory stick. Recording is started with 1 button press on the remote control and works beautifully.
If you want to know the full specification and features, do like me and download the user manual from the Roberts website BEFORE you buy.
The unit is not intended to be portable, but I have moved it easily from room to room, and it remembers my radio presets!
I do not use the iPod dock, so I have fitted the dock cover (supplied) to keep the top looking tidy.
My 15 year old Sony hifi has failed, but I am happy to use the Sound 53 as my only hifi in the home. Full marks to Roberts.

I bought this (from my local independent retailer who recommended it based on my pretty vague idea of what I wanted) about a month ago and it is very very good - sound quality is excellent.
Setup of the DAB stations is very easy (to the extent that I thought I must have missed something) in that basicaly all you do is plug it in and turn it on!
It's pretty intuitive for the radio/cdplayer so these work without looking at the instructions.
iPod dock works using the iPods own controls (again without reading the manual - but two minutes with the manual allows you to use the remote for all the ipod functions, equally 30 seconds with the manual allows you to preprogramme DAB stations. The unit charges the iPod as you use it as well (at the risk of stating the obvious!)
I haven't used the recording to/playing from USB stick/SD card - or played anything from these inputs but going by track record they will be v. easy.

I paid £280 for mine - but actually the professional advice was worth the extra money, without it I would have spent £100-£150 on a far far inferior piece of kit.