Looking to add a hint of retro with a modern twist into your home? Then look no further than the Hepburn MK II from VQ. Owned by New Dawn Innovations, VQ aim to fuse sound and style inspired by fashion and design with innovative audio products making their products instantly recognisable.
Available in 11 colours, including five Emma Bridgewater prints, there’s a Hepburn MK II for every room. For our review we were kindly sent the black unit which was encased in its leather contrast trim adding a layer of smooth texture breaking up the usual ‘solid’ exterior of a speaker. Personally, I would select one of the “feature” colours to make its presence felt, but the classic look would certainly fit in with all interior designs. Upgrades on this model from the original Hepburn include an integrated Headphone Jack and optional rechargeable battery which add to its versatility.
An effortless set up certainly got us on the right track with the Hepburn MK II and with a simple plug in and switch on it took just a few moments before music was blaring out (we might have accidentally set the volume a little loud!). With two dials, one for volume and one for tuning, its DAB radio is easy to navigate and with little signal interruption despite us testing it some notoriously poor signal spots.
The MyEQ function provides independent control of the bass and treble for songs for DAB options and streaming sites including Spotify which allows you to personalise your listening experience. These levels can adapted both on the radio or via the dedicated app. Throughout our test and various music types (we certainly have varied tastes!) we were pleasantly surprised at the audio output quality provided by the new speakers and the digital sound processing technology the unit houses.
However, the MK II isn’t just a DAB radio, it also enables wireless Bluetooth connection acting as a speaker when you’ve got that playlist that you just need to soundtrack your day. It also discretely features a USB port to charge your mobile devices/tablets on.The best part of it all, is that an additional purchase of an optional (recommended) rechargeable battery pack means you can take your radio with you, whether it’s to the beach or just to move around with you without having to unplug it. It’s a definitely something we would recommend, and hopefully this soon will be an inbuilt option too.
Other uses also include an alarm function but would then restrict you to using in your bedroom and not in the rest of your house. Plus, if you forget to plug it back in the alarm may not ring and no-one wants to be late to work.
The Hepburn MK II is a modern and stylish unit that has the technology to support it, add in the portability option with battery power to last up to 25 hours and we’ll be adding this to our-must have list. Available from MyVQ from £129.99 (Emma Bridgwater print editions are available for £149.99) the Hepburn MK II is ready to come home with you.
