The Pure Evoke 1S Marshall radio has been resurrected by Pure this Summer, with a number of added features. Its key appeal is still in its stunning design and branding, and the price tag leaves marks it as a radio for hardcore rockers. Are you one of them? Is it for you? Find out here in our full Pure Evoke 1S review.
The original Pure Marshall radio, the Pure Marshall 1-XT was originally available around six years ago, and still goes for somewhere in the region of £150 on eBay. This new version, the Pure Evoke 1S Marshall, is slightly cheaper at £120, but those strong second hand sales go to show that there’s a market out there for these radios.
The key appeal of the Pure Evoke 1S Marshall is the fact it looks like a Marshall amp. It’s even got a plastic handle on the top, and actually goes up to 11. It feels sturdy too, and has a bunch of shiny gold knobs and buttons. The aerial is gold too, which is a nice touch. There’s a nice balance cut between the sturdy feel of a real Marshall amp and the dinky radio version. This feels solid, but isn’t bulky.
There’s no AM tuner on the Pure Evoke 1S Marshall radio, just DAB and FM, but it can carry 30 station presets. However, the sound is where it triumphs. The sound keeps your Maiden in tact at high volumes, and is well balanced at top volumes, with no distortion in the bass sounds or top end guitar solos. It’s excellent, and the DAB reception especially has proved to be clear and clean, even in areas of the house where other radios have struggled.
The radio is easy to use, and has a good range of controls, although the volume button on the Pure Evoke 1S Marshall radio, the one that goes up to 11, actually isn’t locked to the numbers. It goes round and round and ‘up to 11’ about three times. This is a very minor niggle and means that the volume control is more precise, but it means that there’s not quite the same satisfaction of saving that extra notch for when a real classic comes on, as you’re actually not on 11 when the radio is pushed to its loudest. It looks like you’re on 3.
The previous Pure Marshall radio was lacing in features, and while the updated Evoke 1S Marshall is not oozing flashy gimmicks and new bits and bobs, it’s had a much needed overhaul. It’s now compatible with Pure’s £35 battery charge packs, sports a better display which adjusts for brightness, and an aux input for iPods. Textscan has been added so that scrolling text can be paused and controlled as well as stored.
The Pure Evoke 1S Marshall is a radio for Marshall fans, but realistically is too expensive for anyone looking for a simple DAB/FM – although it does look a lot better than lots of other models on the market.
The audience for the Pure Evoke 1S Marshall is those for whom the Marshall brand means something. It’s great for those not best pleased with the modern look of many digital radios on the market. For the Marshall brand though, there’s a bit of a mark up. Although the Pure Evoke 1S Marshall has brilliantly clear sound and looks ten times better than your average DAB, £120 still seems like a hefty price, considering the limits of its features.
