The classics reimagined with Philips Sound
The brand celebrates 100 years in glorious, tech-packed retro style
To celebrate 100 years of sonic innovation, Philips Sound is launching the Century Retro Range, with five products combining classic designs with modern performance… and all available from Richer Sounds.
Leading the range is the Tina, the world’s most powerful all-in-one integrated turntable-based hi-fi system. At £399, the Tina is ideal for the returning vinyl enthusiast or any new fan wanting a serious quality turntable/speaker setup without the faff of putting together your own components (or the risk of then realising they’re not compatible, or they’re not a great fit, or they take up far too much space).
There’s 120W of power within its 2.1 setup, delivered to your ears via two 1in tweeters, two 2.5in mid-range drivers and a dedicated 4.5in subwoofer. Delivering high-quality sound, the Tina does ample justice to the warm, pure tone that vinyl lovers crave. With a two-speed precision belt drive, solid aluminium diecast platter, extruded aluminium straight arm with adjustable counterweight, and replaceable Audio-Technica MM cartridge, you can rest assured that your beloved record collection will, quite literally, sing. There’s even an anti-vibration mechanism to protect the turntable from even the smallest internal or external movements (read: children and inquisitive cats).
Any stream will do
Despite the Tina’s dashing retro looks, it’s crammed with the latest tech, including a DAB+/FM tuner, USB audio and Bluetooth streaming – all within its convenient, compact body – while the RCA aux inputs provide another option for mixing things up. Philips’ app also unlocks independent digital tone controls, and the system can be expanded for a wider soundstage by adding external speakers via the Bluetooth out facility, while the 6.3mm headphone port offers a personal listening experience.
That makes it ideal for pairing with the Freddie (£99.99), a retro-styled over-ear wired headphone. This open-back design offers wonderfully accurate, spacious listening, with large 50mm neodymium drivers delivering hugely enjoyable and expansive sound.
Beyond the audio, the Freddie also focuses on durability and comfort. High-quality materials are used throughout, with a strong steel headband featuring a double-layered cushion for an extra layer of comfort. The ear-cushion material is breathable too, to help ensure long listening sessions remain comfortable. A generous 3m cable also means you can lounge back in your favourite chair without worrying about being close enough to the source.
The Tina’s speaker system has two tweeters for crisp highs, two mid drivers for detailed vocals, and a sub for big bass. If you’re tired of fumbling around with soulless touch controls, the Tina’s tactile knobs make interacting with it a breeze. And to emphasise the link with classic Philips gear, the iconic shield logo is displayed instead of today’s wordmark branding.
Appy birthday
“The 100-year anniversary of Philips Sound gave us the ideal opportunity to create a new flagship range of products that encapsulate the early days of vinyl and radio,” says Rod White, Chief Design Officer at Philips Sound, “with an aesthetic clearly an echo of past days, but built for today with Bluetooth, app control and powerful performance.
“With the Tina, the vertical speaker ribs and wood-finish casing are a direct link to mid-century Philips radios, while the Freddie’s material choices of open-back metal mesh structure with cushioned brown fabric are a clear link to heritage Philips headphones.”
Quality sound and beautiful design apart, sustainability is also key, with the Century Retro Range featuring extensive use of RCS-certified recycled plastics and FSC-certified plastic-free packaging, for much lower environmental impact than traditional materials.
If you fancy the sound of Philips’ new line, then you can discover the entire Century Retro Range right now at Richersounds.com and Expert.ie
Meet the rest of the range
Classic 1950s design meets modern DAB+/FM technology: this portable radio delivers warm, clear 5W sound through a 2.5in driver, with Bluetooth 5.4, 20 presets each for FM and DAB, and 15hr battery life.
£69.99
The perfect entry point to vinyl, this all-in-one system has a two-speed belt-driven turntable with Audio-Technica MM cartridge, 12W output, Bluetooth 5.4 with SBC and LC3 codecs, and expansion via an aux input.
£129.99
The iconic 1980s on-ear reimagined: available in deep black, crystal teal and silk white, the Ringo features 40mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.4, up to 26hrs’ playback and fast charging. Plus it works with the Philips Headphones app.
£29.99
Sponsored
