Nash Siren R4

How well is it built?

Solid as a rock, in fact so solid they’re unbreakable. Nash’s Sirens have always been made to a very high standard of build quality and the R4 continues that tradition.

The matt black soft-touch rubberised finish isn’t just cosmetic, it has also proved itself very resilient to knocks and scratches during use. I’ve dropped these loads of times, (being a little clumsy so and so), and they take it all in their stride with no ill effect.

The other thing I like is that there are no mechanical switches to corrode or fail as they’re completely digital. They’re sealed and waterproof too, so no moisture will get inside.

I’ve used these out in the pouring rain, heavy dew and even when they got dunked by a rod after an exuberant take and they just keep working.

The snag ears on each one are rubberised, removable and clip on with a reasonable amount of security. They won’t mar your blanks and if you’re worried about keeping rods in place I can thoroughly recommend them.

The ribbed rod location pads at either end of the channel are there for additional security and the thread compression collar keeps them where you set them on your buzz bars.

I’ve used these down to minus two degrees and some roller based alarms can become lethargic in really cold weather. So far mine have never frozen up or failed to detect a bite.

How good is bite detection?

Oh boy does this system deliver. That’s five independent sensitivity settings, all of which are genuinely useful rather than being there for marketing purposes.

The Speed Sensing in particular (1cm or 2cm per second) is pretty much all you need in terms of cut-down chatter detection because it’s fantastic.

No false alarms, but really sensitive to fish pulls. I’ve had these out in winds where my old alarms would’ve beeped constantly, but the R4s just ignore all of that until something takes line. Wave Sensing is excellent in extreme weather or when fishing from boats.

It cuts out back and forth movement until 15cm or 30cm of line is pulled over the roller and then it flips to maximum sensitivity to give you the best of both worlds. It will save you a lot of time faffing around on big windswept waters.

Drop back differential tone can be tricky to get your head around, but is genuinely useful. The decreasing tone lets you know instantly what is going on without you having to look at your indicators.

When fishing washing line rigs tight to snags you need to be able to tell the difference between a forward run and a drop back in the middle of the night and this helps massively.

Drift Sensing Safeguard is the industry’s first patented line creep protection feature which detects line creeping off the spool from weed or debris. It’s fixed an issue that I didn’t realise was an issue until I tried it.

Good problem solving like this is what sets premium alarms like the R4 apart from the crowd.

What are the settings and features like?

Very nicely done and there’s a lot to like, though the menus to change them are done by cycling through the options using push buttons rather than setting via direct dials. It takes a bit of getting used to and can be a little fiddly, but you soon get the hang of it.

The wrap-around dual LEDs have a fish-eye effect to them, so you can see them from almost any angle. Colour options are five with two brightness settings for each, and I’ve found the customisability to be very useful when it comes to quickly identifying rods.

Night Glo compatibility by way of MMCX bayonet fitting means a pulsing LED output in your indicators whenever the alarm is lit up. Great visual feedback which you can’t miss and the MMCX converter enables the use of standard Nash indicators.

Tones are eight in number with eight volume options. They offer plenty of customisability and the volume can be set to completely silent for receiver only operation, or really loud when you need them to be.

Three muting configurations are also on offer for recasting without disturbing other anglers.

Homecoming Mode is the rear LED which lights up up to 750m away, effectively providing a navigation beacon when out in the boat in the dark or in poor visibility. It’s not something I’ve used that often, but it’s good to have.

The receiver is great too. As well as being USB-C rechargeable it pairs up to four alarms each on individual channels, plus there’s a Buddy Channel for connecting up to 32 more alarms should you wish.

Variable volume is also a welcome step up in loudness when compared to previous Siren receivers.

Is it good value for money?

Premium. No two ways about it. The three-rod-and-receiver presentation set is keenly priced and you’re not going to find many cheap alarms like the old Siren Storm at this price point.

But then you’re not getting the same advanced technology which can help solve real issues on the bank either. The Wave Sensing and Speed Sensing systems are brilliant in real world use, not just on paper.

They’re also going to last for years without letting you down as well thanks to that legendary Nash reliability.

Compared to other premium alarms the R4s are priced competitively. Rival premium sets cost more, and the Delkim Txi-D v2 sits higher still. Both are more expensive, but then they’re both different and have their own advantages.

If you’re after intelligent sensing tech and have been sold on the Nash pedigree then the R4s are good value.

The receiver being USB-C rechargeable will also save you money in the long run – no more proprietary batteries or obscure battery types to buy. Around twenty weeks between charges means you won’t have to keep on top of it either.

Still not sure whether the R4 is for you? Check out our comprehensive bite alarm comparison guide which looks at how the Siren R4 compares with all the other top bite alarms on the market.