Tangent Quattro review

When Internet radio first started it was plagued with low bandwidth problems and a poor selection of programming, but it's a very different landscape now. Bandwidth is cheaper, so sound quality is far better, and the range and production values of stations has grown immeasurably.

Products like the updated Tangent Quattro help to bring the thousands of available stations into the living room, kitchen or anywhere you can reach your Wi-Fi connection. The only limitation is that you have to plug the Quattro into the wall, as no battery compartment is included.

As well as this the Quattro now comes with a built-in FM receiver; the technology is admittedly approaching obsolescence, but it's handy for when you are out of range of a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Quattro can also stream music from a PC using shared folders or by connecting via UPnP to a NAS drive.

There's only one speaker, which rules out stereo sound, but the quality is surprisingly good, and the bass deep. Positioning it on the top of the case may not make the most of the speaker's potential, but it makes design sense and hasn't done the sound quality too much harm. If you really need more volume, then a 3.5mm line out socket allows external speakers to be hooked up.

While the case may look as though it's made from solid wood it is in fact a veneer, but the build quality is very good. It's a nicer finish than the glossy red version, and £20 cheaper as well. The unit is let down only by the controls; cheap plastic buttons clunk when pressed, and the plastic dials rub on the case when turned.

At nearly £150, even for the cheaper wooden version, the Quattro is undeniably expensive. The Revo Pico Wi-Fi is a cheaper, and more portable, alternative for those who like to take their radio outside, but it simply can't match the sound quality of the Tangent. If you have the wallet for it, the Tangent Quattro is the finest all-in-one table radio we've yet seen.

Author: Matthew Sparkes