Labs

Tangent's Quattro earned four stars in last year's gadget guide for its internet radio capabilities. The Mk2 replaces the original and adds an FM tuner, Ethernet port and WPA2 wireless support.

The Quattro Mk2 doesn't have a remote control, but it does have a full set of controls on its face. The retro styling is supposed to look expensive, but the plastic control knobs feel cheap, and the wood-grain-effect case isn't as attractive as that of the more expensive

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gloss versions of the Quattro. The small screen makes it difficult to scroll through long lists of files, but this is easier to do with the Quattro's knobs than with the tiny buttons of the cheaper Mondo.

Sound quality was good, but lacked the warm, rounded tones of Roberts' WM201. It's impossible to mute the sound using the volume knob, which was annoying. The lowest setting is quiet, but not inaudible.

The Quattro's wireless network connection was fairly strong, although not quite as stable as that of the WM201. Its greatest problem is that it cannot be connected to any network that doesn't give it access to the Reciva internet radio portal. This means that it won't work at all if you don't have an internet connection, or if you're behind a firewall that blocks port 5000.

Tangent's Quattro Mk2 has good sound quality and works well enough, but its inability to connect to a network without an internet connection is a problem. We prefer Roberts' WM201, although it is a slightly more expensive streaming audio receiver.