TEST: AULUXE MB1 AURA – BLUETOOTH SPEAKER FOR SMALL SHELVES

by Martin Sowa
Editor

With Bluetooth speakers can usually have a lot of fun, without having to build complicated hi-fi systems. However, there are also a lot of products which are only due to unusual design and some inexplicable trend factor successfully – in terms of sound quality but, at best, half-baked results deliver. Since it would be the music fan, if a manufacturer makes a try, despite this questionable marketing strategies on developing in all respects convincing Bluetooth speakers and then also brings with a very good price-performance ratio on the market. Exactly applies to Auluxe, which now have a whole range wireless speaker for everyone in the program. Specifically, we assume at this point to MB1 or “aura” under the microscope. The is one of the simpler models and can therefore be extremely well, especially in very “tidy”, simple ambience running.

MB1_1

Simple design with a clever construction: The Auluxe MB1 Aura.

Auluxe – symbiosis of audio and luxury

In Germany Auluxe starts distribution of SaxxTec Although just really, but the brand has already been established in 2007 and aims with a team of experienced audio engineers and manufactured in complete self-work units show a high demand. Course design and processing are also important, sound quality and value for money, however, should not overshadow. That finally happened already enough other manufacturers and so Auluxe focuses on sophisticated concepts instead of faceless mass production.

MB1_2

Side view: The angled front (left) directs the sound upwards.

Straightforward design

For this reason, the Auluxe products differ visually and sometimes very significantly from one another. The Aura is in a silvery casing which has quite in shape similar to the monitor speakers on rock concert stages. The sloping front directs the sound upwards, thereby making sure that one can get the full load of sound when the Aura for example is on the desk. The front consists largely of a metal grille, at the lower edge of the manufacturer’s logo and including a LED mounted. The LED provides information on the operating status – white for An, blue for Bluetooth.Under the grille is a recess in which the light from the LED a little “distributed” and therefore extends to the rounded corners of Auluxe.

On the very top of the clutter Aura one looks in vain for any buttons or knobs. Instead, here a NFC Area has Auluxe for Bluetooth connection via Near Field Communication (more on that below) and integrates a touch operation with which the volume can be adjusted. For this you need only the hand to the left or right side to reduce the level (on the left) to increase or (right). The LED flashes briefly in contact, so that it shows immediately whether the “command” was successful. In terms of sound makes it namely not be noticed immediately, because the gradation is very finely selected for volume control – the gradation on the player (in our case a smartphone) has been working there with much larger jumps.

MB1_3

On the very top of the clutter Aura a touch operation is integrated.

On the back of the terminals aura and other control elements are finally housed. From left to right, these are the pairing button on the Bluetooth connection, a 3.5 mm jack, the large and circular on / off button, the connection for the power cable and a USB port – which, however, does not serve the power supply for the Aura, but has the ability to recharge the smart phone or other mobile device while the Aura is in operation (though it must be used charging cable for each device, the Aura itself brings namely with none). The jack is of course intended for devices that do not have Bluetooth feature, such as a PC or TV.

At the bottom of Aura provide four rubber feet for safe and above all not slip. Because the aura is with a weight of just 1.8 kilograms fairly light. One more reason, it set up on a stable and firm surface – a wobbly garden table made of plastic is not suitable for a noisy celebration, because it increases the risk of falling and the sound quality is reduced. At this point, however, should also be right that the Aura is designed primarily for use inside buildings. On the desk, dresser or shelf so he feels very comfortable.

MB1_4

At the bottom of Aura provide four rubber feet for safe and above all not slip.

Game Ready in no time

The commissioning of the Aura is extremely fast. Of course you should bear in mind that a few hours break-in period can not hurt, so the Bluetooth speaker to deliver its full potential.Nevertheless, it takes just a few handles until you hear music. First of all, the aura it to the mains supply must be connected to a suitable cable together with an external power supply lies with and is simply plugged on the back. Then there are three options to supply the Aura with music. The “classical” variant includes the supplied jack cable that is plugged into the source player and the Aura. Of course, this variant is particularly suitable for stationary source devices such as a PC or television. In general, the aura is of course particularly well suited as a supplement to the PC at work – outlets are there usually present in any case and the oblique front directs the sound directly to a seated at a desk users of Aura.

Anyone who wants to better move instead in the room, rather uses the Bluetooth connection. For this purpose, it must be enabled on the source player and are then searched by pairing button on the back of the Aura for available devices. Within a few seconds appeared the aura as “MB1” in the device list on the smartphone (or the used source player) on. Tapping it takes, and the connection is established and the played on the smartphone music is streamed to the aura. Who has an NFC-enabled source device, can enable this feature there and then simply hold the device to the corresponding area marked on the Aura. If appropriate, an opening message on the Smart Device with “Connect” or “Confirm” has yet to be confirmed, then the compound is also active here. The Aura also has a short voice message indicates whether a connection has been activated or separately.

MB1_5

On the back of the Aura more sockets and other control elements are housed.

Amazingly full of sound

We chose the test for normal Bluetooth connection, as this is likely at least for now still likely to be the most commonly used variant. The connection works as described above without any problem, we can rapidly send music to the aura. The hearing test we start with the title “Red Eyes” of the US indie rock band “The War On Drugs”, around the same time try a rather complex and played with a whole range Instruments piece. Because frankly, we expect there not too much and have it set so that various details will perish. But the aura proved us wrong, and plays like the already tested by us larger model New Casa very dynamic and alive on. This is of course the fact that we are dealing with a full range speaker, whose strengths lie in general especially in the field of space and precision. While in the verses, the agility of the rhythm section is very good effect, may in the chorus then join the entire ensemble and spans a beautiful, space-filling and intoxicating atmosphere. The fact that none of the instruments is pushed into the background, is very impressive given the compact size of the aura.

MB1_6

The front consists largely of a metal grille.

At the same time, of course, also raises the question of how the aura is good addition to his proven qualities as all-rounder as a specialist. Therefore we look for with “Barefoot on the piano” by “AnnenMayKantereit” a much more minimalist tischeres piece of, to be used exclusively in the piano and singing. Here the aura but fits directly and bring the one hand a very balanced foundation of the lower octaves and also a very mature detailed representation of the tunes produced, which is even to be quite wide soundstage in the room. Simultaneously, the distinctive, deep voice of singer Henning May remains very clearly positioned in the middle of playback. Many compact and priced rather in far lower segment settled Bluetooth speakers is usually a point which fails and ends in quirky sound. Not so with the aura of the “Milky Chance” excellent get along even with the rather harsh to some even scratchy voice of Clemens Rehbein, singer of the duo. This is particularly evident is the instrumental palette increasingly complemented the song “Indigo”. For the Aura no problem, the simple accordingly the soundstage continually updated without losing any precision. So if at work on PC enjoys listening to music and can spare on the desk still footprint of about 35 by 12 centimeters, is available for just 159 euros Auluxe Aura should listen Seriously thus quite.

MB1_7

The LED provides information on the operating status – White confirmed operation, blue Bluetooth reception.

Conclusion

With very high quality processing as well as good sound shows Auluxe with the aura can also that Bluetooth speakers look good and make good music. With a compact design and very intuitive operation and commissioning, the Aura is therefore suitable for almost anyone looking for a compact speaker that can be used both as a desktop box or as a receiver for contacts stored on your smartphone music.

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Cambridge Audio G2 Mini Review

You can now have a speaker that’s as loud and proud as your music!

G2 Mini from Cambridge Audio, An ultra-compact Bluetooth speaker with big sound and big battery. It has a simple and sleek design that can fit neatly in your bag. The G2 measures 189x55x67mm and weighs 649g, so it’s neither the smallest nor lightest portable Bluetooth speaker.

g2_main_image_champagne
The front panel is a black speaker grille that covers the cabinet inside, which is comprised of two speakers and two bass radiators powered by a Class D amplifier and speakerphone mic, while a similar rear panel covers passive radiators that provide an added sense of low-end response.
On the bottom, Cambridge Audio stuck a cream colored rubber pad to prevent slipping on uneven or slick surfaces. The top panel is comprised of par-for-the-course buttons, like volume control, Bluetooth discovery, power, NFC pairing and call.

CONNECT AND PLAY EVERYTHING
Any phone, tablet or laptop enabled with Bluetooth can be paired in seconds, and any devices with Near Field Communication (NFC) can be tapped on the G2 for effortless and instant pairing. Additionally each unit can remember up to 4 different devices for instant re-connections, and for any other devices without Bluetooth you can use the 3.5mm input for fast and easy playback.

g2_section_image_connect_to_everything

BATTERY performance
The G2 uses a high capacity lithium-ion battery that can play for up to 10 hours from a single charge. In addition, the G2 uses intelligent battery management software to optimise life and minimise charging time so the G2 will last all day and all night.
You can also use the convenient USB socket to charge your phone or mp3 player from the G2’s
own battery on the move, or when it’s connected to the mains power at home.

SPEAKERPHONE
With a built-in microphone the G2 can be used to answer and make phone calls from your connected device. If you have an incoming call the phone button will flash and a simple press will answer the call with the G2. If you make a call from a connected device, G2 will automatically switch to speakerphone mode. Ideal for a quick conference calls, or hands-free calls when cooking!
The G2 has the option to be wirelessly paired with another G2, this gives you sound twice as powerful, for a party twice as big and it is available in five different colors Red, Champagne, Blue, Titanium and Black

g2-gallery-11_0

The G2 is priced at Rs 11,400. you’re getting a fully-featured Bluetooth speaker, complete with several handy abilities like hands-free calling, NFC-connectivity, 10-hour battery and device charging via USB.

 

MERCURY BLUETOOTH HEADSET FROM ACCUTONE

Tired of cables limiting your movements during music or calls? Looking for comfort and sound quality during your daily workout? Accutone is proud to offer just what you’ve been looking for, in Mercury – the first stereo bluetooth headset from the renowned professional audio brand.

mercury4

LIGHTWEIGHT & COMFORT

The lightest weight of its kind, at only 12.5 grams, Mercury is one of the most comfortable stereo bluetooth headsets you can find. It comes equipped with Comply Premium Earphone Tips, which prevents the earbuds from falling out during exercise, by heat-forming against the user’s ear canal.

mercury

BLUETOOTH 4.0 MULTIPLATFORM

Using the latest bluetooth version 4.0, Mercury offers true stereo sound by utilizing the A2DP profile, supported by most smart devices including smartphones, tablets and bluetooth-enabled notebooks. It also comes with a microphone inside the digital inline volume control, for standard phone and VoIP calls. The inline control supports iOS and Android platform as well as most other OS for controlling volume, call/answer function, skip-repeat music features. On-screen battery meter indication is also available under iOS.

ACCESSORIES INCLUDED

The Mercury comes with three different sizes of standard silicon ear-buds, a pair of Comply memory foam, a pair of stabilizer rings for users who demand maximum sturdiness during exercise. a leatherette headphone zipper bag and user manual.

mercury2

Technical Specifications

  • Materials : ABS + PC, Rubber, Silicon
  • Bluetooth Version 4.0
  • Supported Profile HSP,HFP,A2DP,AVRCP
  • Operation Range Up to 10m
  • Battery Specification 60mAH at 3.7V
  • Weight 15.5 g
  • Wireless Frequency 2.45GHz

For those of us who enjoy the benefits of wireless music, but don’t want to sacrifice comfort or audio quality, Mercury is one of the best choice you can find.

SPEAKERS IN GLITTERY CLUTCHES? TAKE MY MONEY!

By Fashionlady.in
 | April 3, 2015

Speakers in Glittery Clutches Take My Money!
You know what they say about Music right? “Music is to soul what words are to the mind”. Music can transform you into a mystical land where you can feel what you want to. For example, peppy music gets you tapping your toes while songs with deep lyrics have you reminiscing your past.

Something very similar to music is dance. You can easily dance your pain away and get transported to a land where everything is filled with energy. Dancing pumps up your endorphins, which we all know is directly related to happiness, elation, feelings of joy and all things sugary!

Now with so much discussion about dance and music, you guys must be thinking what’s up with this post. Let us enlighten you then! Our discovery of the month has to be the best thing that we have stumbled upon so far. Stelle Audio wins the internet and walks home with the prize for creativity and innovation at its best with their brilliant go-to speakers.
go-to speakers
Fantastic, aren’t they? Of course they are! Coming in 4 different colours, these God sent speaker clutches come with built in speakerphone for your hand-free calls, have an AUX jack so that you can connect your phone, they are Bluetooth enabled and of course act like go to speakers. And the cherry on top? They have a pretty mirror inside for you to check your make up. People who are frequent party animals NEED to have this in their party stash!

Apart from their gorgeous Alexander McQueen-esque glitter clutches, Stelle Audio also offers a range of different speakers. Audio clutches, as seen below, are just clutches with built in speakers.
Stell audio
Stellé Audio partners with ARKARISE to Bring Fashion Audio Brand to India

 Stellé Audio’s products are being sold in leading retail stores around the world. CEO Anna Perelman has a long history in entertainment and has always been a fan of Bollywood, the incredible music created in India and the diverse musical tastes of the people in India.  The introduction of Stellé Audio products into India supports the rich musical heritage, style and beauty of the country while provides stylish personal audio products that will enhance the musical experience.

According to, ARKARISE CEO Sharad Jaiprakash, Stelle Audio products brings a whole new perspective & audio experience to home interiors and design focused women consumers and we strongly believe that it’s a brand with mix of propositions focusing on fashion, advanced audio technology, design and women, which are well timed to take advantage of current market trends in India’s luxury market.

Now, we can listen to music where ever and whenever we want. While sun bathing, or while walking in the park. Thanks to technology. Come to think of it, we are kind of glad we were born in today’s world which is filled with innovation and creativity!

A Psychology student, loves to express her feelings with words on fashion and beauty. A mind reader and a gossipmonger often get’s distracted with chitty-chatty conversations with friends and family.

 

Cambridge Audio Minx Air 100 – CHOTA PACKET BADAA DHAMAKA! (Small size – Big Bang)

Cambridge Audio Minx Air 100 review by http://www.theaudiophile.net/

Have been truly impressed by the Cambridge audio minx 100, in the very short span of time that’s its been with me. It’s a pretty compact speaker that enables one to wirelessly stream music via blue tooth or airplay enabled devices & avail of music services such as spotify, without requiring a separate mobile app.

Unboxing:

The Air 100 came well packed (double box packing), with all the accessories neatly ensconced in nicely cut out thermocol that holds the Air 100 firmly in place within the box as well as neatly tucking in the accessories in it. The accessories include:
1) Quick start owner’s manual in various languages (separate booklets having info related to hooking up the Air 100 via Wi-Fi networks
2) Three Types of power cords (CU, EU & UK Plug Terminated)
3) One Card type remote with its battery cell
4) Ethernet Cable

Packing Quality: 5 Stars

Appearance:

The Air 100 is a very well put together piece of equipment, nicely finished in curved glossy piano white casing with a matt silver band around the speaker grill. The unit is pretty heavy & feels solid when held in hand, with a conveniently placed slot for ones hand to secure holding it. The speaker grill is a fixed type & is slightly shiny grey in colour which neither looks bland nor flashy, pretty understated & functional. The top side of the unit as 5 rubberised buttons on the left side numbered 1-5 to store the preset internet radio channels. The top right side has another 5 rubberised buttons which operate the following: Bluetooth, Analog Input, Volume – /+ & Power.
The buttons are nicely textured to touch & a breeze to operate. The card remote is a little compact piece with all the features of the buttons on the main unit with the addition of being able to switch between 10 preset channels & an addition of a mute button. Adjusting the bass level is also possible with the presence of -/+ buttons. All the buttons are not back lit like the ones on the main unit. I doubt that the remote would see much use as most end users would use their mobile devices to control the Air 100 or end up using the buttons on the unit itself. The remote build quality though sticks out as a sore thumb in comparison to the main units high build quality.
The back panel of the Air 100 houses the following in a little recessed area of the back:
Power Cord Port
Ethernet Cable Slot
LED which flashes orange/green when in use
Bass Level Knob
A micro USB port for servicing the unit
3.5 mm auxiliary pin slot
Stereo RCA Input
The Air 100 is essentially a ported cab design with the port being cleverly integrated into the hand grab recess.
Overall the look of the Air 100 is simple & understated.

Build Quality: 5 Stars

Bluetooth/Air Play Pairing:
Bluetooth pairing was effortless & quick. One can start playing music pretty much instantly from ones mobile devices, which is always good for one who is wanting a fuss free operation.
When you power on the Minx Air, an LED on the back flashes orange and green. To set up AirPlay, you have to connect to the Minx Air’s temporary Wi-Fi hotspot. Once you do, you type 192.168.1.1 into your browser, select your Wi-Fi network’s SSID from the list, and type in your password and click Apply. The Minx Air will save the configuration, and your own PC will see the Minx Air hotspot disappear, meaning that it should automatically reconnect to your existing home network. If all is well, you’ll be able to select the Minx Air from your iOS device. This setup is functional, Cambridge Audio makes available a free Minx Air iOS app, which I tested using an iPhone 5. The app lets you control the device as if the iPhone were a remote, as well as find and store Internet radio stations from a selection of over 20,000. It also includes something you can’t get via the front panel or hardware remote: 10 DSP presets for modifying the speaker’s frequency response curve.
Connecting via the RCA inputs does take about 30 seconds for the music to play but that’s pretty much acceptable for one to sit back & enjoy the music.

Listening Impressions:

Straight out of the box, one is impressed with the big sound coming from its size. It goes pretty loud as well without distorting itself out of breath. It does get a little uncomfortable to hear at high volumes but is still acceptable when one keeps the size of it in mind. What it does tell you pretty much instantly is that it will show up a poor recording rather tellingly. I played a variety of formats (flac, wav, mp3) & it kept revealing the good, bad & ugly in all the formats pretty consistently.
The feature of adjusting of bass levels is pretty much useless as when preset to centre position of the knob, it gives more than enough bass, infact it can sometimes feel a bit overpowering the mids, so vocals do sound a little recessed in comparison to the lows & highs. The vocals do sound coming from dead centre of the unit, but overall the sound is localized. Having said that, I think it’s a pretty decent performer that one can happily live with if one is looking for A) Convenience, B) Style Quotient & C) Portability (wherever there’s an electricity socket).
Sound Quality: 3.5 Stars

Final Word:
A commendable effort from Cambridge Audio, to make a very well designed product, one that will be useful for many, though if you can spend a little more, then I would whole heartedly recommend its bigger brother, the Minx Air200. Stay tuned for its review being readied shortly.

Retail Price: Rs.29900/-

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/produc…eakers/air-100

Cambridge Audio Minx Air 200 – Awaken a Beast!

Cambridge Audio Minx Air 200 – Awaken a Beast!
Review by http://www.theaudiophile.net/

 

Having reviewed the Cambridge Audio Minx 100 already, I was thinking how much further can the Cambridge Audio Minx 200 improve upon it. To say quite a bit is shocking in the very least! While it does everything that the Cambridge Audio Minx 100 does, it just goes deeper performance wise.

Unboxing:

The Air 200 came well packed (double box packing), with all the accessories neatly ensconced in nicely cut out thermocol that holds the Air 200 firmly in place within the box as well as neatly tucking in the accessories in it. The accessories include:

1) Quick start owner’s manual in various languages (separate booklets having info related to hooking up the Air 200 via Wi-Fi networks
2) Three types of power cords (CU, EU & UK Plug Terminated)
3) One Card type remote with its battery cell
4) Ethernet Cable

Packing Quality: 5 Stars







Appearance:

The Air 200 is a very well put together piece of equipment, nicely finished in glossy piano white casing with a matt silver band around the speaker grill. The unit is slightly bigger than tha Air 100, pretty heavy & feels solid when held by ones hand, with a conveniently placed slot for ones hand to secure holding it. The speaker grill is a fixed type & is slightly shiny grey in colour which neither looks bland nor flashy, pretty understated & functional. The top side of the curved unit has 5 rubberised buttons on the left side numbered 1-5 to store the preset internet radio channels. The top right side has another 5 rubberised buttons which operate the following: Bluetooth, Analog Input, Volume – /+ & Power.
The buttons are nicely textured to touch & a breeze to operate. The card remote is a little compact piece with all the features of the buttons on the main unit with the addition of being able to switch between 10 preset channels & an addition of a mute button. Adjusting the bass level is also possible with the presence of -/+ buttons. All the buttons are not back lit like the ones on the main unit. I doubt that the remote would see much use as most end users would use their mobile devices to control the Air 100 or end up using the buttons on the unit itself. The remote build quality though sticks out as a sore thumb in comparison to the main units high build quality. But then the remote wont be used as much as one would be using ones mobile device to do the needful, hence its going to be pretty much unused.







The back panel of the Air 200 houses the following in a little recessed area of the back:

Power Cord Port
Ethernet Cable Slot
LED which flashes orange/green when in use
Bass Level Knob
A micro USB port for servicing the unit
3.5 mm auxiliary pin slot
Stereo RCA Input

The Air 200 is essentially a ported cab design with the port being cleverly integrated into the hand grab recess.




Overall the look of the Air 200 is simple & understated.

Build Quality: 5 Stars

Bluetooth/Air Play Pairing:

Bluetooth pairing was effortless & quick. One can start playing music pretty much instantly from ones mobile devices, which is always good for one who is wanting a fuss free operation.
When you power on the Minx Air, an LED on the back flashes orange and green. To set up AirPlay, you have to connect to the Minx Air’s temporary Wi-Fi hotspot. Once you do, you type 192.168.1.1 into your browser, select your Wi-Fi network’s SSID from the list, and type in your password and click Apply. The Minx Air will save the configuration, and your own PC will see the Minx Air hotspot disappear, meaning that it should automatically reconnect to your existing home network. If all is well, you’ll be able to select the Minx Air from your iOS device. This setup is functional, Cambridge Audio makes available a free Minx Air iOS app, which I tested using an iPhone 5. The app lets you control the device as if the iPhone were a remote, as well as find and store Internet radio stations from a selection of over 20,000. It also includes something you can’t get via the front panel or hardware remote: 10 DSP presets for modifying the speaker’s frequency response curve.
Connecting via the RCA inputs does take about 30 seconds for the music to play but that’s pretty much acceptable for one to sit back & enjoy the music.

Listening Impressions:

Straight out of the box, one is impressed with the big sound coming from its size. It goes pretty loud as well without distorting itself out of breath. Unlike the Air 100, it does not get uncomfortable to hear at high volumes but makes you pump the volume further up. A big sound is delivered pretty much effortlessly & you start enjoying the music at higher SPL’s like crazy.

The addition of a 6.5” woofer does the trick here in giving the 2 X 4” BMR drivers breathing space & letting the bigger woofer do the muscle work in regard to reproducing the LF’s. It digs deeper with the bass but also gives the mids enough space to shine. The highs are decent but not fully extended. It aids in allowing one to hear music fatigue free, for longer duration of time. What surprises one is the bass from these speakers, especially when we heard ‘The Robots’ by Kraftwerk & ‘Get Lucky’ by Daft Punk. One can further pump up the Bass with the help of the bass level knob at the back of the unit, but I found it to perform best with the level at 12 o’clock position. Bass freaks can pump it up further to their liking. The kick Drum in ‘Jump’ by Van Halen was well fleshed out & tight, giving a feel of good depth is always rewarding experience. The guitar tone of Stevie Ray Vaughn was captured rather well along with the tight bass line & SRV’s vocals came out rather nicely to boot. Devin Townsend’s ‘Daddy’ sounded layered with a perfect blend of the guitars & vocals with the background fader coming through clearly. The Air 200 clearly shines in revealing details in the recordings.

The sound stage is wider than the Air100 & sense of space is better achieved over the Air 100, which sounds a little congested in comparison to the Air200. The Air 200 belts out music at high volumes rather well & keeps going at full tilt without breaking into a sweat. Like the Air 100, the Air 200 rewards when well recorded music is played, poor recordings get exposed but not as brutally as in the case of Air 100.
Plug in an external source CD/DVD/BDP via the RCA Inputs, stream your music/internet radio via your mobile device wifi or wired through the ethernet port from a desk top & you are ready to rock! Playing at high volumes is the Air 200’s forte, as it just begs to be played LOUD!! I just love the Air200 for what it does, its a beast!


Sound Quality: 4.5 Stars

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/produc…eakers/air-100

Verdict:

Given a choice, I’d go with the Cambridge Audio Minx Air 200 over the 100 & am sure most would too if they don’t feel the pinch of coughing up the additional 10K difference between the two models.   for the Cambridge Audio Minx Air 200. The only fly in the ointment being its price

Retail Price: Rs.39900/- (OUCH!!!)

Tangent Classic BT Speaker Review

Tangent Classic BT

  • Editor Rating  – 3.5             Very Good                                                                                        


  • Tangent Classic BT                                                                                       
  • Reviewed by:
    Performance :     60%
    Aesthetics :         100%
    Features :            60%
    Price :                  60%
    Overall :               70%                                                                                                               

Summary: The Tangent Classic BT is a gorgeous looking audio component, which should be at the top of your choice for casual listening. However, with a wired connection and better source/files it can be transformed into an acceptable, mid fidelity device.

Tangent is a Danish company that makes a whole range of audio products including loudspeakers, radios, sub-woofers, docks and wireless audio products. Originally established way back in the 1970’s as a specialist loudspeaker company they expanded their lineup in 2005 by introducing hi-fi separates and table radios as well. Their objective, putting it in their own words is “fundamentally correct design can produce a product capable of achieving excellent performance and affordability”.

Tangent_classic_34face4_headerScandinavian Chic!

The Classic BT is essentially an active stereo speaker packaged into a single wooden cabinet. However that is a rather simplistic description of what is a superlative blending of craftsmanship and aesthetics. The cabinet is a fairly large oval box (600 x 230 x 320 mm wxhxd), wrapped in a sumptuous walnut finish. An ash-wood option is also available. It weighs a reasonable 4.5kg and has a beautiful wooden remote with all the major functions on it, since there is no other way of operating the Classic. Additionally a wooden stand is supplied that can hold an iphone/ipod or similar sized smart phone in an upright position. This stand is not a dock in the sense that there is no connection wired or wireless to the speaker itself. The whole front of the speaker is covered in a non-removable grille with a folded fabric tangent logo, in red, inserted into the seam between the grille and the cabinet, at the right bottom. The rear consists of two bass reflex ports, an Aux in, an USB connection for charging and a dc power connection. The other input to the Classic is by means of a blue tooth wireless signal, which presumably, the BT in the model name refers to. The amplifier in the speaker is specified at 2×50 watts, however no impedance rating or any other details are provided. The bottom of the speaker has two rubber feet, the one at the front being slightly larger than the rear foot, such that the speaker is slightly tilted upwards towards the listener.

Tangent_classic_SIDE_header

Connection & Setup:

As a wireless speaker, the Classic uses the Bluetooth data exchange standard. Connection is quite simple, just turn on the Bluetooth in your smart phone or computer, search for devices and hit the pair button on the Classic remote after having turned on the unit with the power button. The paired device is recognized as Tangent Classic and you are good to go. The aux in connection can also be used by employing a 3.5mm to 3.5mm male connector from the headphone out of the smart phone/computer to the aux in jack. The smart phone or computer will detect the Classic as headphones completing the connection, just press aux on the remote to start listening.
Since this type of a speaker is most likely to be mounted on a desk, nightstand, or perhaps a credenza, and not the formal stereo speaker setup of stands and racks, I placed the Classic on my work desk. In the first position, slid all the way to the end of the desk, the rear ports were only 15cm away from the rear wall and initial listening caused the music to boom unpleasantly. Consequently I moved the Classic forward on my desk so as to leave at-least 1m behind the unit from the wall. This sounded better but was inconvenient as the speaker was sitting half way in the middle of my work area. Eventually the listener will have to decide how best to place the unit, but balanced sound will require significant clearance from the rear wall. One more feature included in the unit is 5 fixed equalization settings – Flat, Classis, Pop, Rock & Jazz that can be accessed on the remote. These settings had a very subtle effect, and I preferred the flat setting most of the time.

basic-23020_Tangent_Classic_ashwood-2

How does it sound?

I started off by listening to a Coldplay’s recent album, Ghost Stories – Parlophone (320kbps, MP3).  Listening to the track Midnight, which has a profusion of synth bass, the presentation was quite weighty, but I did detect some midbass prominence and congestion to the sound.  Moving on the track Ink, Chris Martin’s voice sounded slightly chesty, perhaps a result of the same midbass hump.  The stereo separation, while decent enough for drivers mounted in a single cabinet was not as good as individual speakers arranged in a stereo setup.  Moving onto a similar rip of Led Zeppelin’s recent release Houses of the Holy (Deluxe Edition Cd1) – Atlantic (320kbps, MP3) and listening to the track The Rain Song, there was a reasonable spread of the soundstage laterally spanning the width of the Classic and instrument images placed around the centre vocals of Robert Plant, like Jimmy Page’s guitar riffs to the left.  Obviously the scale of the presentation was miniaturized on account of the stature of the Classic, but it was adequate enough to listen to, albeit casually.  One fact was undisputable at this point that a wired connection with a 3.5mm plug sounded superior to the Bluetooth connection.  Next I decided to move onto lossless FLAC files played back from my laptop.  Listening to Adele’s 21 – Columbia (16/44.1, FLAC), the benefit of using lossless files was very evident. There was better stereo separation, smoother and extended highs and overall better resolution conveying the emotion in Adele’s voice. Encouraged by this, I decided to check if source improvement in the form of a USB, Digital to Analog converter would further enhance sound quality. I hooked my Meridian Explorer USB DAC to my laptop, which in turn was hooked up to the Classic via the 3.5mm plug, and listened to FLAC files via J River media center v19. Lee Ritenour’s 6 String Theory – Concord (16/44.1, FLAC), features various guest artists and the first track Lay it Down has John Scofield accompanying Lee on the guitar.  This is where the Classic began to shine. The guitar riffs were distinctly well rendered and overall sound was more refined and clearer.  Moving to a high resolution download of Counting Crows’ August and Everything after Geffen (24/96, FLAC), the sound quality jumped up a notch with excellent vocal rendition and expanded dynamic range.  It is on this album that I noticed that the Classic could play quite loud, its 50 watt per channel amplifier, adequately filling my large, 8m x 5.5m room.

Tangent_classic_detail2_headerOptions for the Listener:

As you read through my listening session, you will be able to conclude that the best performance from the Classic BT will be via a wired connection. Unfortunately this defeats the very purpose of the wireless Bluetooth convenience, but that is the current state of wireless technology for music, which involves a slight compromise over great convenience.  Secondly you will also discern that addition of a high quality DAC and playback of higher resolution files improves the sound quality significantly, but here again, not only is the wireless convenience conceded, but also there is the additional cost and complexity of another component in the form of a DAC.  Ultimately the listeners will have to decide what options and sound quality levels will suit them best, but whichever option they choose, one fact is undeniable, the Classic BT is an extremely stylish and convenient way to listen to music.

Associated Equipment:

  • Sources: Panasonic P81 Android smart phone, Sony Vaio laptop running J River Media Center v19.
  • DAC: Meridian Explorer.

Tangent, Denmark
Website: http://www.tangent-audio.com/en/index.html
Tangent Classic BT, Wireless Speaker

Price: Rs. 42,990
Warranty: One Year

Pros

  • Exceptional aesthetics
  • Room filling sound

Cons

  • Wireless option suitable only for casual listening
  • Price

Tangent Classic BT

Summary: The Tangent Classic BT is a gorgeous looking audio component, which should be at the top of your choice for casual listening. However, with a wired connection and better source/files it can be transformed into an acceptable, mid fidelity device.

42,990.00
Rating
Rated 3.5 stars