The second generation of Tangent’s Ampster BT amplifier offers streaming via Bluetooth or you can connect your device using an AUX cable. Digital and analogue line inputs, a sub-output and USB charging ports are also provided. So impressed with the apollo that I've been exploring the brio amp option to replace both my full sized CXA60 and separate cambridge phono stage with one small brio shaped box. I managed to find a ex demo unit at a decent price & option to return within 30 days if I wasn't happy so took the plunge! The dial’s default position is volume, but give it a push and a twist and you can cycle through the various inputs.

I keep looking at them while shaking my head and saying ‘it cannot be’ as their dimensions are 5.5 X 7 X 9 inches – almost invisible. The first time I ever heard a Rogers LS3/5a, it was sitting on top of a Spendor BC3 (about a 50 liter cabinet). The sales guy doing the demo asked me which speaker was playing, and it was hard to know. I have the Spektor 1s sitting on top of my DALI Oberon 5s and it is hard to know which is playing. I am sitting two rooms away right now while I write this and they still sound pretty amazing.The unified remote also controls the CD II player (yes, if you buy the Ampster and CD II, you’ll have two identical remotes) and all the standard buttons are there, including the eject button which pushes the CD out for removal. Fortunately the compact disc will not emerge until the eject button is pressed. This is unlike automobile CD players that often eject the CD after it has played and maybe not at an opportune moment. Compact systems have not been wildly popular in North America, but times are changing. With more people now in downtown condos and other small living spaces (mom and dad’s basement) the need for compact systems may be rising. Indeed, some people are now downsizing their large systems and are quite happy to ditch the complexity. A good example of a simple decluttering strategy can be found in a DALI Oberon 5 based system we wrote about recently, here. Like a number of such devices we’ve looked at though, the Tangent has the scope to do rather more than simply collate your analogue sources. With decoding and Bluetooth on board, this little device has the potential to be quite content to work on its own, so long as you have a mobile phone and a streaming services account. What’s more, the Ampster - as we shall come to - is offered at a very tempting price for this sort of thing. The Ampster BT II is a fairly easy piece of hi-fi to tame, with the choice of using the supplied remote or the volume/selector button on the unit itself. I listened to CDs for several days and found the combination to be quite pleasant and musical, which I cannot say had been my experience with past mini-systems. Generally, except for the most expensive mini-systems of the 1990’s, the average contender was tinny, shrill and offered far less than the normal expectations that people might have about hi-fidelity. In contrast, the DALI/Tangent combo was able to bring real musical joy into my living room. Long sessions proved unfatiguing and held many sonic surprises. One is not accustomed to small systems teaching you about the fine points of recorded music, but I can emphatically say that the DALI/Tangent combo brought new delights to the array of music that I plowed through.

DALI Spektor 1: Two way, Bass reflex, Rear ported, 59 to 26,000 Hz frequency range, 83 db sensitivity, 6 ohm impedence, cross-over frequency is 2100 Hz, Size is 237 X 140 X 195 mm, Weight 2.6 Kg., Recommended amplifier power 40-100 watts. In the mid 1990s an array of mini-systems were still available in the shops. I lived in the UK for a couple of years during that period and if you went into a Dixon’s (something like Best Buy here), they were everywhere to be seen. The Ampster BT II is an amplifier with Bluetooth connectivity that delivers a powerful sound considering it’s small size. You can stream music from your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth 4.0 or connect it to wired devices via the digital and analogue line inputs. There is also a USB charging port for your smartphone/tablet.The supplied remote control doesn’t just operate the CD player, it also controls a full tangent system, including amplifier and tuner – making the full Tangent system every bit as convenient as an all-in-one system. While not weighty, the remote feels good in the hand and is big enough not to get lost easily. Button presses are responsive, and despite the number of buttons on the remote, they’re spaced out well – misplaced presses will be few and far between. This is not the most extensive list of inputs going but it should be sufficient for most requirements. Crucially, that digital input is a little more talented than you might expect. Until recently, it would be have been entirely acceptable for it to top out at 16/48 or similar but Tangent has equipped the Ampster with the ability to handle 24/96. In the great scheme of things, this might not sound important but it means two things. The first is that the Tangent is likely to put in some decent numbers with ordinary 16/44.1. The second is that it does mean that the Ampster has the ability to work with you if you decide to use this as a starting point that will take you to the lofty peaks of the high end. The CD II plays CD’s with all current formats, including homemade MP3 files. The digital optical and regular line-outputs are designed to produce lossless connectivity to the HI-FI II. Since then, compact systems have not found much favour here. Big systems rule the roost. However, in the UK and in Europe there has always been keen competition for small and compact systems that sound good. This may well be due to the size of their listening rooms (and bedrooms) which are often quite compact as compared to ours.

the auto-play of cds as soon as you insert them means you can sit down without waiting for the disc to cue and then press the play button. I strapped everything together and set the units up on an equipment table (see photo). I placed the speakers flat on the equipment stand about 4.5 feet apart and at knee high level. From a purist’s viewpoint this is not ideal, but it is a mini-system after all and many potential owners will set it up this way – for example in a student’s dormitory, or in a bedroom system or an office. Some compromises are often going to be necessary. There are, of course, other very good compact speakers around, and certainly some quite highly regarded candidates by Proac and Harbeth that would challenge the little Spektors. But on a price versus performance basis there is really no contest. Invoking those brands in my comparisons should let the reader know that I take these baby DALIs seriously. You even get colour choices.The CD II player is also a fine candidate for comment, whether through the optical cable or the RCA outs. It is a dead simple player. Instead of a drawer or tray it has a slot feed that grabs the CD and pulls it into the player and then registers it and begins play. I generally prefer slot loading devices to trays. I also used a low-powered tube amp when I first set them up, my Unison Research ‘Simply Italy’, and it could drive them to ear splitting levels. From the first notes that issued forth I knew they were going to be amazing and I was frankly flabbergasted at how much good sound was issuing from these tiny boxes. The metal casework feels solid and the rear inputs are sensibly arranged and complemented by a sturdy set of binding posts. You get a system remote that works well and is usefully non directional. Pairing a device by Bluetooth is simple and proves entirely stable throughout testing. High-Quality Sound: The Tangent CD Player II is meticulously crafted with premium components and advanced digital technology, ensuring an unparalleled sound experience. From crystal-clear highs to deep, rich bass, it elevates your music to new heights. Compact, stylish and sparkling-sounding, the Tangent CD II is the perfect CD player for enjoying your disc collection.

Digital Output: The Tangent CD Player II is equipped with a digital output, allowing effortless integration with other digital audio components for a seamless audio setup. All three units are designed to enhance each other and can be controlled with one remote control. You might want to connect the system to Tangents X4 or X5 speakers and even an active Sub for an even bigger sound. Tangent Ampster BT II Much as Tangent would like you to go CD, the true calling of that input is for two rather more modern roles. The first is that the Ampster is a fine partner to boost the sound of a flatscreen TV - and one that comes in at price more in keeping with the outrageous bargains that seem to crop up routinely in the world of soundbars. That inbuilt ability to work out of sight allows the Tangent to be hidden away so you can have a nice clean install of the TV and a pair of speakers and, potentially, very smart it will look too. The small matter of the Masterchef final was entrusted to the Tangent and the Polks and a very fine job they did too.Unlike here in Canada, really small speakers are available in Europe from dozens of manufacturers, domestic and imported. If you drop in to any ‘Richer Sounds’ store in the UK you will find whole walls of them. Even their floor standers are compact by our standards. The CD Box S3 is the first product of Pro-Ject’s new S3 line. Not only is the circuit design reworked, the case has also been significantly changed and the CD Box S3 introduces a completely new S3 size. Besides the new full aluminium casework, the CD Box S3 also features a 1,54“ display with colour inversion function which shows you all relevant information you need to enjoy your favourite CDs. Easily control the CD player with the buttons on the front, or with the supplied remote control.