Tangent CD II CD Player,Black

Product Information

The word that keeps recurring with the Ampster BT II is simplicity. If you’re looking to ease your way into the world of hi-fi, the Tangent Ampster BT II would be a fine place to start. It’s simple to set up, easy to use and, in tandem with the Q Acoustics 3010i, produces a sound that’s sweeping and appealing.

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. Overall operation of the CD II player was smooth and consistent, and through both the optical output and the RCA outs the sound was a joy to hear. You really cannot ask for much more at this price level. 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.

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Remote Control: Navigate your music library with ease and adjust settings from anywhere in the room with the included remote control, adding convenience to your listening experience. The DALI Spektor 1s are quite tiny, but offer up that signature big DALI sound field. Of course, they aren’t perfect. There is a mild mid-bass/mid-range forwardness, but all this does is act to highlight vocals and supply valuable upper harmonics to the bass lines. The tweeter can be a bit whiffy at times, but not so much that you focus on it to the distraction of the rest. Overall, the balance is terrific and the image is very very good; wide and highly precise even if not terribly deep. Some Comparisons Due to the UK leaving the EU, some of our delivery partners have changed the way we ship to international and offshore destinations. This means that for the time being we are unable to ship items to these locations. The dial’s default position is volume, but give it a push and a twist and you can cycle through the various inputs.

Software developments have also created a more user-friendly operation particularly in multi-room environments or where commercial applications limit operation via the remote control. 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 Tuner II is a radio with access to FM/DAB/DAB+ stations. The Tuner has a discrete antenna, which is detachable to allow you to connect an external antenna.

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 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. 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.

Tangent’s CD II is a multi-format disc player that’s compatible with “all current CD formats” (including home made MP3 files) and with both digital optical and regular line-outputs. 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. There is a surprising amount of headroom available from the 25W Class D output, but the performance starts to harden up a little at higher levels. The Bluetooth connection can also be momentarily upset by incoming phone notifications. Prices valid in stores (all including VAT) until close of business on 29th November 2023. (Some of these web prices are cheaper than in-store, so please mention that you've seen these offers online.)The amp is rated at 25 Watts into 8 ohms and 50 Watts into 4 ohms, and it all sounds hefty enough if the speakers are well matched. The specs don’t indicate harmonic distortion or how flat the frequency response measures. No matter, the design seems competent, so the target audience are getting what they pay for – a small, versatile, fun and affordable amp. Beyond rhythmic capability, the most notable attribute it consistently brings to material is tonal realism. Voices are very impressive. There’s no unnatural emphasis that makes them feel separated from supporting instruments, but they always come across as distinct and the focus of attention. Other standard challenges like piano notes and strings come across well and sound right.