Tangent were a force to be reckoned with at Sound and Vision - The Bristol Show 2008, showing off their extensive range of tabletop radios, including the Tangent Duo - an FM/AM model not too far removed from the Tivoli Model One - and the new Cinque DAB/CD lifestyle system.

Tangent DAB, CD and wi-fi tabletop radios

Indeed, anyone in the market for something colourful and glossy needed to have looked no further than the Tangent stall, where no less than 5 models of AM/FM, DAB and internet radio were on offer.

The Tangent Duo, with a geared tuning dial for accurate tuning, pulled in a great performance. Nicely finished, only the slightly tacky plastic controls let the side down.

Tangent Duo FM/AM radio with geared tuning dial

The Tangent Trio, featuring a DAB radio, in a lime green glossy wrap and upwards-facing speaker, performed well given the plethora of other electronics in the room. The Trio can certainly shift some air and the ported design means that, placed up against a wall to increase bass output is certainly an option.

Tangent Trio in a glossy red finish

Virgin Radio (with possibly the worst digital processing of all DAB stations) showed off the Trio's abilities at the low end, with more than enough bass from such a small enclosure.

A useful alarm (with a snooze bar below the speaker) will wake you up to your favourite station, meanwhile you can plug in an MP3 player around the back for more sonic delights.

Tangent Trio in a glossy green finish

The Tangent Trio is available in a variety of colours now.

	Tangent Trio
For:	Plenty of bass from such a small unit
Against:	A wi-fi and DAB hybrid model is the next logical step, so may be worth waiting for
Verdict:	A compact, well finished radio
Price:	GBP150.00

The Quattro internet radio - an award winner - is easy to set up and use. Despite having only six presets, the Quattro gives access to the "my stations" area of the Reciva internet portal, from where individual stations can be added as favourites for immediate recall on the Quattro. It's an alternative solution to scrolling through hundreds of stations on the Quattro's rather diminutive dual-line display. Unfortunately, all of the stock on Tangent's display has been snapped up, leaving bare shelves and prospective buyers hoping for a sneak peek disappointed.

The Tangent Cinque wraps up CD, DAB and FM playback in a curvy rectangular unit. An alternative FM/AM version is also available. A single alarm gets you up and about and the volume level is more than adequate for an early rise; being analogue it doesn't suffer from the "not quite loud enough, then too loud" problems of other DAB alarm clock radios with stepped volumes.
Tangent Cinque in a glossy white finish

The CD player is adept at handling CD-recordable, CD-rewriteable, MP3 and WMA-encoded tracks. An MP3 input is hidden around the back and you can also connect the Cinque up to a larger system if you prefer, via its line out socket.

Related links:
Buy the Tangent Quattro wi-fi internet radio, via this website.
Buy the Tangent Cinque, via this website.
Buy the Tangent Trio, via this website.
Buy Tangent's range of DAB tabletop radios and wi-fi internet radios, via this website.

Bristol Sound and Vision 2008 reviews, on this website.
where to buy DAB digital radio, on this website.
more DAB radio receiver, system and tuner reviews, on this website.

Tangent Trio fascia

Tangent Cinque in a glossy white finish