Designed to fit perfectly into IKEA Kallax and Expedit shelving units, the Tangent Sperctrum Square wireless speaker promises a unique integration solution!
This speaker offers full customization thanks to its interchangeable grilles for harmonious adaptation to any interior. Equipped with a wired input and Bluetooth, the Tangent Square can operate on its own or be used in stereo for large spaces. Priced at €249, this speaker aims to brilliantly merge design, integration capabilities and sound performance. Can it keep this promise?
Presentation
A unique design
The IKEA Expedit shelving unit, relaunched as Kallax in 2015, is without a doubt one of the world’s best-selling pieces of furniture. Many of us have one at home, whether It’s to organize our books, decorate the living room or to store our precious vinyl collection. This was the basis on which Danish manufacturer Tangent developed the Spectrum Square. At 33cm wide and 20cm deep, this connected speaker fits perfectly into this iconic Swedish furniture.
Integrated into an IKEA unit, the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker hugs the edges of the shelf perfectly. The furniture seems to have been designed around the speaker, giving it an appealing seamless look. Most of the front panel is covered by a fabric grille, which hides the drivers. Since integration is at the heart of this speaker’s development process, the manufacturer offers several different colored grilles. The Tangent Square comes with one grille in gray fabric and the other in black. Other grilles in white, pink, orange, red and blue are available as optional extras at €19 each. You can easily modify the speaker’s appearance to match your current decor.
Naturally, the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker can also be used elsewhere than in an IKEA bookshelf, by placing it directly on a shelf or TV cabinet, for example. The manufacturer has paid great attention to the design of this speaker, whose minimalist, streamlined style reflects its Danish origins. The sides and top panel are completely covered by a discreet black vinyl finish. On the front, the speaker features a walnut base on which a touch-sensitive interface is mounted.
Controls
The Tangent Spectrum Square’s front-mounted control interface uses a physical switch to turn the speaker on and off. The other controls are all touch-sensitive, and allow you to select the source, adjust the volume and activate the Loudness mode to boost bass at low volumes. They are highly sensitive for intuitive speaker control. However, a remote control would have been appreciated for greater ease of use. You have to rely on the Bluetooth source to adjust the volume from the sofa. With a wired device, you can only adjust settings from the speaker or using the source’s remote control.
Stereo sound
The Tangent Spectrum Square Bluetooth speaker blends seamlessly into the background, but never forgets its primary function: to provide an impressive sound experience. To achieve this, it adopts a stereo configuration, with four drivers, including two 4.3″ midbass drivers. They work alongside two 0.75″ silk dome tweeters. The speaker has a bass-reflex enclosure with two front-firing ports. This configuration extends the bass response down to 50Hz without compromising the accuracy of the reproduction when the speaker is placed in a shelf or next to a wall.
The four drivers in the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker are powered by a Class D module capable of delivering up to 60W RMS and peaks of 100W. This is ideal for effectively reproducing music and movie soundtracks in most interiors. If required, TWS Bluetooth daisy-chaining lets you wirelessly link two Tangent Square speakers for a more powerful stereo system.
Bluetooth and wired
Thanks to its Bluetooth 5.0 controller, the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker can easily receive music from a smartphone, tablet, computer or TV, for example. It is possible to play tracks stored in the source’s internal memory or those available from streaming services. It’s a shame, however, that this speaker doesn’t support the aptX and LDAC HD codecs for faster transmission. Despite this, the sound available through Bluetooth remains pleasant and balanced. Another bonus: the Tangent Spectrum Square wireless speaker can also be combined with a wired source. Its 3.5mm mini-jack input allows you to connect a pre-amplified turntable, a CD player or a TV, for example. However, it’s unfortunate that there isn’t an HDMI ARC port to facilitate connection with a TV.
Because it is 20cm deep, this speaker conveniently leaves space at the back of the IKEA unit for the cables or to hide a small network player.
Configuration
The Tangent Spectrum Square connected speaker is easy and intuitive to set up. Once connected to the mains, simply select the Bluetooth mode, then go to the source’s settings to pair it. To create a stereo pair, switch on both speakers and hold down the source selection button on the first speaker for 1–2 seconds to set it as the main speaker. It will then automatically search for another speaker and define it as the secondary speaker. The main speaker will be used for the left channel and the secondary speaker for the right channel.
Listening impressions
Tangent Spectrum Square: single speaker
Used on its own, the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker reproduced music with dynamism and energy. It had plenty of power, with punchy, intense bass. Without being abyssal, the bass hit hard, and was robust and tight. They provided effective rhythm and a pleasant sense of depth. We were never frustrated by a lack of bass.
The Tangent Square slightly emphasized the midrange, increasing the clarity of vocals. On Pink Floyd’s track Money, the reproduction of David Gilmour’s voice was transparent and structured. It was intelligible and richly detailed, no matter the volume level. The electric guitar accompanying the track was reproduced naturally and without aggression by the dual tweeter. The stereo effect was quite pronounced, with the effects of the cash register switching smoothly from one channel to the other. Naturally, the spatial imaging was narrower than with a pair of speakers placed on opposite sides of the room.
Tangent Spectrum Square: pair
Used as a pair, the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker offered a wider soundstage, with effects that were more effectively distributed. The music unfolded with ease and fluidity, and the stereo effect was highly natural. The vocals were reproduced with conviction at the center of the stage. Once again, it was very natural and correctly articulated.
Tangent Spectrum Square: home theater
Despite the absence of an HDMI ARC input, the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker is an excellent solution for enhancing TV sound. In this configuration, however, you must place the speaker directly under the TV or, ideally, use it in a pair. In this configuration, the effects were distributed throughout the soundscape very effectively. Despite the absence of surround spatialization, the soundtrack extended well beyond the physical limits of the screen, and the various details were dispersed across the front stage. Dialogue was clearer and more natural. Action scenes were rendered with greater intensity, although explosions may lack a little depth for those used to a home theater setup with subwoofers.
Conclusion
With the Tangent Spectrum Square speaker, the Danish manufacturer offers a tailor-made integration solution for IKEA Kallax and Expedit furniture. This modest connected speaker is ideal for enjoying good-quality sound without spoiling the decor of your living room, bedroom or office. Its interchangeable grilles are a real asset for seamless integration with your interior design and to easily customize the speaker according to your taste. This beautiful object promises to accompany the user for many years to come, adapting perfectly to each new remodel.
We liked:
- The perfect integration with IKEA furniture
- The simple, minimalist design
- The interchangeable grilles
- The natural, energetic reproduction
We would have liked:
- A remote control
- Bluetooth aptX HD and/or LDAC
- an HDMI ARC input
