Tangent SPL1 Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MY STORY

Since having the opportunity to experience the legendary LS3/5A, I was quite curious if there were any other speakers of a similar size from that period, that present similar sound quality but at a much more affordable price. I found a set of these Tangent SPL1 on eBay and decided to give the ma go.

Please note – usually before reviewing vintage speakers, I recap the crossovers to ensure that capacitors are within manufacturer’s specification. On this occasion, caps were within the specs, so there was no need to replace them. Also, bear in mind that purchasing vintage speakers is always a gamble. 30 and often 50 years it’s a long time, and one can never be sure how this time affected the loudspeaker drivers. Consequently, it is possible that the Tangent SPL1 that you have purchased will measure and sound different than the pair I reviewed.

SPEAKER INFO

SPL1 speakers were designed in 1970s by a small but well regard British company called Tangent Acoustics. To my knowledge these were the smallest speakers in their range. Tangent Acoustics were mostly known for their loudspeakers, but they also produced electronics. The ceased to exist in the 80s and nowadays, their speakers are quite sought-after by vintage HiFi collectors.
If you have any more information about Tangent or their speakers, please email me as I would like to provide more information in this section.
 

TANGENT SPL1 SPECS

Look & Feel of Tangent SPL1 Speakers

There is something nice about the look of small bookshelf speakers and these Tangent SPL1 do not disappoint in this area. These are one of the smallest bookshelf speakers I had in my listening room – even smaller than Chartwell LS3/5A or Harbeth P3ESR.
The enclosures are made of chipboard and finished in varnished real wood veneer. The front baffle is slightly reassessed and finished in black, giving the speakers classic vintage look. They do not feature any internal bracing but considering their miniature size, I don’t think this would provide any tangible benefits. The woofers feature pressed steel baskets and diaphragms made of impregnated paper and suspended on foam surrounds. These surrounds tend to deteriorate with age, so if you purchase a set of these, you will most likely need to replace the surrounds. The tweeters are of a good quality and feature silk domes and ferrite magnets. Both drivers were made by French manufacturer Audax and are fixed to the front baffle without any recesses. They are covered by thin grilles attached to the front baffle using Velcros. Tangent logos are really nice – made of 3mm thick brass plate with the Tangent writing etched into them and filled with black paint. The crossover is a rather simple design, especially in comparison to speakers like LS3/5A. Overall, Tangent SPL1 offer very decent finish for a budget speaker.

SOUND OF TANGENT SPL1 LOUDSPEAKERS

First Impressions

The first thing that came to mind when I played these Tangent SPL1 speakers was, unfortunately, laptop speakers. Kind of a tiny sound without any bottom end. This feeling fades a little once your ears adjust to the sound balance, however, it never completely disappears.

Bass

Due to the physical limitations, these are just not full range speakers. This is especially noticeable with bass guitars. Tracks such as Those Sweet Words by Norah Jones sound OK but leave you constantly feeling that something is missing at the bottom end. This improves a little when you turn the volume up but never completely goes away. The speakers produce surprisingly good kick considering their tiny size. Nonetheless, I cannot see anyone enjoying reggae on these little Tangent SPL1 speakers, unless it is the acoustic Redemption Song by Bob Marley…

Midrange, Treble, and Soundstage

The midrange and treble are OK but nothing to write home about. Voices sound attractive to start with but not the most natural – the ‘ts’ sibilants are quite noticeable and after a while become tiresome. The imaging and illusion of soundstage depth is better than expected. The speakers sound airy – but that is due to lack of bottom end rather than refinement. The clapping sounds surprisingly realistic and believable, but with most of instruments and voices you are very aware that you are listening to the speakers (i.e. they don’t create illusion of artists being in your room). As a result – Tangent SPL1 are not very engaging to listen to.

CONCLUSION

Tangent SPL1 speakers are rather underwhelming – they lack overall balance and sound refinement. Definitely not full range speakers. They have a bit of kick considering their microscopic cabinet size and they image pretty well. Great collector’s item, but if you are after decent sound, I would recommend getting the Audiomaster MLS1 which sound noticeably better.

Balance of Sound:
Neutrality of Tone:
Transparency:
Soundstage:
Attack:
Engagement:
Total Score:

SONGS MENTIONED IN THIS REVIEW

Bob Marley – Redemption Song
Norah Jones – Those Sweet Words

Reviewed: April 2019 | Published: June 2019