Verdict
The Tivoli Model Two Digital ’s looks make it stand out , and there are no complaints about how it sounds , but its price shines a light on its lack of some advanced features .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Appearances can be deceptive , peculiarly when it come to hi - fi . So while the Tivoli Audio Model Two Digital looks every bit like one of the brand ’s onetime radios , there ’s no sign of a DAB or FM tuner inside its classy - looking console .
This is a compendious , main - powered speaker that lets you determine how you require to get your euphony into it , whether that ’s wirelessly or by using an aux cable . It ’s not cheap , though , so with lot of competition for a place in your home , does the Model Two Digital do enough to deserve your cash ?
Design
Given Tivoli ’s story of make believe radio , it ’s perhaps not enormously surprising that the Model Two Digital could quite easily lapse as a good old - fashioned wireless . The tranquil wooden locker and aluminium grille give off some literal mid - century vibes , and while the dial on the front looks like it should be for tuning into different radio set Stations of the Cross , it ’s really an intuitive 3 - in-1 knob used for top executive , adjust the loudness , and exchange the source .
A short closet grow the Model Two Digital on , with each one after that cycling through the unlike connectivity options and the light bar on the front changing colouring material to suggest which is active . Hold the thickening down for about five seconds and the verbaliser will turn off .
As this is a mains - powered utterer there ’s no auto shutdown , but the indicator light does blur after a period of inactiveness . Unless you ’re concerned about how much electricity it ’s using when in understudy you ’re probably best off leaving it in this state , because if you turn it off completely it take around 25 seconds to connect to the Wi - Fi when you fire up it up again . That ’s not that tenacious in the grand scheme of things , but does leave you cling around a bit .
round down the back thing are more useful . In the middle of the plastic panel there are button to initiate Wi - Fi and Bluetooth setup , a 3.5 mm auxiliary socket , and a USB port , but the latter serves no running use for the owner . The whole thing feels sturdy and solidly built , and with the dimensions of a horseshoe boxful it ’s easy to find a place for it to dwell . you’re able to even stand it on its side if you want .
As well as the walnut and gold manikin Tivoli sent over to test , you could also get the Model Two Digital in plain black , or whitened and silver , both of which lessen the retro aesthetic reasonably but are no less likable to see at .
Features
There ’s no screen on the Model Two Digital but initial apparatus via your telephone set or tablet is straight . Tivoli has quite wisely delegated this job to Google ’s Home app , so engender the speaker relate to your Wi - Fi only takes a matter of minutes . Once that ’s done it ’ll automatically seem in your twist inclination on Spotify and Tidal , and , if you ’re using an iOS machine , as an option in theAirPlay menu . Chromecast is also supported .
Bluetoothis also an option and connecting is equally simple . Your third pick is the supplemental porthole on the back , although you ’ll have to supply your own cable as you do n’t get one in the box . It ’s ready to hand to have a forcible input just in type , but with the 3.5 millimeter headphone socket now an queer species in the world of smartphones you do wonder how much use it ’ll get .
Despite how it looks there ’s no radio functionality here . Of naturally , you could still mind online via a connected machine , but there are no DAB or FM wireless build in . Given Tivoli ’s story with making wireless that might disappoint some , but it does n’t feel like a significant absence .
The other famous absence is any kind of voice ascendance or fresh functionality . Adding these feature can sometimes amount at the disbursement of outright effectual quality , so it ’s fairly easy to see why Tivoli has n’t include it , but some potential buyers may face at the asking terms and feel like they can get more elsewhere . Of naturally , the inclusion of the 3.5 millimetre socket means you could quite well connect acheap Echo deviceto turn the Model Two Digital into a DIY overbold verbalizer .
Sound Quality
Tivoli has fitted the Model Two Digital with a single 3.5 - inch full - range driver and 0.75 in tweeter , with 15W of amplification for the former and the continue 5W being used by the latter .
For such a compact speaker it delivers an impressive transonic functioning across the whole frequency range . The way it regurgitate voice is especially noticeable , with the acapella possibility track to Boygenius ’s The Record sounding almost convincing enough to make me think Phoebe Bridgers and co are blab out in the elbow room with me . There ’s literal heart and soul in the evangel consort on Blur ’s Tender , while the demarcation between the voices of Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon come across wonderfully clearly .
The cabinet has a freshwater bass port on the back , so despite its relatively lilliputian dimensions it ’s very capable when it follow to low - end frequencies . Whether it ’s the fuzzy synths and thumping bass on Tame Impala ’s Past Life , or the pounding hoagie spirit on Elijah Minelli ’s dub remix of Dry by Traams , there ’s both weighting and texture to the bottom end .
Where the size of the loudspeaker system does become apparent is with the scale of measurement of the auditory sensation . While it still manages to vocalise with child than it is , it ’s still always obvious that you ’re listening to a one - boxful system rather than a proper stereophonic system apparatus . That say , it for certain is n’t meek when you crank up the volume .
There ’s no Tivoli app , so if you do n’t like the transonic lineament of the Model Two Digital there ’s nothing you may do to pull off how it sound , but over the line of my two - week testing period I never felt like that was an issue .
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Should you buy it?
The Model Two Digital looks great , with a intent that manage to be at the same time retro and timeless , which mean it ’ll suit in almost anywhere . Fortunately , it also sounds as good as it count , so it ’s not just a pretty face.&bsp ;
It ’s not honest-to-goodness - school enough to include a tuner , but the Tivoli has stick to the basics with the Model Two Digital . There ’s no phonation assistant onboard , and the front - facing machine driver mean it ’s not equip to give birth spatial sound recording .
Final Thoughts
At £ 399 or thereabouts , the Tivoli Model Two Digital does n’t come cheap , and that ’s voiceless to ignore when weigh up whether you should buy one or not . To put it in context , a peck of places will often sell you aSonos Era 300for the same monetary value , and while the two are n’t necessarily in unmediated rivalry , the Sonos offers some features that make the Tivoli look almost dated in comparison .
Of course , just because you’re able to bribe another brilliant speaker for the same price does n’t mechanically make the Model Two Digital a bad product , but with so much accomplished contest out there , it ’s voiceless not to count at Tivoli ’s little wooden box and wonder where all the cash is going .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every wireless speaker system we review thoroughly over an extended menstruum of time . We use industry standard mental testing to compare feature decently . We ’ll always secern you what we find . We never , ever , go for money to review a product .
Find out more about how we test in ourethics insurance .
FAQs
The Tivoli Model Two Digital supports Wi - Fi with Spotify Connect , AirPlay 2 , and Chromecast built - in .
