INTRODUCTION

   Unlike with most things in the electronics industry as a teenager growing up in the 90's i have to admit that things were somewhat more interesting when it came to home stereo systems. Back then not only was the market filled with mini and midi stereo systems but there were also countless stereo pieces with which consumers could build their very own stereo system. Yes, such parts exist even today but people put far more time and effort when out to buy a new stereo system back then (not to mention that many stereo systems originated from Japan, Germany and the UK, something which we don't see almost at all nowadays). Of course, there are quite a few interesting products in the home stereo market today and even though it's not always easy to come across one a couple of months ago i did and it’s no other than the Quadriga Internet Radio Music System by Majority.

   Founded by two friends from Cambridge in 2012, Majority has gone on to become an Amazon best-selling brand with a device in over three million homes across the globe. From the very beginning, founders, Eddie Latham, and PJ Scott’s focus has been to use ground-breaking technology to deliver quality consumer electronics at an affordable price. “Our goal has always been inclusivity” Latham and Scott use their years of know-how to continue to build a brand that designs products for a variety of budgets.

   The Quadriga is an all-in-one music system which combines a CD player with the Venice X hardware and software solution (FS2340 module) by frontier technologies which in turns offers full support for DAB/DAB+ Radio (174–240MHz), FM radio with RDS (87.5–108MHz), Smart Internet Radio (UnDOK app), Spotify Connect, Podcast Playback and Bluetooth v5.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n wireless connectivity. Majority has also equipped the Quadriga with a 2.1 speaker setup (2 full range speakers and 1 subwoofer - frequency response of 40Hz-20kHz), 2.8" color TFT Display (320x240p / dimmable), 120W digital amplifier and a telescopic aerial antenna. As for available connections the Quadriga sports a 3.5mm aux in, optical SPDIF in, analog (l/f) in and a USB port which can be used both for music playback (MP3) and charging of portable devices (500mA). Last but not least Majority covers the Quadriga Internet Radio Music System with a 3-year limited warranty and according to their package they will even plant a tree for every single one they sell.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Majority uses a large white and green box to ship the Quadriga the front of which has a large product picture, its main features and of course the company logo.

As mentioned earlier Majority plans a tree every time they sell a Quadriga and that's exactly what's advertised on the left side of the box.

Another product picture is located at the rear of the box along with the main product features, the company logo and the 3-year limited warranty.

Packaging is actually very good with the Quadriga wrapped inside a synthetic bag and placed between 4 foam spacers.

Along with the Quadriga inside the box you'll also find a power adapter, telescopic aerial antenna, 3.5mm audio cable, remote control, two AAA batteries EU declaration of conformity paper and the instructions guide.

THE QUADRIGA

The Quadriga weighs 5.4Kg and its enclosure is made out of solid wood and measures roughly 430mm in length, 270mm in width and 128mm in height.

Both front speakers are placed behind metal grilles behind which Majority has placed 4-inch speakers.

At the front center of the Quadriga we find the CD player with its eject button, 2.8" TFT screen, IR receiver, aux in, headphones out, volume/navigation knob, on/off/menu button and 7 media navigation buttons.

Turning the device around we find the subwoofer exhaust port, antenna port, stereo in (l/r), optical in, USB port, power port and an on/off switch.

Moving at the base of the Quadriga here we find 4 round feet and the 6-inch subwoofer.

For all of you that may be wondering the telescopic aerial antenna extends all the way up to just over 71cm in height.

The remote control is better than what i had expected so you can use it to control almost every aspect of the Quadriga.

LCD MENUS

Once you turn on the Quadriga for the very first time you'll need to finish the setup procedure which includes selecting the language, hour format, check for firmware updates and connect it to your local wireless network.

To switch between functions Majority has placed two menus, a graphical one and a list one.

The radio function includes FM and internet radio.

Of course, internet radio allows you to listen to stations from all over the world.

If you're not looking for a specific station the Quadriga has several lists per country according to popularity and music genre.

Using the Quadriga you can also listen to a wide range of podcasts from all over the world if that's your thing.

Being able to listen to DAB/DAB+ stations is clearly one of the strongest selling points of the Quadriga.

Connecting my smartphones with the Quadriga via Bluetooth made use of the SBC audio codec.

From the settings tab you can access the equalizer, network (connect/disconnect), time and date, language, software update, device info, privacy policy and backlight tabs.

CONCLUSION

   The Majority Quadriga is the 3rd DAB and internet radio I’ve used to date and it's also the best, not only because it comes ready with a 2.1 speaker system but also because it features a very convenient CD player (yes, my entire collection has been digital for many years now but I still have some oldies which seem to sound better on CD). Yes, you will not be throwing a party with the 2.1 speaker system of the Quadriga anytime soon but audio quality is surprisingly good and as for volume levels well it's still more than enough to cover a large room. Build quality is also very good and even though a larger LCD screen with touch functionality would obviously look and feel better the front navigation buttons work well. As for secondary features even though the addition of a USB port for music playback is always welcome (a microSD slot would also be nice to have) it just supports MP3 files. Granted this will probably be plenty for most people but i was also hoping for FLAC support. I was also looking forward to using the UnDOK Android/iOS app with the Quadriga since my smartphone seems like a better choice than the remote control (not to mention you can also use it to control the Quadriga from anywhere at home) but no matter what i did the app just wouldn't detect it, even by manual IP input (issue with my FRITZ! BOX 7950 AX?).

   The Quadriga by Majority currently retails for 229.95 pounds inside the UK (Majority.co.uk) and for 281.29Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) a price tag which is considerably lower compared to competing models with similar features and specifications (not to mention you’re also helping plant a tree with your purchase). Needless to say, more expensive models may feature higher quality enclosures, larger screens, higher volume levels and even better audio quality but that applies to everything out there. What matters in the end is that the Quadriga does what it’s supposed to do and does it very well and for that it deserves the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Solid Wood)
- 2.1 Speaker System (120W)
- FM RDS Radio / Internet Radio / Podcasts / DAB / DAB+
- Spotify Connect / UnDOK App Audio Streaming
- CD Player & USB Media Player (MP3)
- Wired & Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity
- 2.8” Color TFT Screen
- 3 Year Limited Warranty
- Tree Plated With Every Sale

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- USB Audio Format Compatibility (MP3 Only)