Amplification options with TAD speakers

[Ricco275]

Preamp & Power Amp matching is sometimes a mystery... I had an Aries Cerat Incito-S which has never been accepted by my TAD Power Amp. The C1000 preamp is certainly excellent but if you can have a very good price for a C2500 I would not hesitate (you can even try its internal DAC with your MSB discrete)

I don't know if you are using XLR connections but the main issue that I have met with TAD is when other gears are using pseudo balanced outputs... TAD design is fully balanced and fully isolated from home ground (earth pin in the IEC inlet is missing).

I don’t know if the preamp is a real balanced one. The phono stage certainly isn’t. I didn’t know the MSB has an output option. I have set it to high and it’s better. Still the sound is more compressed vs Vitus.
You think the C2000 is a better machine than the newer C1000? They say the C1000 share more elements with the reference C600. Of course I’m tempted by the C2000 demo since it would be cheaper than the C1000 brand new.

 

[Stef]

I don’t know if the preamp is a real balanced one. The phono stage certainly isn’t. I didn’t know the MSB has an output option. I have set it to high and it’s better. Still the sound is more compressed vs Vitus.
You think the C2000 is a better machine than the newer C1000? They say the C1000 share more elements with the reference C600. Of course I’m tempted by the C2000 demo since it would be almost half the price the C1000 brand new.

No I'm saying that the C1000 is certainly better than the C2000 (I have listened to it it's indeed very very close to the C600 that I own) but if you have the opportunity to get a "cheap" C2000 go for it. Moreover the C2000 has an internal DAC which is quite good

 

[Stef]

No I'm saying that the C1000 is certainly better than the C2000 (I have listened to it it's indeed very very close to the C600 that I own) but if you have the opportunity to get a "cheap" C2000 go for it. Moreover the C2000 has an internal DAC which is quite good

You also have some C600 at very attractive prices coming out recently on the second hand market since the release of the C700....

 

[Ricco275]

You also have some C600 at very attractive prices coming out recently on the second hand market since the release of the C700....

I'd like to stay around 12k euro max. Second hand C600 out of range....

 

[Stef]

I'd like to stay around 12k euro max. Second hand C600 out of range....

TAD C600 -SOLD- Highendaudio.nl

Very well received and reviewed reference preamp from Japanese specialists TAD. The C600 is developed and manufactured to the highest standards and it performs at an extraordinary high level. With balanced and single-ended outputs. This unit has been supplied by an official Dutch TAD dealer and...

highendaudio.nl

 

[Ricco275]

TAD C600 -SOLD- Highendaudio.nl

Very well received and reviewed reference preamp from Japanese specialists TAD. The C600 is developed and manufactured to the highest standards and it performs at an extraordinary high level. With balanced and single-ended outputs. This unit has been supplied by an official Dutch TAD dealer and...

highendaudio.nl

Hifishark is our friend

 

[LL21]

I'd like to stay around 12k euro max. Second hand C600 out of range....

I have heard an all TAD system at Pioneer Plaza in Tokyo years ago and spend a little time with the CEO at the time to understand their philosophy. The sound was indeed very clear, very crisp.

If you wanted a bit more 'breathe of life' in your music, the preamp actually is a good place to start. But rather than interpret your comments to date which I have skimmed...what are you looking for in your sound, and what exactly has been your observation about how your current preamp and TAD amp are working together to make sound?

 

[Ricco275]

I have heard an all TAD system at Pioneer Plaza in Tokyo years ago and spend a little time with the CEO at the time to understand their philosophy. The sound was indeed very clear, very crisp.

If you wanted a bit more 'breathe of life' in your music, the preamp actually is a good place to start. But rather than interpret your comments to date which I have skimmed...what are you looking for in your sound, and what exactly has been your observation about how your current preamp and TAD amp are working together to make sound?

I was happy with the Vitus RI-101 mk2 as power amp and the MFA Baby ref 2 passive preamp.
I like a natural sound, not analytical nor warm. I like wide soundstage, details, airy and dynamic presentation.

 

[Ricco275]

Today I have tried both TAD M1000 and Vitus RI101 mk2 straight into the MSB Discrete for an apple to apple comparison.
The gap is narrower now.
Still the Vitus has a wider presentation with more air. I think the trebles in particular are richer with Vitus.
The Vitus seems slightly more euphonic while the TAD has a tighter presentation. I dare to say slightly compressed vs Vitus.
The million dollar question is what a TAD would do in the chain.

 

[Stef]

Today I have tried both TAD M1000 and Vitus RI101 mk2 straight into the MSB Discrete for an apple to apple comparison.
The gap is narrower now.
Still the Vitus has a wider presentation with more air. I think the trebles in particular are richer with Vitus.
The Vitus seems slightly more euphonic while the TAD has a tighter presentation. I dare to say slightly compressed vs Vitus.
The million dollar question is what a TAD would do in the chain.

As soon as you will have the same DNA in your hifi chain (TAD preamp -> TAD M1000 Power Amp -> TAD ME1 Speakers) you will be able to "fine-tune" the sound according your taste through the choice of your DAC / Cabling / Isolation footers / ..... At least the foundation of your system will be solid without any component compatibility issue

 

[Ricco275]

As soon as you will have the same DNA in your hifi chain (TAD preamp -> TAD M1000 Power Amp -> TAD ME1 Speakers) you will be able to "fine-tune" the sound according your taste through the choice of your DAC / Cabling / Isolation footers / ..... At least the foundation of your system will be solid without any component compatibility issue

Hope so! What I miss without the Vitus is the sense of openness and sparkle. Treble brilliance affected the most.
Pondering between C2000 or Soulution 520 / 720 / 725.
A friend recommended Spectral DMC30SV!

 

[Stef]

Hope so! What I miss without the Vitus is the sense of openness and sparkle. Treble brilliance affected the most.
Pondering between C2000 or Soulution 520 / 720 / 725.
A friend recommended Spectral DMC30SV!

All are individually good components for sure but you are now talking about preamp between Euros 8k to 20k (second hand value) - so you can add in your list the C600 at 18K....
@Amir could maybe help you to assess brand matching with TAD if you really want to pursue the mix & match route

 

[Ricco275]

All are individually good components for sure but you are now talking about preamp between Euros 8k to 20k (second hand value) - so you can add in your list the C600 at 18K....
@Amir could maybe help you to assess brand matching with TAD if you really want to pursue the mix & match route

C1000 new best offer I had is 14,800€. My budget should stay at 10,000€. The 520 easily fits the bill. Of course the Spectral too. No idea about matching compatibility. Soulution may bring more life to TAD for what I hear missing vs. Vitus. Perhaps @Stef you are right saying that the whole experience will change with TAD preamp. Many say it will be stay actually as it is in style.

 

[LL21]

I was happy with the Vitus RI-101 mk2 as power amp and the MFA Baby ref 2 passive preamp.
I like a natural sound, not analytical nor warm. I like wide soundstage, details, airy and dynamic presentation.

I wonder whether you have ever considered a CJ GAT 2? Well below your target second budget I would imagine.

Conrad Johnson Conrad Johnson GAT 2 (4826290945) | Second-hand device | Tube-Preamp | Offer on audio-markt.de

Offered is „Conrad Johnson GAT 2“ by Conrad Johnson as second-hand device from the category „Tube-Preamp“ on audio-markt.de - the online market place for high-end. The advert with the number 4826290945 ends on 05.02.2023 at 21:34 o'clock.

www.audio-markt.de

 

[Ricco275]

I wonder whether you have ever considered a CJ GAT 2? Well below your target second budget I would imagine.

Conrad Johnson Conrad Johnson GAT 2 (4826290945) | Second-hand device | Tube-Preamp | Offer on audio-markt.de

Offered is „Conrad Johnson GAT 2“ by Conrad Johnson as second-hand device from the category „Tube-Preamp“ on audio-markt.de - the online market place for high-end. The advert with the number 4826290945 ends on 05.02.2023 at 21:34 o'clock.

www.audio-markt.de

Thanks. I’ve narrowed selection down to TAD, Soulution and Spectral.

 

[Stef]

Thanks. I’ve narrowed selection down to TAD, Soulution and Spectral.

Maybe you can check but I remember that Soulution works best in RCA, Soulution should be single-ended in design and running pseudo-balanced.... For Spectral you need to check but the Gain may be too high (TAD preamp is 12 dB for your reference)

 

[Ricco275]

Maybe you can check but I remember that Soulution works best in RCA, Soulution should be single-ended in design and running pseudo-balanced.... For Spectral you need to check but the Gain may be too high (TAD preamp is 12 dB for your reference)

Thanks Stef. I thought only Soulution series 3 is SE. I’ll check.

 

[LL21]

Thanks. I’ve narrowed selection down to TAD, Soulution and Spectral.

Best wishes in picking from them!

 

[Ricco275]

Maybe you can check but I remember that Soulution works best in RCA, Soulution should be single-ended in design and running pseudo-balanced.... For Spectral you need to check but the Gain may be too high (TAD preamp is 12 dB for your reference)

You are very right Stef. Soulution are all pseudo-balanced. Do you think this is a limit with M1000?

 

[Stef]

You are very right Stef. Soulution are all pseudo-balanced. Do you think this is a limit with M1000?

I really have no clue Ricco - Maybe try to have a dealer / friend to lend you one Soulution preamp to try, this would be the best. Sometime in hifi the best of each brand doesn't give the best results. Synergy between components is key. I believe it's more safe to stay within the same brand for the preamp/amp matching (whatever the brand).

Vitus is excellent and known for its relaxed / smooth / big sound but could be a little slow compared to TAD gears. On the other side TAD sound is faster, more clean but never dry or lean, more "neutral" (if it really exists). It is known that TAD is rarely "love at first sight" because of its neutrality and lack of showing off in specific areas. On my (biased) opinion fast and less coloured gears will always give you more room to fine-tune according to your own taste. For example you can easily "slow-down" your system with the right cables (Acoustic Revive / Audioquest / Furutech /...) or smooth the overall sound presentation with the right DAC (Lampizator / Aries Cerat / Abbas / ....). Also don't under estimate your speaker positioning and try different placements if possible to match/compensate the characteristics of your room.

Good luck and keep us posted