Hi
Could this just be a matter of .... POWER. The TAD CR-1 is a 86 dB speaker... I would think that the more powerful amplifier will sound , well, more powerful. Also how many day have you heard both to form a more ...well... objective impression? Were the level somewhat matched? We are not talking about precision 0.1 dB thing , just a gross SPL reading with same material with something like the Rat Shack SPL meter?
I am now a fan of huge power regardless of speaker sensitivity ... 86 dB is low sensitivity and I wouldn't be surprised that real measured sensitivity would be much lower around 83 dB call this a hunch... I have heard the TAD and this is reference speaker ... It requires a bit of power though to give its best. I am a disciple of Tom Danley on the subject of amplifier power (and other things too) , the more the better unless you're dealing with 94 dB + and even then ...
Joe.. If I were you I would slow down on the purchase of gear and simply enjoy one of the wonderful amplifiers you have .. I will stress there is no condescension in this advice. I do know the feeling of new toys and had to force myself to come off the endless experimentation.. Your stable of gear is superb and should likely provide you with hours of joy. Enjoy the Music
At the risk of repeating myself, all is a question of properly matching cables and speakers. Used with wrong system the Dartzeel will sound polite as you say. But I have to say I heard the Dartzeel sounding great and very "impolite" with a pair of JMLab Grande Utopia!
Jm Lab is 92 dB with a rather easy to drive field coil woofer .. 6 dB more efficient than the TAD CR1 ...
Joe
Good to hear from you again. We missed you, if you know what I mean
Joenid ,the thing what i meant is that , if you would have a 92 db efficient speaker you " might " have liked the dart better , there are a lot of variables
I meant that in a positive way microstrip , i do like your system especially with the maxx 3 s. (...)
They already left ...
Microstrip, you're running Sound Lab A1s, right?
Hey Joe,
I know the feeling you're getting with the CJ alongside the Dartzeel!
I've had a few other amps here along with the 108, as I was afraid my speakers (then a pair of Dynaudio C4s) were going to be a problem for the Dartzeel.
I've tested monsters like a 800w ML stereo amp (forgot the model), Krell 402e, Krell 750, Halcro, Pass Labs X150.
Initially, playing all these muscular amps, I got the same feeling you're getting now, that fullness to the sound is indeed very impressive, and it makes it seem like the 108 is lacking. But after a couple of days, I'd switch back to the Dartzeel, and the absurd transparency would hit me immediately, and I'd forget completely about all that bass I was getting with the muscle amps
So, I decided to keep the 108, and upgraded to the Dynaudio Temptation, an easier to drive speaker. Now I have the best of both worlds Huge bass, with all the Dartzeel magic, that no other amp could get even close.
Anyone know of one for sale?
Can't say I really had that result with mine, however, I certainly didn't use it with everything. I did have great success with the Nagra preamps, Aesthetix, McIntosh and Manley to name a few. It was not as synergistic of a match with ARC and Burmester.
Really loved it with the ACT 2, ET5 and GAT.
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