TAD C600 Reference Preamp
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Great review! I did not know that magazine. Besides what the reviewrs findings are, I like a lot what he writes. It is not the usual brave, best of all all around (till next comes in) review you get out of most magazines.
As any gear, it has strong points and others that while may not be weak, will compare worse to other also top cpmpetitors. That he states very well and makes clear. It gives a lot of credibility to his words.
He compares to the ARC costing far less, but I guess given the Ref40 at similar price was a limited edition only produced for one year, it is their top of the line currently. Being familiar with the Ref 5 I use to have, I find his opinion and reporting on it to be actually quite accurate.
The C 600 seems to be indeed a very fine unit with great care and quality building all around. It is nice looking if you see it in person. One of the top preamps out there I would say.
I listened to it on an all TAD system although is hard for me to tell how it sounds in itself since I was not familiar with the whole chain of reproduction. Actually the sound of hte all TAD with CR1s was to me a bit away from what he reports. Slightly cold or analytical. Very synamic. But surely not on the warm or dark side, and not tuby at all. It may be the amps that had this effect or the digital. Or maybe the cables used. Do not know.
In any case I will put this magazine and reviewer on my radar. Really liked it.
Lloydelee, I am not familiar with the digital beyond the listening just described and so can not asses it in itself. However I read at some forum, dont remember which one a lot about it. It was mixed feeling people had on it. Some complained I think I recall on how it converted DSD signals to PCM before going analog.
As any gear, it has strong points and others that while may not be weak, will compare worse to other also top cpmpetitors. That he states very well and makes clear. It gives a lot of credibility to his words.
He compares to the ARC costing far less, but I guess given the Ref40 at similar price was a limited edition only produced for one year, it is their top of the line currently. Being familiar with the Ref 5 I use to have, I find his opinion and reporting on it to be actually quite accurate.
The C 600 seems to be indeed a very fine unit with great care and quality building all around. It is nice looking if you see it in person. One of the top preamps out there I would say.
I listened to it on an all TAD system although is hard for me to tell how it sounds in itself since I was not familiar with the whole chain of reproduction. Actually the sound of hte all TAD with CR1s was to me a bit away from what he reports. Slightly cold or analytical. Very synamic. But surely not on the warm or dark side, and not tuby at all. It may be the amps that had this effect or the digital. Or maybe the cables used. Do not know.
In any case I will put this magazine and reviewer on my radar. Really liked it.
Lloydelee, I am not familiar with the digital beyond the listening just described and so can not asses it in itself. However I read at some forum, dont remember which one a lot about it. It was mixed feeling people had on it. Some complained I think I recall on how it converted DSD signals to PCM before going analog.
Thanks for that...yes, i have started to read that as well. I will try to hear it, but based on multiple feedback, i still remain focused on Stahl-Tek and Zanden for the moment. Still, hearing is much better than reading. thanks again.
Yes...definitely. Zanden, Stahl-Tek Vekian Opus remain on my top list. Have listened to and elected not to go for: Emm CDSA, Krell 505, ARC CD8, Wadia s7i, DCS Scarlatti full stack, Metronome Kalista Ref/C2A, Meridian 808.2i. Essentially, looking for a Zanden sound with lower noise floor. I am planning on visiting Zanden next month to discuss further. I have also spoken with the folks at Stahhl-Tek on a few occasions.
If you have any recommendations, please let me know!
Not familiar with Zanden at all.dont even know price level. Of the ones you listened I have also done it with the ArC, Krell, dcs and wadia. Not the others. But yes, i did not went with them either.
Actually I likedma lot,the ARC Dac (not the reference model), for the price. Have you tried any Esoteric gear? I am biased I know.. Have owned theirformer X03, X01D2 (equivalent to todays k03 and K01), the P03/D03, and now the P02/D02.
I think they all were superb and best I could find at each price tag. Dpending on your budget, I think there are now very very interesting oportunities on the discontinued P03/D03,, the 02s are better, yes, but the 03s are superb by any standard and now offered at almost incredible prices for what they are and do.
Actually I likedma lot,the ARC Dac (not the reference model), for the price. Have you tried any Esoteric gear? I am biased I know.. Have owned theirformer X03, X01D2 (equivalent to todays k03 and K01), the P03/D03, and now the P02/D02.
I think they all were superb and best I could find at each price tag. Dpending on your budget, I think there are now very very interesting oportunities on the discontinued P03/D03,, the 02s are better, yes, but the 03s are superb by any standard and now offered at almost incredible prices for what they are and do.
Hi Eli,
I have heard Esoteric X-01SE....it was excellent with propulsive bass and detail. It is a personal preference...but i preferred my Zanden for the effortless way it delivered music. However, i agree that the latest Esoteric, Wadia, DCS SCarlatti all have superior detail retreival/lower noise floor. And in the right system...they could be magic.
I would love to hear the P-02/D-02 which must be amazing! If i can hear the Estoeric P-02/D-02 in Japan next month, i will. I am going to see Zanden, and will try to hear the TAD D600 as well.
Yes! Thanks, i enjoy them every day. As the electronics have improved, so has the sound. To date, i prefer the 'voicing' of my system to any that i have heard in a SOTA demo room...but i recognize a few have had superior technical abilities. Over the past 2 years, the distance in technical performance between those systems and mine has really started to close. Will be interesting to see what happens when i upgrade transport or go server.
For me, being able to reveal these improvements is a sign of a good speaker. At a fraction of the original price.
Hi Lloyd,
Are there any updates and/or new digital products coming up from Zanden that you know of? I got the Zanden 1200 MKIII Phono the other week, and I'm now considering the Zanden 3000 as well as the obvious partner.
You should listen to Audio Aero La Source and/or La Fontaine if possible. Several audiophiles up here in Scandinavia has replaced contenders such as the dCs Scarletti stack for these.
Are there any updates and/or new digital products coming up from Zanden that you know of? I got the Zanden 1200 MKIII Phono the other week, and I'm now considering the Zanden 3000 as well as the obvious partner.
You should listen to Audio Aero La Source and/or La Fontaine if possible. Several audiophiles up here in Scandinavia has replaced contenders such as the dCs Scarletti stack for these.
Nice to hear from you...been a while. Congrats on the Zanden Phono!!! I am seeing Zanden's founder, Yamada San, in September in Osaka. I will ask about his views on new digital, but i am not aware of any projects at the moment, and i am communicating with them now about my current DAC and what they can do with it to possibly upgrade. There are upgrade/tweaks available, and they can make it 24/96 having designed and sold a hi-res version many years ago...but they still maintain their preference to keep to 16/44 because they feel it sounds better due to all the digital filtering required for hi-res which they do not feel has been properly sorted out yet (not to mention relative lack of available true hi-res music). i suspect they will do hi-res someday...and this point, in addition to my Zanden DAC's current 16/44 performance, is what keeps me interested in Zanden long-term. When they do it, they do it right imho...so if they do hi-res someday...i want to be there when they do.
The Zanden family of products are all remarkable imho...the 3000 is extraordinarily invisible/neutral from what i am told. Literally as pass thru as many of the people i have spoken to have ever heard. I nearly went for it myself but ended up with CJ GAT in the end after considering Zanden, Wavac, ARC Ref and Shindo.
As for La Source...i did once try to listen to one. maybe i should try again. I deeply respect Scarlatti...but would not wish to trade my Zanden for one. But i know one owner of Zanden who kept the Zanden transport...but switched his DAC to La Source. Thanks for the advice...and will keep you posted on Zanden.
meanwhile, pls let us know about Zanden 3000...and congrats again on the 1200MkIII phono!!!!! Enjoy!
Well, I've been busy 
Thanks for valuable info, as always. Zanden are expensive products (especially here in Europe), but the sonic performance, design and craftmanship are of the highest possible order and as close to art that you could possible get within high-end audio imho. The fact that all of their products are upgradeable when the time comes is also a major factor when considering equipment on this level - as a long term investment. I truly respect Zandens attitude towards high-res digital, even though I would love to see a truly "modern" high-res DAC. Some day I'm sure.
For me, at this point, I'm very, very close to ordering the Zanden 3000 which could be found on the used market at a price which is considerably less than the CJ GAT (which I'm sure is world-class).
I'm planning to go to Japan next spring. Would love to visit Zanden Where are they located...?
I've had both the La Source and La Fontaine in my own system (not side by side though unfortenately). They have everything you could wish for. But, the La Source is too expensive in relation to future flexibility I believe. At this price point, I would choose a separate Preamp + DAC. Not sure if the performance would be significantly better, but it's a much more flexible solution I believe.
Cheers.
Thanks for valuable info, as always. Zanden are expensive products (especially here in Europe), but the sonic performance, design and craftmanship are of the highest possible order and as close to art that you could possible get within high-end audio imho. The fact that all of their products are upgradeable when the time comes is also a major factor when considering equipment on this level - as a long term investment. I truly respect Zandens attitude towards high-res digital, even though I would love to see a truly "modern" high-res DAC. Some day I'm sure.
For me, at this point, I'm very, very close to ordering the Zanden 3000 which could be found on the used market at a price which is considerably less than the CJ GAT (which I'm sure is world-class).
I'm planning to go to Japan next spring. Would love to visit Zanden
Where are they located...?I've had both the La Source and La Fontaine in my own system (not side by side though unfortenately). They have everything you could wish for. But, the La Source is too expensive in relation to future flexibility I believe. At this price point, I would choose a separate Preamp + DAC. Not sure if the performance would be significantly better, but it's a much more flexible solution I believe.
Cheers.
Well, I've been busy
Thanks for valuable info, as always. Zanden are expensive products (especially here in Europe), but the sonic performance, design and craftmanship are of the highest possible order and as close to art that you could possible get within high-end audio imho. The fact that all of their products are upgradeable when the time comes is also a major factor when considering equipment on this level - as a long term investment. I truly respect Zandens attitude towards high-res digital, even though I would love to see a truly "modern" high-res DAC. Some day I'm sure.
For me, at this point, I'm very, very close to ordering the Zanden 3000 which could be found on the used market at a price which is considerably less than the CJ GAT (which I'm sure is world-class).
I'm planning to go to Japan next spring. Would love to visit Zanden
I've had both the La Source and La Fontaine in my own system (not side by side though unfortenately). They have everything you could wish for. But, the La Source is too expensive in relation to future flexibility I believe. At this price point, I would choose a separate Preamp + DAC. Not sure if the performance would be significantly better, but it's a much more flexible solution I believe.
Cheers.
Sounds like you've got a good plan there...good luck! Zanden is located in Osaka City...you can take the bullet train from Tokyo, and it is around 2-3 hours. I am looking forward to it. I am hoping to speak with Yamada San about 2 things: 1) lowering noise floor in my current DAC to get as close to today's latest noise floor/detail/retrieval levels...which is the only area where i might look elsewhere...Stahl-Tek, 2) re-confirmation that my unit could be converted to hi-res as and when Yamada San is happy to announce he has a hi-res solution he is happy with. (AGain, Zanden did sell the 5100 24/96 DAC many years ago....so they can do it even today...but Zanden has formally said it does not sound as good on 16/44 playback and thus did not really push the unit and it seems to have disappeared.
Zanden Audio
6-6-2 101 Shinmori Asahiku
Osaka City 535-0022
Japan
Speak with Eric Pheils who is based in Osaka but also covers the US market, being an American now living in Tokyo. He is very responsive.
Great, we're planning to go to Osaka anyways. Promise to report back regarding the respons and future plans of Zanden!
Great! I will do the same, Hyperion...we are there next month. If you have any questions you wish to ask...just let me know. I am going to ask him about: any 'special' upgrades that can be done; b) long-term hi-res options as a possible upgrade.
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