Amplification options with TAD speakers

[olivier]

Thank you @Amir The Vitus I own has definitely enough power with my TAD ME1. The only reason I’m hesitating moving to TAD amplification is that I may find it less engaging than Vitus. I know only listening to it in my home will give me the answer.

Sorry to chime in and i don´t know the Vitus, but one of the strengths of the TAD MK2500 mk2 is speed. I also do have the combination Zu Druid VI driven by Atma M60, which are known for speed and the 2500 Mk2 is as fast driving the TAD CR1.

 

[Ricco275]

Sorry to chime in and i don´t know the Vitus, but one of the strengths of the TAD MK2500 mk2 is speed. I also do have the combination Zu Druid VI driven by Atma M60, which are known for speed and the 2500 Mk2 is as fast driving the TAD CR1.

Thank you @olivier. I just want to be sure the TAD Amp sounds rich and full enough. And not too clean and bright.

 

[olivier]

Well i think this is a matter of taste. The 2500mkii is very neutral. i tested different preamps and Dacs and the 2500 showed all differences. i also tried the CR1 with different amps and on my opinion the body also comes with power. If the amp cannot drive the load, the low end suffers. But the ME1´s load is not as difficult as the CR1.
Someone wrote that the M1000 would be a bit leaner, but i don´t know them.

 

[Ricco275]

Well i think this is a matter of taste. The 2500mkii is very neutral. i tested different preamps and Dacs and the 2500 showed all differences. i also tried the CR1 with different amps and on my opinion the body also comes with power. If the amp cannot drive the load, the low end suffers. But the ME1´s load is not as difficult as the CR1.
Someone wrote that the M1000 would be a bit leaner, but i don´t know them.

Thanks. my Vitus has 300W per channel in 8 ohms. So I'm not lacking drive. I've read too about the M1000 being leaner than the M2500.

 

[Amir]

Thank you @olivier. I just want to be sure the TAD Amp sounds rich and full enough. And not too clean and bright.

TAD is not too clean or bright but generally speaking more neutral/transparent/revealing systems (like TAD) are more sensitive to setup/acoustics/records/AC quality…

 

[Ricco275]

TAD is not too clean or bright but generally speaking more neutral/transparent/revealing systems (like TAD) are more sensitive to setup/acoustics/records/AC quality…

It’s clear, thanks. I just wonder if we can say TAD amplification is better with TAD speakers than Vitus, at same product line level. Perhaps hard to objectively assess as it’s in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Stef]

It’s clear, thanks. I just wonder if we can say TAD amplification is better with TAD speakers than Vitus, at same product line level. Perhaps hard to objectively assess as it’s in the eye of the beholder.

I don't know Vitus + TAD so can't help to assess the differences but I can share my experience with my TAD speakers (CR1tx & ME1) in 2 systems with 2 different setups.
The Me1 are driven by a DartZeel integrated amp (CTH-8550) and there is enough power for a small room (20/25m2) with 330 watts RMS @4Ω. Sound is fast, quite dynamic, detailed and highly musical with a slight but beautiful coloration. Very good synergy between those 2 brands on my opinion. Simple and strait-forward setup. I love it.
The CR1tx are driven by 2 TAD M1000 (in bi-amping) which are highly neutral, not cold at all, super fast and detailed. Preamp is also TAD (C600) so no synergy problems. The M2500 are now discontinued and replaced by the M1000 which are more versatile when you want to bi-amp your system.
My take is that the M1000 (500W @4Ω) will perform at the level of your preamp - they have an input gain Gain of 29.5 dB like all the TAD Power Amps so it's important to find the right preamp partner (symmetric and Gain around 12dB like TAD preamp).

 

[Ricco275]

I don't know Vitus + TAD so can't help to assess the differences but I can share my experience with my TAD speakers (CR1tx & ME1) in 2 systems with 2 different setups.
The Me1 are driven by a DartZeel integrated amp (CTH-8550) and there is enough power for a small room (20/25m2) with 330 watts RMS @4Ω. Sound is fast, quite dynamic, detailed and highly musical with a slight but beautiful coloration. Very good synergy between those 2 brands on my opinion. Simple and strait-forward setup. I love it.
The CR1tx are driven by 2 TAD M1000 (in bi-amping) which are highly neutral, not cold at all, super fast and detailed. Preamp is also TAD (C600) so no synergy problems. The M2500 are now discontinued and replaced by the M1000 which are more versatile when you want to bi-amp your system.
My take is that the M1000 (500W @4Ω) will perform at the level of your preamp - they have an input gain Gain of 29.5 dB like all the TAD Power Amps so it's important to find the right preamp partner (symmetric and Gain around 12dB like TAD preamp).

Thank you very much for the useful insights. I have a Music First Audio passive preamp and the manufacturer believes there will be no compatibility issues with TAD amp.

 

[olivier]

Thank you very much for the useful insights. I have a Music First Audio passive preamp and the manufacturer believes there will be no compatibility issues with TAD amp.

Yes the relation between output impedance of your source and the input impedance of the TAD amp seems to be ok

 

[Stef]

Thank you very much for the useful insights. I have a Music First Audio passive preamp and the manufacturer believes there will be no compatibility issues with TAD amp.

Did you manage to try a TAD M1000 or other TAD Power Amp?

 

[Ricco275]

Did you manage to try a TAD M1000 or other TAD Power Amp?

I bought the TAD M1000 and I hope to receive it by the end of next week. Curiously enough, I’ve listed my Vitus for sale several weeks ago and got no requests.

 

[Stef]

I bought the TAD M1000 and I hope to receive it by the end of next week. Curiously enough, I’ve listed my Vitus for sale several weeks ago and got no requests.

Congrats!!! You will love it I'm sure
Re your Vitus be patient... Sometimes it depends on the number of listings available
Keep us posted when you get your M1000!

 

[Ricco275]

Congrats!!! You will love it I'm sure
Re your Vitus be patient... Sometimes it depends on the number of listings available
Keep us posted when you get your M1000!

Thank you! I'm selling the Vitus and the MSB discrete on audio markt and in Europe I'm the only one selling, not to mention here in Paris. Let's see. I'm waiting to clean up my gear to get an Innuos Zenith and a Moon LP810 to complete the chain.

 

[Stef]

Thank you! I'm selling the Vitus and the MSB discrete on audio markt and in Europe I'm the only one selling, not to mention here in Paris. Let's see. I'm waiting to clean up my gear to get an Innuos Zenith and a Moon LP810 to complete the chain.

I'm in Paris too - small world
Innuos Zenith seems to be a very good music server indeed

 

[luthcol]

I don't know Vitus + TAD so can't help to assess the differences but I can share my experience with my TAD speakers (CR1tx & ME1) in 2 systems with 2 different setups.
The Me1 are driven by a DartZeel integrated amp (CTH-8550) and there is enough power for a small room (20/25m2) with 330 watts RMS @4Ω. Sound is fast, quite dynamic, detailed and highly musical with a slight but beautiful coloration. Very good synergy between those 2 brands on my opinion. Simple and strait-forward setup. I love it.
The CR1tx are driven by 2 TAD M1000 (in bi-amping) which are highly neutral, not cold at all, super fast and detailed. Preamp is also TAD (C600) so no synergy problems. The M2500 are now discontinued and replaced by the M1000 which are more versatile when you want to bi-amp your system.
My take is that the M1000 (500W @4Ω) will perform at the level of your preamp - they have an input gain Gain of 29.5 dB like all the TAD Power Amps so it's important to find the right preamp partner (symmetric and Gain around 12dB like TAD preamp).

I had Pat at Steve McCormack Audio build an amp for me. I asked him to build leaning towards the warm side because I love the tube sound but did not want to deal with tubes. He nailed it. I am really happy with the sound.
M