TAD Reference D600/C600/M700/R1 Review 2022, Tehran Iran

Amir

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May 3, 2021
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before writing this review i would like to say for many reasons i do not like have only one audio system in my home.
It is essential to me having two different Audio Systems.
I have TAD Reference D600/C600/M700/R1 and I will buy CECTL0/Kondo/Living Voice Olympian . I do not sell non of them and I will have both Audio Systems in my home.
this subject is very important to me and after 20 years of listening to many audio systems i have convinced i should have both TAD and Living Voice. i also do not believe in having more than two audio systems, only two not more. please do not ask me why two audio systems because it is very complex to describe.

TAD Reference Review:
I have listened more than 1000 hours to my TAD reference system with Skogrand Stravinsky cables.
the system include:
TAD D600 CD Player
TAD C600 Pre Amplifer
TAD M700 Monoblock Power Amplifier
TAD Reference one Loudspeaker
Interconnects/Speaker Cables/AC Cables all are Skogrand Stravinsky . I used two pairs of separate Speaker cable for mid and low terminal.
wellfloat boards are under D600 and C600 and wellfloat delta under Loudspeaker. mechanical isolation is good but i will add air suspension for D600 in the future.

My room space is not big or small for TAD R1 and TAD load my room easily. I believe the Speaker should load the room. my acoustics has higher RT than normal and i am going to properly decrease the RT. TAD sounds better in more damped rooms.
my wall AC quality is awful shared in big complex (there are more than 199 apartments in the complex) and i am going to add 30k VA inverter (battery powered) in the future.
in short time I did not find a good place for my speakers to have good dynamics/imaging in all frequency.
total cost: $570.000

most audiophiles look for more transparency and special tone but i believe in long listening sessions the music should capture your hearts. TAD is also good for long/relax listening sessions if you properly setup it.
I think these items are very very important to have good sound from TAD:
- AC quality
- Speaker Placement, room acoustics

my TAD/Skogrand system is much more transparent than TAD demos in munich shows. you can not believe this level of transparency (without sounding analytical) until you hear it.
i have listened to many super expensive systems in Tehran but no super expensive audio system come close.
what make TAD more special is it's dynamics/imaging. TAD has so much big image, fast and accurate attacks (wonderful peaks) that makes me scared many times.
horn like liveness/dynamics plus full range frequency response (deep bass/extended highs) make other expensive loudspeakers like toys.

you feel there is nuclear power in your room and i never seen like that. you feed the power of music like no other dynamic driver loudspeaker.
i do not write more and i recommend you to find a TAD dealer and listen to it. in my idea TAD easily beat many $1000000 audio systems if you setup it properly.
matching is very important and for many reasons the TAD Reference should be in complete TAD system (D600/C600/M700/R1) and i do not recommend using other brands in TAD System.

Thanks for reading
 
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bazelio

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Sep 26, 2016
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Well, if you go to vinyl, then you can have 8 virtual audio systems: 2 systems with 4 cartridges each.

TAD speaker drivers are among my favorites. I've not heard the other TAD gear you mentioned.
 
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kimurastanley

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It would be nice to have some photos :)
 

Amir

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D600.jpg

i will send more photos :)
 
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kimurastanley

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Mar 16, 2019
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Beautiful photo. I like TAD’s design and sound. Call me a TAD fanboy :p
 
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kimurastanley

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Mar 16, 2019
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Hi Amir, could you elaborate more on air suspension for D600? What type of implementation is that?

Do you think skogrand cabling is one of the important variables in giving the transparency you mentioned above? I only have the entry level of skogrand (Wagner), the transparency and openness without harshness is one of the best I have heard, even compared to other much more expensive cables. But havent heard skogrand more expensive model.

Regarding 30k VA inverter you mentioned, any more info on that? For me I am thinking of Stromtank products as the ultimate power upgrade.
 
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Amir

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May 3, 2021
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Tehran, Iran
www.amiraudio.com
Hi Amir, could you elaborate more on air suspension for D600? What type of implementation is that?

Do you think skogrand cabling is one of the important variables in giving the transparency you mentioned above? I only have the entry level of skogrand (Wagner), the transparency and openness without harshness is on the best I have heard, even compared to other brands much more expensive to the Wagner. Haven't heard their more expensive model.

Regarding 30k VA inverter you mentioned, any more info on that? For me I am thinking of Stromtank products as the ultimate power upgrade.
Hi
I have CEC TL0 3.0 and Weiss Medus DAC and i have listened to dCS Scarlatti many times and i also listened to many expensive dacs.
please trust me , I think you can compare TAD D600 with top of the line dCS Vivaldi Apex , CEC TL0/Weiss Medus and Wadax Reference DAC.
in my idea Good Sound come from good dynamics and good dynamics come from good power supply design.
I think TAD D600 is perfect in power supply design (15kg 400VA transformer + 32 pin output dc cable).
I guess only Wadax Reference ($140000) could beat TAD D600 and other expensive transport/dacs will not beat it easily.
if you do not get full performance of TAD D600 it is because of using D600 in other systems. TAD products will not show you 100% performance out of complete TAD System. TAD Designed to be in TAD system not to connect to other systems.

I think TAD D600 needs better suspension and i will go for Air Suspension system like Vibraplane.

yes , The skogrand stravinsky is the reason of higher transparency.
I have listened and compared many cables in TAD system like purist neptune ($3000), purist 25 anniversary ($14000), New Nordost Valhala 2 ($14000), Furutech Flux top of the line , Fadel art coherence , transparent cable , Acoustic Revive (both old and new models) and ...
you can not believe but even $3000 skogrand cable (Rachmaninov) is more transparent than all of those cables (in TAD system) and only Nordost valhala 2 was close to Skogrand Rachmaninov. Skogrand stravinsky is better than skogrand rachmanionov in all area and the bass of stravinsky is deeper than rachmaninov.
Skogrand gives you both transparency and emotional velvet midrange like no other cable. TAD and Skogrand are good Match in mid/high and for full range extended bass of TAD R1 you should go for higher model of skogrand like Stravinsky or Beethoven.
I guess Skogrand Stravinsky easily beat Nordost Odin2 in every respect.

Stromtank products and PS Audio P20 and all other AC regenerators are not enough for TAD System. these are good for only 30w tube systems.
for AC supply i have used three parallel AC inverter total 6500VA and it was not enough. i am going for paralleling 6 Victron phoenix inverter 5000 total power around 30000VA.

 
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Amir

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www.amiraudio.com
That's an extraordinary way to support those incredible speakers!!
This plywood under speakers will replace with thicker plywood that fully covers the base of loudspeaker and the wellfloats will go under the plywood.
 

tom539

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kimurastanley

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I am waiting for C600 replacement and hopefully can get a home demo against my current VAC master preamp.

I am curious to find out how is the synergy of full TAD setup in my own room.
 

Amir

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May 3, 2021
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www.amiraudio.com
AC Polarity of TAD D600/C600/M700 (230v Version)

I have measured the Chassis Voltage of TAD Electronics disconnected from earth wire:
D600 chassis voltage : 165 volts (Standard AC polarity) and 40 volts (invert AC polarity)
C600 chassis voltage : 155 volts (Standard AC polarity) and 40 volts (invert AC polarity)
M700 chassis voltage : 102 volts (Standard AC polarity) and 50 volts (invert AC polarity)
the wall ac voltage was around 225 volts (224v-230v) when i measured the chassis voltage.

some believe the lower voltage chassis give us better sound but it is not true.
all TAD electronics have batter sound when the AC polarity is right (Standard).
AC Polarity has huge impact on the sound.

i had not balanced isolation transformer to check the sound of TAD electronics (balanced AC power will decrease the chassis voltage to under 10volts) but i guess balance AC power will not improve the sound of TAD.

TAD design is very special , you are not allowed to connect TAD ground to wall earth wire and TAD is fully isolated from home ground.
 
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Christiaan Punter

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Stef

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Amir

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TAD Reference System Photography

1681033474111.png
 

Amir

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May 3, 2021
803
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www.amiraudio.com
I will send the final pictures after edit soon ...
 
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Amir

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/113nCtrmckwVaACYmtykcU2zSaEbSs0MO/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13BQbYtGJHHY6R0c3bz9kOPteljKmZyRK/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14rH2CtBWIBk9omqiNfWgSZyPFRFxZ8DR/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BmlBpZlXoah6Acj3pESo_TMrhckns-Lf/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ejq3ihLaXqLCF5jLX_gwbX6AkQcuqlNU/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HcDmnWEXTH8p13NvI_RKcm6X6RBBzgX5/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OdI57SU91lK05EltnniEOUFV8C7gTlHl/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QQpYJOFpcJzqQKxIfNx1lhOLX3hA66zc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R8qtNLs6wUhDwpt2TF1TQcEGSWDdYTU5/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WiSC3z4nCeYQy4t3yOX06jrtYuKypvgH/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y1hSoWKQAVIJ4oiAT6zK0n5ziz_KT6wt/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eU-1Nx6XDT61yLQj7l53JfYD_6NrN7Z4/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1khE7K080lFT1aU3nbxQk_y99xF97m5g4/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1koS0EzibFM5R6RbuvU4l-a5I8S1NPqEE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ognnFa32prvwfCQfaf-Q4sN7fxPkqlPC/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pwmAjFPs3EmKoPwR54A3-BzTvAB85Tgf/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sqpi4YvXUh2jmaIt1sosuJuX8FIHMfCi/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xHKr9YR4s5_H4333VevrqGkwVuTbVBi3/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xjj4-PrKZ5P1EnOClEnVnOWfHr21s_Aj/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ypwaZcUn-CRJwlWunVXMAt69M3MeIomS/view?usp=sharing
 

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