The sound source was Sony Walkman mp3 player. I beleive that it is kinda shame to have such source of sound, but I am in process of buying DAC now.
In the short: my first impressions are between "Weeeeeee!!!!!!" and "Woooooow!!!!"
I did not listen too many speakers before. I did have Mission M3S speakers and Onkyo amplifier some time ago, and thought that it is the top of the notch. However, when I moved to a new place, I start thinking about serious music, and start looking for a speakers. So, I did some auditions, and there were two speakers at the top of my list B&W PM1 and Focal Electra. First I heard at Magnolia, and second ones I heard at my friend house. So, apparently, there was not too many to compare.
So, let's return to monitors.
First what I would say is:
absolute cleariness of the sound. The sound is precisely exact as it should be.
I prolly was overexcited, when I run to my room and start connecting cpeakers to amplifier, and I spend couple minutes looking for cable for my player, and ... I connected player to amplifier, and pressed play button. It was "Mysteries" from Beth Gibbons's "Out of Season" disk. That song started from some sampled unaudible low volume noise and ... I felt first and strongest disappointment, because that noise was such plain and muffling. I was ready to cry, and in a moment later, guitar chord, so chrisp and clear appeared from nothing and voice of Beth arise. It was soo clear, that I thought that I could touch it :lol:
I did run through my favorites, and here were:
"Belissimo" by Ilya, it starts from set of percussion sounds, chelesta like sound, followed by guitar chord and solo voice. I would not beleive, but percussion sounds were vibrating, effect which I could not hear not in my Panasonic eaprhones, not in my Pioneer 'audiophile' earphones.
Next "Brasil" by Cornelius, because that is electronic music, filled with different samples of sound of various texture. And beleive, it reproduced everything in precise accuracy.
Next "Koop Island Blues" by Koop, I love that piece, jazzy with good bass and brush over the drum, and it was exellent.
I listened "Rocket" by GRY, that is electronic piece, which is heavy mix of dance beat, big-band jazz and industrial samples. These monitors did never choke or struffer.
After it, I moved to classical music, and listened to first part of "Sinfonia Fantastica" by Hector Berlios, and it exceed all my expectation. The musical instuments are so bright and real. The dynamic range is very impressive, from silent to loud. Fantastic space localisation.
I did came to a bed around 2 am after listening Symphony #10 "Adagio" by Gustav Mahler, performed by Leonard Bernstain. It is my favorite. The violin in finale is so sweet and tragic.
BTW, I woke up with "Since I've Been Loving You" by Led Zeppelin, and a breakfast with Genesis's "Firth of Fifth", and left home with "Bring Back The Glory" by Zardonic, whic did not sound well on these, just because of it is bass and drum piece.
Second:
it is not big bass speakers, the basses are very audible, and reproduced very well, but those speakers are not for dance music lovers.
Third:
speakers are very neutral, and they do not color music, and I like that very much.
Fourth:
because these are very exact in sound reproducing, it reproducing all blemishes and inaccurates, and that could hurt an ear.
Conclusion: I am mostly into classical music, and those monitors are perfect for that. I love them so much, and I am happy that I did not finish with B&W of Focal.
BTW, I think that they will sound much more better after breaking.
And some disappointments. The biggest one: it is impossible to turn off AI-1000 from remote control, You should crawl to it and press a button. Pictures of these monitors shows some black spots on the sides at the waist, which looks like as handles for transportation. And I even read somewhere that those ARE handles. Ha-ha, those are two pieces of black velvet fabric, don't really know why.
I like the quality they are built: solid and looks very reliable. However, I do not really know if that is a defect, or it should be in that way. The drivers here has convexed diaphragm, those are two bumps, wich should spread HF sound vertically. And right monitor has both bumps oriented exactly vertically, while LF driver in left monitor turned on about 15 degrees to left. BTW, I am going to contact TAD about it.
Ok, going to finish with that, don't really know if it could be considered as good review.
Also, I am very sorry for my poor engrisch and all typos and mistakes I made here.