Giving the TAD CR-1's a spin!

[Still-One]

Joost
Sounds like a great decision. The CR-1's seem to please everyone who owns or has heard them.

Jim

[joeinid]

Joost,

You have been able to describe the treble exactly the way I hear it. There is detail beyond belief and no fatigue. I could not say this of other highly regarded speakers. With others, detail and lots of fatigue. I can't wait to hear the 911's. I hope another month or so for their arrival. I am happy for you. Matching the speakers to the room is VERY important and the TADs play with the big boys.

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Joost
Sounds like a great decision. The CR-1's seem to please everyone who owns or has heard them.

Jim

+1

[jdebonth]

Originally Posted by joeinid

Matching the speakers to the room is VERY important and the TADs play with the big boys.

From this standpoint alone, the CR1's are clearly the best fit for my room.

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by jdebonth

From this standpoint alone, the CR1's are clearly the best fit for my room.

This is very true. But it is NOT like we are settling. We are maximizing our enjoyment and in the end is all that matters.

[jdebonth]

Originally Posted by joeinid

This is very true. But it is NOT like we are settling. We are maximizing our enjoyment and in the end is all that matters.

Not at all; this is a case of selecting the right tools for the job and thereby maximizing performance.

Yes you need large woofers to be able to generate enough air movement to achieve a deep bass response. In smaller rooms with larger floor standers, when the mid-range and tweeter are positioned for the best stereo image, the chances of having a flat bass response from the woofers are very low. This is where it makes sense to separate the elements to allow maximum control of the woofer placement, gain and crossover.

[cmalak]

Joost...congrats on your decision. Frankly, when I saw the Ankaas in your room, I thought it was a bit too much speaker for your sized room. They do need a little bit of room to breath. In fact Andy Payor designed the Chiara and the Aviors frankly for the Asian markets for smaller room enclosures (both with regards to speaker dimensions, driver complement, as well as front firing woofers). My bet is that the Aviors would have fit your room better, although they may still have been a bit overpowering as well.

The TAD CR-1s are phenomenal. Congrats on a great set of speakers and finding the right fit for your room

[chessman]

This thread is not helping my CR-1 lust at all! I remain a TAD excited all the time.

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by chessman

This thread is not helping my CR-1 lust at all! I remain a TAD excited all the time.

Randy,

I am not trying to stir the pot (ok maybe a little) but I think with your gear, read BAT + TAD = You will not be disappointed. They are absolutely incredible.

[jdebonth]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Joost...congrats on your decision. Frankly, when I saw the Ankaas in your room, I thought it was a bit too much speaker for your sized room. They do need a little bit of room to breath. In fact Andy Payor designed the Chiara and the Aviors frankly for the Asian markets for smaller room enclosures (both with regards to speaker dimensions, driver complement, as well as front firing woofers). My bet is that the Aviors would have fit your room better, although they may still have been a bit overpowering as well.

The TAD CR-1s are phenomenal. Congrats on a great set of speakers and finding the right fit for your room

Cyril, you are absolutely right on all counts. If I hadn't been able to measure my room and tame the severe room modes through EQ filters I would not have been able to live with the Ankaa's for very long. The digital correction of 150Hz and below was VERY effective though and I managed to flatten down to +/- 3dB with RT60 decay times of less than 200ms. So I do feel like I enjoyed the ankaa's to their full potential and I have come to appreciate what Jeff Fritz means when he says that noone does bass better. The way Rockport bass integrates into the whole needs to be heard to be believed.

Of course in a room twice my size the correction would not have been needed and they would have had all the room to breathe.

I had asked my dealer about this prior to purchase and he mentioned there would be NO problems and then went on to show me pictures of a recent installation he did of the Altair's (!) in an even smaller room with some crazy ultra high end gear. I now know he was wrong (can't work out if it was a genuine mistake or if he is not to be trusted).

I am very pleased I am now in a place where I do not require fancy work-arounds to make the speakers work in my room. Of course I still measured with the CR1's and still apply some minor EQ below 150hz for +/- 3dB flatness (just cause I have all the tools available), but I could live without it.