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  #21  
Old 12-05-2015, 05:18 PM
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Masterlu Masterlu is online now
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Hey James... come up for air.
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MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES
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MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES

Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES
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  #22  
Old 12-05-2015, 05:32 PM
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Will post thoughts tonight (likely). Hard to turn the darn things off.
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  #23  
Old 12-06-2015, 01:44 PM
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Default Warning: Hyperbole and New Owner Gushing Follows

Well, I've had them for about 36 hours now and, other than having invested the equivalent of a nice car in the purchase price, they're awesome and I couldn't be any more pleased. The following is not an audiophile review because (a) I'm not really qualified for one of those types of reviews, and (b) I haven't had them long enough to explore all of the nuances of these wonderful speakers.

I originally heard the CR-1s about 3 years ago at a buddy's home and couldn't get them out of my head. It was one of the events that pushed me towards a return to a good audio system (having gone from college to more than 50 years old without a real sound system). When I ponied up for said system though, I heard the BW 802Di's and they sounded great, and were much less expensive than the TADs. So, I thought I would give it a whirl and maybe I'd forget about the TADs. Such was not to be.

Everything I say below is my own opinion and ymmv. I inevitably compare them to the 802s because they were in the same spot as the TADs just a week ago. The 802s were and are a great speaker, but if you're an 802 fan, please don't take offense at any comparisons I might make. I listened to the new 802s and 803s and, despite the price differential, they didn't change my decision to buy the TADs. I listened to many other speakers in the TADs price range also, and those didn't change my decision to buy the TADs:

- I needed a speaker with a smaller footprint. I have a constrained space, non-dedicated room and I need to clean it up some for aesthetic purposes (which is as good of an excuse as any to spend this much money on a speaker). The TADs are a bit slimmer than the 802s, but are actually taller once mounted on the stands. They give me back a couple of inches that is going to allow me to build some amp stands that will help with the WAF.

- Even though they're slimmer, these things are dense and heavy. They are only about 2 feet tall (maybe a little more) and they weigh about 105 pounds or so. You need a friend to help you set them up unless you're a weightlifter and willing to risk your back and dinging these beautiful things on day one. Thanks to my friend Scott for several of his valuable hours in helping me set these things up.

- I can't imagine trying to run them without the stands because the stands support them perfectly. I still say though that the stands should be part of the purchase price. As stated above, it's a bit like having to pay extra for the steering wheel on the Benz. When mounted on the stands though, there is no top heaviness or instability whatsoever - they're a solid rock. They have spikes for the speakers (which I didn't use) and spikes for the stands (which I did use). No, Ivan, there are no pennies left for stillpoints under the stands . . .

- They're beautiful, absolutely beautiful. The fit and finish is impeccable and just what one would expect for a speaker in this price range. While there's no getting away from something that looks like a woofer and a tweeter, the rest of it looks great. They come with a grill cover for the woofer, but the manual says to remove it when listening. I actually prefer the looks without it and will probably just leave it off. They also come with gorgeous velour (or at least some sort of very soft and lush cloth) speaker covers. That would be a nice thing to put over them for extended periods of non-listening (if one ever had to suffer through that).

- Now, for the sound, which is in a word, amazing. My first track was from Sound Liaison > Paul Berner Band > Road to Memphis and it was just awesome. I heard detail that I had just never heard before - as my buddy said, you can hear "the spit in the clarinet". Exploring everything from Rickie Lee Jones to Greg Allman and Miles Davis has just been fantastic this weekend. I just added a new cartridge to the MT-5 (ClearAudio, Concerto) and, needless to say, the vinyl is sounding pretty good.

- Yes, they are very detailed. They reveal so much about the recording, particularly in the upper registers. They do this though without being harsh or brittle sounding, at all. The reviews describe the sound as being a "bit forward" and, while I didn't know what that meant before, it's a spot on description. They are not fatiguing at all though and the overall musicality is just incredible. I feel as if my sound went from very good to serious stuff in one step. My system and my experience is nothing compared to many on this board, but for me, this is serious stuff. I have listened to only good recordings this weekend, but I anticipate that these things will just punish crappy recordings.

- The off axis performance of these speakers is amazing - it really takes some getting used to. I have no idea whether the numbers would bear this out, but my ears bear it out without question. It's almost as if there is no axis - the press and the manufacturer say that this results from the concentric mid range and tweeter, but whatever it is, it's there and it's awesome. You can walk around or sit in a different chair and yes, there's some difference, but you can get more good sound further away from the sweet spot than I ever imagined was possible. It's such a revelatory experience, particularly when compared to my audio recollection of the presentation from the 802s.

- The soundstage is also, in a word, incredible (I warned you about hyperbole and gushing). The instruments are more separate in sound, but yet more well formed as a whole, all at the same time. Yes, there is incredible breadth and depth to the soundstage, but it really presents as a cohesive hole in a way that I just didn't realize was possible. Andrew Jones, the designer, just left TAD, but I will be very interested to see what he does next - as these things are incredible. It's as if I'm imagining this sound in my head - the way it should be - rather than picking out where the bass is / and the piano / and the guitar on the stage. It's not just separation and placement of the instruments that they reveal, but this wonderful presentation of the music that has to be experienced to believe. One is several steps closer to the studio when listening to the CR-1s.

- Let's talk bass. Yes, these roll off at 32 kHz. Yes, if you put these speakers and the 802s in the back of a 2005 Honda Civic and had a bass boom contest at a stoplight (as so many seem to do these days), the CR-1s would lose. If, however, you listened to the overall presentation of the music, you don't feel as if there is any of the bass register missing on the CR-1s and it's not even close as between the presentation of the two. I noticed the difference in the slam when I first cranked them up, but after several hours, I was so immersed in the river of music that I didn't even think about it. Maybe some day I'll think about a sub-woofer, but right now, I just don't think that will be the case.

- These are relatively inefficient speakers (86db / 4 ohms, as compared to the 802s which I think were 91db). I am running them with MC2301s, which do a great job, but it takes more juice to get them running than it did the 802s (obviously). They are rated for 200W maximum, but I don't worry about running them with the 2301s. In fact, if one had an amp rated at 200W that really wasn't up to the task, I wonder how they would sound. Also, given the detail that they reveal, if you had an amp that tended to be brittle or detailed itself, it might make the presentation cold or worse. Right now though, the 2301s seem to be doing just great.

- I had read that they needed to be away from the front wall and can attest that moving them into the room really helped. They were great before, but pulling them away from the front wall added a huge amount of depth (for lack of a better word). They are as far forward as the wife will tolerate now. I read a review where Andrew Jones set them up for the reviewer and the woofer was 72" away from the front wall - and I believe it would really help. I'm not there yet on positioning, but they sound really really good where they stand. I have a pair of WW Silver Eclipse on the way - if break in improves the sound, I can't wait.

- I now have four pieces of my system with which I can't imagine parting. The MC2301s, my Magnum Dynalab 108T (god, I love FM), my hoodoo rack and the CR-1s. The only reason I would think of parting with them is if I'm ever able to swing a dedicated room and I would be all over Ivan's Reference Ones he now has up for sale (anyone want to buy a lot on the gulf coast or a house in the North Carolina mountains). In fact, I call first dibs on the pair that Ivan's keeping that I hope he'll sell in a few years after I've sold some of that real estate and built a dedicated room. If I had a bigger room, Ivan's pair of Reference Ones would be in it right now.

They really are an unbelievable speaker. For me, and for me only, I am quite happy. There are many other great speakers out there, but if you're interested in the TADs, I highly recommend them and am glad to have you drop by Atlanta for a listen.

Can someone pm me directions on posting photos/sizing/resolution, etc. or point me to a thread or FAQ on that, please? I've got multiple photos, but they're way too large for posting.

Jim Harvey / weirdcuba
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  #24  
Old 12-06-2015, 02:05 PM
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Jim, resize your pic to a smaller size, post it on the net somewhere, right click on it and save image location, paste it into the "image icon" (the yellow mountain icon).
Details: I forget the size limits, but I think they are about 800 pixels across. If you do not have an internet image post site, you have two options: (1) post first to your album in your profile here and then use that as your location or (2) upload from phone into the AA App, but they will only be thumbnails. There is a thread on this somewhere, but a search did not turn it up. There are smoother methods than mine.
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  #25  
Old 12-06-2015, 02:09 PM
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Congratulations!!! Those are fantastic speakers. I have never heard them with 2301's but those Mac's should be able to provide all you need to get some great sound. I can understand your reaction to those beauties.
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  #26  
Old 12-06-2015, 02:09 PM
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Jim.......Some more picture posting advice.

See posts #27 and #30 here: http://www.audioaficionado.org/mcint...tml#post744723

An enjoyable review. Congratulations on an amazing pair of speakers.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
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  #27  
Old 12-06-2015, 02:46 PM
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Jim,

Got a good feeling for the speaker, thanks.
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  #28  
Old 12-06-2015, 02:53 PM
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Very nice write-up on your first impressions. We appreciate it.
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  #29  
Old 12-06-2015, 03:36 PM
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A few photos follow. Glad to resize, link to a smugmug site, etc. - just not sure. I tried to save them about 800 mp wide.

JH
Attached Images
File Type: jpg tad2 copy.jpg (119.2 KB, 174 views)
File Type: jpg tad5 copy.jpg (102.2 KB, 167 views)
File Type: jpg tad13 copy.jpg (114.5 KB, 606 views)
File Type: jpg tad14 copy.jpg (171.6 KB, 198 views)
File Type: jpg tad16 copy.jpg (134.8 KB, 195 views)
File Type: jpg tad17 copy.jpg (126.3 KB, 203 views)
File Type: jpg tad7 copy.jpg (107.7 KB, 172 views)
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  #30  
Old 12-06-2015, 04:35 PM
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Thank you.
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