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Ken Pachkowsky
05-09-2005, 02:35 PM
I just purchased one of these and will have it this week. I have read some great reviews and look forward to trying it out.

The reviews of this on Audiogon and other places are very impressive. Its my first venture into tube design.

The Signature version is supposed to be outstanding. We shall see.

Here is a link.

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/bizzyb/TAD-150.html

4313B
05-09-2005, 03:14 PM
Very slick looking! :)

Ken Pachkowsky
05-09-2005, 03:57 PM
I agree, but lets see if it has substance. Will no doubt keep you all posted.

Ken

Ian Mackenzie
05-09-2005, 04:15 PM
Curious why you have bought it?

Ken what pre amp are you using at the moment?

The Adcom or the older design by the thx guy?

There'a lot of stuff pouring out of China like this at the moment, some are pirate copies and IP infringements of other designs.

Ian

Ken Pachkowsky
05-09-2005, 05:52 PM
Curious why you have bought it?

Ken what pre amp are you using at the moment?

The Adcom or the older design by the thx guy?

There'a lot of stuff pouring out of China like this at the moment, some are pirate copies and IP infringements of other designs.

Ian

Thats a fair question. I am using the Apt Holman.

I sold the Adcom and in retrospect I wish I had not. It was a fine sounding unit. There were simply things I did not like about it. But lets leave it at that for now.

I bought it because I got to know the guy through Audiogon and we hit it off quite well. I also got the Signature Version for a very very good price. Always been curious about tubes.

Ian, by this time you should know I am insane...

Ken

johnaec
05-09-2005, 06:06 PM
I wonder what Pioneer's Technical Audio Devices thinks of Tube Audio Design?

John

Ken Pachkowsky
05-09-2005, 06:27 PM
FYI

I did not jump on this, I have been thinking about trying it for some time.

Ken

boputnam
05-09-2005, 06:45 PM
Ian, by this time you should know I am insane... And, your point is...?? :screwy:

Why else are we your friends? :applaud:

I'm just tired of being breathless all weekend waiting on the BSS report. I should have KNOWN there is a pile of gear you are wading through!

Ken Pachkowsky
05-09-2005, 07:33 PM
Bo

The BSS is great but Julie hates "Pink Noise" and I mean hates. I have only done a quick preliminary analysis, but like it very much. She has a dentist appointment tomorrow so I'll try and really dial it in and play a bit.

Yes, we are all nuts.

Ken

boputnam
05-09-2005, 07:42 PM
... Julie hates "Pink Noise" ... but ... She has a dentist appointment tomorrow Redundant. Redact that portion of the post that is irrelevant... :rotfl:

scott fitlin
05-09-2005, 09:16 PM
FYI

I did not jump on this, I have been thinking about trying it for some time.

KenI think the tube amp will make you see things a bit differently!

You might come away surprised and perplexed, in a good way!

Ken Pachkowsky
05-09-2005, 09:22 PM
You might come away surprised and perplexed, in a good way!

Boy, I like the sound of that!

Will let you know.

Ian Mackenzie
05-09-2005, 09:33 PM
Ken,

Hope it brings you one step closer to nirvana.

regards

Ian

Ken Pachkowsky
05-09-2005, 10:35 PM
Ken,

Hope it brings you one step closer to nirvana.

regards

Ian

Audio Nirvana, it does not exist, but we all look for it.

I am curious though.

Maverick

Ian Mackenzie
05-09-2005, 10:58 PM
Audio Nirvana, it does not exist, but we all look for it.

I am curious though.

Maverick

Having a good cleanout can help just don't throw the baby out with the bath water.........

Ian

Ian Mackenzie
05-12-2005, 02:02 PM
So is this one a keeper.

Ian

Ken Pachkowsky
05-13-2005, 06:54 PM
My preamp got here today and I was dissapointed to see a damaged OFF/ON switch upon opening the inner box. Fedex must have kicked this thing all the way here. There had been such blunt force that the volume control knob had broken through the wall of the inner box. The preamp was also wrapped in one layer of bubblewrap.

The packing was not to my standards but I have seen worse without this kind of damage.

I am shipping ot back tomorrow for repair and a check over.

At first the switch would not even come out after being pushed in and the unit would not power up. After playing with it for a while I was able to get the unit to power up but had to hold the switch in.

Bummer, I so wanted to hook it up tonight.

Ken

Ian Mackenzie
05-13-2005, 07:02 PM
Ken,

Very unfortunate..that really sucks.

Ian

Ken Pachkowsky
05-14-2005, 11:39 AM
WOW!

I managed to work the off/on switch to the point where it turns on. I will be sending it back on Monday for a new switch but did get it hooked up fo a test.

Simply amazing is all I can say!

First and foremost. MY SYSTEM IS NOW DEAD SILENT NO MORE GL. IT EVEN HAS LESS NATURAL HISS.:applaud: :applaud:

Second, the increase in dynamics and imaging is at least 20%. I am simply blown away by this preamp. I notice the greatest change in bass extension. You have to hear it to believe it.

I could not be happier. Now I will be very tempted to go all tubes.

I can't wipe the smile off my face:bouncy:

Here is a photo.

Mr. Widget
05-14-2005, 11:57 AM
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! :applaud:

Widget

scott fitlin
05-14-2005, 12:07 PM
WOW!

I managed to work the off/on switch to the point where it turns on. I will be sending it back on Monday for a new switch but did get it hooked up fo a test.

Simply amazing is all I can say!

First and foremost. MY SYSTEM IS NOW DEAD SILENT NO MORE GL. IT EVEN HAS LESS NATURAL HISS.:applaud: :applaud:

Second, the increase in dynamics and imaging is at least 20%. I am simply blown away by this preamp. I notice the greatest change in bass extension. You have to hear it to believe it.

I could not be happier. Now I will be very tempted to go all tubes.

I can't wipe the smile off my face:bouncy:

Here is a photo.Tubes make pre-recorded music sound real! They are great for the " making " of music, too! The Largeness of the dynamics, the way the lower mids sound, is phenomenal! Takes the edgy glare off the upper mids, highs sparkle and twinkle! I love the great sense of scale, and how you bring out each subtle nuance in the music with a great tube design!

The perplexing part, as I posted earlier that you would be perplexed, and pleased, is that the BEST tube gear also happens to be the simplest gear! So simple, yet so great! Circuits and design technology that have been around for ages!

Listen to you favorite CD,s through your new preamp, and you will discover a whole new world you missed but have had all this time! Listen to some great vinyl, and well, you know........... Its amazing!

:applaud:

Earl K
05-14-2005, 12:12 PM
Heh, Nice One Ken, :D

I also like the look , it has a bit of that Jules Verne "looking out from the Nautilas, through the oversized portals , into the mysterious sea" thing going for it.
:p

Mr. Widget
05-14-2005, 12:29 PM
It's also great that you have conquered the ground loop demons and can now fully appreciate those beautiful horns and custom Beryllium diaphragms....

Which reminds me, sorry Scott, I totally dropped the ball on that one, I'll look into those diaphragms.:banghead:

Widget

scott fitlin
05-14-2005, 12:31 PM
It's also great that you have conquered the ground loop demons and can now fully appreciate those beautiful horns and custom Beryllium diaphragms....

Which reminds me, sorry Scott, I totally dropped the ball on that one, I'll look into those diaphragms.:banghead:

WidgetForgot about those, myself! 4th of July is a comin up, and I am interested in those! :D

John
05-15-2005, 01:15 AM
:hmm: Hey what Dia. are we talking about??????

Steve Schell
05-27-2005, 11:20 AM
I recently visited Ken for the second time, and he dragged me in kicking and screaming to hear his system with the TAD-150 preamp. Just kidding, I'm a tube guy for years now. Even though I liked the system before, it does seem quite a bit better now- more dynamic and dimensional, with better blending between speaker components. The bass seemed very full and extended, with dynamics tracking that of the horns perhaps better than before.

One experiment I talked Ken into was to have him engage the bypass switches on his 1/3 octave EQs while I listened. I expected the frequency to be better with the EQ in (it was, a lot), but I was listening for any grunge, loss of dynamics, soundstage flattening etc. from the jillion parts in the EQ circuit. Surprisingly I didn't hear any, even though he switched the EQs in and out several times during several different tracks.

Another thing I found trippy was that Ken played CDs from his player in the front of the room part of the time, and from his computer in the back of the room the rest of time. The computer files equaled the CD player in quality of sound, and Ken seems to have the complete collection of mankind's recorded music on that computer... pretty neat.

Palm Desert gets a little warm this time of year, about 115 degrees. Mine was the only car I saw in town with the windows rolled down... no AC.

Ian Mackenzie
05-27-2005, 11:35 AM
So Steve is Ken as remotely insane as he says he is?

...We've talked on the phone a few times and on that one I would have to say "affirmative" Will Robinson.:rotfl:

Ian

Ken Pachkowsky
05-27-2005, 12:11 PM
Its true, I am a complete wack job!

:blink:

Mr. Widget
05-27-2005, 12:12 PM
Duh! That's why you fit in so well around here! ;)

Widget

Ken Pachkowsky
05-27-2005, 12:15 PM
If you guys have not checked out www.musicmatch.com (http://www.musicmatch.com) please do so. I think you will sign up. The sound quality is simply miles ahead of any other streaming technology. I have an 8 megabit connection to the web so that may be an advantage.

Ken

boputnam
05-27-2005, 12:17 PM
The computer files equaled the CD player in quality of sound Was that using that Carddeluxe sound card...?

Ken Pachkowsky
05-27-2005, 12:18 PM
Was that using that Carddeluxe sound card...?


Yes Bo, By the way its nice to hear from you!

Ken

clmrt
05-27-2005, 01:17 PM
Ken -


May I ask what amp you use behind the TAD?

Ebay = $532 shipped right now, I may jump.

Ken Pachkowsky
05-27-2005, 01:30 PM
Ken -


May I ask what amp you use behind the TAD?

Ebay = $532 shipped right now, I may jump.

I use 5 AB International Amps all balanced inputs. The dual 15's each have their own 980A's driving them L and R in mono mode.

The TAD 150's on Ebay are the Standard Version. I have The Signature which is an upgraded version. The upgrades include more exotic caps etc etc. Having never heard the Standard, I am not sure what to suggest.

I hope that helps? You can upgrade the Standard to a Signature. Paul will do that. At 500 bucks you have nothing to loose.

Ken

clmrt
05-27-2005, 02:11 PM
A pretty elaborate system, right?


Source-
Pre-
EQ-
Xovers-
Amps-
Speakers?

I currently reside in AVR land and will teter on the brink of moving into good 2-channel over the weekend. This TAD is the pre with features I want - 2x preouts for subs, remote, and phono.

Thanks for your observations...

Ken Pachkowsky
05-27-2005, 02:23 PM
A pretty elaborate system, right?


Thanks for your observations...

Well, yes I suppose it is. It has inherent problems. One of which is "Ground Loops". Many here will attest to the problems I have encountered with this anomaly.



I am happy to say its all but non existent at this point. The right side is completely silent even in a dead quiet room late at night with your ear to the drivers. The left under the same circumstances has a very slight hum.



Ken