Saturday, December 31, 2016

Happy New Year 2017


TAD-ME1

































$12500


DESIGN CONCEPT

Technical Audio Devices Laboratories, Inc. (TAD) will introduce the compact bookshelf-type speaker system Micro Evolution One TAD-ME1-K, further perfecting TAD’s sound concepts of high-dimensional sound imaging and soundfield immersion.

Inheriting the design concept of TAD’s Evolution series, the TAD-ME1-K is equipped with a new 16-cm woofer and 9-cm CST1 Driver to achieve even more outstanding sound quality throughout an entire room and extremely sharp imaging. It also incorporates TAD’s Bi-Directional ADS2 port, enabling the reproduction of natural, deep bass sound despite its compact size.

TAD will expand the product lineup of its Evolution series to respond further to customers’ needs.

1 CST: Coherent Source Transducer

2 ADS: Aero-Dynamic Slot


MAIN FEATURES

1) Newly Developed 9-cm CST Driver for a Stable Localization and Natural Soundfield

TAD’s original CST Driver was designed to align the midrange and tweeter sound source positions to make the midrange diaphragm work as part of the tweeter waveguide. This design homologizes the phase and directional characteristics of midrange and tweeter sounds at the crossover, achieving natural attenuation characteristics and ideal directional patterns over the entire frequency range.

The product is equipped with the exclusively developed 9-cm CST, an optimal pairing with a 16-cm woofer.

The crossover frequency has been set at 420 Hz for the midrange and woofer and 2.5 kHz for the midrange and tweeter.

For the tweeter diaphragm, TAD has consistently used beryllium for its highly rigid and extremely lightweight properties, as well as high internal loss. Its shape was configured with HSDOM3, an optimization technique undertaken by computer analysis, to achieve an optimum balance between a divided vibration and a piston motion. All these properties deliver ultrahigh frequency characteristics up to 60 kHz.

A magnesium midrange diaphragm is used for its high internal loss and the lightest properties among practical metals to eliminate coloration inherent in the material and reproduce pure midrange sounds with low distortion.

The new compact CST excels in both phase and directional characteristics over a wide band from 420 Hz to 60 kHz, providing a stable localization and natural soundfield.

3 HSDOM: Harmonized Synthetic Diaphragm Optimum Method


2) 16-cm MACC4 Diaphragm Woofer for Improved Linearity and Optimized Driving Force

For ideal characteristics, TAD developed a new woofer diaphragm laminated with woven and non-woven fabrics of aramid fibers. A voice coil uses a highly rigid titanium bobbin, resulting in the accurate response of the diaphragm. This provides high radiation characteristics that ensure power linearity, contributing to the reproduction of clear bass sound and faithful low midrange sound with no coloration.

The woofer also uses LDMC5 and a foaming polycarbonate-based urethane edge that increase the linearity of the drive and support systems. Coupled with an optimized bass-reflex enclosure, the driving force strengthened by a large ferrite magnet reproduces clear, deep bass sounds without distortion.

4 MACC: Multi-layered Aramid Composite Cone

5 LDMC: Linear Drive Magnetic Circuit


3) Bi-Directional ADS Port for Natural, Deep Bass Sounds

A slit-shaped port is located on both sides of the enclosure, which was proven in the TAD-CE1 speakers of the Evolution series. The parts leading to the forward-and-backward openings are horn-shaped to drive the port smoothly and efficiently. This design reduces port noise at high amplitude and prevents the leakage of low-dimensional internal standing waves from the port, which would have a major impact on the woofer bandwidth, to achieve a responsive, clear low midrange sound. The bi-directional (forward-backward and left-right) layout of the port openings offsets vibration force to the enclosure, reproducing deep, powerful bass sounds.


4) SILENT6 Enclosure to Reduce Unwanted Cabinet Resonance

For high strength and low resonance, TAD uses the SILENT enclosure that combines a highly rigid birch plywood frame with an MDF (medium density fiberboard) outer panel with high internal loss. A 4 mm thick steel panel covers the left and right sides of the cabinet to further prevent unwanted resonance. TAD also analyzed internal standing waves in the enclosure to select and effectively place optimal acoustic materials, contributing to the elimination of internal standing waves, which would adversely influence the sound imaging and soundfield.

6 SILENT: Structurally Inert Laminated Enclosure Technology


5) Sharp, Beautiful Piano Black Finish

A minimal baffle is used to minimize sound refraction, while the enclosure is finished in a refined piano black coating. Skilled artisans devote time and pay careful attention to the details in the process of spray coating, primary coat polishing, and final polishing.

A steel panel that makes up the Bi-Directional ADS port on the sides is adorned with a new design featuring fine-grained coating.


6) Mounted Isolated Network Filter to Minimize Interference

The design isolates the network filter assay for CST (tweeter/midrange) and the woofer to minimize interference. The CST filter uses a PP film capacitor, a noninductive resistor, an air-core coil, and other carefully selected parts, while the 16-cm woofer filter uses a low-loss core coil with excellent magnetic properties, as well as a low-loss electrolytic capacitor, a noninductive wire-wound resistor, an air-core coil, and other carefully selected parts, to reduce resistance caused by series insertion as much as possible. All these devices result in the reproduction of undistorted, clear sound and a fluent soundfield.

Each constant was determined to optimize the acoustic output, energy, impedance, and other characteristics, providing slope characteristics that optimize the response and phase characteristics.


Main specifications: TAD-ME1-K Speaker

Type: 3-way, bass reflex, bookshelf type
Speaker Structure: 3-way system
Woofer: 16-cm cone type
Midrange/Tweeter: Coaxial 9-cm corn type/2.5-cm dome type
Reproduction Frequency Band: 36 Hz-60 kHz
Crossover Frequency: 420 Hz, 2.5 kHz
Output Sound Pressure Level: 85 dB (2.83 V-1 m)
Maximum Input: 150 W
Nominal Impedance: 4 Ω
Unit Polarity: Low range (+), middle range (+), high range (+)
External Dimensions: 251 mm (W) x 411 mm (H) x 402 mm (D)
Weight: 20 kg

Accessories: Short cable x 2, cleaning cloth, nonslip pad x 4

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Saturday, December 3, 2016

New Audio Frontiers Stradivari Phono





















































The circuitry has been implemented through three stages, all triode. The first two, between which has been inserted the network R.I.A.A. equalization, are used for the amplification of the signal coming from a cartridge of the type MM, while the third performs a lowering of the output impedance in order to be able to drive without no difficulty line stages which have a low input impedance and / or high capacity due to interconnecting cables also rather long.

For the use of pick-ups of type MC, further amplification has been delegated to two transformers STEP-UP, one for each channel, with the mu-metal core and windings in silver rather than to a further stage of the active type in order to reduce noise and maintain high quality sound. In the front was inserted a potentiometer in order to be able to adjust the load of MC pick up.

Within the device has several peculiarities. It was adopted the choice of using the solution of 2 frames in order to minimize any problems of uptake of electrical noise coming from the power supply.  In the latter the straightening of the anode voltage is implemented through a dual triode vacuum type EZ 81 and level out by two cells with PI Greek inductive, one per channel. The power supply of all the filaments of the tubes tubes of the signal is, contrariwise, stabilized.

Another special feature is that of having chosen to realize a printed circuit where the path of the tracks is identical in both channels to make sure that even the smallest and unavoidable parasitism capacitive are identical between them. The components have been chosen at the highest level which includes and especially stand out  the capacitors MICA SILVER used in RIAA EQ, high stability, low loss and minimum tolerance.



TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Sensitivity input impedance
Phono MM 47 KOhm / MC

Inputs phono
2 RCA

Output phono
1 RCA

Gain
70 dB

Frequency response
20 – 50K within 0,5 dB

Signal / noise ratio
90 dB

Dimensions
29 x 15 x 40 cm. (W x H x D)

Dimensions separate power supply unit
29 x 15 x 40 cm. (W x H x D)

Net weight
25 kg. Couple

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Pass Labs XA25

































At Pass Labs we build Fet amplifiers with excessive output stages, huge heat sinks and massive power supplies. We use the highest quality components in simple linear topologies, assembled and tested with care and subtlety in Auburn, California.

They measure well, sound great, and are reliable. Twenty years of ongoing innovation have kept the X and XA amplifi ers at the forefront of high-end audio. The XA25 embodies all this and less. A smaller stereo Class A amplifier at a lower price, it takes advantage of the lower power requirements to have simpler single-ended circuitry and fewer parts in the signal path. This also allows elimination of degeneration, “that other negative feedback” in all stages. Simpler and fewer gain stages improves speed and stability.

Lower voltages means the ability to run gain devices at higher bias currents, more deeply into Class A. Newer power Fet technology replaces banks of parallel small transistors with a single pair of industrial devices, each having a 700 watt / 40 amp rating. With no current-hogging issues and a new constant-current bias circuit to compensate for temperature drift, they connect directly to the loudspeaker without ballast resistors for lowest possible distortion and highest damping factor. No degeneration also increases the efficiency and Class A operating current, allowing greater Class A operation into low impedance and reactive loads.

The simple front end circuit uses uses two pairs of NOS complementary Fets in common-source mode in a current feedback (CFA) confi guration. The amplifier is direct coupled and has no DC servos or frequency compensation. As with all Pass amplifiers, the technology and construction are strictly in the service of the listening experience. The XA25 measures superbly, but its subjective qualities are most special. In an industry where products with great specs are often found to be dry and boring, this amplifier breathes new life into the music.


Specifications

Output power:

2x 25 Watts Class A @ 8 ohms
2x 50 Watts Class A @ 4 ohms
2x 100 Watts Class A/AB @ 2 ohms

Distortion: 0.1% @ 25 Watts, 8 ohm, 1 KHz, 0.1% @ 50 Watts, 4 ohms, 1 KHz

Freq. Response: DC to -3 dB @ 200 KHz

Gain: 20 dB gain

Noise: Output 100 uV unweighted 20 to 20 KHz

Damping Factor: 200

Slew: 100 V/uS

Input Impedance: 47 Kohm

Peak Current: 10 Amp output (200 Watts into 2 ohms)

Independent of loudspeaker load phase

Idle Power draw: 200 Watts total.

Dimensions: 17”W x 17.375”D x 6”H

Weight: approx. 55 lbs

Monday, November 14, 2016

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Audio Research VT 80













































$8000

Power output - 75 watt

Driver tubes - 6H30
Output tubes - KT120

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Analog Domain DAC1



























All input data, regardless of its format, is converted to 24 bits and asynchronously resampled at a very high rate. DSD is unpacked, converted to PCM and resampled. The resampled data enters a Digital Filter. The Digital Filter is configured in optimal mode for the output format of the Sample Rate Converter, therefore there are no user-selectable filter modes. Data then enters the DAC stage where it is converted into an analog signal.

Jitter essentially loses its meaning in this configuration. Input data jitter is practically irrelevant. The Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter takes care of proper word alignment and timing during conversion. The three digital blocks are synchronized to a single, high precision clock to ensure perfect timing. Any CD transport can be used with the DAC1, not requiring external re-clocking or clocking from the DAC1.

The actual DAC stage is a differential output (balanced) design. Its residual distortion is approximately 0.00035% at full scale output, consistent for all input formats. At typical output levels of -10dBFS the distortion falls off to 0.0001% (-120dB) and becomes essentially zero at levels below -20dBFS, “lost in the grass” as we say, at -130dB.
This matters! It’s during the quiet passages that DAC distortion becomes most noticeable. One bit is lost with every 6dB reduction in level, therefore a 16-bit DAC will be working effectively at 14-bit resolution or less most of the time. This is the reason why early designs created a bad reputation for digital audio. We hope to rectify this misunderstanding.

So, is 130dB enough? It is more than enough, and here’s why: a signal which is -130dB lower relative to the full scale output voltage of 2Vrms has an amplitude of 3 million times less, or 0.7 microvolts. That is less than many amplifiers’ input-referred noise voltage. We can confidently say that the DAC1 will have an insignificant noise contribution, if any, to the signal chain.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Friday, October 28, 2016

ZeroZeus Tesla












































We have completed the RCA line cable for a demonstration that going to announce to overseas.

I think this would be a monumental achievement of audio cable.

A design is considered like the quantum science and included in unprecedented territory though it's the simple outward appearance seemingly.

And the played sound is wonderful astronomically.

The person who heard this sound would be forced to be moved as the sympathy the truth brings is springing from profoundity at the heart.

We have completed that.

D'Agostino Progression Mono in black


Thursday, October 27, 2016

Thales TTT-Compact II in SIlver










































The surface is manually grinded and naturally anodized.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Analog Domain DAC 1


























Prototype Analog Domain DAC 1 under test in a raw unfinished chassis.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Verity Audio Monsalvat preamplifiers & amplifiers























































This new line features three digital preamp devices and two amplifiers directly inspired from the well-received Monsalvat custom electronics. This ancillary equipment of the utmost quality features exceptional precision and versatility and is the ideal companion to any loudspeaker, especially Verity-brand speakers.

Our new preamp units are directly inspired from the Monsalvat’s crossover controller, which proved to be a product of superior quality during testing. The original digital preamp/crossover featuring six analog outputs, a four output version (best suited for Lohengrin and Sarastro owners) and a crossover-free version are now available to all customers.

Verity’s two new amplifiers respect our traditional approach by focusing on dynamic range, sound purity and low listening fatigue over raw power, thus best interfacing with our existing high-sensitivity speaker systems.