Opinions on the "TACT" sonic signature?

The Tact "sound" is VERY clean and clear, very black and detailed, and PERHAPS a touch on the cool side of the equation. I owned a Millennium Mk II and RCS 2.2 a few years ago, and the sound was quite nice. I could've kept it, but I eventually found something I liked more.

The Tact 2.2x is a VERY good preamp, but it is slightly to the detailed and clinical side. If you want a lush, full tubey sound, this isn't it. But it's pretty transparent and let's the music come through. As an option, the Aberdeen power supply upgrade smoothes the treble a bit and it sounds somewhat fuller and more organic. A good PC helps too (I'm using a Concierto Violin).

To me, any slight (and subjective) deficiencies are far outweighed by it's advantages. When I first put it into my (previous) system and corrected the bass nodes, I felt like a blanket had been lifted from the speakers--the ripe and congested mids simply opened up with clarity and natural detail, and the sloppy bass was now tight and tuneful. Room/bass interactions affect more than just the bass.

I'm now using two double stacks of Linkwitz Phoenix subs (eight 12" drivers) and there's nothing like deep, clean bass extension to make things come alive. People tend to shy away, thinking that this is coloring the sound, but in reality, the room is coloring the sound and this brings it back closer to the original.

Sure, if you want, you can also use the room correction into the mids and treble if you want, and create correction curves that are more suitable to certain types of music/personal tastes. Sort of like tube rolling without the hassle. You can warm up the lower mids and roll off the treble to taste, without much penalty.

The optional DAC is also pretty good. I use it now for the subs, since I also have a Tact 2150 amp (which replaced Dodson and modded PT DACs and a Gamut amp in my system). But the internal DAC is a steal at the price--though you can do better for more $$.

If I wasn't interested in room correction, there are other preamps I'd buy first for the money, but in this case, I'll second the "once you hear it, it's hard to go back" line. That is unless you're using vinyl or SACD (which I tried but didn't think the A/D converter was in the same league, esp w/ the necessary downconversion).

There's a review in TAS #150, and some others as well (Hifi News, etc).

What other equipement do you have?

I am using my Tact 2.2x with the modified Powersupply (not the latest version) and it is truely amazing especially for the money. I also used it with a M2150 (bargain component!) but also after living with Lamm amps and Rowland Preamp they didn't live up to it. But now here is the problem, the Tact 2.2x is still crazy cool (I used both DAC cards at one time with excellent results) and so I've kept it to clean up my Squeezbox 2 (streaming FLAC/WMA collection and internet radio) and now I'm using a Theta Gen VIII (DAC/Preamp) to get more resolution out of my system into Theta Citadel Amps.

I still prefer pure path for critical listening (but my room is serverly treated (which by the way I used my Tact measuring to remove and locate treatments and speakers..) )Plus my Sub allows for correction for +/- peaks/nulls so I don't have to use the Tact... But I imagine that I will eventually figure out how to make the Tact 2.2x cook... it's all about time and setup!

Check out the Theta Gen VIII which is a combo preamp/DAC with analog inputs.. Very musical! (basically just like my Rowland Synergy IIi but without the expense of the extra interconnects! Then Get a Tact 2.2x with the modified powersupply and put that inline from your transport and just use the graphic eq to measure and correct the bass peaks (don't push up the nulls, instead move your seating position and your speakers as needed to minimize the nulls at the listening position.)

Good luck!
Chris

PS my favorite thing about the Tact's eq memories so I can reduce the brightness/highs on some of my favorite rock and roll recording that SUCK! now my music collections just increased in size because I can listen to these in the house not just in the car!

I used to have the DAC/digital pwramp a few yrs back but w/out the room correction 2.2 so this feedback strictly based on that unit...

I had a ML transport (37?) into the TACT which directly drove ProAc Response 5 speakers. Simple set up.

As noted above, very clean, transparent, dead black silent, but as u suspect a tiny bit weak on bass and yes on the "cool" side of things. At times it did have that glassy yet smooth character, but only a touch.

I miss the unit though I have moved on. One of the key reasons for the chg was due to the DAC's (& still does not, I believe) inability to directly decode DSD. And as I upgraded my front end (including the transport etc) the TACT was let go. But boy do I regret it. I prefer my current set up BUT I should have kept it around for a second system.

I tried one a few weeks ago and didn't care for it. It was too smooth and clinical for my tastes. However, it is a very useful tool for analyzing speaker and room interface. As with any significant purchase of high end electronics, try before you buy. Find a dealer who will provide a tryout period. It may be just the ticket for you.

I ownded a Tact 2.2x. It did a good job with bass correction. That was it. If I needed active bass correction Velodyne DD 10's with room correction. And at have a pure mid's and high's.

With the Tact music sounded very computerized, with out any hint of being natural acoustic music. I hate to offend others who own this piece but, put if this piece is in your system, your really missing out.

The day after I sold it I swicted to vinyl.

Apples and oranges. My tube pre and vinyl rig make this preamp sound like a Bose Lifesyle System.

Try to find a z-systems RDP-1 or RDQ-1 digital parametric EQ. Digital in/out and as nearly transparent as they come. Very flexible, too. I do not know if they are still produced but you might find a used one.

Kal

The key to using a system like the Tact is knowing how to
adjust and configure it. It's a tool - it can either hurt
or help depending on how you use it.

Dr. Gregory Greenman