I am using KEF C75 speakers. They are 4 ohm speakers with a sensativity rating of 91db. No problem driving these speakers in PP UL or triode mode. In single ended mode (using only two power tubes instead of four) the amp couldn't drive these speakers at all. It had no problem with Klipsch Heresy though in single ended mode. The Heresy has a sensativity rating of 97db. I think the amp could drive most speakers with a moderate sensativity rating if used in PP mode. That leaves you a lot of speakers to audition. Happy hunting. |
I am using Vandersteen 2CE signatures. Excellent combo..
Eagleman |
I am geting my first tube set-up also. I got the TAD 60 and plan to mate it with the TAD 150. I will be using the set primarily for vinyl listening. What speakers are sutiable for staters like me? My room is ratively small, about 12'x12'. |
I have had the 60 for close to two months and I agree that it just keeps on getting better with every listen. Today, I rolled in a quad of Valve Art KT88s and I have to say that I like these better than the stock Svets right out of the box. The KT88s have more authoritive bass and are better in the highs. The midrange is very good too and is almost as good as the Svet EL34s so, you are not losing much there. IMO, this tube is better than the stock tubes.
I also ran a pair of Tung-Sol reissue 6550s in V1 & V3 only - single ended. This tube is very neutral sounding top to bottom and also gives you a little more bass than the Svet EL34s. I changed them out because I needed more power to get to the listening levels I need for rock music. I should have bought a quad instead of a pair. Oh well.
I also have the TAD-150 pre and I changed out the stock 12AT7s (couldn't tell which brand) for a pair of Telefunken 12AX7s. These tubes expanded the width of the soundstage which was more to my liking. The 12AT7s seemed to image everthing between the speakers.
I am really enjoying this TAD combo and definetly feel that I got my money's worth in spades. Well worth the wait! |
First my name is Pete and I've owned this amp for at least 6 weeks. I've played it everyday for several hours since buying it and I swear it just keeps sounding better with evry passing day. I'm using all stock tubes currently and like what I'm hearing. My question to you is what about the Svet EL-34 do you not like? I too will try some different tubes in the future but am enjoying the current lineup. Outside the of the EL-34's what 12u-7 and 12-ax7 tubes did yours come with? Thanks. |
Well I've had my TAD-60 for about four days now and I'm still going to wait till I've had it for a week.
Can anyone suggest some KT 88, KT 90, and 6550 tubes to roll in the TAD? I never really liked the SVetlana EL34 tubes in my Cayin TA 30 and I'm waiting till the amp and EL34 tubes have a chance to burn before I make a decision on the EL34s. I was using EH 6CA7s in the Cayin with very good results but tried them in the TAD -60 last night and was not impressed.
So Feb I'll try some other tubes.
Xman |
Jbslibsl, I have four large Klipsch CF4s. For a tube preamp I am currently using an ARC MKII Reference II and I intend on pairing this expensive preamp with a TAD 60. I had a TAD 150 & regretably let it go thinking I would pick up the Signature later but the ARC preamp-purchase put a hold on this. I still consider the TAD 150 an excellent preamp! |
I got the amp today and there is NO HISS with a pair of 2004 Klipsch La Scalas 104db. The only way I could barely hear some hiss is with my ear right up against the midrange horn. Phd what speakers do you have? Sounds like some big ole horns to me. What kind of preamp?
I know the amp and new Svetlana EL34s have not burned in yet but I think the sound from EL34 tubes just does not work for me. I know the 6CA7s work very good for me so now I'm curious about the others.
Another thing I'm going to try with this amp that you could also do with the Cayin is to take out tubes 2 and 4 and rebias between 500-600 is what Paul said and it runs as a SET amp. The Cayin would run at 4 watts and sounded good but the bass was not as good and if you turned up the volume to rock it sounded like it was starting to clip.
So now that I have the Cayin 35 watt amp and this TAD 60 triode 30 watt amp I'm going to biamp my La Scalas. Put the 35 watt Cayin on my bass speaker connections and the TAD 60 on the high freq connections and let em rip. Might also put the TAD 60 into SET mode with 2 tubes and see how it sounds.
Has anyone taken the tube casings off the driver tubes and then put them back on to see if there is any difference? I like the look of the amp without them so unless I can hear a difference they are staying off.
Xman |
The TAD-60 does look like a beautifully constructed amp. There are alot of folks on this thread that have excellent tastes. This review & thread has sparked my interest into purchasing one. I especially like the ability to switch between ultra linear & triode mode. I'm sure this will match up perfectly to my speakers which have a sensitivity of 105db. Tube Audio Design products are a tremendous value! |
The KT 88 and KT 90 are also the next tubes I want to try also. The EH 6CA7s have better bass than the Svetlana EL34s do and I like the midrange better also. Once I get the TAD-60 I'll let the Svet EL34s break in and then compare them to the EH 6CA7s. Then whichever I like best compare to the KT 88 and KT 90.
Enjoy and I'll post once I get the amp.
Xman
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Jbsljbsl - I've no doubt that you'll enjoy the TAD-60 very much. And thanks for the tube recommendation. I just emailed Paul for some additional info on tube setups as it will be a first for me and I don't really know the different characteristics of the various tubes available, but I was thinking KT88s to start with (as they are mentioned so often), but you never know... |
Well mailed off a money order to Paul for the TAD-60 so Merry Christmas to me!! I'll post reviews between the Cayin TA 30 and TAD-60.
Xman |
I'm ordering a TAD-60 from Paul later this week.
Onotu2 I switched out my Svetlana EL34s tubes for electro-Harmonix 6CA7s tubes in my Cayin TA 30 with very good results. The EH 6CA7s have better bass and to me have a overal smoother sound than the Sevt EL34s. However I think my EL34s were ready to be replaced.
Once I get the TAD-60 and let the amp and EL34 tubes break in I'll do some tube rolling with the 6CA7s and see which I like better. Paul said to bias them like EL34s 350-370. I also want to try some KT88 and KT90s.
Well enjoy your new toys let us know how the tube rolling goes.
Xman |
I purchased my TAD-150/TAD-60 combo after researching tube gear on the web for 6 weeks. This is my first tube purchase, and Paul was very helpful and approachable when it came to answering questions and assisting me with my setup: mains - Rocket/Onix Reference 3; sub - Rocket UFW12. I was using an Outlaw 7125 amp, and a Denon 3805 as a pre, and couldn't help but feel that something was missing in the mids and highs. Most of my listening is classic & alt rock, and the guitar parts (especially those with overdrive) were not as punchy or dynamic as I knew they could be. At first I thought it was the speakers, but a fellow Ref 3 owner talked about how adding a tube pre really helped to open up the soundstage, especially in the mids, so I decided an upgrade to the "tube side" was in order. Must admit, I was skeptical at first. I mean, how much of a difference was this 60watt amp, and tube pre combo going to offer over my "state of the art" Denon, and 190 watt (bi-amped) Outlaw? Well, let me tell you, the difference is night & day. Don't let the 60watt rating fool you, the TAD-60 is plenty powerful and punchy, yet very musical and detailed. I like it best in Tri-mode which actually drops the wattage to 30, yet still there's plenty of power to drive my floor standing Ref 3s. In fact, I find myself turning down the sub, and setting it's crossover to 60, that's how good the bass response is. One of the nicest perks of this setup has been that even less than stellar cds and mp3s sound great, and offer details and nuances I've never heard before.
I've been playing guitar for 20yrs, and typically you can "feel" when the harmonics and overdrive are just right, and that's what the TAD-60 & TAD-150 do, they get it right. The rolling decay, and growl, with much added slam and punch, simply awesome. I love this gear so much, that for the past 3-4 weeks I listen to random Stones, Zep, Who, GD, etc 2-3 hours every night - yes, it drives my wife nuts, but I'm happy. Btw, the bias procedure is super easy, and takes only a few minutes. And I never thought I say this, but I'm actually looking forward to tweaking the sound with different tubes :) |
I bought a Cayin TA 30 from Paul 2 years ago and have enjoyed it very much so I'm going to give the TAD 60 to myself for Christmas.
I have a Transcendent Sound Ground Grid tube preamp and tried a JUicymusic Merlin tube preamp but I stayed with my 2004 Luxman L505f int amp that I use as a preamp. I tried all 3 preamps with the Cayin, the amp section in the Luxman(100 watts), and a pair of Monarchy Audio SM 70 pros(80 watts) and for my taste I like the SS luxman with a tube amp.
I am thinking about a Super Tjoeb tube cd player with upsampler. I have a NAD C542 with a Musical Fidelity X10v3 tube buffer stage that works very well together but I want to try a true tube cd player.
Xman
|
Had my set up about four weeks. it has about 30-40 hours on it. At first I had it hooked up to an outlet through a surge protector and getting a hum or buzz but, I moved the hook up to an adjacent wall and it went away. Now for the sound. Without having another amplifier inn house to compare I will only be able to give my impressions and not a comparison.
Rest of system: TAD-150 (non-signature), Vandersteen 2CE sigs, Eastern Electric Minimax Cd
The amp appears to be broken in as of about ten hours ago. I play classic rock through it so not all the recordings are good. However, When the volume knob is at 915AM(approx), the sound really comes alive. I was listening to CCR greatest hits which has always sounded compressed through my other amps in the past. Not with the TAD-60. The soundstage and separation on that old CD was incredible. Could almost visualize John Fogerty in one spot, Guitar to the right and drums to the left. Totally unexpected result. Image does not appear to come directly from the speaker even on this old remake. Same result with Bob Seeger, Jimi Hendrix, Lynard Skynard, etc. This impression again is not a comparison but, an actual listening experience. Better recordings were even more spaced out.
Since this is my first tube amp experience, I could not characterize the sound as like CJ, Cary, or any other manufacturer. Since I went from a McCormack DNA-1 to the TAD-60, I can detect an increased richness and roundness to the sound. It basically just jumps out at you. Bass is strong, tight, and well controlled, Midrange is something that I never experienced before. Highs when the volume is sufficient has no evidence of shine or brightness. I listened about an hour at a time and at no time did I have the urge to turn up the volume to see if anything was missing.
This amp is defintely a fit for the equipment described above. Power appears to be more than adequate for the Vandersteens which are somewhat inefficient.
I cannot say whether or not it compares to amps more pricey as price is sometimes not a good indicator but, of the amps that I have had in this price range, the TAD-60 is in a totally different league. Not even a fair comparison.
The TAD-60 has a negative feedback control and a switch on the fly that moves the amp from Ultra linear to Triode. Biasing was simple and with Paul's instructions took about 15 minutes...
If you are considering a tube amp in the 60 W range need to give the TAD-60 a try.
Eagleman |
As Finrok points out, the sound is very much like the CJ offerings, which I surmised and instead of purchasing the CJ CAV-60 ($1500 used), I went with the TAD-60. I couldn't be happier.
I've only run mine for about 20 hrs, so commenting is a bit premature, but the sound is detailed, tight, warm and smooth as previously mentioned. I'm running it with a Bottlehead Foreplay III and the sound is simply exquisite and this combination can drive even inefficient speakes. |
Having owned both the TAD 60 and TAD 150 for about a month, I'd like to chime in about these wonderful tube beauties. I've been in high end audio for thirty years and have owned lots of both tube and transistor units, What the Tube Audio Design pieces remind me of are the early Conrad-Johnson classics of the mid 70's. Back then the PV-2 and MV-45 combo was a warm musical experience that was pleasing to both your ears and your wallet. These TAD creations from Paul Grzybek are detailed, tight, warm and smooth. They offer some great features for the money as well, like a remote(150) amd variable negative feedback(60). As previous fans mentioned, they are built like tanks and have the fit and finish of "Salon" equipment. So what you get ultimatly are, new classic tube gear that give you the C-J type sound but are faster, quieter and affordable. |
Has anyone made any direct comparisons with the cayin Ta-30 which I have paired with the Tad-150 I would imagine the Tad-160 would have better dynamics due to the increased pwr rating but just wondering if there any other differences to note.
Ken |
I own the TAD-60 and TAD-150 Signature combo and I agree with the review. These are wonderful sounding pieces. They are also very well made made and I like the look. Highly recommended!! |
Perkadin: I believe the two models are each provided by a different manufacturer, so there's one explanation. Paul had mentioned a while back that he could get ahold of an optional black faceplate for the TAD-150, but I think the setup looks just fine the way it is - I wondered about a visual match as well before actually seeing the two pieces together, and as it turns out, in person the setup really does come off very nicely. In any event, what matters most to me is the glorious sound that this pair produces. |
Why would they make two items that were intented to be used as a pair different colors and widths? I hope it sounds better then it looks, Paul if you ever read this, please consider the esthetics as well as the sound, even the lettering is different. I hope the next version has matching faceplates, and get rid of that gold hue, it should be black or silver, people other equipment to match you know! |
Saisunil: I still own the SQ-88, which is indeed a very musical and engaging integrated amp, but prefer the TAD combo in my main system due to a higher overall level of resolution and dynamics, plus a more solid low end response.
Chazzbo: Each of these amps through my MG 1.6QR speakers has certainly yielded pleasing results, but I can say with some level of confidence that the TAD-150/TAD-60 setup has been my favorite thus far in terms of how effectively it conveys the soul of the musical experience. |
Which of the mentioned amps is your favorite?I have always wondered if I'd like the Sonic Frontiers SF 40.I have had some tube gear like Mesa wish I wish I had tried the tube mod to EL34/KT88since I didn't like the 6L6.MY Conrad Johnson MV50 was the warmest amp I have had but like my EAR intergrated since it is less noisy.It's to bad Sonic Frontiers went down the tubes (a definite pun in english!)but it is nice that they still service or do modest upgrades.I like that the pre-amps had a phase reverse.But again which of those amps was best?
Thanks
Chazzbo |
How do you compare the performance (detail, tone, dynamics, noise level, etc.) of TAD combo with the similarly priced Sound Quest SQ-88 that you listed.
Cheers |
Jig, I no longer own the two SE-40 amps I'd used with the 1.6QR's (each in mono configuration produced 80 watts into 4 ohms), so no opportunity for a direct comparision, but I can say that the TAD-60's resolution and low end response is superior in my setup (at the time I had the SE-40's I was also using the TAD-150 preamp). There are 4-ohm taps on the TAD-60, so the 4-ohm load of the 1.6QR's is not a problem. I listen at low-to-medium volumes, so available power hasn't ever been an issue, but still it's tough to answer which amp does best with driving the Magnepans - all did fine, my favorite at this point being the TAD-60. -gg |
Thanks for the review. Just curious if you ever compared the Golden Tube SE-40 to the TAD-60. BTW, Your speakers would seeem to be a rather tough load for all the above mentioned amps. Which amp has driven them the best? |
