Just to add some observations. A friend who used to own sound labs but sold them due to space issues still had his elaborate pass labs gear and elaborate crossovers and tri amp setup but was temporarily using several pairs of fairly old barely mid FI speakers. The sound was amazing and palpable and many others were shocked how good the system sounded.
regarding TAD, I have the CR1's and have heard them with a number of amps over the years from solid state to tube to hybrid and with various sources. Any shortcomings I felt they had were in the electronics as they now sound far better with better electronics, although I have now augmented them with a super tweeter and subs.
I do love the Magico sound and I'm sure they have gotten even better since hearing the q1's at a dealer demo. I was wowed by them on some unfamiliar audiophile material but after hearing some standard recordings requested and I knew well, they sounded rather flat, and the dealer took them off before the song was done . Back at my place an hour later the same tracks I asked to hear (bill Evans, rickie lee jones ) now sounded like audiophile recordings! And my current electronics are a far better match for them now than those years ago.
I'm not knocking Magico by any stretch, just pointing out that Tad's set up well with the right match gets you somewhat close to the real thing, which I hear quite often and from up close.
In my systems current evolution , the recordings are the weak link in the chain. The gear is capable of being much more accurate and musical than current recordong technology allows.
regarding TAD, I have the CR1's and have heard them with a number of amps over the years from solid state to tube to hybrid and with various sources. Any shortcomings I felt they had were in the electronics as they now sound far better with better electronics, although I have now augmented them with a super tweeter and subs.
I do love the Magico sound and I'm sure they have gotten even better since hearing the q1's at a dealer demo. I was wowed by them on some unfamiliar audiophile material but after hearing some standard recordings requested and I knew well, they sounded rather flat, and the dealer took them off before the song was done . Back at my place an hour later the same tracks I asked to hear (bill Evans, rickie lee jones ) now sounded like audiophile recordings! And my current electronics are a far better match for them now than those years ago.
I'm not knocking Magico by any stretch, just pointing out that Tad's set up well with the right match gets you somewhat close to the real thing, which I hear quite often and from up close.
In my systems current evolution , the recordings are the weak link in the chain. The gear is capable of being much more accurate and musical than current recordong technology allows.