T+A elektroakustik HV Series Components

Sorry David,

That will be a tough question, we have used the T+A gear with fantastic results on:

1: Polymer Audio Research MKXs a $68k Diamond Tweeter and midrange all metal enclousure speaker

2: Paradigm Persona 9H

3: Kef Blades

4: Kharama

5: Big Genesis panels

6: We have not tested on Magico, or Wilson although both of those should be great.

The combination of slightly liquid midrange, great bass control, huge soundstage all leads to sounding great with most high end loudspeakers.

If a speaker is a bit on the dull side that may not be the best match because the T+A gear does tend to sound a bit warm, although choice of dac and cabling can compensate.

Hope that helps.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

@audiotroy   Very helpful. I need to sort out next steps and will reach out to you in person. This might take some time.

I'll look into all of the options you've presented.

Thank you.

T+A SDV 3100 HV (Streaming DAC) and PDT 3100 HV (Disc Drive) review by Matthias Böde Of STEREO Magazine via Enjoy The Music.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0919/TA_SDV3100HV_PDT3100HV_Review.htm

Dear David Ten, thanks for posting the review.

We are currently breaking in that exact piece.

Will  post a full review once we get 300 hours on it. so far it is pretty spectacular and the feature set is off the charts.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ T+A dealers

@audiotroy   Thanks. Looking forward to your detailed impressions and findings.

I am using Reimyo CDT-777 and DAP-999EX. I wanted to move to streaming music from the internet , so I started to look for a streamer\DAC as my DAC is good up to 48kHz resolution. I auditioned the Nadac player, Cary 600 and dcs Rossini in my system. I preferred the music from my DAC, so I cannot justifies to spend additional money to get a new DAC. Recently I read the Audiogon forum on “Higher End DACs” which I learn much. I took the advice of “audiotroy “ and found the local dealer of T + A audio. I visited the dealer and he agree the SDV3100 HV for 3 days home demo. Comparing the SDV3100 HV to my Reimyo DAC, there was a step improvements in the layering of the deeper bass, slam and speed of the music, female voicing was sweeter and wider sound stage. I have closed the deal on the SD3100 HV as I have a good preamp. I should have delivery of the unit in 2 to 3 week.
Thanks to “audiotroy “

Congratulations @khiak Please share more of your impressions and differences from your previous setup with the SDV loaner unit. And certainly when you have your new SD 3100 HV (Streamer / DAC) in house!!!

What's your preamplifier? Thanks.

I received delivery of my SD 3100 HV one week ago to replace my Reimyo DAP-999EX. I connected my Reimyo CDT-777 to the SD 3100 HV using the same Reimyo Digital Coaxial Cable. The preamplifier is my 11 years old Goldmund Mimesis 22 Signature which is connected to the SD 3100 HV via a 10m Goldmund RCA and 8m Siltech XLR SQ-88B G3. Two pair of the preamp output is connected to Goldmund Telos 600 by Kharma Enigma signature XLR and the third pair of the preamp output is connected to 2 Funk Audio 21.0LX. The Telos 600 is connected to the Kharma Exquisite Reference 1E Signature by Kharma Enigma signature speaker cables. First impression was the wider sound stage, more tonal layering of the bass, slightly laid back analogues vocal which is very pleasant. Overall presentation is totally different but awesome. 

@david_ten I received delivery of my SD 3100 HV one week ago to replace my Reimyo DAP-999EX. I connected my Reimyo CDT-777 to the SD 3100 HV using the same Reimyo Digital Coaxial Cable. The preamplifier is my 11 years old Goldmund Mimesis 22 Signature which is connected to the SD 3100 HV via a 10m Goldmund RCA and 8m Siltech XLR SQ-88B G3. Two pair of the preamp output is connected to Goldmund Telos 600 by Kharma Enigma signature XLR and the third pair of the preamp output is connected to 2 Funk Audio 21.0LX. The Telos 600 is connected to the Kharma Exquisite Reference 1E Signature by Kharma Enigma signature speaker cables. First impression was the wider sound stage, more tonal layering of the bass, slightly laid back analogues vocal which is very pleasant. Overall presentation is totally different but awesome.

@khiak  Thanks so much for sharing the details of your system. I would love to hear it, if I could. : )

Were you able to sort out the Tidal streaming issues, to your satisfaction?

If you do decide to go to Roon, I'm happy to offer general guidance, etc.  

@david_ten I received a email from T+A support stating that I can only use the Tidal in the MusicNavigator but not the Tidal(Direct). i just subscribed to the 14 days Roon free trial, After I download the 150MB Roon.dmg into the Applications of my Macbook Pro, i try to click on the Roon Menu display at the desk top, nothing seems to be working. Please help. Thanks

@khiak I highly recommend reaching out to your dealer who should be able to walk you through setup over the phone.

I say this because there is a learning curve with Roon.

I have sent you a PM.

@david_ten I just subscribed to Roon Lifetime and link to Tidal. Our Covid-19 lockdown just got extended to June 1st as of yesterday. With this lockdown, I am spending average 6 hours a day listening to my system. I have seen Roon user upsample from PCM to DSD256 even to DSD512. I have been trying to upsample to DSD with Roon without any success, the highest I achieved was 192kHz. Do I need to purchase HQPlayer 4 in order to upsample from PCM to DSD? Just like to hear the difference between PCM and DSD with the SD3100HV. 
By the way, I have installed a Silent Angel Bonn8 network switch cascade to the SOtM network switch with SOtM dCBL CAT7 ethernet connection to the SD3100HV. Very happy with the musical improvement overall.
Thanks for your help.
Warm Regards
Khiak

@khiak  First, congratulations on making the move to Roon. 

Second, good to hear you are well and able to enjoy your new components and system for hours on end. : )

I (believe) you will need to go through the USB input to get to the higher DSD levels. The Ethernet input (MAY) also get updated to do the same in the future (communicated via the US side of T+A).

I haven't used HQ Player so I cannot comment on it.

@david_ten Many thanks for your kind and helpful response. Take care and enjoy your music in this critical virus phase around the world.

Detailed Company / Brand as well as HV component series related information in the following Stereophile review of the T+A MP 3100 HV by Jim Austin:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/ta-mp-3100-hv-sacd-playerstreaming-dac

“I auditioned the Nadac player, Cary 600 and dcs Rossini in my system.”

@khiak,

Would you please share your experience with the Nadac player. I am considering +player and would love to hear your feedback. 

Herb Reichert / Stereophile review of the T+A Solitaire P Headphones and the T+A HA 200 DAC - Headphone Amplifier

https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-45-ta-solitaire-p-headphones-ha-200-dac-headph...

Help in finding / reaching out to the member who had a thread on his extensive 'tinkering' with his T+A HV units settings and thoughts on optimizing sound quality from his units. 

Searches are coming up empty. I suspect the thread was deleted. 

I posted on his thread, as did @audiotroy  ... but I do not see / cannot locate either of our posts tied to that OP.

Thanks in advance. 

I’ve been following this thread for a few months. I closed a deal on a new SDV 3100 HV. More to follow once I get this into my system. 

@paulallen23,

Congrats! T+A remains one of my most desired brand to audition in my system. Presently own Accuphase E-650 which has a brilliant synergy with my Tannoy’s.

I am currently evaluating darTZeel CTH-8550, hopefully I can audition PA 3100 HV Integrated afterwards. Exciting times!

@paulallen23  Cool!  Looking forward to hearing how it works out.

My SDV continues to impress. It has scaled beautifully, as I've improved my system. 

kef blades 
vivid
kharma
focal utopia series current
paradigm personas

Hey, any comments about T+A HV series match with Sonus Faber speakers, specifically Lillium, or Il Cremonese, or Aida!

^^^Highly recommend T+A PA 3100 HV or A 3000 HV with any of those SF speakers. Just don’t let anyone talk you into pairing SF speakers with Audio Research and McIntosh :-)

Hi all I’ve been enjoying T+A for around 5 years now. I have a PA 3000 and PDP 3000 SACD/DAC which I have no intention of changing any time soon. It’s taken a few year though to finally find a speaker that brings out every last detail but last year I had on demo a pair of Tad CE1’s and within an hour of playing some of my go to tracks I told the dealer to order me in a set with their matching stands, the dealer almost fell off my sofa as I made quite an expensive decision so quickly. The T+A gear is so well made and to me hard pushed to beat. The Tad speakers are not the easiest to drive but the PA 3000 drives them with ease even at ear bleeding levels. In my experience with T+A they can be fussy with system matching but once you get it right they are hard to beat but this is just my opinion, it’s all about enjoying the music

+1 @garfield01  Always a pleasure when we find the right combination of gear we can live with long term. I'd love to hear the PA 3000 driving your TAD speakers!

 

I’ve been enjoying T+A for around 5 years now. I have a PA 3000 and PDP 3000 SACD/DAC which I have no intention of changing any time soon.

 

 

 

I’m in the uk and to be honest Tad isn’t that we’ll known over here but I needed a speaker that wasn’t to particular about positioning and placement as with some of the big names I tried like the new Wilson Sabrina’s which I really wanted to work but they over powered my L shaped open plan room, also B&W 802d’s and so on.

For me the Tad and T+A combo sounds so analogue, I’m currently using the Auralic  Aries g2.1 using the PDP 3000 HV Dac which is still an impressive  machine and I think a bargain if you can get your hands on one. For me what I’m trying to get across is I’ve tried all the cables, power leads Vitus and McIntosh 12000 when it first came out which again are all nice sounding units but as soon as I put my old system back together I fall in love with the T+A sound all over again and found for me the biggest change I made to my system was the Tad ce1 speakers.

It’s a frustrating expensive hobby always trying to chase that perfect sound but sometimes we need to just have a beer, relax and enjoy what we have ( till the next good revue comes out and feel the urge to start the process all over again )🙄😬

 

@garfield01 or @david_ten, Have either of you you heard the T+A MP3100HV SACD player? There was a dealer on the Audio Shark forum who said he loved the 3000 series disc players but felt T+A lost their way with the 3100 series disc players.

 

@tomcy6 I quit spinning discs a long time ago and have not followed the equipment nor the market. If you are considering one, and are concerned with that specific dealer’s feedback, I’d reach out to David Schultz / T+A USA ... I’ve found him to be direct and fair about how he positions various T+A components. He might be able to refer you to owners who are okay with being contacted.

Perhaps an owner(s) will offer their own comparative experience here (3000 v. 3100 series).

Review of the T+A DAC 200 from The Computer Audiophile // Audiophile Style:

 

T+A DAC 200 Review

@david_ten Thanks for sharing. It’s great to finally see a great review on the DAC 200 from a U.S. source. This unit has been one of my best sellers, and I truly think it outperforms DACs up to twice its price or more. It is so natural and effortless, and a very versatile unit overall. I’m surprised it hasn’t gained more attention.

@blisshifi   +1   Agree. My SDV 3100 HV has been superb. And the Taiko Audio Extreme to SDV pairing.... : )  : )  : )

HDMI ARC video based audio (into) my 2 channel system has been a really, really nice bonus.

@david_ten It’s actually really nice to hear from someone else who owns the SDV 3100 HV. I have not heard it with the Taiko, but I own the Aurender N30SA and the pairing is exceptional as well. That said, using the internal streamer in the SDV 3100 HV is no slouch, either!

Have you compared the SDV 3100 HV to other DACs, and if so which ones? I preferred mine over many others including the Mola Mola Tambaqui, Lampi Atlantic and Baltic 3, modded PS Audio DirectStream, and a few others. Have not compared it to other reference solutions like MSB or DCS, though I have heard those units at shows. But for anyone looking for a reference streamer, DAC and preamp all in one, the unit provides great value regardless of its MSRP. 

@blisshifi   I also agree with you on the SDV internal streamer / Roon Endpoint. It is excellent (including sound quality performance) and makes the unit extremely flexible and feature laden. 

Importantly, it allows for a simple path for those who do not want to overcomplicate their digital front end, while also saving on the outlay tied to those front ends.

 

using the internal streamer in the SDV 3100 HV is no slouch, either!

@blisshifi The Cable Company arranged for an extended in-home demo. I was interested in the SD but am so glad David Schultz sent me the SDV. Every combination of ’S/ D/ V’ versus my previous setup demonstrated the overall superiority of the SDV in my system. The ’V’ section is phenomenal....I’m emphasizing this because I notice a general focus (online) on the streamer and DAC aspects of the unit.

 

Have you compared the SDV 3100 HV to other DACs, and if so which ones?

 

I seriously auditioned dCS (Rossini and Vivaldi, pre APEX) in multiple dealer and audio friend setups. I was planning on an in-home demo with MSB but decided to move forward with the T+A SDV because it was abundantly clear how good the unit was. I also own the PA 3100 HV and already had a good feel for T+A’s ’sound,’ operation, build quality, reliability and support.

@david_ten Thanks for the context. I 100% agree with your comments on the V / line stage section of this unit. I owned the P 3000 HV prior, and the preamp in the SDV is just as good if not better. I’ve never heard a preamp like it, and I’ve demoed numbers of preamps up to the $20K range. It is a worthwhile addition for an extra $2500 in addition to the $36K for the base SD 3000 HV.

FYI --- there is a new product from T+A top HV series / tier, the PSD 3100 HV, a streaming DAC with pre-amp module built in: 

Priced lower than the SD / SDV line, which are very, very expensive. Not sure what the difference between the PSD and SDV 3100 HV is.

 

Having said this, it appears that although this was announced in Summer of this year, it is not available for purchase yet.

@thyname I can help with the distinction. The PSD 3100 HV is a trickle down of the SDV for sure, and in the following ways:

DAC

SDV: True 1-bit conversion DSD 1024

PSD: Max DSD512

 

Analog Inputs

SDV: one set balanced, one set RCA

PSD: only one set RCA

Both have one set XLR and RCA for outputs

 

SDV has multiple digital inputs for certain types (e.g. two USB in) where the PSD only has one.

I’m uncertain if the preamp sections, power supplies, and isolation technologies are equivalent across the two, but I can inquire. 

Thanks @blisshifi. At $22K, PSD seems to be quite a bargain. I didn’t realize SDV 3100 now retail for $39K 😳

@blisshifi : thanks for chiming in.

Those differences you mentioned are too small / insignificant to justify such a huge price difference (PSD vs. SDV), so logically must be something else (i.e. what you said in your last paragraph). Yes, please do inquire.

Since I already have the PA 3100 HV (integrated amp), I don't really need the pre-amp section, so, hopefully they come up with something cheaper than PSD in that line (ex-pre amp section), similar to the SD vs. SDV.

This thread has been chugging along for four years now. I’m using a Hegel h590 to drive my kef blades and for the price I can’t complain, I sure would like to get the A3000HV with a quality dac/pre to compare. I can’t justify the price of the SDV3100.

@steve59 :

sure would like to get the A3000HV with a quality dac/pre to compare.

Or you can get the PA 3100 (integrated amp, meaning an amp with preamp built in), then add a standalone DAC of your choice.

 

I agree, the price of SD / SDV (3100 HV) is ridiculous (for me)

 

 

On a parallel note, anyone tried Bi or Tri amping, using the A 3000 HV and couple of M40 HV monoblocks?   Also, any idea if they are working on an A 3100 HV or is 3000 it?

@steve59 I have a customer that uses a full 3000 HV stack (MP, P, A, and PS) with KEF Blades and he is very, very happy with the electronics matching.

Thyname has a good suggestion to use the PA 3100 HV with a separate DAC (consider the T+@ DAC 200 to go with it). That said, the separates are for sure better.

@thyname I did get some details about the PSD, but I've been asked not to share too deeply until the product is released. That said, I can confide that the quality differences do go beyond the ares I provided above, and there are differences all in the preamp section, power supply, volume control and all. Both are still good values for their price points.

I will iterate that the SDV is the best purchase I ever made in my own system. I already owned the P 3000 HV, which was the best preamp I ever owned prior to the SDV. Combined with a world class DAC in a single unit, and a quality streamer and network audio device, it is a worthy investment for combined endgame performance. The DAC 200 is also exceptional for its price point, and I've preferred it to DACs double its cost. I'm certain the PSD, while not inexpensive, will also strike a great balance between cost and performance.

@blisshifi :

I did get some details about the PSD, but I've been asked not to share too deeply until the product is released. That said, I can confide that the quality differences do go beyond the ares I provided above, and there are differences all in the preamp section, power supply, volume control and all.

Your update is much appreciated.

 

Still, being T+A series HV, the PSD 3100 I am sure is a great piece of equipment. Definitely in my “to audition” list

 

 

 

what i'm looking for in my current system is low to mid volume presence. The H590 and blade 1's do a great job at moderate to loud volume buy to get any kind of dynamics the volume needs to be in the 80-90 db range. Maybe it's the way recordings are made idk, but at night it would be nice to have some low volume quality.