Up for sale is my Tube Audio Design TADAC, which is in great condition. Includes the original box, packing materials, the original matched set of 12AU7 tubes as well as a matched pair of Made in USA, RCA “Clear-Top” 12AU7A’s. I will also throw-in an Iron Lung Jellyfish Power Cord (6’), recommended by Paul Grzybek from Tube Audio Design. The only reason I’m selling is that I upgraded my digital front end to a Goldenote Stibbert IV CD player.
Below is some manufacturer info-
TADAC max data input speed is 96k. Designed for normal SPDIF digital audio sources: CD player data output, PC or Mac streaming audio, Squeezebox, Sonos, Wadia 170i iPod Transport, Sirus/XM data, HD FM tuner data, any serial SPDIF audio data source (coax or optical) except for 192k DVD or PC audio (DVD player menu select 96k or PCM it works fine). State of the art jitter free DAC chips means zero bit loss - any CD player with digital output work as well as the most expensive disc transport.
TADAC Tube DAC Facts and Features :
o Power: 120VAC only, rear on/off switch, plug-in cord
o Dimensions: 9" x 7-3/8" x 6" tall
o Weight: 6-Pounds
o Designed to match the vintage 1950's industrial look of TAD tube amps
o Select 12AU7 tubes are included. Tight contact gold ceramic sockets - install slowly to prevent bending a tube pin. Use 12AU7, 5814, 5963 tubes. Can leave on all the time without tube life worries. The unique Tube Audio Design analog tube circuit not only sounds out of this world, it is extremely easy on tubes. Perhaps a pair of U7's will last a lifetime in this circuit - time will tell. Make a tube removal tool out of 3/4" inner diameter clear plastic tubing (Ace Hardware sold by the foot – this is included in the sale!).
o Large epoxy potted toroidal power transformer resides in the black box on top
o Separate DC voltage regulators for all digital & audio circuits
o Each Power Supply Electrolytic is Film Cap Bypassed
o Contains 5 op-amp: 2 between DAC output & tube circuit to convert to single ended and make the phase switch feature. 2 op-amps after the tubes to drive XLR jacks, 1 op-amp after tubes in the headphone circuit.
o One Invisa-Cap in each tube audio circuit (same caps used in the TAD-150 Signature preamp)
o Data input selector switch in back corner for Optical Toslink or Coaxial-RCA data selection
o The Gold RCA jacks are 100% tube driven outputs
o True balanced gold XLR Outputs are hybrid tube/chip driven
o Analog Aux RCA Input impedance is 10k-Ohms
o RCA Output impedance is 400-Ohms, XLR Output 75-Ohms
o Tubes Light Up Blue when audio data is locked on the input
o 96k max input data speed, Crystal 8414 feeds a Burr-Brown 1793 Advanced Segment Verification Jitter Free D/A chip - a combination that sounds best in this tube design.
o Connect digital SPDIF (CD Player data) single RCA or Optical Toslink to the TADAC
o Designed for PC digital audio (up to 96k). PC Windows & Mac computer USB to audio SPDIF data interface adapter needed.
o DishDVR & DirecTV optical output plugs directly into the TADAC for the best front 2-channel speaker sound. Free Sirus/XM radio in many Dish / DirecTV packages sounds amazing too.
o Tube/SS Headphone jack for amazing HF sound - does not automatically switch main back outputs off with HF plugged in. Designed for regular light load headphones down to 16-Ohms.
Phase Switches: Useful to determine if a recording is properly phased - singing towards you-in phase, away from you-out of phase. Tip: Bass usually sounds stronger in phase, some recordings are phase balanced - in or out sounds about the same - older recordings tend to reveal phase changes more distinctly - some actually recorded out of phase, a sound board oops. Normal phase is with both switches down. Try one switch in phase, one switch out to create 1950's Orthophonic out of this world stereo sound.
The TADAC has a unique Tubyness knob to adjust how harmonically balanced the music sounds. Adjust the Tubyness to your personal taste. This tubyness control is located on the top of the unit in front of the two 12AU7 tubes
This TADAC has a master volume control to adjust gain for rear output jacks (RCA pair & XLR Pair) and the front headphone jack. Many use the TADAC as their system main volume control. Can use an AV-Switcher in front for digital input selection.
List price when new was $1499. Asking
$450 for
Audio Circle members, shipped USPS Priority Mail. Includes the following;
• TADAC unit
• Two matched pairs of 12AU7 tubes (original & RCA Clear-top 12AU7A)
• 6 ft. Iron Lung Jelly Fish Power Cord
• Small tube removal tool (3/4" inner diameter tubing)
Please email me with questions.
Thanks,
Pete
