[TheChairGuy]

Note - the VMPS Ambience Tweeters have been sold and are going to the new owner today (Friday, Feb. 14).  What we now have a a very clean pair of original TAD-805SD single driver speakers from Aural Ecstasy.

Your price: $150.00 + freight anywhere in the world (Paypal included in price)

NOW $100.00!(as of February 15, 2009)

Here are a pristine pair or Aural Ecstasy / Tube Audio Design (Paul @ Bizzy Bee Audio is the erstwhile importer and proprietor there) TAD-805SD's....with a few hundred hours on them of break-in.  This was to have been either further experimentation in single driver experience, or part of a planned surround system, or both.  But, as often happens...life intervenes...and the best laid plans are put to rest.

These speakers are an obvious attempt to knock off (visually) the B & W 805's that sell for $2000+ here in the US.  Tho they look pretty great, they are not $2000 quality cabinetry in my opinion.  The veneer and the reddish hue tho are really very attractive and are not marred.

They come in the original boxes with original carton packing.  They ship together in one box weighing about 42 lbs.  Each speaker is rather heavy (especially as they are crossoverless) at 17+ lbs.  So, it's mostly cabinet and drivers adding up to 17lbs....fairly impressive in itself.

I have (very) carefully cut two panels of grey EAR Isodamp constrained layer damping to the back of each cabinet, on the backside/outside...to damp the cabinet.  It has never failed to improve an inexpensive speaker I have owned.  As I have been using omni or bi-directional speakers fora time and like them, I wanted to add some rear 'ambience' to the speakers, so I bought VMPS Ambience Tweeters (which fit in the binding posts of each speaker) to the back.  These really do work well...they can also be removed by carefully using lighter fluid, Undu or GooGone and you can use them on other adventures in your life. 

It's up to you...they are there to use as you like and are included in this package. 

I have no pics on the rear or Ambience Tweeters right now as the speakers are packed away, but if I must, I will.  Consider it a very tasty bonus all for the 275 clamola's offered

I'll leave everyone with the below pics and update this over time as need might require.  Don't be shy...all questions will be answered on these speakers.

Thx, John

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/bizzyb/TAD805SD.html

[TheChairGuy]

More pics...

Here's a rear shot of one.....for you to see where the constrained layer damping went and also to highlight the one VMPS Ambience Tweeter that is not cosmetically perfect.  There's a nick just above the round tweeter plate that occurred when the product came out of the original shipping (small) box.  It was not packed securely at VMPS (I think Big B was rushing these out due to delays and demand early in it's production life) and it got nicked on a 6" drop from the package to the table due to it not being fastened down right in the box.  These tweeters are not pretty to begin with (I don't think Big B plans that much for aesthetics in his designs, but they do indeed sound good)

The tweeters simply insert, inline with your speaker cables in the (surprisingly chunky/decent) speaker binding posts


You're potentially gonna' be surprised at how very well these sound for under $300! The Ambience Tweeters can be thought of as something as a nice bonus to it.

John 

[TheChairGuy]

Description of sound: quite typical of single driver units.  Very cohesive sounding...with just a bit of upper register added for good measure with the onboard tweeters (which have two crossover points - 12 and 15K selectable on back of the unit).  The tweeters were he kicker for me...without upper frequency treble producers I have found all other single drivers to be underwhelming.

The cabinet volume is reasonably large sized for a bookshelf, and ported...along with a good 6.5" driver, there is very commendable bass produced.  Add a subwoofer (my Gallo TR-1 blended well with these) and you have some real tunes at attractive prices.

I used them on (Parts Express) 18" stands and they worked 8' away and further.  If you are listening closer, I'd recommend a 20-24" stand for better imaging/soundstaging to your ear. 

I didn't at least notice a large amount of beaming with the single driver...maybe it's because the driver is not paper, it is Kevlar and has a rubber surround.  As such, it's efficiency is average at 88db or so.  A low-wattage SET with drive it in a small room (impedance is very benign), but you would like it to see 10 watts+ in most rooms.  I paired it with both a 10 watt 6V6 tube amps and 50 watt 6CD6 tube amps with equal pleasure in my (old) 12 x 15 x 8-10' high room.  There was lotsa' volume with either amp used.

In all, this is rather a remarkable speaker for the money - it punches well above it's weight.  With the addition of the VMPS Ambience Tweeters you have bi-directional high frequency for enhanced ambience in your room.  The VMPS Ambience Tweeter effiency closely apes the 88db of the TAD speaker, so volume levels are nicely blended.

Any further questions - fire away....

Regards, John

[TheChairGuy]

Well, there is a fair amount of views on the item...but, no actual bites.

So, we tweek the price to $250.00 and see if that compels someone to step up 

John

[TheChairGuy]

Still a fair amount of views here (325 views to date), but no bites.

There's nuthin' wrong with these speakers for the price audiophool brothers...price considered especially...particularly if single drivers are your thang

If anybody just wants the Aural Ersatz speakers, make the price US$125.00 for the pair (I'll remove the ambiance tweeters).  Yup, $125.00 (from San Francisco Bay area).

Once I remove the tweeters from the back (cleanly), I'm not sure how much stick-um is left on the double backed tape there for them to be used again...but, that's my issue, not yours 

Anyhow, there ya' go...$250.00 as is with the neat VMPS Ambiance Tweeters attached....or, $125 the pair for just the two speakers.

Regards, John

[satfrat]

Gee John, the VMPS Ambiance Tweeters are retailing for $250/pair alone. So in reality, you're just giving these speakers away.


Cheers,
Robin

[TheChairGuy]

Yeah, in a sense, Robin.

I think, unless changed fairly recently and I missed it, that VMPS was running the tweeters on 'special' at $199.00....so the speakers are not quite a give-a-way at the price.  But, close

John

[satfrat]

Yeah, in a sense, Robin.

I think, unless changed fairly recently and I missed it, that VMPS was running the tweeters on 'special' at $199.00....so the speakers are not quite a give-a-way at the price.  But, close

John

The retail price is $249/pair John, I bought 3 pair for the $169/pair introductory price and i love them. I would imagine they'd be a real bonus on these monitors.

[TheChairGuy]

Yup, they help give the AE speakers some, ahhhhh, ambience 

John

[TheChairGuy]

See my other ad for a matchet Quintet (5) of NOS RCA 6DQ5 tubes....gratis/free/nada/nothing/zilch/zippo: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=64698.msg590369#msg590369

[TheChairGuy]

Here's a frontal shot of the two side-by-side:

[joeriz]

John,

Would you be willing to sell the ambience tweeters separately?

Thanks,
Joe

[TheChairGuy]

Sure, no issue, Joe.

Except as they are mounted by two (vertical) strips of double sided foam on the back of the tweeters...using un-du or Goo-Gone to remove them...will result is less stickum' on what is left of the double sided foam tape.

Nonetheless, it can be done. Worse comes to worse, I remove all the foam from the Ambience Tweeter itself and you buy 3M foam tape for a few dollars at your local hardware store.  I'll communicate with you throughout what is being done so there is no complete surprise when you open them up in your home.  I'm no techie - but I communicate well, typically 

How's about $100 for the VMPS Ambiance Tweeters + applicable freight?  I 98% believe I kept the original VMPS packing for them, too (it wasn't that long ago that they were bought)

John

[TheChairGuy]

Better yet...I just thought of it.  If the double sided, sticky foam tape on the back of the VMPS Ambiance Tweeter must come off in th eoperation....I'll go down to the Hardware store and put two new strips on.

The strips aren't proprietary or anything...they are white foam strips that can be bought in any hardware store.  But, I'll apply them neatly so you don't have to 

So, it's literally good as new to use as you like.

John

[joeriz]

PM sent.

[TheChairGuy]

So the VMPS Ambiance tweeters are off to new owner joeriz in today's USPS 

So, we now have a like-new pair (with over the 500 hour recommended run-in needed for these to sing) pair of Aural Ecstasy TAD-805SD single driver, crossover-less speakers with supertweeter.  87db efficient, so SET's need not apply, but strong output to good dbl's with the kevlar-reinforced mid-bass cone.

My 10watt and 50watt tube amps have driven them without issue in room 12 x 15' with more than sufficient volume with just a twiddle of volume at hand.

$150.00 + freight for the pair.

John

[TheChairGuy]

Allrighty then....despite the low price, I suspect we really are in a recession as I've successfully sold many more pricey types of gear here over the years.  Well, Mr. Buyer, recessions can be mighty good to savers as your money goes further.

So........US$100.00 + freight (PayPal included) takes 'em.

If you're wondering what $100 for a pair of speakers buys you today, you'll likely be surprised with the value quotient here. The (similar) basic cherry or rosewood veneer boxes sell for more at Parts Express...without any drivers, wiring or time is factored in.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=302-742

They are carefully boxed in the original cartons and looking forward to a new home 

John

[audioholic]

Can you quote me a shipping price to 30144?

[TheChairGuy]

SOLD.

Full payment by check has been received, as well.

Thanks for your interest, John