Tube Audio design (TAD) Tadac, anyone have or heard this unit??

zapper7 · « **on:** 6 Feb 2009, 11:03 pm »

I am considering the Tube Audio Design Tadac as I am looking to consolidate and size down. Anyone heard this guy or know anything about the company?

Thanks all.
Z

saisunil · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 Feb 2009, 11:33 pm »

Hi,

At some point I had his tube pre and power amp - nice stuff, nice price and nice guy.
If you have a special request - it is rather easy to work with.

Hope it helps.

Regards

zapper7 · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Feb 2009, 11:58 pm »

Thanks amn, I think I might go for it, and sell my other DAC, once I know it's better.

Anymore info, keep coming.

jman66 · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Feb 2009, 12:13 am »

My TADAC should arrive tomorrow. Same intentions as you, consolidation.
Paul's a great guy to deal with. Lots of positive feedback out there regarding his products.

tcsubwoofer · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Feb 2009, 12:28 am »

I bought a 2009 TADAC a couple months back, but have only listened to it in my system for a couple of weeks (I was completing the build of my latest speakers).

I was doing the DAC search and was looking closely at the Benchmark DAC-1, TADAC, Citypulse DAC DA7.2x II, Cambridge Audio Dacmagic and I settled on this unit because of the tube design with option to increase/decrease output to tube, remote, and each review I found was positive.

As far as listening I don't have golden ears and I can't really tell what it may be doing to the sound because I just recently got back into hi-fi. It sounds nice, but nothing is jumping out at me. Quite frankly I am not able to discern that "oh yeah, hear those sweet guitar plucks and vocals - those tubes in the DAC are amazing" type experience. The unit just looks great, works, and does the job. The tubyness knob increases the volume a bit as you increase toward "tubyness", but I don't necessarily detect any more "tube" sound other than a volume increase. Heck, maybe my hearing is shot. Eitherway, it is such a cool looking dac and my music sounds nice.

I have a friend with a citypulse up sampling DAC that he just bought and he is supposed to come over so we can demo. Would be nice to compare to the TADAC. The citypulse is considered the poor man's benchmark DAC-1 and almost its equal. Since there were enough complaints on brightness with the benchmark and since the my speakers (Selah audio RC-5Gs) are very revealing I thought the TADAC was a safe bet. I can tell you that my friend and I already think the citypulse is detailed, but bright and a bit edgy on material - not so on the TADAC. However, the TADAC doesn't seem as detailed - maybe because not upsampled? Take this with a grain of salt because I basically just put a system together with new amps, speaker, HTPC, and DAC and I couldn't tell you exactly how any individual unit is affecting the sound yet. But no brightness that we could tell from the TADAC when played on another set of speakers.

For the record, Paul Gryzbek's service is TOP NOTCH and he emailed me immediately and answered many questions. He send my unit on a WEEKEND and I got it very quickly. Although I'm still easing into my system I give the TADAC high ratings and Paul a 11+ for customer service.

Larkston Zinaspic · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Feb 2009, 10:15 pm »

I've owned a 2007 model TADAC for a short time now, and I have some initial impressions, but I'm reserving judgment until I finally get to roll some tubes.

There is a perceived increase in loudness with the tubiness knob, but with some recordings the mids and highs may also sound a bit exaggerated as you begin to max out the control, as I hear it. There is also a sense of 'ambiance'--lightness and a more spacious quality--as 'tubiness' is increased. I tend to like the dial at about 9:30 in general; YMMV of course. Also, the tubiness knob produces an audible 'crunch' as the pot is turned, enough to make my woofers jump a bit; Paul Grzybek advised me that this control is in a very sensitive part of the tube circuit in the TADAC.

The variation in gain between tubes may be audible between the L&R channels, and on my unit the right channel is slightly louder when the tubiness knob is on full.

The TADAC sounds more lively and more 'present' with balanced connections to the amp and without my preamp in between. Perhaps two gain controls in the chain are not a good idea in my system. The stock tubes are slightly brittle at the top end and a bit light in the lower mids, IMO, but I have some RCA cleartops on the way that will hopefully affect a difference...I may try some Mazdas also, and other 12AU7 variants I can get a hold of.

zapper7 · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Feb 2009, 03:54 pm »

Thanks for the post, sounds like the are a variety of ways to taylor the sound.

Stll looks like an interesting piece.

Any other observations?

Thanks Z

CSI · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Feb 2009, 05:11 pm »

I've had my TADAC for months and listen to it every day. The sound is great - no long term digitial listening fatigue at all. The only problem I've had is an intermittent noise which I thought was a bad tube but, after talking to Paul (great service), learned it was a problem with the phase switches. They can get noisy after awhile (I don't actually use them) but the problem is easily cured by switching them both up and down several times which cleans them or re-oils them or something (turn the volume DOWN before you do this). Not a big problem and he may have sourced a different switch by now.

ajzepp · « **Reply #8 on:** 10 Feb 2009, 08:16 am »

I've had mine for nearly a year and love it. It's actually back with Paul for a switch upgrade (because of the issue CSI pointed out), so I hope to have it back soon. Here's a link to the review I posted last year: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/digital/messages/13/138544.html.

zapper7 · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 Feb 2009, 03:41 pm »

OK, thanks

I believe I ran into your review already, well done. I might take a chance on this guy, just worried about them not being there one day.

KS · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Feb 2009, 05:23 pm »

I have an early TADAC and a TAD-60 amp. I like Paul and his products. This is the only separate DAC I've used. One of my test cuts is Diane Schuur singing a short a capella bit. With the CD player's built in DAC she sounded good, but the TADAC was better...like Diane was originally singing in a hallway and now she is in the room with me. I'm using some old 12au7 tubes...RTF?...and they sound a bit better than the originals.

Quote

I might take a chance on this guy, just worried about them not being there one day.

Well, yes, he's a one-man-band. But, how many of these small audio companies, even ones with several employees, will remain if the founder isn't there? Or will remain true to the original quality? Try the TADAC.

jman66 · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Feb 2009, 07:21 pm »

...And it's still on sale for $899

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

ajzepp · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Feb 2009, 07:45 am »

Quote from: zapper7 on 10 Feb 2009, 03:41 pm

OK, thanks

I believe I ran into your review already, well done. I might take a chance on this guy, just worried about them not being there one day.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Paul has very low overhead. I would actually argue that he's more likely to outlast a lot of the other folks in the marketplace because of just that. He receives excellent word of mouth advertising, too, which further reduces his bottom line.

If those reasons aren't good enough, then try this: You only live once, my friend!

zapper7 · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 Feb 2009, 04:10 pm »

You are probably right. Definitely an interesting piece.

jman66 · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Feb 2009, 04:38 pm »

So far I have close to 40 hrs. on my TADAC, received on 2/7.
Paul did a fanastic job of building it, getting it shipped plus answering the emails in between.
The TADAC performance is such that I can part ways with a dedicated dac and preamp.
Rich midrange, which can be tuned via the tubiness knob. Resolution and frequency extension are beyond expectation, smooth but certainly not rolled off. Dynamic, wonderful soundstage/imaging goes far into placing the performance in my listening room - moreso than any other dac I've had before it.
All within the context of my system - as always YMMV...

launche · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Feb 2009, 07:55 pm »

Quote from: jman66 on 11 Feb 2009, 04:38 pm

So far I have close to 40 hrs. on my TADAC, received on 2/7.
Paul did a fanastic job of building it, getting it shipped plus answering the emails in between.
The TADAC performance is such that I can part ways with a dedicated dac and preamp.
Rich midrange, which can be tuned via the tubiness knob. Resolution and frequency extension are beyond expectation, smooth but certainly not rolled off. Dynamic, wonderful soundstage/imaging goes far into placing the performance in my listening room - moreso than any other dac I've had before it.
All within the context of my system - as always YMMV...

O.K. I can agree with this.
Glad you are enjoying what you're hearing. I've enjoyed the TADAC, it's a very solid performer capable of having residence in a wide variety of system I think. It's not a world beat per se but such a good all around performer. One may surely get a little more here and a little more there or if you are keen of something particular aspect of reproduction you can seek that out until you're content. The TADAC does the job and likely better than some me anticipate, very musical and satisfying.

I was very pleased with the preamp/gain stage performance. I've wrestled with whether to get rid of my preamps for many months. I have not missed them for sure. Again, you may get a little more here or there, maybe a little less too, that's a choice the listener has to make. But for those inclined to or by necessity the TADAC can make a preamp an option in many systems I would imagine.

I've also been listening to its headphone output and it seems very good. I am not well versed in headphones, headamps and such but I don't hear that much is lacking driving AKG K701's and Grado 125's at the moment. A dedicated headamp with likely do better but again I don't feel as if I need it, again a very solid performer. It's just a nice piece to help enjoy the music.

zapper7 · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Feb 2009, 10:44 pm »

You guys are really make this hard, need to sell that PS amp or the uther dac.
damn economy

jman66 · « **Reply #17 on:** 12 Feb 2009, 12:00 am »

Anyone leaving their TADAC powered up 24/7 ?

CSI · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 Feb 2009, 12:06 am »

Mine is on 24/7. Paul says the tubes are running at such a low current draw they can be left on all the time. And since one thing that can shorten tube life is power up surges....

launche · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 Feb 2009, 12:16 am »

24/7, I use it as a nitelight.