Demystifying Tad

[LICORNE]

Demystifying Tad.

Well It started 30 years ago with an X employee from Altec and JBL.

A division of Pioneer, Technical Audio Devices was formed over 30 years ago with the stated goal of developing professional loudspeaker technology that bettered the famed work of both Altec and JBL. To ensure this, TAD hired Bart Locanthi of Altec and JBL to design its first drivers. TAD has been very successful in reaching this goal. Their speakers are used in some of the best and largest recording and audio-production facilities worldwide, including Radio France and numerous Japanese and large American recording studios. Skywalker Ranch designed their reference theater speaker system around TAD drivers. According to John, "Rumor has it that audio-quality fanatic Neal Young uses TAD horn systems for his reference monitors."

Ok but these monitors are no longer manufactured.

The 1601 is a carbon copy of the Altec 416.
The HF drivers starts at 650 HZ and their Wooden
horn at over 2000$ in solid exotic wood.

They have run out of ideas . No wonder All they did was copy Altec and JBL.

Here once and for all what that monitor looked liked. THE ALTEC MODEL 19 is more impressive than this model.

In other words overpriced ALTEC abd JBL drivers copies.




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[GM]

Originally posted by CONVERGENCE:
The 1601 is a carbon copy of the Altec 416.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Greets!

If it's a carbon copy of anything, it's one of the JBLs: http://i13.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/9d/b5/08cd_1.JPG

GM

[LICORNE]

Yeah your right the cones are different. Someone made an exhaustive comparison with the TL 1602 the specs are very close.

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[Old Guy]

Having dismantled TAD drivers- no they are NOT carbon copies of JBL and Altec.

Interestingly, the Altec 288-G, often considered the "poor man's TAD" actually has a stronger field than the TAD.

If my memory serves, there were some other ex Altec and JBL personnel involved also.

One of the reasons TAD is decent is the use of Alnico- it's making a comeback, JBL is now making new Alnico speakers.

I consider TADs overpriced. I would not pay the difference for the possible slight advantage over 288-g's.

[Steve Schell]

As I understand the history, Pioneer was interested in developing the finest possible products for their premium loudspeaker line. They hired Mr. Locanthi, the most qualified engineer available for the task based on his sterling record of past accomplishments. They gave him a task any engineer would envy: to design the best products possible, freed of cost constraints. He gave them what they wanted, a line of impeccably engineered drivers of groundbreaking performance and excellent reliability. Mr. Locanthi's designs were evolutionary improvements from prior art, following a long standing and logical tradition.

To me the entire endeavor represents an all too rare though admirable pursuit of excellence (and a tremendously successful one at that) on the part of everyone involved. Audio professionals have chosen the fine TAD products to assist them in their daily work for close to thirty years now.

The vapor deposited beryllium diaphragms in the high frequency drivers were perhaps the most revolutionary feature of the TAD products. They enabled high frequency performance that no Altec of JBL driver of the time had ever approached.

Convergence, your negative attitude in relation to the TAD product line and Mr. Locanthi's fine work is absolutely baffling to me.

[dgwojo]

Locally made (for me) Classic Audio Reproductions use TAD drivers in their systems. I heard a pair of their $20k+ set of speakers at the 2005 Audio Karma Fest, very impressive!! Dave.

Classic Audio Reproductions - Brighton, Michigan

[LICORNE]

Well I've come across some articles comparing both companies with Tad products.

Here is one:

"After Ed May designed the 2231 woofer (precursor of the 2235), it replaced the LE15A in almost all of my custom monitor designs. Today the TAD TL-1603 is the most popular choice. It sounds very much like a 2231/2235 but will take incredible abuse without blowing up. At Sunset, we tried 1603's in all three studios, but decided that the JBL woofers still sounded better in two of the three."


The other article is in French and it compares
several speakers and the TL 1602 comes close
to the 416-8B.

So one wonders : If JBL sounds just as good as the 1603 would this mean it's merely a copy.

It's like Coke and Pepsi both taste almost the same.

Like Old Guy said about the HF drivers being over priced. I agree intirely.

Pioneer have done good with keeping with Alnico drivers and Beryljlium HF drivers.

JBL and ALTEC (GPA) can and probably will do the same if there's a real difference.

Fo myself nothing will come close to an Altec Driver.

In the end do we need a third player in this High end Legacy industry?

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[GM]

Originally posted by Old Guy:
Having dismantled TAD drivers- no they are NOT carbon copies of JBL and Altec.

I consider TADs overpriced. I would not pay the difference for the possible slight advantage over 288-g's.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Greets!

I assumed as much, just knew for sure its sonic signature would be closer to a JBL than Altec with that diaphragm/VC.

I would for the superior HF of its Beryllium diaphragm in a studio/HIFI app, otherwise a waste of $$ IMO.

GM

[GM]

Originally posted by CONVERGENCE:

So one wonders : If JBL sounds just as good as the 1603 would this mean it's merely a copy.

In the end do we need a third player in this High end Legacy industry?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Greets!

Not really, there's more than one way to arrive at ~the same sonic signature, though the fact that they ~cloned JBL's diaphragm assy. goes a long ways towards which the designer preferred.

The more the merrier! The consumer always wins when there's plenty of competition.

GM

[scott fitlin]

Steve Schell is right, and Bart Locanthi, designed the 1601A for TAD as a cost no object supremium woofer, it is a copy of the JBL 136A.

The TAD 4001 is a cost no object design, and copy of the JBL 375.

I have and use TAD. I love their 15,s, great low end, clean, and accurate low mid and midbass, imaging is incredible. But, they do need alot more power than an Altec woofer.

TAD compression drivers do in fact have the highest resolution I have ever heard in a compression driver, and it has a much more extended top end than any of my JBL,s or Altecs. But, I prefer JBL and Altec comp drivers, sweeter sounding. But, in the micro detail department, the TAD comp drivers are the best.

Is TAD overpriced? YES! But, they are some of the finest sounding devices available today. TAD was always expensive, back in 1979, you could get an Altec 15in woofer for $125.00 and the TAD 1601A was $275.00.

I use TAD 1603 woofers, and they are just so clean, have great low end, and the low mid is so realistic, and accurate.