(Mr.) Tan’s passion in the audio hobby has never wavered…and the same goes for his loyalty to the audio brand, TAD…hence the nick name TAD Tan.
His recent upgrade to the latest flagship loudspeaker from TAD, the REFERENCE ONE TX has provened his dedication to the abovementioned.
The TAD Reference One features the company’s new SILENT (Structurally Inert Laminated Enclosure Technology) cabinet: the ultimate in elegant curves and immense stability.
To drive the behemoth loudspeakers from TAD, he also decided to upgrade his previous PASS LABS stereo amplifier to the their latest flagship, the class A XS300 (4 chassis mono amplifiers).
Without a doubt, his next upgrade MAYBE a flagship status preamplifier to complete his flagship status audio system! (or BIG BOY TOYS!)
I knew and listened to some spectacular audio systems here and abroad, and I discovered that the owners thought that by owning the ‘Best Audio System Money Could Buy‘ should provide them immediate ‘Over the Top Sound Quality and Presentation‘…far be it from actuality (like I always say that the HYPER EXPENSIVE SUPER CARS DO NOT DRIVE BY ITSELF…and it is more difficult to handle than most common cars!). Thus, these owners have to spend much more effort, time and money to learn and tweak such audio system to their ‘respective musical satisfaction and completion‘ (still No Perfection[?] here…[because] that audio system is supposed to bring satisfaction and completion to the owner and may not to all listeners/ friends, so be prepared for subjective and even unsubstantiated criticisms).
As for TAD Tan whom has been around many audiophiles’ audio systems and has under went much in his own audio system, knew the ‘rule of the game‘,…and more importantly, his ‘humble attitude of wanting to learn‘ (not the snobbish know it all and always wants to tell your wrongs, ‘Guru’) have equipped him for the BIG BOY TOYS!
Upon entering his audio room,…upon seeing his audio set up,…and upon hearing that first note from that loudspeaker, I knew TAD Tan is a BIG BOY with enough maturity in his skill set in setting up the BIG BOY TOYS.
Eventhough his room was not large (not small for the TAD though), the bass was never boomy and out of control, even at higher than comfortable listening level. The bass quantum was always at the right ratio to the other bandwidths (not an easy feat).
The mid bass could be a bid warmer and heavier,…however never did it overwhelm the higher bandwidths. Therefore, the higher frequencies were free and open to any note’s finality (the tonal technicality). There was never a note amissed (detail) but was given its fullness through those TAD R1 TX!
Finally, the soundstaging was nothing short of spectacular (as to be expected of a flagship behemoth loudspeaker),…with images of performers given space to express, the audible airiness of the recording venue and the sensation of dynamism of each presentation/ performance.
Here, at the point of time of newly received and installed flagship components, he acknowledged that he has yet fully tweak and complete the audio system to his ‘sound quality’. However, TAD Tan, a ‘technical’ audiophile whom capable of setting up the ‘Mohammad Ali of Audio System‘ (again by me) with a technical tonality of ‘nimbleness, control, and (even minute) detail’,…maybe too humble.
To me, he has already managed to capture the American and Japanese Behemoths,…and
Are now just pulling the reins on the behemoths!