(April 25, 2024) Technical Audio Devices Laboratories, Inc. (TAD Labs) has introduced the TAD-C700 preamplifier, a new flagship in its Reference Series of components. Replacing the TAD-C600, a pre/pro launched 13 years ago, the TAD-C700 boasts an array of technical enhancements that read like an audio dreamscape on paper. Central to its design is a high-performance, single-stage current-feedback amplifier that TAD says keeps musical details revealed without loss of fidelity. A dedicated output amplifier for each of the two line outputs minimizes interference from connected devices, further preserving the purity you'd expect to hear from equipment of this stature.
The C700 employs fully balanced circuitry and a dual-mono construction to individually amplify positive and negative signal waveforms from input to output, effectively reducing amplification errors and achieving ideal signal paths across channels. This approach, claims TAD, results in near-perfect stereophonic sound reproduction. Additionally, the preamplifier's power supply is isolated from the main amplifier unit to avoid vibration and magnetic flux leakage, utilizing a high-capacity toroidal transformer and high-quality components like oxygen-free copper terminals to ensure a stable and clean power supply.
The unit's chassis, constructed from a solid 33-mm-thick aluminum ingot, provides high-level vibration control, crucial for maintaining unfettered sound reproduction. TAD also has customized key components, such as an electronic volume control circuit that offers precise attenuation and ultra-low distortion, and power circuit components designed to extend the frequency response and maintain sound integrity.
For enhanced functionality in a complex audio setup, the C700 features synchronous control, allowing multiple units to be managed from a master C700. The preamplifier also includes a dedicated recording output and a pass-through mode that ensures the integrity of the audio signal, ideal for high-quality recording and playback.
If TAD's press materials don't ooze audiophile sweetness, its price tag certainly does. Scheduled for release in June 2024, the TAD-C700 will be available at select US dealers for $68,500. If you live in Canada that price point looks even larger, landing at $94,500 Canadian.
For more information, visit TAD by clicking here.
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