If I found a TAD CR-1 ($37k w/o stand) and a Pioneer S-2EX ($7k/pair retail) in the same room, wired into the same rig, I’d have been a/b the living daylights out of them. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Generally, I think those Pioneer stand-mount loudspeakers are pretty interesting, and given their source (both designed by Andrew Jones), well, does that make the Pioneers almost a bargain? Hmm. Maybe, maybe not, but still, value comparisons are all aflutter over this kind of price delta. Especially since Audio Video Logic was offering a show-special pricing of 43% on these Pioneers. Ahem.
A 532H Levinson stereo amp, an Audio Research REF5SE ($13k) and a PS Audio DAC/Transport ($4k each) all were plugged into a McIntosh 1500 power center.
Form follows the function my friends.
Take a listen and then decide on the price they sound fabulous. Enormous power handling and subtleties.
They really have to re-design the stand of the TAD, for 40k that’s frikkin ugly, the Diablo Utopia has a retail price a third of that and has a drop dead gorgeous stand, Sonus Faber and Dynaudio stands also look beautiful. The TAD stand certainly looks substantial but it looks like something a hobbyist would build in his shop.
Geez, $37,000 for a stand mounted speaker. I dunno, I think that TAD only hopes to sell 20 pairs of these.
Yeah. Got nothing there. $37k seems a bit beyond the pale.