Listening to the TAD CE1TX Loudspeakers at the recent T.H.E. Show in Costa Mesa was both exhilarating and depressing; the sound quality in the rather noisy confines of a trade show was one of the best demonstrations I had experienced in many years.

Why depressing?

Having just upgraded my digital front-end including a new dCS DAC and headphone amplifier, there was no chance that acquiring a pair was a possibility in the near future.

When TAD offered to send me the show pair to review, it felt like the winning Powerball ticket had fallen into my lap.

Technical Audio Device Laboratories (TAD) has been in existence since the 1970s and this high-end offshoot of Pioneer has developed a global reputation for audio engineering excellence; the products were originally designed for studio applications but once audiophiles were afforded the opportunity to experience them in home settings — the chase was certainly on.

Some have made the comparison that TAD’s current lineup represents Acura in the Honda hierarchy, but that is not a very accurate representation of the differences. Current TAD models are more akin to Honda’s F1 race car compared to the Honda Civic if we are being truthful when comparing Pioneer and TAD.

There is also a rather substantial difference when it comes to pricing; TAD’s products are featured in some of the top recording and editing studios in the world and command anywhere from $30,000 USD or more.

The first three decades saw the manufacturer focus on the pro audio category and while the occasional pair would end up in a mastering engineer’s home system, there was never really a consumer version of their products.

Read the complete article: https://www.ecoustics.com/reviews/tad-ce1tx-loudspeakers/