TAD launches new digital products

TAD-D1000 CD player and TAD-DA1000 DAC launched

(From left - Yap, Takahashi, Tan and Low)

TAD - the high-end marque of Pioneer Technology - launched the new Evolution Series TAD-D1000 CD player and TAD-DA1000 DAC in Kuala Lumpur recently, both models brimming with the latest technology that digital audio playback and processing has to offer.

The event saw Pioneer Malaysia managing director Kazutoshi Takahashi give the welcome speech, followed by a product demo by senior marketing executive Ryan Lee. The new products were unveiled by Takahashi, senior sales manager Yap Tuck Meng and master dealer AV Design's James Tan and Tony Low.

Both machines sport almost similar specs, with the TAD-D1000, of course, employing a CD transport section, while the TAD-D1000 has separate headphone outputs with volume control (it can also be linked directed to a power amp). They're equipped with a proprietary ultra-high precision master clocks and extensive digital input terminals.



Fed via their USB inputs from a PC, these machines will play back 32-bit/384kHz PCM data or 5.6MHz DSD data. The DAC circuit runs off twin Burr Brown PCM1794A chips.

Each has five digital inputs (USB, XLR, optical, and two coaxial). According to the TAD literature, "the USB Audio Class 2.0-compatible USB port is equipped with a specially-developed asynchronous USB transmission engine, and by controlling the transmission state of the digital signal coming from a PC with the main unit, digital signals can be accurately received.

"As the received digital signals are read out with a high-purity clock, the digital signal boasts incredibly high precision while being free from jitter. In addition to PCM data supported up to 384kHz/32-bit, DSD data transmission based on the DoP standard is also supported. DSD signals up to 5.6MHz directly output from the USB port can be received when using compatible player software on a PC."




The supported sampling frequencies are 44.1kHz to 192kHz (XLR/coaxial), up to 96kHz for optical and 384kHz for USB (also, DSD 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz).

These machines have 8mm pure aluminium chassis and are designed with a low centre of gravity to keep the effects of external vibrations to a minimum, while the power supply unit is mounted on a thick-walled brass base to keep internal vibrations down. Also, the TAD-D1000's transport mechanism is fixed to the chassis, again for reduced vibrations from disc rotation.

No information on what CD mechanism is used, but TAD says it "guarantees outstanding precision loading and quietness, and long life." It is compatible with Super Audio CD, CD, CD-R and CD-RW.

The TAD-DA1000 also functions as a headphone amp, with a dedicated independent volume control. The head amp section has a discrete circuit and is compatible with headphone loads of between eight and 600 ohms.

Each has one XLR and one coaxial digital output, with balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs.

The TAD-D1000 (RM66,999) CD player and TAD-DA1000 DAC (RM56,999) are available now at Pioneer's exclusive TAD dealer, Audio Visual Designs Sdn Bhd.