TAOC Tite-13GS

The TAOC Tite-13GS is tiny, especially compared to its much larger and heavier siblings in the TAOC range.

Picture from TAOC's official website

Measuring just 25 mm in diameter and 10 mm in thickness, each piece weights 30 grams. Sold in a set of 8, their primary use is to act as an isolation disc in between the base of bookshelf speakers and speaker stands.

Apart from that, their use is limited only by your imagination. The local dealer suggests that you can also use them as equipment footers to support very small equipment (like USB/SPDIF converters, power supply boxes etc), or on top of equipment to damp chassis resonance.

I tried a single piece each on top of my Audio-Gd DAC-19 and Kingrex PSU-MkII. Initial results were not encouraging, with the tonal balance simply feeling a bit unnatural. After some experimentation, they ended up close to the transformers. Interestingly, they sounded better off center, rather than directly over the transformer.

In typical TAOC fashion, there is a slight improve in focus, and noticeable improvement in midrange and bass texture and weight.

Used in their intended application, I had mixed results. The reduction in bass boom results in a tighter and leaner presentation. There is an improvement in separation and high frequency extension. However, the midrange becomes more forward and the overall soundstage becomes a few rows closer. The midrange had a lack of ease which I found quite unnatural over time. I ended up re-deploying them on top of equipment, where I had better results.

They cost about SGD 140-180 for a set (depending on promotions offered by the local dealer). Best to try before you buy.

Proac Response D1

Introduction

The Proac Response D1 is the successor to the Response 1SC. The 1SC was quite popular in this part of the world. Given that our listening rooms are typically quite small (3x4m being about the average size of a bedroom here), there is a big market for high performance speakers that can perform well in smaller acoustic spaces.

Physically, the D1 is a compact (30.5 cm high, 16.8 cm wide, 26 cm deep), but heavy (9 kg) bookshelf speaker.

Available in a wide variety of real wood veneers, the D1 has exemplary finishing and would not be out of place in a picture spread of a home interior magazine.

The D1 in Cherry veneer - Pretty as a picture !

The D1 is a larger speaker than its predecessor, especially in terms of depth. The tweeter drive unit seems similar (a custom Scanspeak silk dome model), while the bass / midrange unit has been changed. The 1SC woofer has a transparent cone with cooper phase plug model, while the D1 has a black glass fiber cone with acrylic phase plug. 

Custom manufacturer Scanspeak silk dome tweeter  

Note the acrylic phase plug

Rhodium plated bi-wiring terminals

On paper, the D1 has slightly better efficiency (87.5 db / 1W / 1m) than the 1SC (86 db / 1W / 1m). Both speakers are rated at a nominal 8 Ohm impedance.

The D1 also is claimed to have improved cabinet damping and crossover parts over the 1SC.

Bi-wiring terminals are provided.

Partnering Equipment

The D1 was placed on Atacama SE24 stands (1/3 filled with sand) in my 3 x 3.5 meter listening room. They were pulled out approximately 70 cm from the rear wall.

Partnering equipment is as follows :-

Source

Squeezebox Touch as transport (powered by Kingrex PSU-Mk II power supply)

Pioneer PD-77 CD player as transport

Audio Gd DAC-19 DSP

Amplification

Cary SLI-80 Signature Special Edition integrated tube amplifier (Shuguang Black Treasure KT-88 power tubes, Mullard 6922 preamp tubes and Tungsol re-issue 6SN7 driver tubes, Cetron 5R4 rectifier tubes)

Accessories

Oyaide DR-510 digital cable

Canare L5-CFB digital cable

Acrolink 7N-A2070 interconnect

Oyaide Tunami power cord (Cary)

Acrolink 6N-P4030 power cord (wall to distributor)

Acrolink 6N-P4030 power cord (Kingrex PSU)

Acrolink 7N-P4030 power cord (Audio-Gd)

Acrolink 7N-S1000 speaker cable

Performance

I have never heard the 1SC and therefore can only make direct comparisons with the Tablette 50, which I owned for a number of years.

I experimented with speaker positioning and listened to the speaker for about a week before settling down to make some detailed notes. My speaker cables on hand are terminated for single wiring, so I used some high quality jumper cables to facilitate single wiring.

Pairing was only attempted with tube amplification, as my past experience with Proac speakers is that they work exceptionally well with glowing tubes.The D1 liked my Cary more. Although it had excellent tone with my Almarro A-318B, there was a lack of grip and extension. Given its average sensitivity, I would not try the D1 with single digit watt tube amps or other flea powered amps.

Giving the speakers a quick spin, the first thing that strikes you is the excellent integration between both drive units. The second thing is the pin-point imaging and soundstaging.

Coming from my usual speakers, the Focal Micro Utopia Be, my mind had to adjust for the lack of scale and bass weight. But once this is done, you get used to the somewhat lightweight but high quality tight and tuneful bass on offer. It lacks the slam needed for heavy metal and orchestral pieces, and is more suited for the listener with a music diet of jazz, chamber music and vocal works.

The Tablette 50 in comparison has significantly more colouration in the upper bass, with a noticeable chestiness. The D1 sounds a lot more open and avoids the more technicolour presentation of the Tablette 50. I believe that the far better constructed cabinet of the D1 has a part to play in this, with better damping, bracing, and less resonance.

I noticed also that the D1 became more comfortable as the volume knob was advanced. It is quite unflappable even at rather anti-social volumes. The bass comes alive and the initial impressions of a lightweight bass go out the window at higher than moderate volumes. Of course, the law of physics cannot be changed, and low frequency output is limited. However, the bass does belie the physically small dimensions and is tuneful and fast. From a PRAT perspective, the D1 scores top marks. Looks like the D1 is not really for those late night, low volume listeners then.

The D1 has all the hallmark strengths of the Proac brand, like a communicative midband, and a high level of transparency. From a presentation viewpoint, it avoids the hyper detailed and analytical approach, preferring to present musical information in a coherent, and musical manner.

The midband in particular is to be praised for striking the right balance between being open and smooth. Cai Qin sounds suitably rich and weighty, but without obscuring detail. Eva Cassidy still sounds clear and at times piercing (this is inherent in many of her recordings).

High frequencies are quite well extended and clean. The tweeter unit is not the most resolving, but is always well behaved.

On the D1’s weaknesses, a small amount of spatial information and microdetail are lost. Although imaging and soundstaging are precise, they tend to be flatter in perspective compared to class leaders. Listening to familiar materials like Eva Cassidy’s Live at the Blues Alley, and various Patricia Barber albums, I noticed a lack of perception of image depth and height. Instruments and voices are conveyed accurately, but the timbre and texture, as well as the air around the instruments and the singer are not resolved as well.

Violin pieces sound sweeter than usual and there is a slight lack of bite and feel for the resonance from the instrument’s body. This cuts both ways, since it also flatters poor recordings. Thankfully, Piano has the correct timbre and tone, with good attack, weight and feel for both the hammer strike and frame / soundboard.

Conclusion

The D1 is a nice bookshelf speaker. Well suited to bedroom and small listening setups, it is a very competent performer and is engaging and entertaining.

However, price wise, at more than S$ 3,000 per pair, it is expensive for its performance, and faces very stiff competition. It does not suit all musical taste, and will not satisfy the detail spotters. The lack of low frequency extension rules out heavy rockers and metal lovers.

Acrolink Power Cords - A relook into conductor purity

Quick Comparison Table


Model               Price     Gauge        Conductors       Shielding        EMI absorbing cord

7N-P4020III    $90/m    Medium     0.26mm x 37    Copper tape  Yes

6N-P4030        $160/m  Large        0.26mm x 100   None            Yes

7N-P4030II     $200/m   Large       0.26mm x 100   Copper tape  Yes



For purposes of a fair comparison, all cords mentioned were terminated with Oyaide P-004/C-004 connectors, which are the matching plugs for the Oyaide R-1 AC outlet used.

7N-P4020III

The smallest cable of the lot (by gauge), the 7N-P4020III is supremely flexible and a cinch to strip and terminate.

It is considerably more detailed than the 6N-P4030 with better “look-through” and high frequency extension. Both transient and ambience definition is improved.

In the lower frequencies, it appears to be less weighty than the 6N-P4030. Closer comparisons actually reveal that the 7N-P4020III has deeper and tighter bass. However, the 6N-P4030 has a fuller mid-bass. Overall, the 7N-P4020III sounds tight and grippy, but with little bass bloom. It low frequency reproduction reminds me of the a Class-D amplifier, as opposed to a tube amplifier.

This cable fares well on background “blackness”, dynamics and separation. I would consider it to be a worthy upgrade in most systems and given its affordable cost, it is excellent value compared to the rest of the cables here.

Well after this comparison was done, I swapped the AC plugs for the Oyaide P/C-046 which in my view is a much better match for this cable, with a slighter fuller and more forgiving balance.

6N-P4030

The 6N-P4030 is moderately easy to strip but tricky to terminate due to the large gauge of its conductors. To prevent undue strain on the clamping terminals of the Oyaide plugs, it would be best to strip a bit more of the cables than recommended and divide the raw copper strands into two equal bundles, i.e. resembling a two prong fork.

Formerly, my favourite cable (for source equipment), the 6N-P4030 has always impressed me with its refined midrange and high frequencies and its delicate reproduction of ambience and air. It has several weaknesses though. One is that the sheer amount of high frequency information makes the cable sound subjectively bright. Secondly, the equal emphasis on both the transient of the note and the decay may make some systems sound a bit slow. Lastly, it sounds very natural and gentle, and sometimes the force and dynamics of a recording are somewhat diminished.

Comparisons to the 7N siblings illustrate these shortcomings. The 7N cables sound more dynamic with deep extended bass and seemingly faster transients. Lengthy comparisons show that the 6N cable has less control and separation under heavy mixes with a slight loss of refinement.


7N-P4030II

The 7N-P4030III handles exactly like the 6N-P4030 in terms of flexibility and ease of termination.

Sonically, it combines the best of the two preceding cables. It has the mid-bass bloom lacking in the 7N-4020III while retaining its dynamics, separation, detail and speed. Subjectively the 7N cables have more background “blackness”, perhaps due to the copper tape shield. Overall, this cable sounds focused, while maintaining composure and refinement.

In terms of music, notes on the 6N-P4030 are always soft, gentle and very natural. The 7N-P4030II could be said to be more hi-fi like with a more defined and projected leading edge. The difference in presentation is unlikely to polarize fans of Acrolink cables and the basic DNA and house sound is still there.

To use a food analogy, the 7N-P4030II is like Cantonese soup from a top restaurant, flavoursome, yet crisp, clear and clean. The 6N-P4030 is more like good consommé. Always refined, flavoursome and clear, but with slightly less contrast.

Moving up the pyramid

How do these cables compare with higher end models such as the 6N-PC6100, 7N-PC7100 Mexcel, or heaven forbid the 7N-PC7500 and 7N-PC9500 ? My separate review on the PC7500 and PC9500 may be worth a look.

The PC-6100 has a quieter background and more solid bass. Otherwise, I think the 7N-P4030II has an edge over it in terms of staging, high frequency extension and detail. The PC-7100 is a clear step above these cables, combining the strengths of both, and with added detail and refinement. However, unless you are getting a good price on the PC7100, it is well worth the extra cost to go for the latest PC7500 or PC9500.