Technical Audio Devices Laboratories, Inc. (TAD) presents the TAD-C700 preamplifier, the evolution of the critically acclaimed C600.
Technical Audio Devices Laboratories, Inc. (TAD) proudly announces the upcoming release of its flagship product: the TAD-C700 preamplifier. As the successor to the critically acclaimed C600, the TAD-C700 will exceed audiophile expectations and set new standards from summer 2024.
Jürgen Timm, Business Consultant at Technical Audio Devices Laboratories, Inc., commented on this milestone: “The TAD-C700 defines an even higher level of performance than its renowned predecessor C600 from 2011 with a wealth of technical refinements and improvements and sets another important milestone with which we can offer our most demanding customers a comprehensive audiophile experience that extends from the source to the transducer.”
Highest sound quality through efficient design
The TAD-C700 is designed to deliver the highest sound quality audiophile enthusiasts expect. With a powerful, current-coupled single-stage amplifier in its flat housing, the C700 sets new standards in terms of sound fidelity. By minimizing the use of amplification elements, the TAD-C700 is able to faithfully reproduce every musical nuance. A dedicated output amplifier circuit for each of the two line outputs also ensures that signal distortion and interference from connected devices do not affect the sound quality.
Fully balanced circuitry and dual-mono construction
The fully balanced circuit topology of the C700 amplifies positive and negative signal wave components separately from input to output to suppress even the smallest amplification errors between signal components and between left and right channels. Balanced cable lengths and an identical cable construction ensure an ideal signal path from input to output. The dual-mono construction design ensures maximum symmetry to provide identical gain, both electrically and mechanically, for positive and negative signal components and for both channels, resulting in near perfect channel separation.
External power supply unit
The power supply unit of the C700 is physically separated from the control unit to minimize vibrations and magnetic influences of the transformer on the audio circuits in the main unit. To increase the purity of the power supply, the transformer’s internal coil is connected directly to the power supply circuit, minimizing contact points with the supply lines. In addition, the connections and screws are made of oxygen-free copper and coated with non-magnetic materials to eliminate even the slightest magnetic distortion.
A powerful toroidal transformer rated at 400VA, not uncommon in power amplifiers but unusual in preamplifiers, powers the audio circuits to achieve optimum signal transmission. The entire power supply is housed in a sturdy monocoque housing made of cast aluminum, which effectively suppresses unwanted vibrations.
Outstanding vibration control
The C700’s control unit is mounted on a robust, 33mm thick, 15kg pure aluminum sub-chassis to provide excellent vibration control that minimizes the effects of sound events from the speakers. The use of pure aluminum bars provides a stable, low impedance ground point and contributes to pristine music reproduction.
Customized parts and components
TAD’s proprietary electronic volume control features a resistor ladder switching circuit that delivers exceptionally precise attenuation performance with extremely low distortion levels of less than 0.0005% at 1Vrms input voltage. The power circuit utilizes TAD-developed electrolytic capacitors and high capacitance film coupling capacitors with extremely low output distortion to achieve a wider lower cut-off frequency range.
Synchronized control of multiple C700 preamplifiers
A C700 as a “master” preamplifier can synchronously control one or more C700 “slave” preamplifiers connected via its “master out” socket. This allows two C700 preamplifiers to provide a dual mono configuration for mono power amplifiers such as the TAD-M700. Any number of C700 preamplifiers can be combined with a suitable decoder and multiple power amplifiers to deliver an immersive sound experience at the highest performance level.
Recording output and loop-through mode
The TAD-C700 is equipped with a dedicated recording output, e.g. for tape machines, which bypasses the input selection and outputs incoming audio signals directly. It has a loop-through mode that outputs the input signals from a “pre-out” socket without changing the signal level. There is no monitor switch on the C700 to prevent switching elements from affecting playback quality.
Availability and price
The TAD-C700 preamplifier is expected to be available from selected, qualified specialist retailers from July 2024 at an RRP of 69,000 euros (incl. 19% VAT). TAD recommends the TAD-D700 SACD/CD player as a playing partner and the TAD-M700 mono power amplifiers on the TAD-R1TX reference loudspeaker as the ideal complement.
Experience these exceptional components in combination from May 9-12, 2024 in Munich at the HIGH END in room C113, Atrium 3.