Tact Digital Amplifiers For Oris/Aer (Off Topic)

by p314 , Tuesday, October 17, 2006, 23:45 (6400 days ago) @ Don Reid

Hi Bert and Everyone Else,

I have read very good reports about Tact Audio digital amplifiers in
general even as used with very high sensitivity high end horn systems.
Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about this combination?

My 2a3 SET amps have given me great pleasure with the Oris 150/AER MD3
combinations, and while I no longer hear live music on a daily or near
daily basis as I did most of my life I hear it often enough to feel
qualified to judge that the SET is sometimes just a bit too sweet and
romantic to sound real. At the same time there are other recordings when
I think of what some guy said upon hearing a paticular moving coil
cartridge. He said, "If live music doesn't sound like this then it damn
well should."

Bye,
Don Reid

Hi Don,
I do not have an ORIS horn (yet?) but I do own a pair of Lowther Audiovector and a TACT RCS2.0
First, please let me remark that my experience with the TACT still is limited. If you want to gain a deep insight into the unit, you should join the yahoo tact user group.
Then, you should note that the TACT is not the needle to sew a silk purse from a pigs ear. It definitely is not a cure-all and you caNot and should not attempt to correct for certain deficiencies.
Take for example the typical Lowther shout stemming from an irregular frequency response. You can put the Lowther in a tractrix horn that will take care of some of the frequency irregularities AND increase efficiency AND reduce doppler distortion AND improve the emission pattern by making sure that you have a high directivity OR you can TACT it.
However, when doing so, some problems arise. You do not GAIN efficiency but reduce overall headroom because the "shouting" frequencies can only be attenuated digitally instead of lifting the efficiency of missing low/mid frequencies as per a tractrix. This might be a problem with low-wattage amps (I am using 4pieces of V73 Telefunken rated at 4W each and yes, I do note a significant decrease with maximum spl). For this reason, you should not attempt to brutally force your speakers to e.g. extend their lowfrequency response. Also, you do not reduce Doppler distortion.
So, you should still make sure your system is ok per se, set up in the correct manner etc.
THEN:
Despite these remarks: it is a HUGE improvement to switch the TACT from non-corrected BYPASS mode to a corrected mode. Soundstage is improved, tonal balance is improved asf. (just name the usual suspects of audiophile hype and TACT does adress them). I do consider it very well worth the investment.
Regards,
Peter

Tags:
0