CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — TAD TAD-D700

The TAD-D700 is a CD and SACD player from the Reference Series of TAD, a Japanese maker of high-end components, and was introduced in Europe in May 2023 at EUR 49,000 including VAT. Recordable CD-R and CD-RW discs are supported as well as pressed SACD and CD. Beyond disc playback it accepts external digital signals and can work as a standalone D/A converter, and it is built as two boxes, with the power supply physically separated from the main unit.

Key specs that matter

Conversion uses parallel-connected twin differential Burr-Brown PCM1794A converters in a balanced configuration. Frequency response is 4 Hz to 20 kHz for CD and 4 Hz to 40 kHz for SACD, and signal-to-noise ratio is 115 dB. At full scale the analogue outputs deliver 4 V balanced and 2 V unbalanced, and at 1 kHz, -20 dB the level is 450 mVrms balanced and 220 mVrms unbalanced. Digital inputs are one XLR balanced and one RCA coaxial, accepting 44.1 to 192 kHz, and a balanced XLR digital output carries 44.1 or 88.2 kHz. Power consumption is 43 W in operation and 0.5 W or less on standby. Its main unit measures 450 x 185 x 440 mm and weighs 26.5 kg, and the power unit measures 220 x 185 x 430 mm and weighs 14 kg.

Engineering and use context

Timing comes from the third-generation Ultra-High Precision Crystal Generator, an SC-cut crystal oscillator chosen for low phase noise. A high-precision sampling-rate converter works with this master clock to reclock incoming digital signals. The disc transport has been upgraded for more accurate signal reading, with a loading mechanism using built-in metal bearings and a pickup based on an infinite conjugate optics system. The tray is machined from aluminium and given a vibration-damping black coating. The main chassis is double-layered, pairing an extra-thick cast aluminium base with three-point spike support and a 6 mm copper-plated steel chassis. The external supply is built around a 400 VA toroidal transformer. Keeping the transformer and supply circuits in their own enclosure removes their magnetic fields and vibration from the box that holds the converters and transport.

Pairing

The balanced analogue outputs match preamplifiers or integrated amplifiers equipped with XLR sockets, and the unbalanced outputs serve RCA inputs. The coaxial and XLR digital inputs let external digital sources use the converter section, and operation is by pressure-sensitive front panel keys or the supplied wireless remote.

Alternatives

The TAD-D1000TX from the Evolution series is a smaller disc player and DAC that also accepts computer audio through a USB port, handling DSD256.