T.H.E. Show 2023

One could only be impressed with the amount of air delivered by a cramped set-up in which TAD standmounts stood so close to each other and everything else. The sound was notably warm with excellent bass.

It was hard to focus on music in a room with so much talking, so I turned to the equipment. When I asked Joe Parvey of House of Stereo/Wolf Audio Systems how he managed to deliver such good sound, he said that he'd work with Synergistic Research to refine the interior treatment of his prototype Wolf music server to address EMI/RMF. Estimating a 10–15% improvement over the sound of the Wolf Audio Systems Alpha 3 SX music server I reviewed over two years ago, he said to expect a new model in the fall.

TAD (Technical Audio Devices Laboratories, Inc.) had connected its TAD CR1tx loudspeakers ($85,000/pair; to the outside in photo) when I visited. Supported by TAD ST2TX-K stands ($5500/pair), there were fed by the TAD DA1000TX-S D/A converter ($15,900) and two TAD M700S stereo power class-D amplifiers ($60,500 each) used in bi-amp mode, with one amp driving the highs and mids and the other the bass. Synergistic Research Galileo cabling and SR PowerCell SX power treatment along with Jocavi Acoustics room treatment completed the system.

Wolf uses Audience internal cabling in its products. I expect that contributed to the system's noteworthy synergy and ease. Dave Malekpour of PAD HiFi Distribution—the company that distributes TAD in the US—also specializes in Professional Audio Design acoustical analysis that utilizes computer-based visualization tools to model rooms and suggest acoustic solutions.