Hi, does anybody have experience of TAD speakers, have decided to order a pair to partner with my … Nova…
All feedback, thoughts, opinions welcome!
Regards, Carl
As good as the Nova is, it’ll be a bit out of its depth with the ME-1. Did you listen to the combination first before ordering ?
You will have to feed the NOVA plenty of steroids to be able to deal with a pair of such insensitive (85dB) speakers… The ProAc Tebellette 10 Signature might be a much better and reasonable match.
No I haven’t listened to them, I’m a risk taker when it comes to HiFi… I can always add a power amp right? Or replace with something more powerful …
Hi Carl, I am very curious to hear about the outcome, if it works well with the Nova. I have heard the ME-1 several times at Munich high-end and at other fairs. I think they are stunning. Don’t expect in your face sound, but a very nice wide and deep sound stage. I have owned a pair of Pioneer TAD S-1EX for years, which are also an Andrew Jones design, and I loved them. Especially the berillium speaker units sound so smooth and detailed.
Enjoy them!
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A big risk with speakers, as they all sound so very different, creating the overall sonic character of a system (they and the room), and where some people may love a particular speaker, others may hate it, and vice versa. Or did you read something comparative to speakers you know, to at least give some idea? On one occasion I auditioned 12 or 13 different speakers in a shot space of time, all having received good reviews and most the top of the respective manufacturers’ ranges. All but 3 I rejected before the end of the first track. One lasted two or maybe 3 tracks, one stood out as best, but I compared with the second best over a range of music before deciding for sure.
On paper they sound good apart from absence of low bass. I wish you luck and hope they meet your expectations.
They nay or may not be hard to drive. Sensitivity is a pretty useless number for that. Plenty of 84db speakers out there that can driven fine with 10w valve amps. Even more 95db speakers out there that are hard to drive.
I’d go by the dealer’s recommendation or failing that, the maker’s advice.
Given the cost and how few people here have used TAD speakers with Naim, I’d advise the OP against buying on a punt.
Well the speaker impedance is 4 ohm. Apparently the Nova delivers up to 155 watts at 4ohm, and the TADs have a max power rating of 150 watts.
So I believe that technically it will be fine, Nova might get warm though…
I suspect it will not break a sweat actually. I’d be more concerned about pairing such a capable speaker with the Nova. It’s a serious mullet. Power aside, I think it deserves a lot more source and preamp stage than the Nova is offering.
I’d bet money that you can build a better system for the same money.
Search the forum for “mullet” and see the fur fly.
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Definitely, gives scope to upgrade the source components 
Fair enough - You’ll just have to spend quite a bit to get the most out of the speakers. It sounds like you have your heart set on them so i’ll wish you luck !
Aside from character of sound, you’ll need a sub if you want the bottom end. Based on price of the TADs and specs/reviews alone I suggest Wilson Benesch Torus.
4 ohm true BUT goes down to 2.7 ohm.I am shure the nova is not a good match.I think they ll need at least a 300dr.
There is plenty of bottom end in these TADs. You should consider these speakers are not exactly bookshelf size monitors. 
They roll off in the bass. I haven’t heard them, but if the Stereophile review is anything to go by, I for one wouldn’t be happy with them without a sub - and a really good sub is warranted by both the cost and the sound quality indicated by the review.
I agree, especially about people’s tastes varying. Two of us once spent a couple of hours at a dealer’s comparing a set of speakers in active vs passive forms and came to opposite conclusions about which set we would prefer to take home. Same music, same room, just different ears. That’s why I’d always look for a demo when buying speakers from new, preferably at home, but I guess we’re lucky in the UK that such things are available. It’s also why I treat reviews with a large pinch of salt.
Roger
Hi Carl
I generally believe that, when buying hifi, it’s best to think in terms of systems rather than individual components. Lacking funds to go straight to one’s ideal setup it is often necessary to move to that setup in stages. Often less successful IMHO is to home in on one item and then try to build a successful system round it, especially if that component is a speaker. But other folk on the forum have done it and are enjoying the results which, after all, is what ultimately matters. So keep us informed how you get on (and what you ultimately replace your Nova with 
).
Incidentally what prompted you to shell out the equivalent of £13k on these particular speakers, unheard?
Roger
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If the room is not big, like < 15 m2, perhaps the Tad monitors without a sub would be enough?
You never specified why you had never bothered to listen to the TADs. Did you hear the NOVA before purchasing it or was it another audio surprise?
You still won’t get the lowest notes if the speaker rolls off, though of course some people prefer it that way, while some music may have no content.