TAD Labs TAD-C700 Preamplifier – Quick Look

All Image Credit: TAD Labs

Japanese high-end audio company TAD Labs is expanding its Reference Series of hi-fi products with the new TAD-C700 preamplifier that hosts many technical refinements which, says the manufacturer, will allow the C700 to reach a “new level of performance” over the discontinued TAD-C600.

Core to this new level of performance is the is the preamp’s single-stage amplifier circuitry. A high-performance, single-stage current-feedback amplifier in its flat amplifier section, using a minimal number of amplifying components, and a dedicated output amplifier circuit to drive each of the two line outputs, preventing signal branching and interference from connected equipment. The C700 uses fully balanced circuitry throughout which, together with the symmetrical dual-mono construction, is designed to deliver identical amplification to left and right channels.

TAD’s custom-made electronic volume control circuit boasts ladder-resistance switching that achieves exceptionally precise attenuation performance and an ultra-low distortion of less than 0.0005% at 1 Vrms input. In addition, the power circuit employs TAD’s custom-made electrolytic smoothing capacitors, as well as large-capacity, ultra-low-distortion film output coupling capacitors to achieve a wider low cut-off frequency range. This new design is then housed within a very sturdy 29Kg aluminum chassis. All resulting, according to TAD, in “near-perfect stereophonic sound reproduction”.

The C700’s power-supply unit is physically separated from the main amplifier unit. This design prevents vibration and magnetic flux leakage from the transformer from adversely affecting the audio circuits of the main unit. To increase the purity of the internal wiring connections, the 400VA toroidal transformer is directly wired to the power supply circuitry and terminals for directly connected coils, mounting terminals for motherboards, and clamping screws are all made of oxygen-free copper coated with nonmagnetic materials to eliminate even the slightest magnetic distortions. The entire power supply is then housed in a rigid cast-aluminum 15Kg chassis preventing vibrations and magnetic flux from affecting the audio circuits housed within the main unit.

Control is available via the front panel rotary and button controls, the associated display, and the supplied IR remote. A master C700 can also synchronously control several slave C700’s connected to its MASTER OUT jack. This enables two or more C700’s to provide a dual-mono configuration for monaural power amplifiers or to deliver three-or-more-channel sound reproduction.

The rear panel, all analog signal connectivity, includes; six Inputs; 4 balanced and 2 unbalanced, four outputs; 2 balanced and 2 unbalanced and a balanced and unbalanced record out.

Finally, the C700 is equipped with a dedicated recording output that bypasses the selector circuit to directly output input audio signals. It also has a pass-through mode that outputs input signals from a pre-out jack without changing the signal level. A monitor switch is not available on the C700 to eliminate any chance of switching elements adversely affecting sound quality.