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TACT RCS 2.0 Users Group

I've recently purchased the TACT RCS 2.0 unit. As I've been wrestling with getting the optimum performance out of it, I keep thinking there must be other owners out there that have ideas to share, as well as those who could benefit from what I've learned.

I was hoping this thread would provide a forum to introduce us to each other.

Anyone interested in sharing what you've learned?

I for one have found the unit difficult to get a true grasp of how to optimise, but once learned, it has produced the best sound of any component I've ever added to my system. My system currently consists of a Sony SCD1 to the TACT 2.0 RCS with internal DAC and D/A converter. Signal is then fed from the TACT in analog format to my Art Audio Jota and then to the Avantgarde Duo Hornspeakers.
I'll start by stating I've found the suggestions in the TACT documentation for speaker placement to be contra to good sound. I've gotten the best results by using George Cardas's Near Field logic and using the TACT Nearfield target curve as the beginning point to custom build my personal target curves.

This resulted in a sound stage this is awesome and the clarity of the frequencies is without compare in my experience.

However, it took over 100 hours of experimentation to reach this result - a lot of lessons learned. At this point, I feel I know just enough to be dangerous!
tao
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drubin
3,274 posts
 
But why is there not also significant musical info in those same frequency bands on "good" recordings?
lornecherry
135 posts
 
Thanks, ever so much. I was hoping to here from an SCD-1 owner who has successful integrated the TACT. As I can't treat my room (Unless I want a divorce), the Tact seems like a logical choice.

Regards, Lorne Cherry
pls1
432 posts
 
I don't know the recordings you refer to and I can't hear your room but there are several things that COULD be going on. I say could because it would take careful measurement and listening to determine it. The most general reason is that those recordings with the most improvement have sensitive musical info at the frequencies that your room and/or speakers are most "off" combined with placement of those instruments on the left to right soundstage so that the effect of the room interactions are most noticeable. Also, the musical info is not buried in the mix. I will use an example from my situation with a Sigtech and Dunlavy V's. I have asymmetric bass response in several narrow bands starting at 80 and ending around 200hz due to a large Middle Eastern style arched door in the plaster wall. If I listen to a well-recorded string quartet with the cello in its normal position on the right of the sound stage the cello sounds thin and hazy. Reverse the channels and the quartet sound fine. Kick in the Sigtech and it sounds fine. Play a quartet recording with an extra wide soundstage or a tight soundstage and the effect almost goes away. Second possibility, you may have a general rise in response from the lower midrange (room or speaker). Recordings mixed with a similar rise in response (not uncommon with pop and rock) will sound bad. Recordings without the rise will sound OK. Both will sound better with the DSP turned on and correcting for that rise. These are the real effects I've heard and measured. Of course this may have nothing to do with your specific situation. and correcting for that rise.
One simple test is to play the recordings in question in mono or on headphones and note the difference.
dds_hifi
26 posts
 
Guys, great post and feedback! I've been considering buying a TacT and this is great information. Thanks!
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drubin
3,274 posts
 
In the Users Group spirit of this topic, let me pose a few questions to those with some experience under their belts. As a new TacT user, I'm bursting with questions.

1. Which of the taget curves have you found most to your liking?

2. Are you finding that the supplied target curves do the job, or have you ended up editing to make one of your own creation?

3. Are there any tricks to the measurement process that users should know about?

4. It's very easy to take a measurement and fit a curve. What do you recommend as the next step or steps to get more out of the system?

5. Do you find you need to re-measure every time you try a new component, such as an interconnect, for example? (I wonder what the TacT can teach us about the nature of component differences.)

I'll stop there. I think a true on-line users group would be an excellent idea.

Dan
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