TAD Evolution One Review — Effortless 3D Imaging, Placement Ease, and Reference-Level Sound

TAD Evolution One Floorstanding Speakers

You never know what a new day will bring, and this one brought me the best speakers I’ve ever heard in my life. No big deal.

I’ve heard a lot of great speakers. I’ve listened extensively to PS Audio’s Infinity IRS V system, the Infinity Beta system, and TAD Reference One, and at audio shows I’ve gravitated toward the big speaker rooms and heard Tidals, YGs, massive electrostats like the Martin Logans & Sanders Sound, Focal Grand Utopias and big Wilsons galore. And a whole bunch of others I’m forgetting.

I even got a chance to have Arnie Nudell demo his “IRS Killer” speakers for me at his home before his passing. My audio memory of that is brief, so it’s difficult for me to say with 100% certainty that these TAD Evolution One speakers are better than Arnie’s, but the fact that I’m wondering says something about these dynamic speakers from the TAD Lab.

Something I’ve noticed here at The Music Room is that many speakers need attention paid to their, well… placement. Some have out-of-the-ordinary requirements, such as those that are designed to live on the back wall or have their bass reinforced with corner positioning.

Some need tons of space in front and behind. Some need the exact amount of space behind and in front to integrate the front and back waves correctly.

And then, in contrast, you fire up some of the world’s absolute best speakers, and you realize… huh. Placement doesn’t really matter as much.

Obviously, you can’t point them away from your ears or ignore all of the laws of audiophilia.

But when you fire up a top-of-the-line Wilson, or, case in point, these TAD Evolution One speakers, the music leaps from the 3-D space around the speakers so instantly and effortlessly, you’re tempted to just leave them wherever you put them originally and enjoy the experience.

In fact, if a professional setup and installation aren’t part of the equation, I bet more people eyeball these TAD speakers than any other brand.

If I’m right, it’s because these speakers do everything so correctly, so instantly, that you have a real cognitive difficulty with the idea of changing a single thing. These speakers are an adrenaline/endorphin hose.

Some of my favorite spatial tracks, like Yosi Horikawa’s “Bubbles” or “Bump,” appeared so distinctly outside of the speakers… I’d say this is the best I’ve ever heard the tracks. My eyeball setup took all of 30 seconds.

Bear in mind, I’m getting mind-blowing sound even when powering these with a Class D amplifier, albeit one with a Class A input stage — no bi-amping here. No exquisite massive A/B or Class A amp. The notion that these can get even better is hard to fathom.

At the price, I cannot think of a better option for any room, period.