TAD ME-1 : Micro Evolution One Speaker

"Embodying the skills of master craftsman who pay obsessive attention to every minute detail and allow no compromise!"

Technical Audio Devices Laboratories, Inc. (TAD) will introduce the compact bookshelf-type speaker system Micro Evolution One TAD-ME1-K, in early 2017 further perfecting TAD's sound concepts of high-dimensional sound imaging and soundfield immersion.

Inheriting the design concept of TAD's Evolution series, the TAD-ME1-K is equipped with a new 16-cm woofer and 9-cm CST1 Driver to achieve even more outstanding sound quality throughout an entire room and extremely sharp imaging. It also incorporates TAD's Bi-Directional ADS2 port, enabling the reproduction of natural, deep bass sound despite its compact size.

TAD's original CST Driver was designed to align the midrange and tweeter sound source positions to make the midrange diaphragm work as part of the tweeter waveguide. This design homologizes the phase and directional characteristics of midrange and tweeter sounds at the crossover, achieving natural attenuation characteristics and ideal directional patterns over the entire frequency range. The product is equipped with the exclusively developed 9-cm CST, an optimal pairing with a 16-cm woofer. The crossover frequency has been set at 420 Hz for the midrange and woofer and 2.5 kHz for the midrange and tweeter.

For the tweeter diaphragm, TAD has consistently used beryllium for its highly rigid and extremely lightweight properties, as well as high internal loss. Its shape was configured with HSDOM3, an optimization technique undertaken by computer analysis, to achieve an optimum balance between a divided vibration and a piston motion. All these properties deliver ultrahigh frequency characteristics up to 60 kHz.

A magnesium midrange diaphragm is used for its high internal loss and the lightest properties among practical metals to eliminate coloration inherent in the material and reproduce pure midrange sounds with low distortion. The new compact CST excels in both phase and directional characteristics over a wide band from 420 Hz to 60 kHz, providing a stable localization and natural soundfield.

For ideal characteristics, TAD developed a new woofer diaphragm laminated with woven and non-woven fabrics of aramid fibers. A voice coil uses a highly rigid titanium bobbin, resulting in the accurate response of the diaphragm. This provides high radiation characteristics that ensure power linearity, contributing to the reproduction of clear bass sound and faithful low midrange sound with no coloration.

A slit-shaped port is located on both sides of the enclosure, which was proven in the TAD-CE1 speakers of the Evolution series. The parts leading to the forward-and-backward openings are horn-shaped to drive the port smoothly and efficiently. This design reduces port noise at high amplitude and prevents the leakage of low-dimensional internal standing waves from the port, which would have a major impact on the woofer bandwidth, to achieve a responsive, clear low midrange sound. The bi-directional (forward-backward and left-right) layout of the port openings offsets vibration force to the enclosure, reproducing deep, powerful bass sounds.

For high strength and low resonance, TAD uses the SILENT enclosure that combines a highly rigid birch plywood frame with an MDF (medium density fiberboard) outer panel with high internal loss. A 4 mm thick steel panel covers the left and right sides of the cabinet to further prevent unwanted resonance. TAD also analyzed internal standing waves in the enclosure to select and effectively place optimal acoustic materials, contributing to the elimination of internal standing waves, which would adversely influence the sound imaging and soundfield.

A minimal baffle is used to minimize sound refraction, while the enclosure is finished in a refined piano black coating. Skilled artisans devote time and pay careful attention to the details in the process of spray coating, primary coat polishing, and final polishing.

This stunning speaker will compliment the world class speakers in the TAD, although smaller in size. make no mistake this Me-1 speaker has TAD DNA pulsing through its veins.

TAD Micro Evolution One Specifications

Design: 3-way bass reflex bookshelf

Drive units: 16cm woofer coaxial midrange/tweeter - 9cm cone/2.5cm dome

Freq responce: 36Hz to 60kHz

X/overs: 420Hz, 2.5kHz

Sensitivity: 85dB (2.83V, 1m)

Required amp output: 50-150Wrms

Impedence:4 Ohms

Dimensions: 251mm x 411mm x 402mm (W H D)

Weight speaker each: 20kg

Weight stand each: 16kg