October 2008
TIDAL Contriva is voted to the best products in 2008.
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STEREOTIMES:
TIDAL Contriva loudspeaker choice of the year 2008.
"If we had a category for “component of the year”,
this would be it for me personally.
The Contrivas took my musical enjoyment to a height I didn’t
know was possible in my listening room. I’m still going
through withdrawal with having sent them back to the distributor.
I first heard these speakers at this years CES and thought
they were exceptional then. Having them at home did nothing
short of convince me of how wonderful they really are. I
reached new heights of realism, presence, performance at
the frequency extremes, and most importantly, a level connectedness
to the music I had not felt before.
Every time I turned on my system, each album or CD I played,
I was not just sitting there listening to music, it was
more like an “experience.”"
[Mike Wright]
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September 2008
ARGENTO
Audio, premium cable manufacturer is now the official distributor
of TIDAL for whole Scandinavia. As example of first clients reactions,
we like to share this example from a client in Sweden:
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"Dear TIDAL Audio,
Will start to thank TIDAL Audio for their support before
I decide to buy one of their speakers, you not only buy
a product, you also get their knowledge and very good service.
Start with the looks and finish. This speaker looks like
a speaker should look like, nothing fancy or catchy, just
a classic look who will win in the long run. I choose a
ebony-macassar veneer, this finish is so fine that I can't
describe it with a picture or in text, you must see it in
reality. Buildquality is 100%.
All of this don't mean so much if they don't sound good,
but they do. This speaker is for people who love music,
now you want me to describe all of the hifiparameters that
all do but I won't. They are like a good red wine or a book,
it is just a pleasure to listen to music over these speakers.
Under my 3 months with these speaker I have never listen
to so much music, while I have listen to all this music
I have never thought, how does they sound. So good and right
are they for me.
Best regards Anders"
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More impressions
and pictures here:
http://www.euphonia-audioforum.se/forums/index.php?showtopic=5760&hl=tidal
http://www.euphonia-audioforum.se/forums/index.php?showtopic=5809&hl=tidal
August 2008
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Jörn
Janczak, founder and head behind TIDAL, has been voted as
"Business Man of the Month"
from Germany's business-journal "impulse".
We don't see it as a neccessary indicator for what we are
doing here with passion and joy - but as little honour doing
things right here at our TIDAL company for almost 10 years
now.
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Juli 2008
New: TIDAL Impact Monobloc
This
new power amplifier uses the same design and highly praised
internal amplification module like the Impact - for a very good
reason. Cause there was no wish for us and all who saw and heared
it to improve this. This is why we drove this technology to
the limit and designed a fully controlled power supply for it
and used the whole inner space for it why only one channel was
over for it. And we had our true Monobloc. Disadvantage: one
needs two of these beauties now.
But the effort is all worth it, it is simply the best amplifier
we know of.
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We did not changed the design from the outside - why should
one change here something ;-)? The real difference between
Impact and Impact Monobloc is behind the glossy shine.....
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As
new feature the TIDAL Impact Monobloc has a remote power
on/off, intelligent controlled by the Preos. With its special
master/slave input and output it controlls also several
Impact Monobloc's.
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Juni 2008
Mondo-Audio,
new TIDAL general importer for Italy received their first pairs
of TIDAL Amea and TIDAL Piano, we would like to share the nice words
with you:
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"...They
look gorgeous; the finishes are absolutely the best I ever
saw. The standing is at top level and the sound extremely
engaging.
Piano is really magical, she faces any kind of music with
energy and fascination. Great heart, she don’t try to convince
you, she plays music and nothing else. Never insecure, no
minimal distortion also at high volumes.
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Musicality of Piano is real and the presence of the musical
message is really something that I never heard before. Soundstage
is very detailed, large and focused, they are absolutely persuading.
They are speakers which you can fall in love with.
Sometime I'm supposing they play so well because they charm
me with their look. So I close my eyes and concentrate only
on what I'm hearing... Conclusion is that Piano are a superb
music machine." |
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"They
are very detailed and coherent and, with their stands, a
craftsmanship masterpiece.
I cannot appreciate them at Piano level because they are
still bind but at the first sound they appear with all their
high status and stand out for their quality and potentials.
They need a little more attention on setup to find the best
position to appreciate their quality. When found, you can
notice they are a complete speaker with quality that you
can find only on systems that cost twice the price.
In any case I would buy them also only for their look. ;-)
They deserve a refined and luxury house to find their accommodation."
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(MONDO
Audio, official importer for Italy, www.mondoaudio.it)
May
2008
The
TIDAL T1 - our top of the line loudspeaker.
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.....If
you have ever experienced the small TIDAL Amea, then you
will know that there is no need for having more to be happy
with. So where is the reason to offer such a - in all aspects
breathtaking - speaker?
The answer is actually pretty simple:
it was created for our love to music, our passion for designing
speakers and to find out the sonic frontiers of realistic
music reproduction. And therefor for people who still admire
such things.
The T1 is designed to play fully passive without any compromise,
every detail is balanced for an experience which makes typical
phrases of sound describtion obsolete.
We do promise with the T1 nothing less and nothing more
then that.
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The
TIDAL T1 is:
- the unique Sunray exclusively equipped with a pure silver
cross-over
- the unique T1-Subtowers, designed to extend the F3 point
of the Sunray and to create the most realistic reproduction
of deep frequencies without any own sound
- the active cross-over LPX for the free option of driving
the Subtowers and / bass modules partly active - for endless
configurations and combinations even of different amplifiers
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The
T1 Sunray has the most expensive and exclusive passive cross-over
inside we know of. The parts for this cross-over are easily
more expensive then the diamond tweeter we are using.
But it is not about prices or simple superlatives, it is
to give you an idea what it needed to improve a speaker
like the Sunray. Cause it was not possible for us to improve
this speaker - except for using components which cost more
then a pair of our fine TIDAL Contriva.
This is when we decided to build the T1 and look for the
sonic frontiers in reproducing music in the most realistic
and natural way.
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Together with the Subtowers one can have an experience which
we describe very simple: all what the T1 is doing is presenting
the artist - and not itself. If one is open for that experience,
the only alternative we know of then is live music. And that
means we reached all of our goals with it. |
April 2008
TIDAL
importers do receive their very first models of the Contriva,
afterwards one can read a very nice example, we would like to share
the pleasure:
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"....Many things are said in the international world
of high-end for products that use advanced technology and
design. Some are following the classical pattern with brand
names, heavy in history, which they use as proof for the
supposed excellent sound they offer.
Some of their speakers unfortunately
have the approval and support of the reviewers although
they don't follow any electro acoustic engineering rules.
On the other hand some speakers disappear in their performance,
but the critical issue, is what remains in doing so.
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The sound stage, the presence, the layering, how fast, how
smooth it is, or if it is not, are only some of the specifications
used to evaluate the sound quality of a speaker. After living
the two past months with a "TIDAL" , I can honestly say, in
my amazement, that at last have found a speaker that can eliminate
the surrounding space giving me the feeling that the musical
event is taking place alive before my eyes.
Truly, beyond the cold numbers which are the result of technical
measurements - we tested the Contriva in the lab and it is
technically amazing - the TIDAL are indeed speakers that have
the ability to create emotions. The kind of music is of no
importance, a TIDAL, talks directly to the subconscious travelling
you in the place and time where the event actually happened.
It is so true, effortless and clear that it seems that you
hear familiar music, but at the same time you feel as if you
hear it for the first time. TIDAL as a real time-machine travels
you from the present to the past, to a recording which took
place five minutes ago or fifty years ago, and I am certain
that you will still have them after a hundred years and they
will still have the magical power to transfer you through
time.
TIDAL is a dream, with a TIDAL you live your dream, and as
we all know that living your dream is priceless.
Best regards Anastassios"
(SIRIUS-Group, TIDAL importer Greece, www.sirius-group.com)
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March 2008
Our Hongkong distribution "AudioExotics" received its
first pair of TIDAL "Piano Diacera" - nothing special
in particular but what we like is sharing the pleasure and using
this is example to get confirmed that TIDAL speakers do not sound
"ceramic" or "diamond" - in the best and most
natural way:
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"....The
exquisite finish must seen in real person to appreciate.
It is the best piano lacquer that I have ever seen.....
TIDAL Piano Diacera, although having 2 ceremique drivers
on the front, doesn't sound anything like ceremique, music
is soft and mellow with timidity and uncompromised speed
and rhythm.
Compared
to the ****** , the presence of the ceramique drive is so
much more transparent.....
The speakers are amazing! It does not sound like ceramique
or diamond as you said."
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TIDAL Preos - Welcome to Audioexotics:
http://www.audioexotics.hk/forum.php?cat=4&show=0&id=2862&fshow=0&search=&order=lastpostdate&seq=desc&rseq=asc
Piano Diacera - The Empress's New Clothes:
http://www.audioexotics.hk/forum.php?cat=4&show=20&id=3710&fshow=0&search=&order=lastpostdate&seq=desc&rseq=asc
TIDAL Impact - David vs. Goliath:
http://www.audioexotics.hk/forum.php?cat=4&show=0&id=4746&fshow=0&search=&order=lastpostdate&seq=desc&rseq=asc
January 2008
TIDAL
presents at the C.E.S.
in Las Vegas 2008 his new Contriva:
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Positive
Feedback, CES 2008 show report, wrote:
"....This
system was incredible!
Half Note Audio featured TIDAL Contriva loudspeakers, ASR
Emitter II amplifiers, Stylos SYS DAC and Argento cables.
What a pleasure to sit and listen to our music here ...
this is only one of about four rooms we actually had the
time to sit and listen."
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STEREOTIMES,
Mike Wright's CES 2008 show report:
" Half Note Audio / TIDAL / ASR
This was absolutely one of the best, if not my favorite,
room at CES this year.
This was the room that I kept coming back and comparing
the other rooms to. Daniel and Jae Barnum, et al, put on
a wonderful demo that was musically involving, balanced,
dynamic and detailed.
The team did a wonderful job of setting up the system to
give you a nice stage with a good sense of depth and layering.
Music came by way of the beautiful TIDAL Contrivas ($44,900)
being driven by the majestic looking ASR Emitter II Exclusive
($26,900).
Digital source came via an Oracle transport driving the
Stylos HAD D/A Converter ($15,000). Argento Serenity Master
Reference cables and Argento Flow Power cables were used
throughout. Equipment rack was provided by Audiostone and
the isolation bases were Critical Mass Systems Grand Master
Isolation System. "
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Douglas
White, CEO of Matrx Systems, USA, wrote:
"....Congratulations on the Contriva.
It's a fabulous sounding speaker and, in fact, the most
complete speaker product I've seen and listened to in my
31 years in audio.
The sound we were getting at the show was very musical and
clearly better than every room I visited. "
from left: Douglas White
(Matrx Systems, Pennsylvania), TIDAL Contriva, Jörn
Janczak (CEO and designer
of TIDAL)
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STEREOTIMES,
Clement Perry's CES 2008 show report:
" Half Note Audio put on an absolutely
excellent sounding demo using electronics I've seen before
but never heard perform like this.
The new Tidal Contriva loudspeaker of Germany ($44,900 shown
in African Mohogany) sounded remarkably detailed and musical
driven with an ASR Emitter II Integrated amplifier ($26,900).
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Cabling throughout was Argento Serenity Master
and Flow AC cords. Digital was by way of another newbie I heard briefly
last year at the Munich High End show, in the Ascendo room: the Stylos
SYS dac ($15k), while an Oracle top loader was the transport of choice.
No question, this was one of the best sounding rooms I've had the
pleasure of visiting and spending a good amount of time in. "
Dave
Thomas from STEREOTIMES wrote:
" Half Note Audio: Daniel Barnum of high-end
distributor Half Note Audio (a real life descendant of P.T. Barnum
himself) is fast becoming one of the most fascinating people in the
industry to me.
While many U.S. distributors are looking for inexpensive products
that can be sold to the masses, Daniel seeks products that frankly,
only a small tribe of people might be interested in or can afford.
The roster of manufacturers represented in his room at the Venetian
reads more like a “Who’s Who” of European hi-fi "
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"I must have visited more than
one hundred rooms during the week and I know I still missed
getting to many more. In fact, I ended my coverage of the
high-end exhibits early on the last day so that I would
still have a little time to check out some of the exhibits
over at the Las Vegas Convention Center (a.k.a. The Zoo)....But
out of all the exhibits I saw I managed to come up with
a list of the Ten Best Rooms at the Shows.
I like each of these rooms for a variety of reasons. All
offered great sound but some were chosen because they represented
great values while some were selected due to there sheer
beauty and combination of strengths.
So here they are in alphabetical order:
- April Music: Aura Note and Aura Speaker
- Audio Design & Marketing: Berning, TW-Acustic, German
Physiks, Exemplar
- Avatar Acoustics: Abbingdon Research, Karan Acoustics,
Acoustic Systems
- Bertrand Audio Imports: Perfect 8/Bridge Audio Labs
- Half Note Audio:
ASR, TIDAL, Stylos, Audiostone, Pythagoras, Argento, Critical
Mass
- King Sound Oracle
- MBL
- NAT Distribution: Raysonic, JAS Audio
- Signals Super-Fi: Vitus Audio, German Physiks, Continuum,
Stereovox
- World Hi-Fi Group: Escalante, Electrocompaniet
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Beside of the Contriva premiere we supported
another manufacturer with our classic TIDAL Piano and TIDAL Impact:
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Audiostone/Thales presented his 80.000,-
USD turntable flaggship incl. the unique Thales tonearm
with our power amp and speakers, www.6moons.com wrote:
".....We
listened to a few tracks through the beautifully made TIDAL
Piano speakers and TIDAL Impact power amplifier and the
sound was indeed silky smooth."
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Thanks again to Halfnoteaudio,
our very involved US-importer, and the other brands - cause every
system is the sum made out of all components.
December 2007
We
present the new TIDAL Contriva.
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Please
see to your left side a very first snapshot in our factory.
The consequent improving
of the formerly model allowed us to introduce this new speaker.
All we can say is: this is the best Contriva we ever built
;).
Worldpremiere: CES 2008.
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October 2007
We
present detail improvements of our reference amps TIDAL Impact und
TIDAL Preos.
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Our
listening reference of power amplifiers: the TIDAL Impact.
A "power house" which combines speed, precision
and control to a level where "sound" not longer
exists - in the best way.
New since this year are the isolator feet, made out of three
parts of stainless steel with an ice-hardened ball which
controls the resonances pressure-point to pressure-point.
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The
details:
- new improved circuit of the voltage-part inside: opimized
running-time of the feedback function for higher objective
precision and subjective musicality
- new stainless-steel isolators for optimized chassis resonance
control
- new silver wiring inside,
silver fuses inside
- new ATA-flightcases with a doubled bottom for the accessories
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We did a very long thinking, how we could offer a true symetrical
output to drive amps far away from the Preos, without compromising
the unique unbalanced minimal-circuit topology, which is
the reason for the transparent sound of the Preos, and it
is famous for.
Therefore we developed new output modules with an balanced
output. First time ever we are convinced to offer a true
symetrical output without the typical disadvantages of it,
like adding additional sound to it, cause of its way more
electronic parts in the signal way - compared to a classy
minimal unbalanced design.
We are happy to present the best Preos ever build.
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The
details:
-
new descrete build dual-mono output stage modules with balanced/unbalanced
output
- new silver wire inside,
silver fuses inside
- new impedance adjustment for the MC-phono part: 8 different
steps, exotic configurations as free option possible
- new surround sound processor loop-in with intelligent
1:1 active level forwarding
- new constant temperature board for the sensitive phono-part
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new stainless-steel isolators for optimized chassis resonance
control
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new ATA-flightcases with a doubled bottom for the accessories
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September 2007
We
received the very first cabinets of our
new TIDAL Contriva II.
Here you can see the cabinets before it is getting the transparent
piano finish - only this will turn the dull veneer into a breathtaking
surface.
We improved the Contriva after 5 years building it with following:
- 3°
more slope for better time correction
- two 8,5" ceramic woofer instead one 10" for a higher
efficiency and more SPLmax.
- selectable step response at the terminal
- new, unique and dynamic design
April
2007
As
the TIDAL Sunray was the very first speaker in the world using the
biggest and most expensive diamond tweeter ever made and is using
the unique black ceramic drivers, we created again another new benchmark
and something never done before:
Here
you can see a part of the midrange-x-over of
the T1-Sunray,
most probably the finest and most expensive x-over ever made. Equipped
with the worldwide first pure silver capacitor and a pure silver
aircore inductor. These parts are the most expensive, biggest and
most heavy parts ever made. The electrical value of the parts will
never be available out of the catalogue
and are exclusively designed for TIDAL internal specifications,
every x-over is handmade by Jörn Janczak himself.
Together with
the unique time-aligned filter technolgy it is designed for ultimate
precision combined with the most minimal microphonic effects and
distortions.
Unfortunatelly
such an ensemble of parts for one x-over is as expensive as 3 of
our big diamond tweeters, but we wanted to have something very simple:
the best.
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Size sometimes still does matters: the cap alone with its
massive silver foil inside alone is 4,5 Kg heavy....
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January
2007
The
TIDAL "Contriva Diacera"
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