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
Sigtech vs. TacT... there's a few things which are not clear to me: Does the Sigtech support 24/96 - if not, can it be upgraded. Does any of the units offer upsampling ?
The Sigtech unit does not yet support 24/96. I just spoke to Sigtech and they are waiting for the dust to settle on the format wars. The do have a 24/96 design. What I do is take to output of the Sigtech and run it into my dCS 972 upsampler and then into the Elgar DAC. My transport and DMX Satellite outputs go to the Sigtech. They recommend that you use outboard A to D and D to A units
Having used the TacT 2.0 for the last year together with the TacT Millenium digital amplifier I must say that I am stunned by the negative comments from PLS1 and Audioguy123. The TacT in my opinion is very easy to use, there are actually only 3 steps in the setup procedure. Furthermore TacT has recently upgraded the software with additional very useful features (at no cost to the users)
With the TacT I have been able to get very excellent results from the very first day, although further experimentation with the target curves certainly can give even better results.
With regards to digital glare I can say that I have heard no such thing. Did you maybe run the volume control to above the O dB level? Anyway in my system the TacT 2.0 is completely transparent.
Over the last year the topic of Tact vs. Sigtech has come up several times. In looking back at my posts on this thread I see that I didn't post here that my experience with the Tact was one year ago which I believe was one major software release ago. From my discussions with others, the glare seems to have been removed and I will certainly eliminate that comment since I have no further first hand info. However, I understand that the setup software is the same so I believe that the problems with correction curves are probably still there.
I have had a full blown TacT (room correction, A/D, D/A, all inputs and outputs)since 1999. I have been very happy with the sound. I lost most of the room reflections and the sound seems "easier" and a lot more musical. I also found I listened at lower levels (I measured the spl).

I still have not totally figured out how to set all the curves I could want. I find the instructions confusing but TacT is willing to stay on to phone to answer questions. I have Maggie 3.5s and TacT say planars and ESLs pose a problem (I'm not sure what that problem could be).

After living with the 2.0 for almost two years I have only one complaint and it is growing into a major issue. The TacT has no record out capabilities. This means that, while I can connect a recording device to the output, I can't adjust volume or presets without altering the recording. TacT has no plans to offer tape loops, etc.