Testimonials
Hello Doug,
I wanted to to thank you again for getting in touch with Mike, who got in touch with Sean, who identified the precise resistor in the crossover of my ESP Harps to get them singing again! Yes, they're up and running again. None of this would have been possible without your help.
It was also good to be able to say hello personally at AXPONA, although I realize you had your hands full at the time.
It hasn't escaped my attention that you've done more for me than the dealer from whom I bought the Harps, which says an awful lot about the kind of dealership you run and about you personally. I hope that TVTI will thrive, and I won't hesitate to share my experience with others who, like me, suffer from audiophilia.
Again, you have my profound thanks.
All the best, Joe (March 2013)
"Hello,
I'm a french guy living in New York City and I have recently read a lot of good things about Tidal Products. So I decided to contact Doug White to organize a listening session and I spend the last week end in Philly. What an experience ! , Obvioulsy I was very impressed by what Doug presented me (Preos + Impact + Piano Diacera). This is all about music ! But on top of that, Doug's passionet generosity made this experience completely unforgetable. So I just wanted to express my gratitude because I believe that great products are only there because of great people. Doug is among them.
I hope to have the opportunity to own Tidal products in the future, this is an other goal I would love to acheive, this is what makes life so interesting !
Thank you for your work and best regards, Fabien"
Here is a new post, on Audiogon, from our Piano Diacera customer about his speakers.... Thought you might like to read it..
I have had my Piano Diacera's going on 4 days and I would like to share a short first impression.
These are the most unassuming speakers I have ever heard. They bring absolutely no attention to themselves. What I mean is these speakers totally get out of the way of the music. When listening to music they don't just disappear, they don't exist! It's like they are saying "Forget about us, just listen to the music." I have never had such unfettered access to music before. I am totally connected to every note I hear and I literally forget that I am listening to a stereo system.
I have left the speakers in the default setup, i.e., jumper arrangements. Speakers are 86 inches apart with my listening positon the same 86 inches from each speaker. I have them toed in quite a bit with the axis point about 12-18 inches behind my head. I tried different distances, closer/further, with the speakers remaining at the same 86 inches and different toe in angles. Through pure dumb luck I hit upon this, for me, ultimate setup though it might change a little after some more run in time.
"The Voice That Is" is the name of a Newtown Square, PA, retailer and when I walked into their room, I had no idea what equipment I was listening to, as it was again totally dark! (I had to set my camera's "film speed" to a noisy 1600 to get a photo at all.) But the music playing, Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Tin Pan Alley," took me back a quarter century, when all you heard at audio shows was this cut. But it never sounded this good back then!"... "It doesn't get much better than this." John Atkinson - Stereophile on the Capital Audiofest - 2011
"Hello Doug, Thank you for recommending the Argento Flow power cords. Starting from a very high level, the Argento Flows have made a significant improvement in the sound of my system. Highs are clearer, lows deeper and vocals just seem to float within the soundstage. The new power cables have allowed my to realize the full potential of my beloved Tidal Piano Diaceras along with the rest of my system.
Now the problem that you have created - I do need one more Flow. I have done much cable swapping and the impact of the Argentos on the AC power center was much more significant than I anticipated (compared to both of the MIT cables). So for a while I am switching the power cable between the phono pre and the U-clock depending on my listening preference..." Rick. ~ Maryland - Apr. 16, 2011 (Argento FLOW and Serenity Reference Power Cables)
" Hi Doug. A belated note as things have been crazy. After a multi year cable circus I can safely say that the Flow is by far the best cable I have ever used, at least for my tastes in a very high end system."
Tim W. ~ March 8, 2011 (Argento FLOW IC)
"Thank you for the most enjoyable morning and the opportunity to hear the Tidal speakers. In a word, I am "smitten". I have now listened to the Magico V3s and the Wilson Sasha, and without a doubt, the Piano Diacera is the most realistic speaker that I have heard. Your system is outstanding and I am sure that each of the fine components contribute to the excellent sound..."
Rick T. ~ Maryland - Nov. 13, 2010 (New Owner of TIDAL Piano Diacera and dCS Pucinni with Uclock)
"Doug...i received my second fmr ... i now have 1 on the Meitner and the other on my amp with the 2- FLOW PCs on my preamp....oh my god the sound is amazing....the speakers have opened up significantly..the music is glorious....i have never imagined it could sound this good..i am truely a HAPPY CAMPER'...thanks for all your help."
Dave (TIDAL Contriva Diacera SE / Argento Cables)
"Just installed the Argento Organic speaker cables. They are all copper. Resolution at least as good as copper/silver wire that I have tried. Sonically neutral without edge or euphonics. Soundstage is not the strength of my speaker/room configuration but I did appreciate that vocals moved behind the speaker plane. Works well with my Roland/Wadia electronics, musical and coherent top to bottom. Worthy of an audition." 07-29-10: Hflook
" As much as I enjoyed many of the systems I auditioned on the first day of the show, the one that seduced me the most was assembled by Doug White's The Voice That Is of Newtown Square, PA. Powered by Vitus (pronounced VEE-toos) Audio SM-010 25W class-A monoblocks ($49,500/pair), and connected by Argento Audio FLOW power cords ($3100/2m), interconnects ($4100/m with RCAs), Master Reference interconnects ($8900/1m RCA), and Master Reference speaker cable ($24,500/2m), the dCS Puccini SACD/CD player ($17,999) with U-Clock ($4999) and Tidal Audio Piano Cera speakers ($28,400/pair in midnight black lacquer, or $36,3000 in Ebony Macassar) were producing the warmest and most beautiful midrange I had heard so far. In fact, as it turned out, it was the warmest and most seductive midrange I heard on the first two days of the show."
- Jason Victor Serinus - Stereophile Show Report on Axpona 2010 - read the complete show report
"... I would like to thank you and Jorn for guiding through the process and looking out for what is the best fit for me. I mean, it is human nature to want the latest and greatest. In this case that would be the Cera and that is what I wanted to try. It did not make any sense to me to do otherwise.
With you and especially Jorn, you guys took into context my listening habits, room, other components etc.. and threw me a curve ball with the recomendation of the Classic Piano. ... I will send the check out today"
- KC
"...This was a room I returned to several times as it offered true sonic relief from the audio overload experienced in many demos—it was just pure musical pleasure to listen to CDs on this equipment." - Mike Quinn - JazzTimes Mazazine article on the RMAF
"... The system sounded very, very good. I am totally impressed with those loudspeakers". - Joe G. / Philadelphia Area Audio Group
" ... I love the sound of the Tidal speakers, backed up by a truly world class front end, amplification and cabling, I found nothing to fault. You have a very musically satisfying system, definitely the best digital sound these ears have ever heard, regardless of cost!" - Dennis P. / PAAG
Lamm LL2 Preamp Audition and purchase: " Hi Doug - thanks for a fine audio experience; you have a wonderful audio system; I am looking at possibilities for interconnects - any information about cost of basic Argento cable - 1 meter and 3 meters - will be appreciated. Thanks. - Stewart B.- Maryland"
Recently, an audiophile purchased Critical Mass Black Label Reference systems with racks customized to his specifications. Randy gave permission to use his thoughts on this page which seemed very appropriate as he speaks to the entire process and the result. Here are Randy's comments: ..........."I have never been happier with my system than now with the current set-up and equipment; the CMS stands and platforms were the final missing link to happiness. I think that I may have finally jumped off the upgrade merry-go-round.
... I want to thank you for always taking my phone calls and promptly responding to my emails throughout the entire process from my initial interest to post-sale. I did a lot of research on CMS before making a final decision on which new rack system to purchase. I was impressed with the high praise leveled at you by reviewers and show attendees and your utmost friendliness and professionalism in all of my communication with you personally. The high level of accommodation, commitment and professionalism also extends to your dealer, Doug White at Matrx Systems in Philadelphia, he was a true pleasure to deal with on the business/transaction side of the order. Thank-you again and best of luck with your new line of PXK and QXK racks and platforms!" Read Randy's complete comments here.
To review, the first audition was Serenity SE IC vs MIT 350 Oracle IC(circa 2002). After putting the "virgin" SE in my system, I knew it was there to stay. Using my Magnum Dynalab MD 90 tuner, I put 200 hours on the virgin Serenity SE. The second audition was playing the Merdian G08, HT CyberLight and now-200 hour Serenity SE. The sound was more mature and confirmed my earlier decision.
The third audition was the A : B with the CyberLight against the second pair of Serenity SE. This second pair (1.5 meter) has, according to Doug, 200 hours on it. This second pair has been sitting in a box since before September 19th. I chose two tunes from Gerald's masterpiece ("Gerald Veasley At The Jazz Base!), "November 99" by Manu Katché, and two tunes from Mary Ann Redmond. I used my Radio Shack sound level meter to keep the "playing field" level.
After hearing the first few notes of Gerald's "Coupe De Ville", I abandoned all hope of "saving" four-figures. Ergo, a fat-azz check is going out tomorrow!
Hey Doug, one question for next year, does Argento have a "trade-up" program?
Meridian G08, Spectral and MIT MH 850 EVO on ESP Concert Grand SI speakers = N-A-S-T-Y!
Thanks gentlemen!
Dexter M. Price