Short answer: the Arendal Sound 1610 Tower 8. Both are rated 4.4/5 for sound quality (#43 and #44 of 228 floorstanding speakers), and the Arendal Sound 1610 Tower 8 costs $7,600 against $19,995 for the TAD Evolution 2, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the TAD Evolution 2 does well: A high end tower with a beryllium tweeter and a nearly flat, highly accurate balance, built for listeners who want neutral sound. Watch for: Its directivity-index standard deviation of 3.70 and predicted in-room smoothness of 0.25 are both unremarkable, not matching the excellent on-axis smoothness, and it’s priced at $19995/pair, sold only through a small dealer network, with one dealer showing it temporarily sold out.
The Arendal Sound 1610 Tower 8 is the more accurate, deeper-bass option. Big floorstanding speakers with accurate sound, triple 8 inch woofers, deep punchy bass and a wide but focused soundstage. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 7.03 against 5.55 for the TAD Evolution 2. Its bass reaches about 41Hz before falling 3dB, against 58.6Hz for the TAD Evolution 2. Watch for: At 100.1 lbs (45.4 kg) each and nearly 4 feet tall, it’s a serious room commitment, and sound-power smoothness (0.378) is more middling than the on-axis figures suggest.
Buy the Arendal Sound 1610 Tower 8. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $12,395 less than the TAD Evolution 2.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
A high end tower with a beryllium tweeter and a nearly flat, highly accurate balance, built for listeners who want neutral sound.
Big floorstanding speakers with accurate sound, triple 8 inch woofers, deep punchy bass and a wide but focused soundstage.
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Specifications Side By Side
| TAD Evolution 2 | Arendal Sound 1610 Tower 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19,995 per pair | $7,600 per pair |
| Ranked | #44 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #43 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Enclosure | 2.5-way, bass-reflex, SILENT laminated cabinet | 3-way, ported (optional sealed configuration) |
| Drivers | 1” beryllium dome tweeter (cast-aluminum waveguide), 2x 6.5” MACC-diaphragm woofers | 28mm Al-Mg dome tweeter, 5” carbon-cone midrange (sealed sub-enclosure), 3x 8” aluminum-cone woofers |
| Dimensions | 12.6”W x 42.7”H x 15.9”D (320 x 1085 x 405 mm) (1113mm tall with spikes) | 115.0H x 26.5W x 45.0D cm (119.8cm tall with feet) |
| Weight | 70.5 lbs (32 kg) each | 100 lbs (45.37 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 87dB @ 2.83V/1m | 89.5dB @ 2.83V/1m (manufacturer); 88dB @ 2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.5 ohms minimum | 4 ohms nominal |
| Country | Japan | Norway (designed); manufactured overseas |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.55 | 7.03 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.96 | 8.20 |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58.6Hz (measured, ASR via spinorama.org) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner); 42.8Hz (manufacturer measurement) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 30.3Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) | 27Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Frequency Response Compared
Both speakers’ spinorama measurements, overlaid. A flatter line is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. Each curve is shifted so its average from 300 Hz to 3 kHz sits at 0 dB, so loudness differences between the two are removed and only the shape is compared. The two were measured by different sources, so small differences, especially in the bass, can come from the measurement setup rather than the speakers.
Measurement data: TAD Evolution 2 (measured by Audio Science Review) and Arendal Sound 1610 Tower 8 (measured by an independent reviewer), via spinorama.org.
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