Customer Reviews

Acoustic Research TDS202 TDS Sound Enhancement Sound System (1-Speaker, Silver)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've had the original TDS-II box that does the same thing as this one for five or six years. Unlike other little black effect boxes I've tried in the past, this one I've never taken out of the signal path and whenever I play music cd's, I always have the box turned on. When you first hook it up and turn it on, the most apparent thing you notice is the sound becomes louder and slightly brighter. The effect may seem subtle initially but give it a few days and you will definitely prefer the sound being processed by this box because if you go back to ordinary stereo, you'll swear something is missing. Recently, I've used this to enhance cd-r's and playing them back on the car stereo is just awesome-sounding. This unit brings a certain presence to cd's on mid-fi systems & car stereos, especially. I'd recommend this unit over any cable upgrade in a second - I can't understand why the product has not become more popular. Grab one if they're still available. BTW, the description of this product here is quite misleading: this unit has no speaker - it's an effects box.

I purchased this item earlier this year may 2004. I would like to say. It's an excellent product for creating a more live soundstage to conventional home theater set-up to more refined high home theater systems. There are plenty of audiophiles such as myself who TWEAK their system irregardless of the components used from low-fi to higher end. Even without the additional sound processors I have bridged with this enhancer, my PIONEER HIGH RECEIVER WITH MAGNEPAN, SRSLABS, THEATER RESEARCH SPEAKERS just bloom into a much wider and lively concerto soundstage.
I have been using various sound processors for 25 years and as a former high end home theater installer, this is basically an advancement of the original OMNISONIC IMAGER made by omnisonix back in 1979, no longer in existence. Carver sonic holography replaced that, which I also had along with DBX 3BX III expanders w/impact restoration...That made any analog recording sound somewhat digital and "LIVE" presentation. The TDS-202 is the refined version of the CARVER HOLOGRAPHY. I have all these processors including the APHEX AUREL EXCITER/BIG BOTTOM which has great reviews and SRSLABS SPATIAL ENHANCER and the CARVER HAV-9 SONIC HOLOGRAPHY...the later version of C-9 made in 1981. I must say, this is a MUST for conventional home theater applications and 2 channel systems creating a 3-dimensional soundstage with wider dynamics. For high end systems, this will improve the 3-dimensional spectrum and expand the acoustical dispersion of your speakers.
If you interconnect all the processors I have included above, the soundstage is short of AMAZING! The recordings from a CD OR DVD sounds as if the band or people are in front or back of you.
The acoustic research TDS-202 enhancer can make any system as they claim SOUND MUCH LIVELIER and with clarity...I AGREE with my technical knowledge and experience to back that up. Remember, all these sound processors are all different and can compliment each other if one has technical knowledge and experience. They are all different and highly recommended. What is great about the TDS-202 is that it doesn't require any voltage or direct current to amplify it. Amazing product for the price and a recommended piece of equipment for the novice to professional/audiophile. Check also the DAXIOM STABILIZERS R-103 OR H-103, the latest technology in sound enhancement, coupled with the ACOUSTIC RESEARCH TDS-202 would create HARMONY in the audioworld.
Remember, Don't compare any of these sound processors/enhancers, they are all patentedly different and COMPLIMENT one another and NOT an ALTERNATIVE.
From a former high end home theater installer with 25 yrs of audio experience,returning to the US ARMY for patriotic reasons, a true audiophile who have been using various processors and accessories since 1979. This product is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I owned the original, powered, True Dimension Sound unit. $350, years ago.
I got some passive ones for my car, separate front and back, when they came out, also $250 bucks.
I practically freaked out when the sold the technology to AR who came out with $30 passive units. I now own 4 of only the AR units.
After you turn down the gain to compensate for the increase when the unit is IN, you still notice a tremendous clarity to the speech, music, tonality of string instruments. When I switch it OUT, I completely agree with those who say it sounds like you are putting back a wool blanket over your speakers.
This is real technology, started by a father-son pair or sonar/audio engineers. It effectively adds a differentiated (as in calculus) signal back to the original. Similar to the way a capacitor can smooth out high frequency components, the alternative analogous component, an inductor enhances the high frequency components.
It's a very clever little discovery by them and I hope AT paid them well for it. We consumers now benefit since you can now get them for $20 rather than $400.
It does not sound like any type of distortion at all (to me).
I'm so used to them them that I feel I have to strain while listening to un-enhanced music or speech in order to get the same amount of detail I get when using the AR202s.
If you like to hear musical detail and tone nuances, without any decrease in bass (I don't think that reviewer is at all credible), you can not go wrong buying one of these. Many cables cost more than that alone. You even get two, moderate quality cables with the unit.
Even though I do have an EE degree, I love these units completely for the sound improvement, nothing else. Don't be put off because these newest versions of TDS are so cheap. It's the same technology as before, but implemented with up to date components by a company that incredibly believes in keeping the price down close to their actual cost!
You WIN, folks. Get this!

I purchased this Acoustic Research TDS202 on ebay. I paid $39.00. This unit is passive(no AC is needed). It comes with 2 RCA cables(gold plated connectors). The cables have arrows on them to indicate which way the music should flow, which means the arrow of the cables should point away from the output of your device or component. The unit measures 8" wide, 1 13/16" high, 5 1/2" deep(very small). It is made in China. I placed this unit between my tube preamp(Ming Da MC7R) and tube monoblock amps(Dared DV-300B). I was very disappointed with the results. My speakers(Monitor Audio GS10) sounded like transistor radios with the AR TDS202 in my system. The bass completely disappeared. Acoustic Research does say to experiment by placing the TDS202 in different configurations within your system, I.E. in the tape loop, between preamp and amp, in the signal processing loop of the preamp/receiver, etc... But I have no tape loop or external processor loop in my preamp, so I could only set it up between preamp and amp. I am not sure why some users really like this, and why some don't, other than everyone hears different. I do not recommend this unit. I also don't like the BBE Sonic Maximizer 482 either(I hear a pumping effect through my speakers like someone is moving the microphone around during music playback). So far, I have not found any sonic enhancer device that has really improved the sound of my system. I have been experimenting for many years with different sonic enhancement devices.

It's not a scam! It really works. Sound is more defined, the stage is more dimensional, it doesn't mess with the frequencies. It's kind of weird really. One word of caution, it makes everything louder, so some music might clip a little. When that happens, just bypass it. It also comes with decent patch cables.

This improves all music and movies; it was was recorded well, it will sound better, if it was recorded horrible, it will sound better. If you are using it with Dolby Pro Logic IIX or DTS NEO 6 you will hear everything more defined, the surround and back channels become more active. Dialog becomes very clear. Nuances are restored.

Yeah, it's weird. It requires no power so it's passive. It's just weird, but not a scam.

You can even use it in your car stereo.

I've tried lots of various enhancers over the years, only to remove them from my audio chain and sell them because I don't like the trade-offs associated with them. This piece of equipment is staying.

Highly recommended. I've had one in my system for several years, wouldn't want to be without it (which is why I recently ordered a couple more, at a lesser price than I originally paid -- You can pick these up for a good price nowadays; get 'em while you can!). I connect it between an equalizer (into which are plugged high quality turntable/phonoamp, CD player, and tuner) and an integrated tube amp from JoLida. With my Triangle speakers the effect of the AR TDS202 is wonderful -- fuller, richer, more detailed sound. Yes, the sound is a tad louder when you turn on the unit (which is passive, no AC cord needed -- a plus in itself!), but compare the unit's sound with an equal volume of sound without the ARS and you should notice something -- there's more sound there, good sound, with the ARS in line. In any case, I use it and wouldn't want to be without it.
One caution -- once you connect your cables, try to keep them connected. Don't keep unplugging and plugging. If there is a flimsy side to this unit, it's the stability of the RCA plugs, which can be broken loose with too much handling. It took a couple of years of use to break mine down, and the unit started to hum. I opened it, stabilized the input plugs and somewhat fixed the problem (as long as I don't jar the unit). Still, I recommend this item. I use it and will continue to, as long as I perceive an upgrade to sound quality. I give it five stars!

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A TDS202. THE SOUND IS GREAT. IN 1 WORD BRIGHTER. MY PROBLEM IS WHEN EVER I USE MY TUNER I GET A MUDDLED SOUND. MY TUNER IS A MARANTZ T6000. ANY ONE OUT THERE WITH A SOLUTION.

First of all it is a passive device, no power.
Second it filters most of the Bass spectrum (low frequency)
Third the inside of the unit is just a passive filter network.