A Japanese Hi-Fi Brand Just Gave Its Standout Bookshelf Speakers a Next-Gen Upgrade

They’re the company’s smallest and most entry-level loudspeakers.

Published January 30, 2025

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TAD, or Technical Audio Devices, is a Japanese hi-fi maker known for its extremely high-end and expensive loudspeakers. For example, some of its Reference series loudspeakers go for more than most sports cars. And its smallest and most affordable speakers, the bookshelf-sized ME1, cost $15,000.

Now, the luxury loudspeaker manufacturer has introduced the ME1TX, a new-and-improved version of the entry-level ME1 speakers. They feature updated drivers and a more rigid cabinet design and promise overall improvements over their 2016-released predecessor.

But just like its predecessors, these new bookshelf speakers are anything but cheap.

TAD ME1TX Bookshelf Speaker System

Next evolution

The new ME1TX replaces the ME1 in TAD’s entry-level Evolution series. The new bookshelf-sized loudspeakers look almost identical to their predecessors.

They have the same three-way design, featuring coaxially-aligned tweeter and midrange drivers — the tweeter sits inside the midrange driver, allowing the two to work together better and deliver a more expansive, more controlled sound — positioned above the woofer.

But the drivers and enclosures have been significantly upgraded in the new models. According to the brand, the ME1TX “deliver a truly immersive, soul-stirring music-listening experience.”

Driver upgrade

The ME1TX features a newly developed tweeter with a beryllium diaphragm manufactured using the company’s proprietary vapor deposition technique — TAD claims this is the same driver tech used in its higher-end loudspeakers.

The ME1TX’s midrange driver has been improved, as well. It has a newly developed magnesium diaphragm that, according to the brand, “achieves lightweight and high internal loss properties.”

And the combination of just these two drivers — which TAD calls Coherent Source Transducer (CST) driver — allows the ME1TX to deliver a “wide-range sound reproduction from 420Hz to 60kHz.”

Brace for bass

Additionally, the woofer and cabinet design have both been enhanced.

The 16cm woofer’s multi-layered construction is now stronger to “withstand the powerful movement of the woofer and allow smoother propagation of sound waves behind its diaphragm.”

The ME1TX’s cabinets, designed using TAD’s proprietary bracing technology, have been further reinforced with 5mm steel panels to the enclosure’s right and left sides to “further reduce the vibration of the cabinet down to a minimum.”

Like its predecessors, the ME1TX have the same ‘Bidirectional Aero-Dynamic Slot (ADS) port design. This places slit-shaped ports inside the enclosure’s panels to allow a smoother airflow and reduce port noise. According to the brand, this helps deliver rich, responsive bass.

Price and availability

The TAD ME1TX are the company’s new smallest and least expensive speakers, but they’re still only reserved for audiophiles with deep pockets.The speakers come in two different finishes, black or “silver white,” with the latter being slightly more expensive.

The black models will cost $18,200, while the matching stands cost an extra $2,800. The “silver white” models will cost $19,200, and the matching stands cost $2,900.

The TAD ME1TX bookshelf speakers will be available for purchase “at the end of April 2025.”