Teac AI-501DA integrated Amp

ambient

Super Member
I had a chance to hear this little integrated today at an audio dealer.
It was paired with some $2k Dali speakers; the DAC was the Teac's built-in DAC.

I was impressed. Impressive build quality and feel of controls. Compact, yet substantial.

It paired very nicely with the Dali floorstanders and drove them with relative ease despite the modest power rating.

I only got to hear a couple of tracks- a Herbie Hancock recording and some 'femal vocal' yawner.

Nice balanced presentation, nice staging and separation. Actually reminded me of my (also class D) Bel Canto.

Under $1k, seems like an obvious competitor to the Brio, the NAD 356 and the Yamaha A-S700.

Judging by some of the other Teac pieces i saw, they seem to be making some strong kit at reasonable prices.

http://www.teac.com/product/ai-501da/
 
I snagged their excellent Teac PD-H600 CD player.

I liked it so much, I snagged a second and now have two.
 
Very interested to see this thread. I just bought the TEAC AX-501 integrated and have been auditioning DALIs (Zensor, IKON and Mentor) 1s. I have not received the TEAC yet but will take it for my next round of demos once it's broken in. I really hope they go well together but will also demo Dynaudio Excite x12s and the KEF LS50s. This my first system and just don't want to make a mistake with the speakers. Advice? Thoughts?
 
AKer lico has one. Maybe he'll chime in.

I was impressed (at least to the extent I can be without listening to or touching one) with TEAC's previous "powered DAC", the A-H01. The AX-501DA seems like a slightly up-market successor that addresses all the complaints about the A-H01.

If I ever decide to ditch vintage the vintage carousel, it will likely be for something like this.
 
Very interested to see this thread. I just bought the TEAC AX-501 integrated and have been auditioning DALIs (Zensor, IKON and Mentor) 1s. I have not received the TEAC yet but will take it for my next round of demos once it's broken in. I really hope they go well together but will also demo Dynaudio Excite x12s and the KEF LS50s. This my first system and just don't want to make a mistake with the speakers. Advice? Thoughts?


I've not heard the x12s but own the LS50s that replaced some Dali Mentor 2s.

Had I not caught the LS50 fever, the Dalis would have been in my system for a long time. Since my good friend was in love with the Mentors and offered to buy them, the decision to let them go was palatable.

Depending on the size of your room, maybe the Dali floorstanders are your best bet-- that was the pairing I wrote about in the OP.

In a a smaller room, and likely at a lower cost, the KEFs are unbeatable.

I don't recall anyone here pairing the KEFs with class D power. I ran my Dalis with a Bel canto class D integrated and the combo was awesome. I think the Teac will drive both speakers nicely. High efficiency speakers are all the rage now, but I think efficient amps will eventually catch up.

Good luck and report back.


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I dig Teac as well. I have the A-H01 in my office and it's a nice little unit though not quite as nice as the AI-501. The built in USB DAC is a nice touch as well. Feel like the brand is kind of underrated.
 
Thanks for all of the responses - this seems like the place to be. I actually bought the AX-501 (no DAC) not the AI-501DA (onboard DAC). I will most definitely check back, but will be asking lot's of questions first. There are a pair of Mentor 2s on Audiogon now and I have been talking to the seller, but I just don't have much space right now. However, they are in mint condition and would be cheaper than the 1s new (unless I can negotiate a deal bc the Mentor line is finished).

My fiancee is not a fan of no grills which is the case for the LS50. This is not a primary reason to avoid the LS50 but it plays a role. The DALIs are funky too but I like that and they have grills. What exactly motivated the switch? Added warmth? Added depth? Do you feel like you sacrificed detail at any range of frequencies? I am still considering the Ikons too, but will I always regret it if I choose not to buy the used (mint) Mentor 2s......Do DALIs come up regularly on the classifieds here or Audiogon in your estimation?

I should add that I have no room for floor standers, and am limited to my desktop. When I move I will likely buy floor standers or larger bookshelf speakers and repurpose the current setup to an office or kitchen or something like that. I wouldn't even consider the Mentor 2s new right because of their price and size, but for a great price on the mint used ones I could try a rationalize a justification. I wouldn't be getting a warranty and wouldn't be buying from the B&M store that provided me the demos, which are both important things to consider.
 
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Near field, I think the KEFs are the way to go. I've not tried the Dalis near field but I don't think they will be optimized on top of a desk.

Dalis aren't particularly easy to find since there aren't a ton of US dealers. At that price, it's a great deal for sure.

I'd say both speakers, at least with my gear, we're neural, accurate, and cast a wide stage. More bass with the Dalis, but arguably more controlled with the KEFs.

Tough choice....


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Nice looking amp with good build quality. The Abletecs in the Teacs sound good to me. Seems they have upped the power of the AI-501DA, and took at the DAC on the AX-501 for the same price. I like the meter styling better.

Lately I've been using my Teac as a headphone amp of all things. A pre out would have been a nice add for the AI-501DA.

What Hi Fi dissed the AI-501DA on sound quality, but in my experience it sounds better than some of their other favs like the Yammy A-S500. But maybe not as good as a TPA-3116 with tube pre :D
 
Near field, I think the KEFs are the way to go. I've not tried the Dalis near field but I don't think they will be optimized on top of a desk.

Dalis aren't particularly easy to find since there aren't a ton of US dealers. At that price, it's a great deal for sure.

I'd say both speakers, at least with my gear, we're neural, accurate, and cast a wide stage. More bass with the Dalis, but arguably more controlled with the KEFs.

Tough choice....


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The Mentor 2s had more bass? And the KEF were more controlled? I only heard the Mentor 1 (and not for too long), but compared the the Ikon 1 MK2 the KEFs naturally had more bass but I thought the Ikon was more controlled up and down. But alas, I'm but a noob and don't put too much stock in my currently untrained ears.

On a quick side note, because the AX-501 does not come with a built-in DAC, I purchased the FiiO D3 to start with. I am using it now with my headphones and it eliminated all of the noise previously experienced through the headphone output. I think the music sounds more engaging but I am not sure. However, I still notice some hiccups (not sure how else to describe it) where the sound catches or crackles for a split second and then continues. Would this be eliminated using an asynchronous USB dac? These "hiccups" don't happen with the standard headphone out. I think I will return the FiiO if it fails so obviously. I've never returned anything to Amazon but even if they don't accept it I can chock up the $30 to my education.

I was thinking of testing the dragonfly and ifi nano idsd next time I'm at the store. I'm also going to purchase a moderately-priced set of headphones so I can have a pair at work and another at home (will use the AX-501 as my headphone amp at home). I currently own Sennhesier HD280 pro headphones that I purchased for my electronic drums a few years ago without any research; the headphones were the lowest priority in that setup.
 
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The room matters immensely, for all speaker behavior and particularly bass response.

My room was square, with high ceilings and absorption panels about 30" behind the rear ports.




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Break In

I will be receiving my TEAC AX-501 shortly and want to start the break-in process so that I can then pursue my speaker auditions. However, I do not have speakers yet and am in the market for a cheap used set to use for the purpose. I do have headphones, so forgive me if this is a very stupid question but would using the headphone output start the break-in process? No electricity will be going to the main outs but the amp will be on and presumably amplifying the signal to the headphones. Also, how much amplification might I expect from the headphone jack? I have a diy headphone amp that a friend gifted me so I guess I can just compare the difference but if anyone has any experience I would love to know more.

The maximum output specs are: 50mW + 50mW or more(32 ohms, THD+N 0.005%) but I have no experience with headphone amps. Also, my current headphones, Sennhesier HD280s are rated at 64ohms but I am also in the market for a headphone upgrade so that I can leave one pair at work. Suggestions are welcome on that front as well; I would prefer a broad, detailed soundstage (I am not a basshead).
 
Another TEAC fan here. My HA-501 is the same series as the AI-501DA, but is only a headphone amp. The HA-501 is the best all around headphone amp I have heard.

I need to make a trip to hi-fi heaven and give the AI-501DA a listen. See if it beats my Onkyo A-5VL.

I'll be watching for your listening impressions.
 
Might as well add another Teac fan to the mix. The one that piques my interest is the NP-H750, and there is very little information on the net. YT videos are even more scarce.

Anyone have experience with this model, thoughts/opinions are welcomed. :music:
 
What time of surge protection are people using with their amps/electronics?

I want to make sure I have ample coverage from the start.
 
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