Teac Reference Series

D

Deft Tungsman

Audiophyte
Hi, everyone!

This is my first post on the forum, so greetings to all from beautiful Paris!

I recently recovered my Teac Reference 500 components from my ex-wife after far too much dithering (a long story). I have the A-H500i amp, the T-H500 tuner and the PD-H500i CD player. A few days ago, I discovered that Teac also made a DVD player as part of the series, or actually 2 DVD players, the DV-H500 and the DV-H550. I found the latter in the UK, and it should be arriving here some time next week. I could have bought the DV-H500, but it can only read commercially produced CDs and DVDs.

My question is this: has anyone used the DV-H550 with the A-H500i, instead of the usual AG-H550? I read somewhere that the remote for the DV-H550 only works if the player is hooked up to the RCA remote jack on the back of the AG-H550. Will it work with the A-H500i as well?

Thanks in advance.
 
M

mdunton

Audiophyte
Hi all

I have uncovered my TEAC H-500 reference system which I completely forgot that I had.

System is A-H500i amp, PD-H500i CD player, T-H500 and associated remote.

Picture is below.

Conditions is very good and fully working.

Before I throw it on ebay thought I would offer it on here to see whether anyone is interested. UK owner based near Loughborough. Would rather it went to an appreciative home :)

Any questions or interest PM me to let me know - sorry for blatant selling...



Thanks
 
F

Fleetie

Enthusiast
I have to say I'm stunned at how good my 2 A-H500i amps sound!

I've put a lot of work into the hi-fi since early January, including acquiring these amps. It's been well worth it!

I'm loving hearing my TV sound via TV optical out -> Audiolab M-DAC -> 2 * A-H500i amps! It's just brilliant!
 
D

Deft Tungsman

Audiophyte

Simply gorgeous! This is the exact setup I have. It sounds fantastic and looks classy enough to sit out in the living room next to the TV. (In other words, my lovely wife thinks it looks cool, too.)

I just received a DV-H550 from a UK retailer that looks brand new. Original box, remote, owner's manual, RCA cables, the works. The only tiny niggle is that it's not exactly the same color as my orignal 500 components, which I bought around 15 years ago, but it's close enough. I've connected it to my TV with the big SCART cable, and run the analog audio outs direct into the A-H500i. It sounds as good as the PD-H500i. Being a pre-HDMI device, the image quality isn't the sharpest, but it's good enough for me.

Good luck with your sale!
 
F

Fleetie

Enthusiast
Does anyone know the UK retail prices for the 500 series, and what years they were current in?

I'm particularly interested in the A-H500i amplifier.

On another subject, I just got a pair of Quad II 80 monobloc valve amps mint-second-hand for half retail price! Very pleased!
 
N

Neo_Soul

Enthusiast
For those of you who have had both the pd-h503 and the pd-h570 which did you prefer and why? Also which would provide better sound, connecting the cd player to the receiver via optical or rca's
 
H

Harmonica

Enthusiast
For those of you who have had both the pd-h503 and the pd-h570 which did you prefer and why? Also which would provide better sound, connecting the cd player to the receiver via optical or rca's
I do no know others here but atleast I have newer owned both of those. Today I have pd-h570 (but I'm gonna pick up pd-h503 too... if I can find one in reasonable price). As both of those had belonged to same Teac's 500 reference serie...I could belive they are very close (more a less equal to each others...what comes to sound of them). So not a big suprise that specs of them seemed to be similar too...only showing one small differency: Total Harmonic Distortion (<0,02% with pd-h503) and (<0,015% with pd-h570).

Up right on the photo (2.position) is rare VRDS 9 (not pd-h500) and it already/easily outperformances my pd-h570. Also the combo on the top of picture is nice...:D)
 

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F

Fleetie

Enthusiast
Holy crap! That is a mean 500 collection! *Is* it all 500-series? I am a newbie to Teac 500, as I only have 2 of the 500i amps. But that lot certainly looks very tasty!

Forgive my ignorance, but which of those units is doing the amplifiying?!
 
H

Harmonica

Enthusiast
Holy crap! That is a mean 500 collection! *Is* it all 500-series? I am a newbie to Teac 500, as I only have 2 of the 500i amps. But that lot certainly looks very tasty!

Forgive my ignorance, but which of those units is doing the amplifiying?!
Thank's for asking....all the rest except the combo (cd + dac) on the top and that Teac VRDS 9...are parts of Teac's 500 serie. What comes to amplifier...I use AG-H550 (top on the left...2. just below dac).

This small Teac set is in my living room where the TV is...so that's why I prefer 5.1 option/possibility. But as I have a real/bigger home theater system in another bigger room (incl. video projector, screen, 6.1 speaker system)...I normally use this Teac system as listening music via 2 channels. For example I have there 3 turntales! My living room's speaker system is good too, but I was no newer happy enough of sound of AG-H550 then I used it just as a 2-channels stereo amplifier...sooo I bough NuForce poweramplifier (see 2. photo here).

.... and now I use AG-H550 as a preamplifier (main channels goes via that NuForce) then listening music/stereo.

My hometheater room's system is totally different story (not a mini size system at all)...for example these are main front loudspeakes there (1. photo here).
 

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F

Fleetie

Enthusiast
Sweet!!!

I'm currently tweaking things around my new QUAD II 80 valve monoblocs, but there's no way I'm gonna let my AH-500i amps go. They'll do turntable duty, as the valve amps are fed direct from the DAC with no intervening preamp. Turntable is a PT TOO with Project "Valve box" RIAA photo preamp.

Also, the Teac amps might be the only option in summer when it's really hot!

Enjoy your system!
 
H

Harmonica

Enthusiast
Thank's. Tweaking things is nice. I just got old Luxman PD 277 turntable totally free of charges. Despite of fact it's very complex turntable (DD, full automatic etc) I'm doing so tweaks on it at the moment (just for fun)....simply to see can I make it sound any better...and if yes...how much. The possible progress is easy to notice as I own 2 better sounding turntables.
 
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F

Fleetie

Enthusiast
Yeah I agree about tweaking. I modified my 500i amps by changing the speaker binding posts to proper larger gold-plated ones, and in so doing, removed the Zobel-network-like circuits that were on the tiny micro-PCBs that the original binding posts were connected to. Mechanically an unusual arrangement. So now, that intervening circuitry is no longer in the signal path.

There was a risk that by removing them, I'd allow the amps to become high-frequency, high-power oscillators and destroy my tweeters, but the gamble paid off, and everything *is* stable.

I also modified my Dynaudio Audience 52SE speakers; they were supplied NOT bi-wirable. I'm into early middle-age now, and I spent 16 years nightclubbing an *average* of about twice per week. So age and noise exposure have taken a bit of a toll on my treble hearing (not dreadful, but it's there). So I had to take the speakers apart (my expensive babies!) and open up the crossover PCB by cutting 2 tracks on each, and lead out to a new pair of binding posts on the back of each speaker, so that the woofer circuit could be driven separately from the tweeter network.

Then I could use one of the 500i amps to drive the L & R woofers, and the other to drive the tweeters. Then I could set them at different volumes, without having to add any nasty tone controls to the system. I use the amps with the "CD Direct" enabled, to defeat the amps' built-in tone controls.

Finally, after a lot of work, it all worked, and it sounded very nice indeed!

The photo is a bit grainy, because it was a 30-second exposure at very high ISO, in a room that was in fact pitch black apart from the things that were glowing. I couldn't see the camera on its tripod!

JV1C6572_crop2.jpg
 
H

Harmonica

Enthusiast
The photo is a bit grainy, because it was a 30-second exposure at very high ISO, in a room that was in fact pitch black apart from the things that were glowing. I couldn't see the camera on its tripod!

View attachment 13125

Nice tubes... I have always wanted to own tube amplifiers...but I have two very active and curious siamese cats. Sooo not today (at least ).
 
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Paradaz

Paradaz

Audiophyte
Hi all

I have uncovered my TEAC H-500 reference system which I completely forgot that I had.

System is A-H500i amp, PD-H500i CD player, T-H500 and associated remote.

Picture is below.

Conditions is very good and fully working.

Before I throw it on ebay thought I would offer it on here to see whether anyone is interested. UK owner based near Loughborough. Would rather it went to an appreciative home :)

Any questions or interest PM me to let me know - sorry for blatant selling...



Thanks
Have you still got these and if so, what ballpark price are you looking at?
 
T

Topmetom

Audiophyte
Well thanks to this thread, ive bought a A-H500 amp, just to run a little TT setup. I have a rega P3 but am coming from av so will be looking for a set of small shelf speakers..exciting times!
 
W

-WR-

Audiophyte
Hey everyone!

I just came across this thread. Really awesome to see peoples set up and to read about the TEAC reference series. I myself have a A-H500 amp, but I'm not really sure which edition it is, because I've got it from my father-in-law. It may be about 15-20 years old now.

Here are some pics of the amp. Last pic is a glimpse of the toroidal transformer:








I have some questions though. As this amp has been running for so long, are there any maintenance measures I should consider?
 
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F

Fleetie

Enthusiast
I just came across this thread. Really awesome to see peoples set up and to read about the TEAC reference series. I myself have a A-H500 amp, but I'm not really sure which edition it is, because I've got it from my father-in-law. It may be about 15-20 years old now.

I have some questions though. As this amp has been running for so long, are there any maintenance measures I should consider?
Yes. Open it up, and set the voltage at the test points on each side, to (ISTR) 11mV. You need to have a VERY delicate touch with the screwdriver when adjusting the tiny trimmer pot. This will set the bias to the correct level. You may find that the amps run significantly warmer or cooler after that, depending on how far out the bias was before the adjustment.
 
W

-WR-

Audiophyte
Yes. Open it up, and set the voltage at the test points on each side, to (ISTR) 11mV. You need to have a VERY delicate touch with the screwdriver when adjusting the tiny trimmer pot. This will set the bias to the correct level. You may find that the amps run significantly warmer or cooler after that, depending on how far out the bias was before the adjustment.
This sounds interesting. Care to elaborate on how this manifest itself and the effects of it? Also - is it risky?
 

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