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Underrated Components

Been running a Teac NT-505 streamer/DAC for few years now, highly underrated piece of gear.

There were some positive end user reviews out there and I decided to take a chance at a very good price to see if it was for me.

Had just gone from a Bluesound Node into a Chord Qutest and then Schitt Yggdrasil and the Teac was much easier to live with. Highly enjoyable sound from the word go. Hard to not get the itch with digital gear I've found but it has great tone and is super smooth which is a combination that is very easy to live with.

I had thought that proprietary DAC design was the only way to go but man those top AKM chips do a fine job.

It'll be interesting to see what replaces it, anything that's on the radar at this point is way too expensive in comparison.
 
I’ll add a Cambridge Audio Alva ST turntable with an AT95EN cartridge. Positive reviews across the board apart from a rather odd one from What Hifi. Knowing it was What Hifi, I bought it at half price and it is a gem. The original AT cart was decent if a little underwhelming. I changed quickly to an EN which was great. Hope to move to the ML in the near future. It’s a simple TT but very solidly built with excellent, engaging performance.
 
Weirdness said:
I had thought that proprietary DAC design was the only way to go but man those top AKM chips do a fine job.
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I run an a (Coherent modified) original Topping D90 running the original AKM4499EQ chip. It replaced a Wadia 15, I've not got anything else to touch it.
 
Martyn Miles said:
Arcam amplifiers.
I once owned an original Alpha amp. and it was exceptionally good.
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I had one of those briefly, & the “improved” Alpha+. I couldn’t hear a difference. Both had a dark sound on a remarkably silent background. I gave the Alpha+ to a friend in need who still uses it & frequently tells me how much he likes it. It suits his taste in music.

Personally, I much prefer the sunnier rejuvenated A60 that replaced the Alpha in my system.
 
I owned an A60 back in the late ‘70s to drive my Spendor BC1s.
The combination sounded very good, until I tried a Meridian 101/103...
 
Martyn Miles said:
I owned an A60 back in the late ‘70s to drive my Spendor BC1s.
The combination sounded very good, until I tried a Meridian 101/103...
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The A60 is a good match with BBC speakers. Way back when, it and Quad were recommended for the LS3/5a by BBC engineers. The Meridian that came later is likely to have a better phono stage as much as anything.
 
cj66 said:
I always thought the Alphason Sonata never received the recognition it deserved.
On dem we had it with HR100mcs and an OC9. A lush and beguiling sound as an alternative to the the Xerxes pacier and leaner presentation. ( no Linn in the house back then )
Great build quality as well.
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ISTR that the later, twin-motor version upped the pace of those decks. The HR 100 I've always regarded as a fine piece of elegant engineering.
 
Rogers LS7 or LS7T speakers. I retired mine due to a rubbing woofer and replaced them with Harbeth SHL5+, but there really wasn't much in it.
 
RustyB said:
ISTR that the later, twin-motor version upped the pace of those decks. The HR 100 I've always regarded as a fine piece of elegant engineering.
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I wasn't aware that the Sonata ever came with a single motor. I only knew it as a twin.

What did elevate its performance was the elusive Atlas external PSU.
 
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Always coveted an Alphason Sonata. I too only thought they did the dual motor. I thought that was the point.
 
Yank said:
Rogers LS7 or LS7T speakers. I retired mine due to a rubbing woofer and replaced them with Harbeth SHL5+, but there really wasn't much in it.
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JPW Gold Monitor (bought for £25 to tide me over while my main speakers were being checked/repaired), replaced with P3ESR, but there really wasn't much in it.
 
Stan Curtis era Cambridge Audio C50/A50 Pre Power. I underestimated these for years (bought mine new in 88). Now used in my 2nd system they sound phenomenal driving my 104ab.
Yesterday I transferred the 104s and a spare A50 into the main room to see if I could recreate system 2s sound as I find myself preferring its presentation. Yep the 104s got me some of the way there, trouncing my ML Summits in the process. However when I substituted the GamuT D200 with the A50, I was there and then some, plus the A50 simply annihilated the Gamut. It was fuller, richer, more detailed and nuanced, Stan Curtis certainly knew what he was doing.
Before re-assembling both systems I tried the MLs on the end of the A50, and despite the supposed lairy impedance curve, they sounded better than they ever did on the end of the GamuT.

A50 50wpc/8 Ohms (£200 1988)
GamuT 180/8, 300+/4, 410/2 £6.5k (early 00)

Go figure. o_O
 
Lurch said:
Stan Curtis era Cambridge Audio C50/A50 Pre Power.o_O
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Yes, I've been told similar. Was stalking an A70 on the bay to see for myself, until I found out that the Output stages were all replaced non-original.
I love the styling too.
 
Did have 2 pairs of the A250 monos at one point in 2016 but PX'd them for 2 pair of Tag Maclaren 125M monos. 😔
 
Ahhhhhhhmmmmm...........
Live and learn.

I blame speakers with twice as many terminals as they need for that sort of thing.
 
timpy said:
I run an a (Coherent modified) original Topping D90 running the original AKM4499EQ chip. It replaced a Wadia 15, I've not got anything else to touch it.
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A little surprised by this, not that Tony (Coherent) couldn't improve upon the Topping, but I know he is a fan of Wadia's, and modifies them to.
 
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