Got the speakers, now what?

mcgsxr · « **Reply #20 on:** 4 Feb 2008, 07:44 pm »

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=50562.msg453413;topicseen#new I have owned one of these Vinnie modded Teacs, nice unit, and at 30wpc, you get plenty of headroom with those Insignias.

It is a pure power amp though, so you will need a source with a volume control - SB3 etc.

Ichinichi · « **Reply #21 on:** 4 Feb 2008, 08:43 pm »

thanks for keeping an eye out, mark! must appreciated. i'll contact the seller now. its a 3 channel??

Jampot · « **Reply #22 on:** 4 Feb 2008, 09:11 pm »

Quote

its a 3 channel??

The stock Teac was built with 3 channels.

First thing anyone did when modding was pull one of the amp boards to save load on the power supply. Vinni will have also installed 'just' one pair of decent input RCA sockets and one pair of speaker jacks (unless the customer wanted something different) plus upgraded caps and 'stuff'.

Check with the seller - Vinni also installed a volume pot on the rear of some of his Teac creations....

Jim

mcgsxr · « **Reply #23 on:** 4 Feb 2008, 09:20 pm »

My pleasure on the heads up, I am sure you would do the same for me!

Correct about the number of channels, it started out as a 3 channel amp, but one of the boards will have been removed as a portion of the mods.

As for "Vinnie", the guy we are referring to runs this Circle here on AC.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?board=78.0

Ichinichi · « **Reply #24 on:** 4 Feb 2008, 10:38 pm »

if i ever have the pleasure to give you a heads-up, yea! of course!

vinnie is vinnie from rwa, right? very nice guy!

the power cord isn't detachable...

and the one on it is damaged. i like to substitute my own Power Cords. Is it difficult to crack that baby open and install a socket?

Ichinichi · « **Reply #25 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 07:47 am »

Quote from: Jampot on 4 Feb 2008, 09:11 pm

Quote
its a 3 channel??

Check with the seller - Vinni also installed a volume pot on the rear of some of his Teac creations....

Jim

Thanks, Jim. Will do!

Jampot · « **Reply #26 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 10:34 am »

Quote

Is it difficult to crack that baby open and install a socket?

Six little screws open it - I just opened 2 - one with a stock cord and the other Bolder modded with IEC recepticle. Looks as though you will need to cut the right size opening for the IEC with a dremel or something. The stock cord has a plug fitting onto the PSU but Wayne seems to have soldered direct to the board. I guess you could just use the last few inches of the old cord to wire the IEC internally, but I'm not an EE!

I will try to post photos later.

Jim

mcgsxr · « **Reply #27 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 12:25 pm »

If you are looking for data points on the Teac, I still have pdf versions of the schematic, user manual, and service manual, so I can help you understand where all the parts are etc. PM me your email address, and I will get it off to you.

The Teac is not tough to open etc, and the power cord issue is not that big a deal. I would personally have it shipped back to Vinnie, and have him review it briefly (I know he is busy, but his reputation for customer service is considerable) to make sure that power cord is not a significant concern, and that nothing else is wrong. Then it can land in your system.

It would be a good choice, but there are other fish in the sea too, I would still be on the lookout for a Panasonic digital receiver - SAXR 10, 15, 25, 45, 50, 55 etc.

Ichinichi · « **Reply #28 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 07:25 pm »

The Teac isn't one with volume on the back

Search is still on. I've posted in the GAS circle to see if the guys around here have any equipment in the closet that could use a second chance at being the star of the show!

I've been looking into the Panasonics too! Any idea of where to source one of these beauties?

nodiak · « **Reply #29 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 08:29 pm »

For non-tube set up I found a gainclone to work well. They show up used with volume controls at times. I use mine as back up, cost $214 from ebay. 50 high energy watts. Someone at diyaudio might have one for sale.
Don

mcgsxr · « **Reply #30 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 09:22 pm »

Panny SAXR-55 on the 'Gon at the moment.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?miscrcvr&1206248640 $190. NIB.

Use the digital output from an SB3, and you are sorted...

Ichinichi · « **Reply #31 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 09:44 pm »

thank you, mark! just emailed him

now for cables and an sb3/usb dac...

Jampot · « **Reply #32 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 09:45 pm »

Well I took the photo's anyway. Here is a picture of the interior

The box on the right is stock still with 2 amp boards, you can see the space vacated in the modded box and the additional coupling caps.

At the rear they look like this - stock box is still on the right.

A close up of the IEC mod

a close up of the stock cord fitting. It can actually be detached by its plug and repaired outside the box - may be useful for the eventual buyer

The pictures are in my gallery - you will be able to see larger example there-

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=1345

That said, I'm sure Mark's suggestion will get you a lot more for your money if you can do the deal...

Jim

Jampot · « **Reply #33 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 10:02 pm »

Oh, if you get the panny and I am correct in thinking it has a dac built in (Mark reffered to uding the SB3 digital out) check out the M-Audio Transit and souped up versions - the Empirical Audio Off Ramp and the Red Wine USB select.

The Transit is only $79 at Amazon.com -

http://www.amazon.com/M-AUDIO-Transit-Resolution-Mobile-Upgrade/dp/B0000CDHP5

The others will cost significantly more - even used.

Jim

mcgsxr · « **Reply #34 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 10:58 pm »

The TEAC is an exceptional amp when modded, but you have to be comfortable with a preamp etc, as it does not have a gain pot.

The Panny is an odd one, and beyond my technical expertise to explain, but basically the best way to use it is to feed it a digital signal.

It actually amplifies the signal in the digital domain, and converts only at the speaker outputs, so it is truly digital when fed a digital signal.

I use an SAXR-15 in my 2 channel HT.

The suggested DAC are all very good, but I would suggest keeping the Panny fed digital. There are many threads on this around AC, if you search.

Not sure what other means there would be to getting a digital signal out of your laptop, I think there are USB based devices that will output a coax digital, but for my money, the SB3 is a great way to get started. Seems that one comes up every month around here or Audiogon, or eBay for less than the direct pricing, but either way at $250-$300 you are in a good starting place with a stock SB3.

In time you can investigate a different power supply, or a power conditioner, lots of information around about how digital amps and SB3's benefit from improvements of this sort.

But, for a starting point, $300 for the source, $200 for the Panny, and whatever you paid for the Insignia's should have the makings of a great little system.

Have fun, and walk us through it as it comes together!

Jampot · « **Reply #35 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 11:17 pm »

Mark,

The M-Audio Transit and derivatives aren't dacs - they do just what you said, take the usb out and convert it to spdif to feed the digital in of the Panny or any other dac...

Jim

mcgsxr · « **Reply #36 on:** 5 Feb 2008, 11:19 pm »

Perfect suggestion then, an even CHEAPER (and excellent, if not remote) manner to get digital signal out of a PC and into an audio system.

Thanks for the education, I know I had heard about those things, but have never used one.

Ichinichi · « **Reply #37 on:** 6 Feb 2008, 01:03 am »

updates:

the panny was sold prior to our seeing it

the m-audio looks like the ticket for the source! does USB interface effect the sound to the point where i'll hear it on the insignias??
the insignias came, i went to BB and just picked up a denon dra-397 at random to make sure they worked. returning it today or tomorrow.
imaging IS good on these! they've got me thinking about abandoning headphones and picking up on speakers!

thinking about subs and stands now.
the response isn't harsh anywhere across the spectrum, but this is why danny did the mod in the first place, so

to danny.

shopping list:
amp/receiver: TBD (budget: $~250 used) oh God, its already gone up

looking to head over to some local members' places to give the ears some exposure.
cables: TBD (budget: $80 for pair used)
stands: TBD (budget: ??)

source: (budget: $200?) laptop > m-audio > receiver? the source component is still foggy at the moment...but a cheap way seems to need a receiver with a good dac that takes spdif in...

mcgsxr · « **Reply #38 on:** 6 Feb 2008, 01:19 am »

No problem, turn to JR and buy a new one for $249... http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4112933

M-Audio Transit for $80. One on eBay for $49 right now - http://cgi.ebay.ca/M-Audio-Transit-USB-24-96-Audio-S-PDIF-Laptop-ASIO-NEW_W0QQitemZ190196186911QQihZ009QQcategoryZ41784QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

For cables, you will need one digital, and one set of speaker cables.

For speaker cables, I would head over to Walmart for the recipe described in The Horn Shoppe circle. I believe they are $5-$10.

For a digital cable, I would look over at Head-Fi, and here, and Audiogon. Should see lots in the $40-$60 range. A reknowned glass toslink here for $35 on eBay - http://cgi.ebay.ca/GLASS-TOSLINK-DIGITAL-OPTICAL-CABLE-1-METER-3-2ft_W0QQitemZ190194699904QQihZ009QQcategoryZ14965QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

For cheap stands, Parts Express is your friend - Part Number 240-740 http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=240-740 - $48 for the pair.

I would wait on subs, they come up used all the time.

Good luck!

Brad · « **Reply #39 on:** 6 Feb 2008, 01:32 am »

I second the Walmart speaker cable idea.
They are very good and will not be the limiting factor now.

If you need a coax digital cable, PM me and I have a nice Bolder Cables one you can have for the price of shipping.
I'm not using it and I'm sure Wayne would like to see it in use.
The SECOND one will cost you though, hahaha

Mark - that's a good price on that Panny - thanks for the link