Teac CRH500DNT review (April 2010)

[admin_exported]

Hi WHF

Just read your quick review of the new Teac CRH500DNT.

Do I take it that as it is a quick review that it is intended as just a very top level review and that perhaps in the future you may do a more in depth review of this product?

The reason that I ask is that I have been on the look out for a product that can do the things that the Teac does and be at that price range. I admire the products from Naim (uniti & uniti qute) along with the forth coming Arcam Solo Neo and the other higher end products that have a base of approx £1.3k Wheras the Teac is £500, and currently on the Peter Tyson Ebay site for £450.

You make no mention in your review that you can connect via the WiFi or Ethernet to a computer or NAS and stream (limited atthe moment audio file types) to the unit, ( i have a question in with Teac as to when they may offer an update to the unit to allow it to stream Apple lossless files and FLAC files etc, I await their response)

Also the fact that the connection for an IPOD using the IPOD supplied cable is via a digital link rather than an analogue one etc.

For the money it appears to do a very good job.

Any comments?

Regards

Redbus

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

Hi Redbus,

Read the review again-it says it can stream music from a pc. I just ordered one this pm because I am in exactly the same situation.Liked the Naim idea but just OTT for me on the price.It will be up and running in about 2 weeks so if you want an idea later I'll let you know.

 

[motley]

Ravey how is life with the Teac? I have been looking closey at one and wondered what pros and cons you have found with it>

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Is it half as good as the Ref 600 series (£1000)?

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

motley:

Ravey how is life with the Teac? I have been looking closey at one and wondered what pros and cons you have found with it>

Thanks

Generally no issues although I haven't stretched it as far as I want to. Bit slow latching on to radio stations but I have nothing to compare it to. I will have a Pure Sensia before year end which will give me a comparison on that side but I do not have any complaints. The sound of vinyl through this in comparison to the cheap midi systems we had in mid age has "forced" me to buy a Project turntable which should be up and running during this week. I contacted TEAC early on to see if they were going to upgrade the recording facility from 128 mp3 but not at the moment was the reply. Hey what do you expect from a £460 unit as opposed to the Uni***'s from Naim which ,to me, were far too expensive,especially as we had just spent a fortune on the room it was going in.

The general multi-faceted ability of the unit was what I wanted,especially as I was relocating all the network into the new room where it was going to reside -I just haven't decided on a NAS yet.Sound quality is not a problem for me and the podcast and DAB sound are really crisp. It also has power when needed.Through the MA's,I have not heard Robin Trower,Nils Lofgren and Alice Cooper vinyl sounding so good and I have not got onto the new turntable yet .I have heard sounds on this system (with the speakers and original QED cable) that I have never heard before. I am not going to spend hours trying to find out what contributes and what detracts.I like it.

Phil W- I cannot give you a comparison with the other ref series-I did not compare them. Maybe the WHF team can give you a comparison. They said it lacked a little power but everything is relative and we have more than enough power in our 8.5 x 4m room .

As with all things, you need to listen for yourself, but as far as functions go ,I personally could not fault it for the price-it may fall below other people's version of sound/capability,but that is an individual thing- for us it does what it says on the box and sounds great.

EDIT- I should also note that for a party ,we got one of our sons to put a load of music on his Touch and play it through the TEAC usb and it sounded fantastic.

 

[motley]

Thanks for the feedback

 

[motley]

Redbus did you ever get a reply as to whether this system would stream from Itunes via wifi?

Thanks