[amham]

MassDrop just listed at $390.00

 

[audiophilers]

an interesting product... 
 
but don't see too much improvement over their previous product other than better exterior design. 
 
How does this thing sound??????

 

[audiophilers]

It's seriously priced at $740 USD on Amazon and $390 on MassDrop.
 
I don't think anyone will spend $740 on this device which doesn't look too different from their P90SD ($450).....

 

[singleended58]

TEAC HA-P5 PORTABLE DAC AMP
Casing: Aluminum
D/A converter: Burr-Brown PCM1795
Supported formats: PCM 24 bit/192 kHz, DSD 5.6 MHz
Maximum output power at 32-ohm load: 160 mW + 160 mW
Maximum output power at 300-ohm load: 60 mW + 60 mW
Maximum output power at 600-ohm load: 30 mW + 30 mW
Supported headphone impedance: 16 – 600 ohm
Frequency response: 10 Hz – 10 kHz (line in)
Headphone output: ⅛ in (3.5 mm) 4-pole mini jack (compatible with ground-separate drive)
Headphone output supported drive mode: Ground-separate drive, unbalanced drive
Analog audio output: ⅛ in (3.5 mm) stereo mini jack (fixed level)
Analog audio input: ⅛ in (3.5 mm) stereo mini jack (compatible with coaxial/optical digital inputs)
Analog audio input sensitivity: 2 Vrms
USB 1 input: USB Micro B (compatible with USB 2.0), supports Windows and Macintosh
USB 2 input: USB A (compatible with USB 2.0), supports iOS and Android devices
Coaxial connector: Mini coaxial jack (compatible with optical digital and analog line inputs)
Optical connector: Mini optical jack (compatible with coaxial digital and analog line inputs)
Direct connection with iOS devices for high-res playback (Lightning-camera adapter not required)
Operation power: Built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Battery life: Approx. 5 hours
Charging: Via USB, DC, or quick-charging with USB AC adapter supporting 1.0 A supply or more
Dimensions: 2.6 x 4.8 x 0.9 in (65 x 121 x 22 cm)
Weight: 6.4 oz (182 g)
Made in Tokyo

 

[audiophilers]

I found it 8 months later it came out so I'm guessing this one's marketing failure just like Pioneer's SE-1 Master headphone...

 

[jwbrent]

I noticed Massdrop sold several of these on their last drop, so it would be great to hear back from those who bought one—or already own one—and read their thoughts.
 
I would like to upgrade my TEAC HA-P50 and its likely going to be the HA-P5 or the new RHA L1.
 
By the way, I think the HA-P50 is a fantastic value for the going street price of under $200. 

 

 

[icesk8man]

  I noticed Massdrop sold several of these on their last drop, so it would be great to hear back from those who bought one—or already own one—and read their thoughts.
 
I would like to upgrade my TEAC HA-P50 and its likely going to be the HA-P5 or the new RHA L1.
 
By the way, I think the HA-P50 is a fantastic value for the going street price of under $200. 

 

Have you decided on which of these two you will go with and what made up your mind??  I have been looking at these two as an alternative to the Mojo because they don't need the Apple CCK adapter.  I use CIEM's to listen.  Thanks!

 

[Reddart67]

It was $350 on the latest massdump. It ships the end of this month, so I’ll soon find out.

 

[adlevision]

Found one on AudioGon for $300. I'd say "after market" vendors are cleaning out their stock, and I'm extremely glad I grabbed one. After buying the UD-501, UD-301, HA-501, and AX-501, I'm a confirmed TEAC fanboy and grabbed this on faith. TEAC has 0 marketing in the U.S. but their products are solid, if not that flashy, whether they're TEAC-branded, Tascam, or Esoteric. They claimed the HA-P5 was modelled on the same sound as the other 500-series units, so I put that extremely unlikely boast to the test.

For sound testing, I used HD-600 for tonality, HD-800 for detail, and LCD-X for bass extension. Make sense?

The P5 allows for some interesting configurations, since it has a switchable analog input (as well as coaxial and optical in the same jack) and a line-out that's always active, even when headphones are plugged in--and, amazingly, no drop in volume when both are plugged in.

So, you can run it as a DAC, bypassing the headphone amp, or as a headphone amp, bypassing the DAC.

I tried both. The HA-501 desktop headphone amp has 3 single-ended and one XLR pairs of inputs, so I first set two Windows computers to playing the same tracks over USB, one to the UD-501 and the other to the HA-P5, and switched between those inputs on the HA-501 headamp. Although I *thought* I might be hearing more defined bass and depth from the UD-501, it was slight enough to be questionable, and I in fact kept forgetting which one I was listening to. Plus, the UD-501 was feeding the HA-501 through XLR cables and the HA-P5 had a standard Y-cable. The UD DACs made me a firm believer in dual-monaural design, so this was surprising, to say the least.

Next, I connected the UD-501 to both the HA-501 and to the headphone amp section of the HA-P5. Same result!

What I have not done is run the P5 into my main speakers amp, and that's where the power supplies and dual typology of the UD-501 probably would stand out. Certainly, the IDSD Nano was crushed by the 501 in that scenario. I have also not yet compared the Nano to the P5 directly. The Nano is charging, since I haven't used it in years (which tells you something).

The P5 is also completely silent to my ears, both on the HD800s and Fidua A83 IEMs, both of which I turned to max volume (high and low gain settings, respectively). By contrast, I couldn't ever use the IDSD Nano with IEMs at all because of noise.

The good news is that I now have a portable "rig" that's worthy of top-shelf headphones with very little compromise, relative to my main system. The bad news is that I spent well over a grand on the two dictionary-sized desktop units and they apparently sound like a $300 unit that has the footprint of an IPhone SE.

Only cons to my mind are the pathetic battery life ("up to 5 hours" playing through 32-ohm phones into an IOS device, which is all a best-case scenario) and lack of MQA. However, in addition to a USB-A port for direct connection to an I-device, there's also a micro-B port for a computer (and you can flip a switch to determine whether it charges through this port or not) plus a 5V jack for an included barrel-to-USB-A cord. So, I can charge it through a battery bank while playing during long listening sessions.

Analog Devices Blackfin DSP, Bur-Brown 1602 op-amps, and Bur-Brown 1795 DAC. Everything is separately grounded and the headphone jack is TRRS for balanced headphones. Very good and simple build quality as well.

Niftiest gismo I've bought in a long time, I'd say. I can't compare it to a Mojo, IDSD Micro, or XDSD, but I'm encouraged by my results with the UD-501.

 

[udesign48]

if it sounds just like UD-501, I'm interested in buying this!

I want to use it with my laptop.. but I'm curious if it can be played while charging through USB?

 

[adlevision]

Yes. Charging via usb is user-selectable with a switch on the side, in case a purist wanted to disable that. It also has a barrel ac connector. Although it isn't dual-monaural like the other TEAC desktop DACs and has a battery instead of the terroidal transformers, it is tonally really close to their other 301/501 DACs and I love it. I wish I had more opportunity to use it. If it's under $400, grab it.

 

[udesign48]

I'm trying to use this as my laptop's external soundcard.. so no internal lithium battery is needed. and I think it's not safe to power it using lithium battery everyday.
So it can run using AC power too.

 

[soundknight21]

I was able to lay my hand on one of those HA-P5 s. It sounds more refined than the HA-P90SD for sure!!! Most of the songs that I often listen to sound better with the HA-P5 than with the HA-P90SD. My headphones include Ultrasone Pro 2900 and B&O Beoplay H6. I also have a desktop system (Weiss DAC2 + SPL Phonitor 2 + Sennheiser HD800). Compared with my desktop system, the HA-P5 is better in the sense that it has the flavor and timber of pop music while my desktop system is more studio monitor like, exposing the flaws of the recording and post-processing and is not so pleasant for listening to non-acoustic instruments and heavily processed pop songs.

Now back to the HA-P5. It has slightly more balanced frequency response than the HA-P90SD. While one of the best thing I enjoy about the HA-P5 is that some of the noisy songs that was unpleasant to listen to with the HA-P90SD is no longer that unpleasant to listen to with the HA-P5. Also, the details are better reproduced with the HA-P5.
The sound stage/ positioning of sound sources are also more precise with the HA-P5. The HA-P5 also sounds a bit more natural than the HA-P90SD.

Definitely recommended.
However, do not buy it on Amazon though. Ebay is seemingly the best place to buy it for now. I bought this HA-P5 via aleado Yahoo auction which cost me hefty service fees. Even though the HA-P5 itself was just $488, I was astonished to find the total ended up to be $620 DAMN! There are some sellers on Ebay that sell these at $610.

Thanks for this, I would like to know more... I have the Onkyo HA300 DAC That was related to the TEAC P90 (same DAC & Housing, different amp). The Onkyo is starting to die it seems. It has a darker sound than the TEAC P90 with a low emphasis. I bought the ATH R70x cans recently and I am finding it too dark a match with the Onkyo. Where is the EQ emphasis on the new TEAC 5? Low, mid, treble, presence? What do drum cymbals sound like? Guitar strings? Cello? Grand Piano? Any advice is most welcome, thanks.
All these companies were owned by Gibson group and Gibson went bust so they are finding feet again (TASCAM too).

 

[Qrays34]

Got the P5 today for a relatively cheap price (~$120 used), must say it’s slightly better than my p90, but not by a large margin I suppose. Still, the built is nice, very light weight, made in japan (kinda proud seeing this instead of the made in china logo on p90).

For the sound... I would say it has an ever so slightly clearer noise floor, and the separation in the mid is a tad better (again, not by a large margin. This P5 and P90 sounds VERY similar, both very organic sounding DAC/AMP, and quite powerful, enough to drive my Amiron Home quite sufficiently). The bass is not that heavily boosted, but I wouldn’t say it’s ”linear” or “neutral” amp. Still, this sound signature suits my taste, and I think it’s a good replacement for my old p90 with its dead battery.

P/s: using an IFI iDefender 3 create an even better, cleaner noise floor, but it will block the charger ports. (Sorry for the disgusting look of the iDefender, I tried hard to remove the tape but it leaves quite a mess )

P/s 2: I would say for the price/performance, this beats the nano iDSD and Mojo by a large margin LOL. $120 for a Burr Brown 1795 DAC and Made in Japan? Yes please!

 

[aqtaket]

I wonder how this beauty sounds compared to Sony PHA-3 (balanced/separate ground). And is there any chance to replace the battery nowadays?