travellersol
Active Member
There is a unit of this vintage Teac AG-3000 Receiver for sale in my place. 36wpc (8 ohm) so the specs says. This amp has very little mention everywhere I checked. Any owner out there cares to comment on this amp?
Teac AG-3000 Receiver
- Thread starter travellersol
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- ag-3000 teac teac receiver
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juncers
Reasonably skeptical about everything
I've owned its big brother (AG-6500) for years. I love it and have been running it as my bedroom amp. Teac receivers are fairly rare. I would get it for its wow factor. The 6500 has a light blue backlight and a fairly unconventional control layout. I can't tell you much about your model unfortunately.
Ray
Ray
travellersol
Active Member
Thanks Ray. Yeah might just get it for its rarity, and 36w is not that small for most vintage speakers. The 3000's backlight is green unlike yours.
Just found a link on its bigger brother the 7000 with almost identical look:
http://www.raincityaudio.us/blog/teac-ag-7000-vintage-stereo-receiver-overhaul
Wow, that’s a really cool looking receiver. I’d grab it too, I’d love to see the insides and hear how it sounds (probly pretty good!)
Wonder about the “dual power supply” mentioned in the ad. It kind of looks like the Rotel built Harman Kardon stuff like the HK-430 Twin Power, I wonder if Rotel built this one too. Would be interesting to see if it has the same layout with two transformers and all. The 4 gang FM tuner should be pretty sweet too.
Moving Ahead
Well-Known Member
There seems to be a momentum gathering for the early Teac with some recent stupid prices. The earliest stuff is tip-top.
Yes I'll be interested to see a lids off and will give help if needed.
manual here
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/teac/ag-3000.shtml
Yes I'll be interested to see a lids off and will give help if needed.
manual here
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/teac/ag-3000.shtml
travellersol
Active Member
Yeah the AG3000 has a look that's very close to some contemporary models:
Sansui 5000x
Harmon Kardon HK-430
Rotel FAX-550
Looking at the schematics I think the dual power supplies they are referring to are the regulated ps board for the controls and the +/- ps board for the power amp rails. Still a very nice design and quite a bit ahead of its time when you look at other amps in its power and price range. I can't really think of any other lower powered direct coupled amps with +/- rails and a differential amp from the late 60's, almost everything in that range back then was cap coupled with a single ended power supply. Pretty neat!
Moving Ahead
Well-Known Member
Its quasi complimentary design. that turning point from CC to full comp. Teac was early in their engineering the quasi design, though I think this unit is from 1971-73 ish.
Its interesting to see the ag3000 shares the same amp/control boards as the 6000 and 7000 with only select changes to the transistors.
Take note the early stages have the C458 which can go noisy. If I remember right teac really bent the component leads over in a hook making replacement more difficult.
Its interesting to see the ag3000 shares the same amp/control boards as the 6000 and 7000 with only select changes to the transistors.
Take note the early stages have the C458 which can go noisy. If I remember right teac really bent the component leads over in a hook making replacement more difficult.
Well since it's advertised with TEAC's current lineup at the time consisting of the A-1500W open reel deck and the A-20 cassette deck (the first ever from TEAC) that would put it squarely in 1968. By 71~73 the TEAC lineup had changed considerably (things were changing fast and the A-1500W had already been around since 1966).
Yes it's a QC design amp as PNP transistors were very difficult and expensive to make back then but it's quite unusual to see a direct coupled QC amp with a differential input amp stage and split +/- power supply from that time period. TEAC was definitely doing their own thing here, this wasn't just another Roland / Rotel stamped out unit with someone else's name on it.
I noticed the same thing regarding the 2sc458 small signal Q's but they may not be as much of an issue here as they are in Akai gear (Akai had a tendency to run them too close to their design parameter limits). You're right, they did put a little hook on the end of their components when they soldered them onto their boards, I've run across that too in their open reel decks. They were also very conservative with the extra wire length making it difficult to remove / flip boards over and access the underside of them (don't know about their amps but it's definitely true of their tape decks).
Yes it's a QC design amp as PNP transistors were very difficult and expensive to make back then but it's quite unusual to see a direct coupled QC amp with a differential input amp stage and split +/- power supply from that time period. TEAC was definitely doing their own thing here, this wasn't just another Roland / Rotel stamped out unit with someone else's name on it.
I noticed the same thing regarding the 2sc458 small signal Q's but they may not be as much of an issue here as they are in Akai gear (Akai had a tendency to run them too close to their design parameter limits). You're right, they did put a little hook on the end of their components when they soldered them onto their boards, I've run across that too in their open reel decks. They were also very conservative with the extra wire length making it difficult to remove / flip boards over and access the underside of them (don't know about their amps but it's definitely true of their tape decks).
Moving Ahead
Well-Known Member
I had another look at the service manual and its printed 71. It also has references to early and later models revisions. So it looks like you are right. They were ahead of the rest in engineering and looks. The Harman Kardon X30 series didn't show up for a few more years yet.
As for the C458 you'll know in a flash if they're noisy. You might find there's nothing wrong with them and leave them be.
I have some repressed memories of that. Grrrrr. Though at hifi engine manual download there is a review and the OP says easy to work on. Not I says me.
I'd be interested to see how many ceramics are in the audio boards. I have a gut feeling the teac engineers knew a thing or two.
As for the C458 you'll know in a flash if they're noisy. You might find there's nothing wrong with them and leave them be.
I have some repressed memories of that. Grrrrr. Though at hifi engine manual download there is a review and the OP says easy to work on. Not I says me.
I'd be interested to see how many ceramics are in the audio boards. I have a gut feeling the teac engineers knew a thing or two.
Beaker478
Member
A definite yes vote from me for early Teac stuff.
I too have a mint AG6500 beast (50WPC) that sounds great after a recap.
Also have AS100 integrated (40WPC)
With matching AT100 tuner. (All recapped)
The AG has the muscles & the AS has the musicality. All very underrated units.
travellersol
Active Member
Just to update: I finally bought it. This unit is very good sounding, and the stated 36w is quite underrated. Need to service and recap it right after purchasing, and, I have asked my tech to modify the lights to be on whenever the power is turned on (the original design only will light up when in the tuner mode). With lights on, the unit looks charming with a 70s glow!
Congrats, nice find worth picking up IMO!
Beaker478
Member
juncers
Reasonably skeptical about everything
juncers
Reasonably skeptical about everything
travellersol
Active Member
Teac AG 3000 in photos. Everything is perfect except losing one knob on the Bass control, might be hard to find a replacement.
