Интегральные усилители — TEAC AI-303

The AI-303 is a micro-size integrated amplifier from TEAC with a built-in DAC, aimed at smaller rooms and minimalist setups. Its 215 x 61 x 257 mm metal chassis weighs 2.3 kg, and TEAC USA prices it at USD 799.99. Beyond analog sources it takes USB, coaxial, optical, HDMI and Bluetooth input, which lets several digital sources feed the same amplifier.

Key specs that matter

Rated output is 25 W per channel into 8 ohm and 50 W per channel into 4 ohm (1 kHz, 0.03% THD, JEITA), and speakers from 4 to 8 ohm are supported. Frequency response reaches from 2 Hz to 70 kHz (-5 dB), distortion is 0.004% at 1 kHz and 6.25 W into 4 ohm, rising to 0.008% across 20 Hz to 20 kHz, while TEAC quotes 100 dB S/N. Two RCA line inputs have 10 kohm impedance. Power consumption is 63 W, and the unit accepts AC 100 to 240 V at 50 or 60 Hz, so one version serves every mains standard. The speaker outputs are a single pair.

Engineering and use context

TEAC fits a Class-D amplifier module from Ncore fine-tuned by TEAC engineers. Conversion uses an ESS Saber 32-bit DAC. The USB Type-C port is USB 2.0 compliant and plays PCM up to 384 kHz and 32 bit and DSD up to 11.2 MHz natively, and coaxial or optical sources are limited to PCM of 192 kHz and 24 bit plus DSD 2.8 MHz via DoP. TEAC states that a full MQA decoder is built in. The HDMI Type-A port supports ARC and eARC at 192 kHz and 24 bit PCM, so the amplifier can be controlled through the TV remote. Wireless reception uses Bluetooth 4.2 with the SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LHDC and LDAC codecs, and the receiver stores up to 8 paired devices and connects two at once within a range of about 10 m. For headphones there is a dedicated amplifier on a 3.5 mm 4-pole balanced mini jack wired tip L+, rings R+ and L-, sleeve R-, and rated at 220 mW per channel into 32 ohm with 0.006% THD at 50 mW, together with a crossfeed knob that blends the channels between stereo and mono. Speaker terminals are screw type and take banana plugs, and the box comes with the RC-1337 remote, two AAA batteries and a power cord. TEAC chose a full metal housing instead of plastic parts to keep resonance low.

Pairing

Record players, CD players and tape decks connect through the line inputs, and TEAC mentions linking a TV with Klipsch in-wall speakers or a sound bar through the HDMI connection.

Alternatives

TEAC's AX-505 is the larger integrated model, which uses a Hypex Ncore power module and adds XLR balanced inputs.