Teac UD-503

Well it's official, I am getting the UD-501; it will be a good start for me.... with the deal I worked out the 503 was a tad out of the range :(.... looks to be similar..., but wish I could have gotten the 503 in the deal... oh well.... looking forward to listening to true DSD....
 
Should be a lot of fun Randy. I am excited for you. Keep us updated.
 
Congratulations, the 501 is a nice looking DAC. I would also be interested in you impressions of the DAC as I am sure you have a lot more experience with digital than I do.
 
Nah, I am a new comer, just getting back into high end audio after a 25+ year absence. I am anxious to try it out.

How is the 503 working out for you? I would have loved to gotten one of those, but the 501 was the deal that came my way.

Trying to figure out the difference in the two units... I like the black knobs and black side panels on the 503, but the silver of both on the 501 is not terrible.

I know the 503 uses the VERITA AK4490 DAC while the 501 uses two BurrBrown 32-bit DACs per channel. The difference in the DACs I could not tell you. Both are dual monaural throughout. It looks like the 503 up samples PCM to DSD while the 501 only up samples PCM to 192 kHz. It also looks like the 503 has added still point feet. Maybe a little better headphone section which does not matter to me because I will listen to headphones through the McIntosh. They both look like great units!

I just found a review on the UD501 by The Absolute Sound... here is his conclusion:
"the TEAC UD-501 is an extremely impressive DAC. It plays every audio file you could conceivably think of, and does so while cocking a rather large snook at companies that insist DSD replay is only possible at great expense. An integrated streamer aside, I can’t think why anyone would want anything more than this. Strongly recommended!"
 
Yes, I read that review as well. It was one of the reasons I decided to go for the Teac instead of stretching for a used Ayon CD-5 which cost 3x as much. I am enjoying my new DAC and find it to be transparent sounding with bass that seems to go deeper than my Oppo BDP-95 Sabre DACs. I tried upsampling redbook cd's and found that I preferred the original 44.1. It just sounded clearer to me for some reason. I haven't played with the filters much, perhaps they would make a difference.

All in all I am pleased with the Teac. It even improves the sound of my Netflix movies that I stream through the Oppo, much better bass and a little more dynamic. I am using a cheap Toslink cable right now which is getting replaced with a used Black Cat Audio Silver Star 75 coax cable when it gets here (I just bought it). Hopefully that will also make an additional improvement.
 
Nice, glad you are liking it.... I think I will go with no up sample also... don't see a reason. From what a I read I think I will like the PCM filter set to slow versus the sharp and on the DSD filtering it sounds like the FIR2 is the best way to go. Trying to decide if I should hook my CD through the Teac or keep it hooked straight to the McIntosh. Thinking I may run it to the Teac and use the Teac as the source selector.

I do have 8 albums (make that 9 now) in true DSD now. I cannot wait to hear them through the new DAC!
 
Just checked, UPS just updated my delivery to tomorrow instead of Friday! Excellent.... I really wanted everything setup before Thanksgivings and it looks like this may happen....

I have done some research. I cannot believe the reviews on these units. Every one of them is excellent and high recommendation. On my system I really don't think I could hear the difference in anything higher than the Teac. One of the reviewers actually said that they could have put the Esoteric name on it and sold it for a ton more. I assume you realize that Teac and Esoteric are the same company. Esoteric is the high end division that was started by Teac years ago. I can't wait to hear the DSD recordings that I have bought.
 
The new DAC is here, the new DAC is here.... and wouldn't you know, as soon as I got it setup I had to run out to an appointment....

Finally figured out how to get true DSD out of the DAC.... it was JRiver, had a setting to stream DSD, after this the display now reads DSD 2.8MHz.... YEHAAA...

Now wife is watching TV (and the loft of course filters down there... so listening through new headphones that arrived today also.... so no reference on how it sounded before the DSD so far; but In will)....
 
Thank you.... got to say... DSD so far is amazing.... hearing more depth, smoothness, richness that I have never heard in digital... sort of reminds me of my old vinyl days... but again this is only through the headphones so far (BTW the Audeze are pretty amazing!)....
 
Good . Randy you are on fire! It's so much fun. Aren't they? :)

Please update with us when you have a chance to hear them with LS50.
 
Yes, please let us know how it sounds with your speakers. I am definitely going to have to try DSD, too. It sounds like your DAC is working well for you. Right on!:congrats:
 
Randy Myers said:
Thank you.... got to say... DSD so far is amazing.... hearing more depth, smoothness, richness that I have never heard in digital... sort of reminds me of my old vinyl days... but again this is only through the headphones so far (BTW the Audeze are pretty amazing!)....
Click to expand...
LoL
Told ya. Dont listen to the biased naysayers. DSD and PCM both can sound great, just different flavours of goodness.

Now, wait till you hear native DSD128 and 256. Lots of samplers for free to try at NativeDSD.com and ifi-audio free sample album.
 
Randy Myers said:
Thank you.... got to say... DSD so far is amazing.... hearing more depth, smoothness, richness that I have never heard in digital... sort of reminds me of my old vinyl days... but again this is only through the headphones so far (BTW the Audeze are pretty amazing!)....
Click to expand...


So happy to see this Randy. Glad you are having fun, that's what it's all about.
 
wisnon said:
LoL
Told ya. Dont listen to the biased naysayers. DSD and PCM both can sound great, just different flavours of goodness.

Now, wait till you hear native DSD128 and 256. Lots of samplers for free to try at NativeDSD.com and ifi-audio free sample album.
Click to expand...

Yes you did... but as I said, I am learning... I am definitely someone who tries to keep an open mind! Been listening through the speakers some.... very nice, very nice indeed.... (after dam power outage last night :) )....
 
The biggest problem is that here is not enough available in DSD. They need to start converting all the SACD albums over.... for example, Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues...

Another problem, I have a couple (only a couple for now) that I purchased in 96kHz or 192kHz that are available in DSD. I would hate to re-buy them again....
 
Albert said:
Yes, please let us know how it sounds with your speakers. I am definitely going to have to try DSD, too. It sounds like your DAC is working well for you. Right on!:congrats:
Click to expand...

Yes you should try DSD. There are some settings to do in JRiver....

These are what I figured out:

tools > options > settings > bitstreaming to DSD
tools > options > audio devices > Output check DSD bitstream to DoP format


These settings seem to work... PCM files play just fine in whatever resolution they are in.
 
I'm in love with DSD sound. Take great music that was recorded well (Stevie Wonder for example), listen in DSD and drink in the joy of the high end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top