TEAC NT-503: any opinions?

[Purité Audio]

Everyone should evaluate gear that way.
Keith

 

[Mivera]

Personally I've never had an issue demoing gear the old fashioned way. I've found my clients prefer not being treated like a lab rat.

 

[Opus111]

I just don't see how someone can say that all DACs sound the same.

Actually that one's quite easy to understand - nocebo.

 

[wgscott]

Yes and some gear is better at reproducing it accurately. Show me the specs that manufacturers provide that can allow people to accurately determine if the product is capable of doing this.

Isn't this exactly why we measure relative phase change as a function of frequency?

 

[Mivera]

Isn't this exactly why we measure relative phase change as a function of frequency?

Show an example that can be shown to a layman so they will know exactly how deep and wide the soundstage will be in their system with any given DAC. And while your at it, show me who advertises these specs.

 

[TBone]

I can tell within 5 minutes if I like the sound of a piece of audio gear or not. If it's really close, it might take a bit longer, but I will know what I prefer using my rudimentary means of subjective evaluation.

The 5 minute rule ...
(PG14 ... viewer discretion advised)

 

[wgscott]

Show an example that can be shown to a layman so they will know exactly how deep and wide the soundstage will be in their system with any given DAC. And while your at it, show me who advertises these specs.

No need. Unlike you, I am not trying to sell anything.

 

[Mivera]

No need. Unlike you, I am not trying to sell anything.

Im not selling the Mirand stuff. Nor am I trying to sell anyone on being able to see how something sounds by looking at a datasheet.

 

[AJ Soundfield]

Im not selling the Mirand stuff. Nor am I trying to sell anyone on being able to see how something sounds by looking at a datasheet.

What do imagine caused different soundstage with DACs, when you and clients daydream in front of them?

 

[wgscott]

Imaging is most readily quantified in terms of phase shift (or timing error). Presumably how the room measures (and what kind of room correction software, if any, is employed) is going to be most important. However, with everything else unchanged, the difference in phase shifts between two DACs should be measurable.

 

[Mivera]

Imaging is most readily quantified in terms of phase shift (or timing error). Presumably how the room measures (and what kind of room correction software, if any, is employed) is going to be most important. However, with everything else unchanged, the difference in phase shifts between two DACs should be measurable.

I find most prefer to just listen to them. However if you know of an easy to understand measurement that can provide people with a clearer understanding than listening will provide in their system, please share.

 

[fas42]

Soundstage is created by having more of the low detail captured in the recording clearly presented - if a DAC adds too much "noise" to that detail, then the result is poorer soundstage.

 

[Mivera]

Soundstage is created by having more of the low detail captured in the recording clearly presented - if a DAC adds too much "noise" to that detail, then the result is poorer soundstage.

Yes that's very true. But the soundstage was created on purpose using recording/mixing techniques at the studio. Exactly how wide and deep the original studio engineer wanted it to be is hard to say. So it's really up to the end listener to choose what he prefers.

Noisy tube DAC's like the Lampizator's are said to have a deep and wide soundstage, so there's more to it than just low noise levels.

 

[AJ Soundfield]

Imaging is most readily quantified in terms of phase shift (or timing error). Presumably how the room measures (and what kind of room correction software, if any, is employed) is going to be most important. However, with everything else unchanged, the difference in phase shifts between two DACs should be measurable.

Yes, exactly. Being a science forum, one would hope we would see believers putting forth some sort of correlated evidence for these spatial differences in DACs, which as you say, would have to be time/intensity differences in the soundfield. Of course, if it's not in the soundfield, then it must be originating from somewhere else.
Of course, to stereo worshiping audiophiles, stereophonic spatial rendering is a great mystery. No one knows how it works or how to measure it. Alan Blumlein who??

cheers,

AJ

 

[TBone]

This appears to be like the UD-503 (which is an improvement on the UD 501). The difference appears that it has ethernet in rather than analog in, and bluetooth in, and no dual balanced headphone jacks. I was paying serious attention to the UD-503, but I don't need the headphone or analogue in, so maybe network capabilities would give it the edge?

(It would replace an old Peachtree Nova DAC and Pre stage, FWIW). Looks like $999.

http://www.teac.com/product/nt-503/

Opinions?

fwtiw ...

my experience is based only on the 501, a model I've been interested in for some time, but never triggered. Long time closet-fan of Teac gear. That said, the system in which it played did sound a touch too "constrained" for me, and what I mean by "that" is tonality shifted and got brighter/sharper during more dynamic peaks/passages. Who knows, within that loopy chain, what may have caused my discomfort. I know some long time users who praise the unit. So, I'd still very much consider a home/weekend audition ...

 

[fas42]

Yes that's very true. But the soundstage was created on purpose using recording/mixing techniques at the studio. Exactly how wide and deep the original studio engineer wanted it to be is hard to say. So it's really up to the end listener to choose what he prefers.

Noisy tube DAC's like the Lampizator's are said to have a deep and wide soundstage, so there's more to it than just low noise levels.

Depends on the type of noise. I've heard Lamizators twice now, once with poor combo of amp and speakers, very tiny (not tinny) sound; the other nailed it when fed from a competent digital source.

How deep it is, is in the recording - some New Wave 80's rock/pop has incredibly huge soundstages, which is why it often sounds rather off on many systems. Only a fully "clean" setup reveals the massive size that was engineered in, they blow the top of your house off in fact ...

 

[Blumlein 88]

Bingo. "Accuracy" lol. They are quite imaginative.
And most likely wouldn't have the slightest clue who the great engineer Alan Blumlein was.

I know who Alan Blumlein was .

 

[wgscott]

I decided to order one. We shall see.

 

[Mivera]

I decided to order one. We shall see.

Was it Marty's comparison results with the Gustard that convinced you?

 

[AJ Soundfield]

I decided to order one. We shall see.

I can tell you 8376 ways to "mod" it a make it sound "better".
Don't ask me how in physically measurable terms, but I take cash or credit.