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Teac UD-501 - a reference DAC?

graz_lag

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The TEAC is quite expensive and you can get some very good alternatives for a lot less. However there seems to be reasonable discounts around and it appears to be well made.

If bought @ < $500 or @ 450 EUR as mine back in 2015 as second-hand (it can be found @ 350 EUR in today second-hand market), I do not have the feeling it is "quite expensive" considering it's level of performances and quality of assembling.
I was very pleased with it.
Yes, the TEAC brand and associated reputation may add some appealing factors as well, or perhaps also the fact that TEAC Corporation owns the Esoteric range of products.
 

Krunok

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@wadec22 declared he's in the market for a desktop DAC not for "better speakers" ... :)

I'm aware of that. My post was about putting more money to the speakers than into a better DAC. Seems that many folks here are pretty much obsessed with DACs forgetting that even the bad amongst them will produce reasonably good sound and buying a better DAC might not produce hearable results at all. Which is quite opposite with the speakers, with which, if you choose carefully, you can hear any penny invested in them. ;)
 

graz_lag

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I'm aware of that. My post was about putting more money to the speakers than into a better DAC. Seems that many folks here are pretty much obsessed with DACs forgetting that even the bad amongst them will produce reasonably good sound and buying a better DAC might not produce hearable results at all. Which is quite opposite with the speakers, with which, if you choose carefully, you can hear any penny invested in them. ;)

I'm 100% with you on that, however : I do not know what happens to our ears / brain when we sit down listening A/B comparisons of different audio gears.
The background we have down in our more remote corner of our brain abt. how a particular music should sound might play a role.

IMHE, when I bought my PMC Twenty tower loudspeakers, I did the A/B comparisons to select the Blu-ray players or universal player as well as the integrated stereo amplifier.
We were in my room, with the PMC Twenty loudspeakers already well set up for my listening position.
For a session of abt. 4 hrs. we set up and crossed the combinations available with the four pieces of gears the dealer (the same for all four) brought to me.
The PMC speakers and all the powering and interconnect cabling's remained unchanged.

Universal players : Cambridge Audio 851C; Oppo 105
Integrated amplifiers : Harman Kardon HK990; Roksan Kandy K2

We played CDs and SACDs. The universal player' DACs were in charge for the conversion.
The dealer was not influencing me, he would have sell to me either pair of the devices, no external influences on me whatsoever.
The devices were in the same budget, respectively, so the price was not a factor either.
It was not my 1st experiment of A/B direct comparison.
Boy ! The differences were there and well audibles, it was not difficult for me to chose the best combination for my taste !

I am sure that many folks in here, if not all, as you as well, face the same feeling in their A/B comparisons, hence that may explain the particular and insistent attention given to one of the primary sources : our little stand-alone DAC units.
 
OP
wadec22

wadec22

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everyone was very helpful in helping me see some different measurements for the UD-501 and getting good perspective on where it stands amongst other measured DACS here.

I did buy mine 2nd hand and got a pretty good deal on it. I have it up and running today and it is a beautiful unit with great functionality and sound. I do favor it over my topping d50, but not for any sonic details.

I enjoy the size, build quality & aesthetic. I love that it has balanced outs for my THX 789. I like the input selector feel and the way you choose the filters for it.

as a bonus, this older unit drivers play nicer with Windows 10 than my Topping as well.

Given all that, I am still going to move onto something else. I have the Monoprice desktop unit on the way.

If I can't find a suitable buyer for it, I will be more than happy to keep it. It is a great unit and at 102db SINAD - it's lower end tier 2 here but certainly not a slouch. :)

Major thanks to all who help with links to other measurements and interpreting the ones I had found myself. I LOVE this forum and this hobby.
 
OP
wadec22

wadec22

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Oh, and I have speakers I am fine with - I rarely use them. After trying an obscene number of headphones (you can see the list in on this forum), I am more than happy with my Denon AH-D7200 headphones and am done rolling options there for the time being. :)
 

batfunk

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After my disappointing experience with Topping dx7 pro in my system(nc400 power amp+paradigm prestige 85f loudspeakers), I take this opportunity to express how enjoyable is this Teac Ud 501.
It lacks the attention to micro details of the Topping dx7 pro, but it checks all other boxes:
-big, big dynamics
-big, great and controlled bass
-cohesive soundstage(Topping dx7 pro removes all the fat, but also the meat :-( )
-enjoyable and immersive overall sound.
If you like dynamic sound, it will kick your ass!

Of course, it lacks a volume knob(I use pw link pre amp) but it's a great dac.
I recommend to use it with transparent amp and loudspeakers with great highs, which fit well with Ud 501 slight warmth.

Same qualities and minus for the ha-501 headphone amp.

Here a subjective review I agree with:
http://inearspace.com/2014/11/29/teac-ud-501-dsd-dac-review-bringing-down-the-rein/
 

Yasser 06

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After my disappointing experience with Topping dx7 pro in my system(nc400 power amp+paradigm prestige 85f loudspeakers), I take this opportunity to express how enjoyable is this Teac Ud 501.
It lacks the attention to micro details of the Topping dx7 pro, but it checks all other boxes:
-big, big dynamics
-big, great and controlled bass
-cohesive soundstage(Topping dx7 pro removes all the fat, but also the meat :-( )
-enjoyable and immersive overall sound.
If you like dynamic sound, it will kick your ass!

Of course, it lacks a volume knob(I use pw link pre amp) but it's a great dac.
I recommend to use it with transparent amp and loudspeakers with great highs, which fit well with Ud 501 slight warmth.

Same qualities and minus for the ha-501 headphone amp.

Here a subjective review I agree with:
http://inearspace.com/2014/11/29/teac-ud-501-dsd-dac-review-bringing-down-the-rein/


Thanks for the feedback, i m interested in it because it has enought digital in (2coax, 2 opt) and a Burr Brown, I always prefered BB based DAC since i find that they sound more natural.

Would you still advice it in 2021 ?

I read that someone prefered a NAD for better USB transfert and Volume Control i don't get it from the information i have it has varying line out (and well i m sure you can bypass the passive pre-amp and use it as a pure dac too).

So i m confused , what is the volume button if the output is fixed ? for the headphone ?
 

dshreter

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Thanks for the feedback, i m interested in it because it has enought digital in (2coax, 2 opt) and a Burr Brown, I always prefered BB based DAC since i find that they sound more natural.

Would you still advice it in 2021 ?

I read that someone prefered a NAD for better USB transfert and Volume Control i don't get it from the information i have it has varying line out (and well i m sure you can bypass the passive pre-amp and use it as a pure dac too).

So i m confused , what is the volume button if the output is fixed ? for the headphone ?
The volume knob only adjusts headphone level. The RCA and XLR outputs are fixed level
 

Yasser 06

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Too bad they almost got it right ;-)

Most Chinese products are almost 100% non functional ... They measure well, so what ? Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Sergiu Celibidache probably never heard anything with 120 DB SNrR ...

Instead of a crappy multi-function button the Teac as a large input selector as a simpe switch, the volume knob is likely to be analogical with no infinite spin, not remote ? I never find it and find it clumsy ...

And well 2 spdif in 2 coax in .... and a solid 6.5 mn jack for the phone ...

A burr Brown chip, i remember a fantastic High end Iriver DAC with amazing vocal using this very same chip.

A real on/off button, not a funky tactile erzatz.

I will just buy a passive volume controller.
 
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