TEAC UD-505 Desktop Dual monaural USB DAC/headphone amplifier
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Teac UD-505 ($1699): This isn’t your Dad’s reel-to-reel.
Teac UD-505
TTVJ Teac Link
Intro: As the title states, this isn’t your Father’s Teac. At one time Teac was the reel-to-reel player to have. There might have been others that cost more, or maybe sounded slightly better, but the Teac brand literally brought reel-to-reel players into the affordable range for audiophiles of yore. My best friend’s father had one and playing it through some custom GSL speakers made in Kansas City; the sound was phenomenal. He of course also had a Linn Sondek LP12, which was phenomenal as well. Imagine being a teenage kid having access to the best audio players of the time (within reasonable price), given free rein to play the music at hand. We spent many a night spinning discs and reels as a result. He is the reason I have a Linn Sondek Axis turntable and still use it, although not as much as I should.
Fast forward to the portable age (reborn) and Teac saw what could be again. Providing the tie between home audio and portable with the sound of home audio, the UD-505 (and its predecessors) espouse to give you that listening room flavor within the privacy of your ears. I did achieve markedly different results depending upon the input connection I had, and headphones, but all came across as clean and detailed. Combined with a vibrant tonality, the memories of yore came washing across again, and life was grand.
The Teac is a tour I jumped on late. I was hoping Todd would add me, and he did. I am forever grateful for the services he provides the community by lending us wares many of us would not have the chance to hear. Of course, I have also repaid in kind, purchasing some of my finest gear from Todd. This is another fine offering from TTVJ and Teac.
The unit spent the better part of 8.5 days with me, and I accumulated approximately 25-30 hours of listening, due to other obligations. I did have two long listening sessions, which entailed about 4-5.5hrs each so I can confidently state I used the Teac as intended.
I again thank Todd for the opportunity to try a fairly unique product, and enjoy it as well.
Specs:
Gear used/compared:
iFi Pro iDSD
Yulong DA-Art ii
Cayin N6ii mk2
Shanling M6 Pro
XDuoo x10t ii
ZMF Eikon (xlr to 4.4bal adapter)
Audeze LCD3 (xlr to 4.4bal adapter)
Kennerton Magni (4.4bal)
Empire Ears Odin (DDHIFi 2.5bal to 4.4bal adapter)
Songlist:
twenty one pilots: Trench, Regional At Best
Alex Fox: Guitar On Fire, To The Gypsies
Roger Daltry
Dave Matthews
Jeff Beck
Tidal MQA
Unboxing:
As you would expect from a home audio component, the Teac came is a well-protected box, replete with foam inserts to keep it suspended. Typical fare and that’s that. I will also copy over from the requisites the necessities of the “talents” the Teac has, as they can provide as good a basis of a read as I can.
Technicals:
From the website:
“The UD-505 employs the latest VERITA AK4497 (developed by Asahi Kasei Microdevices) on each of the left and right channels. It is a highly regarded high-end audio DAC and supports DSD512 (22.5MHz) and 768kHz/32-bit PCM formats, achieving industry-leading ultra-low distortion levels. OSRD (Over-sampling Ratio Doubler) technology, meanwhile, significantly reduces out-of-band noise. As a result, the UD-505 has the refinement necessary to make the most of Hi-Res formats, successfully processing information that lies outside the audible range.”
Use of the TOTL DAC chip is nothing new but appreciated since it can be counted on in this device. With no need to chance something new, tried and true is the way of careful business here.
Using a dual monaural circuit configuration throughout, from the power supply (including power transformers), to the D/A converters in the digital section and the analogue output stage allows the voltages to be kept separate. As a result, no outside interference or bleed from the power to the audio circuitry. Many tube amps use discrete power running as well, due to the high current sent through, which has to be controlled. Woo Audio and XDuoo with their wonderful tube amps do this, which keep noise interference to a minimum. Teac calls this Teac-HCLD:
“At the heart of analogue section are TEAC-HCLD (High Current Line Driver) buffer amp circuits, designed to enhance current supply. Each channel employs two identical buffer amps that process differential drive for balanced output, and parallel drive for unbalanced output. By increasing the current supply to the buffer amp section, the analogue audio signal is passed to the next step without any loss of dynamism.”
Simply put, isolating input voltage from output voltage is a good thing and helps to promote an absolutely black background.
With the ability to run as a fully balanced amp (in and out), the possibilities for source use and operation expand even further. Throw in that this is also a darn good pre-amp, with XLR connectivity and you could easily insert this into not only your desktop setting but home/office stereo as well.
“The UD-505’s headphone amplifier circuit provides balanced-drive by using the TEAC-HCLD circuit, – comprised of four output transistors for each left and right channel – for headphone output. Furthermore, by driving these transistors in parallel when a single-ended headphone is connected, the UD-505 delivers stronger driving power than most ordinary single-ended headphone amps provide.”
Many sources utilize something such as this as well. You could call this the “false sense of power,” but it really does provide a nice powerful response. By “false” I mean, it mimics the sense of balanced in a single end mode of operation. Again, not new technology or innovative, but much appreciated that all of this mingles together in one place. I currently have three sources hooked into the unit all at once and can easily switch using the dials or the very nice included remote. Should DSD float my boat, I run my XDuoo x10t ii. Want Tidal MQA? Hook up to my MBP. It just works across many platforms and throw in BT without fuss and you have another hook up, which is painless in presentation.
There is much, MUCH more I could write, but I suggest you peruse the manufacturers webpage or the one on TTVJ for a more detailed look. I did enjoy reading about it, as an almost hearkening back to the old days and my Stereo Review or Audio rags.
Build/Fit:
I keep this separate because functionality deserves its own section here for the features are impressive.
Coming in either black or silver, the Teac looks functional and a bit old school to me, which isn’t bad. You even get the old “rack handles” for whence you used to have a rack of audio gear. I find this a refreshing look to others more “organic” shapes, especially with the ability to move the unit by the handle.
The unit does sit on a tripod of wide feet though, and I found myself tilting it accidentally more than once when doing something around it or on top of it. The top makes for a perfect “storage area” of gear and other smaller amps/DAC’s as well. Currently the excellent iFi Zen CAN sits atop right now, looking spunky and in nice contrast. Size is about what you would expect a desktop unit to be, with it only being a bit taller than expected. The iFi Pro iDSD would fit perfectly on top of it, making for two very worthy options. Of decent heft as well, the Teac is solidly built and put together just like you think it should be.
Functionality:
The front is dominated by the volume wheel on the right, and a small OLED display slightly left of that. Directly below the display are the 4.4bal and dual (L/R) 6.35mm bal headphone jacks. Spaced nicely, I do not have a cable, which split into L/R 6.35 jacks. No bother, as I have plenty of 4.4bal, and Will sent along his XLR female to 4.4bal jack; which currently drives my Eikon’s nicely.
To the left of the display is a menu button to access the items you can change from filter to brightness as well as other functions. To be honest though, I used the remote 95% of the time, since the unit may be left on “standby” with the main toggle switch left on. A rotating knob is to the left, which controls the input, but again...
Just to the right of the on/off toggle you have a clock button and another Opt/Coax in, which makes easy access to your portable sources that have the ability to run optical. As stated earlier many units have the cross-connectivity options that the Teac does, but these are laid out logically and with the thought of ease in use. I would finish this by saying I wish the lettering surrounding the front items were a brighter white as they fade almost completely away in less than optimal light. Again, the remote takes care of this as it is silver with black lettering and easier to see on these tired old eyes.
On the back you have the connectivity options, which are numerous. You can run XLR/balanced as well as RCA-analog LO on the left, which is also where the RCA in connections are. Laid out functionally and with the thought that these will be your stouter cables, so kept away from the more “fragile” connections such as digital/coax/USB. To access the dual on-board clocks for 44.1kHz and 48kHz frequencies, there is a 10MHz external clock input, “over with the digital inputs as well.
The Teac promotes itself as thoroughly competent in connectivity and functionality and to me it does not disappoint. Throw is Bluetooth as well and you can easily hook your Smartphone or DAP for quick access to your Tidal or Spotify lists.
As expected, a good DAC/amp should come with filter options as well. The Teac does not disappoint.
PCM digital filters
Sharp Roll Off: FIR filter with a steep roll-off that sharply cuts signals outside the audio band
Slow Roll Off: FIR filter with a slow roll-off that gently cuts signals outside the audio band
Short Delay - Sharp: Short delay filter with a steep roll-off that sharply cuts signals outside the audio band
Short Delay - Slow: Short delay filter with a slow roll-off that gently cuts signals outside the audio band
Low Dispersion: Short delay filter with low dispersion that cuts signals outside the audio band.
Off
Many more versed than I can discern the discrete differences from the above. I shall leave it at that. Suffice to say that even I can hear some of the differences.
Sound:
In talking with another reviewer, we agreed that the Teac provides an excellent cleanliness to it that promotes a solidly near-neutral sound. I hate to call this reference, for what is one person’s reference is another’s anathema. And of course, vice versa. So, calling the Teac neutral is not an insult but rather that it does not color your sound.
I personally find it refreshingly clean in some manners and connectivity, and slightly dull or colored in others. Running the same songs over the same headphones but different connectivity, I get two different sounds. Running optical from the back, the XDuoo X10T ii and the Eikon’s with an LQi XLR balanced cable sound refreshingly clean. There is a definite lilt to the song, without being antiseptic or flat. I even get a bit of holography from Alex Fox’s Just Grace. Very pleasant and uncluttered. Crisp in detail retrieval, and a clarity worthy of the UD-5xx history, the UD-505 promotes a listening pleasure where you can’t help but reach for the up-volume button.
Switching to the excellent Kennerton Magni running a DHC Double Helix 4.4bal cable, I get the same responses as the Eikon, with a bit more vibrancy. Bass is excellent as well, but it sounds a bit thinner to me. Crispness is as good as it gets here, and I am thoroughly impressed by the quad assortment of listening accoutrements I have at my disposal in one string. Vocals come across as a bit cleaner than the Eikon, but this isn’t about the two of them, but the sound, which is provided by the Teac. And while that cleanliness could be construed as clinical or antiseptic, I would concur that by changing your listening device or source, you can alleviate that thinner quality of note.
The Xduoo is one of my all-time favorite transport sources that sounds as clean as pretty much any I have heard. As a result, I can count on it to provide me the necessities of deciphering the discrepancies of the unit at hand. In this case the Teac is allowed to play nicely with the other toys to see how well it works.
Moving to the RCA line-in and the Cayin N6ii mk2, I first used the same songs as on the Xduoo. Using the excellent E01 motherboard and set on LO, I did have to increase the volume about 4 notches above the Xduoo. But what became immediately apparent was the better bass quality wrought from the Cayin. Running on Class-A, the Cayin simply sang with a vibrant, rich tonality, which the Teac “allowed” to shine through. Switching back to the Eikon’s the sound is a bit flatter, but I put this down to the tuning. Distinct notes are heard and separated easily. One can clearly make out Alex Fox’s strums and picks either way.
If I had to define the UD-505’s soundstage & layering is would have to be again competent and source/headphone dependent. Other have spoken on being able to discern and define in minute detail how those functions come across in a quality DAC/amp; but I would suggest this be taken with a grain as what you listen with has as much of an effect as what quality map goes through it. That said, yes you can discern between DAP’s, much as I have here, but the actual DAC/amp involved has allowed me to discern those differences. To me, not the actual unit; the Teac. I consider that a quality option when dealing with a desktop DAC/amp. There are times for clean, crisp, clear and transparent desktop unit. There are also times for colored ones.
The Teac does not offend me in any one category, but again I have a hard time discerning the actual influence of some “categories” here, which in my opinion means it is doing its job behind the scene without fuss.
Comparisons:
Teac UD-505 ($1699) v iFi Pro iDSD ($2299):
iFi is known for their versatility in operation and options. I chose the iDSD as my TOTL DAC/amp for it fit my bill since it is a tube-amp and has a fantastic DAC inside as well. Throw in input and output options galore, and what is not to like. I will admit I run it on full tube-SET about 95% of the time. Usually the only time I do not is in comparisons such as this. And yes, I obliged.
I love the functions provided by the iFi from the gain switch to the ability to run full solid state to a combination of tube/solid state to full-on tube mode. iFi seems to promote things ahead of the curve, and for that it is still a top competitor today. Plus, who doesn’t love a tube amp?
The major difference in sound comes from that tube sound, which promotes a warmer, richer sound. The Teac simply cannot come close to the warmth emoting from the iFi. And that is all right for it isn’t meant to be that way. Picking on the details of each, both are good, but the Teac presents a better detail retrieval with regard to an airier presentation. The iFi is still quite good, but since it is on the darker side, I perceive that there is a bit less air between the notes.
From my conclusion, “...What started as an audition, turned into a purchase. And as such, I became quite lazy. I preferred listening, instead of writing. And due to Lawrance’s infinite patience, I could be lazy and wait. He politely emailed me again, which was the nudge I needed. I sit here pecking on my keyboard listening to twenty one pilots through my Legend X and the fabulous XDuoo x10t ii/iFi Pro iDSD combination. I have better DAP’s, but to me the XDuoo is about as pure as it gets. And as such, I can customize the sound at my beck and call through the iDSD. This is as good as it gets. Sound-wise, the Apex Pinnacle 2 is better (as it should be for $12k), but with infinite more options for tuning, the Pro iDSD is my choice for well over 60% of my listening. I will fiddle with the filters on a sing by song basis sometimes but leaving it to one setting is as much fun as the other.
And here is where the true benefit comes in, the ability to filter as I chose, the ability to source as I chose, and the ability to tube as I chose. That to me is what sold me on purchasing the Pro. And I do not regret it at all. This is still a fantastic unit (with 4.4bal option now), and truly one, which will stay in my rotation for a good long time. It is the basis of my comparisons, as it should be. And that gives me the kind of joy I have right now finalizing this. The sound is sublime, and all is good. Enough said.”
Both are extremely versatile so this would come down to either the cost or preferred sound signature. Plus you will notice that the X10Tii made it into this review as well...I purchased the iFi, and I do not regret it in the least, nor want for more (save the aforementioned Apex Pinnacle II, of course...).
Teac UD-505 ($1699) v Yulong DA-Art Aquila ii ($700):
A “budget” entry into the DAC/amp market, the Aquila comes on the heels of its predecessors as well. Known for excellent sound out of the DAC section, the Aquila does not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the unit, plus it has a stylish look that lends itself to enhancing its location upon your desk or credenza. Sound-wise, the Aquila is about as neutral as it gets to me, and from my finale, “But, and here it comes, there are others that can do all of the above for near the same price. You can get similar performance from other manufacturers and get similar performance from manufacturers who’s wares cost 2x more as well. And this is where it also gets interesting. We are faced with a plethora of listening devices and why not a plethora of amplification devices as well? The Yulong fills into a niche of mid-fi quite nicely and performs admirably against the competition. You get fully balanced. You get two options in which to listen with both being balanced as well. You get a powerful semi-tunable DAC/amp that can function easily in most systems, without fuss. While not necessarily presenting as much character as some (such as the XDuoo TA-30 mentioned above), you get a thoroughly competent, clean sound that provides you with options in which to listen.
I cannot find too many faults in the Yulong save that it presents a near-neutral sound. Mind you, that is not a fault to many, and you can tailor that a bit with the ASRC/sync options, but is it up to the DAC/amp to flavor your sound too much? To give you that luscious deep-richness you crave? Or is its job to provide the listening platform that carries the sound across cleanly to your listening devices? Those hard to drive headphones will not suffer from that lack of “character” the Aquila II may have. In fact, it may benefit allowing you to really focus on the headphone listening pleasure instead. The Yulong DA-Art Aquila II just gets out of the way allowing the listener to experience the music and the headphone you are using. And sometimes isn’t that the point?”
Finale:
So there you have it. Another review from this old hard of hearing gent. One where I ramble on and do not really provide you with definitive answers as to whether you should purchase the review unit. Lately, I have shied away from actually coming out and saying, “GO BUY THIS!” Because, it really should be your choice, and your alone. I can tell you what I like and what I do not like, which can help but short of listening you are pressed to read the reviews. And here, I can tell you that if you value detail, clarity and a good air of note between then the Teac might just be a good fit for you. While some might balk at the cost, others may just say that this is an excellent value for it can run in my home system (as a pre-amp) and desktop, easily hooking up my portable DAP from the commute as well. That “value” of services cannot be underestimated, nor should it be overlooked. The proverbial “you get what you pay for” rings true often enough that one should be wary of spending too much. But at what cost you draw the line between functionality, cost-effectiveness and longevity is decided by your goals and pocketbook. And for that, the Teac might just be that excellent value if you can live with a near-neutral sound, which can be tailored by the source, with plenty to play with as well. I do like the Teac, and think that is should be given a listen (as I recommend often...) if you like an open, airy sound, which does not offend in any direction. It just might fit your bill. If on the other hand you prefer a bit of coloration or personality, this may not fit the bill unless you are happy with your DAP’s of choice, which can fill in the rich, warmth you desire.
I again thank Todd and TTVJ for a fabulous opportunity to hear a ware of his offering. The Teac UD-505 was a treat, and with the price drop, might give certain people an itch to add this to their arsenal.
Teac UD-505
TTVJ Teac Link
Intro: As the title states, this isn’t your Father’s Teac. At one time Teac was the reel-to-reel player to have. There might have been others that cost more, or maybe sounded slightly better, but the Teac brand literally brought reel-to-reel players into the affordable range for audiophiles of yore. My best friend’s father had one and playing it through some custom GSL speakers made in Kansas City; the sound was phenomenal. He of course also had a Linn Sondek LP12, which was phenomenal as well. Imagine being a teenage kid having access to the best audio players of the time (within reasonable price), given free rein to play the music at hand. We spent many a night spinning discs and reels as a result. He is the reason I have a Linn Sondek Axis turntable and still use it, although not as much as I should.
Fast forward to the portable age (reborn) and Teac saw what could be again. Providing the tie between home audio and portable with the sound of home audio, the UD-505 (and its predecessors) espouse to give you that listening room flavor within the privacy of your ears. I did achieve markedly different results depending upon the input connection I had, and headphones, but all came across as clean and detailed. Combined with a vibrant tonality, the memories of yore came washing across again, and life was grand.
The Teac is a tour I jumped on late. I was hoping Todd would add me, and he did. I am forever grateful for the services he provides the community by lending us wares many of us would not have the chance to hear. Of course, I have also repaid in kind, purchasing some of my finest gear from Todd. This is another fine offering from TTVJ and Teac.
The unit spent the better part of 8.5 days with me, and I accumulated approximately 25-30 hours of listening, due to other obligations. I did have two long listening sessions, which entailed about 4-5.5hrs each so I can confidently state I used the Teac as intended.
I again thank Todd for the opportunity to try a fairly unique product, and enjoy it as well.
Specs:
- Hi-Res audio playback supporting DSD512 (22.6MHz) and PCM 768kHz/32-bit PCM
- Dual monaural circuit design with a high-end AKM VERITA AK4497 DAC on each left and right channel
- 5 types of PCM digital filters and 2 types of DSD digital filters
- Up-conversion up to 24.5MHz DSD and 384kHz/32-bit PCM
- Dual on-board clocks for 44.1kHz and 48kHz frequencies, and 10MHz external clock input
- Bluetooth® receiver supporting LDAC™ and Qualcomm® aptX™ HD
- TEAC-HCLD output buffer circuit and TEAC-QVCS volume control for high quality sound
- Dual toroidal-core power transformers
- Digital Isolator for separated digital and analogue sections
- 4.4mm 5-polar Pentaconn jack and dual 1/4” TRS jacks for balanced and active-ground drives*1
- TEAC’s patent-registered pin-point feet in three positions for the perfect installation*2
- Bulk Pet USB transferring technology with four transfer modes for various sound characters*3
- USB audio port for Hi-Res audio input from Windows/Mac
- Coaxial and optical digital inputs on both front and back
- Convenient analogue LINE input to use the UD-505 as a pre-amplifier
- Analogue outputs with balanced XLR and conventional unbalanced RCA outputs
- High-contrast full-graphic organic EL display with dimmer
- Full-metal body with an A4-sized footprint
- Free TEAC HR Audio Player for DSD512 and PCM32/768 playback
- Compliant with RoHS
Gear used/compared:
iFi Pro iDSD
Yulong DA-Art ii
Cayin N6ii mk2
Shanling M6 Pro
XDuoo x10t ii
ZMF Eikon (xlr to 4.4bal adapter)
Audeze LCD3 (xlr to 4.4bal adapter)
Kennerton Magni (4.4bal)
Empire Ears Odin (DDHIFi 2.5bal to 4.4bal adapter)
Songlist:
twenty one pilots: Trench, Regional At Best
Alex Fox: Guitar On Fire, To The Gypsies
Roger Daltry
Dave Matthews
Jeff Beck
Tidal MQA
Unboxing:
As you would expect from a home audio component, the Teac came is a well-protected box, replete with foam inserts to keep it suspended. Typical fare and that’s that. I will also copy over from the requisites the necessities of the “talents” the Teac has, as they can provide as good a basis of a read as I can.
Technicals:
From the website:
“The UD-505 employs the latest VERITA AK4497 (developed by Asahi Kasei Microdevices) on each of the left and right channels. It is a highly regarded high-end audio DAC and supports DSD512 (22.5MHz) and 768kHz/32-bit PCM formats, achieving industry-leading ultra-low distortion levels. OSRD (Over-sampling Ratio Doubler) technology, meanwhile, significantly reduces out-of-band noise. As a result, the UD-505 has the refinement necessary to make the most of Hi-Res formats, successfully processing information that lies outside the audible range.”
Use of the TOTL DAC chip is nothing new but appreciated since it can be counted on in this device. With no need to chance something new, tried and true is the way of careful business here.
Using a dual monaural circuit configuration throughout, from the power supply (including power transformers), to the D/A converters in the digital section and the analogue output stage allows the voltages to be kept separate. As a result, no outside interference or bleed from the power to the audio circuitry. Many tube amps use discrete power running as well, due to the high current sent through, which has to be controlled. Woo Audio and XDuoo with their wonderful tube amps do this, which keep noise interference to a minimum. Teac calls this Teac-HCLD:
“At the heart of analogue section are TEAC-HCLD (High Current Line Driver) buffer amp circuits, designed to enhance current supply. Each channel employs two identical buffer amps that process differential drive for balanced output, and parallel drive for unbalanced output. By increasing the current supply to the buffer amp section, the analogue audio signal is passed to the next step without any loss of dynamism.”
Simply put, isolating input voltage from output voltage is a good thing and helps to promote an absolutely black background.
With the ability to run as a fully balanced amp (in and out), the possibilities for source use and operation expand even further. Throw in that this is also a darn good pre-amp, with XLR connectivity and you could easily insert this into not only your desktop setting but home/office stereo as well.
“The UD-505’s headphone amplifier circuit provides balanced-drive by using the TEAC-HCLD circuit, – comprised of four output transistors for each left and right channel – for headphone output. Furthermore, by driving these transistors in parallel when a single-ended headphone is connected, the UD-505 delivers stronger driving power than most ordinary single-ended headphone amps provide.”
Many sources utilize something such as this as well. You could call this the “false sense of power,” but it really does provide a nice powerful response. By “false” I mean, it mimics the sense of balanced in a single end mode of operation. Again, not new technology or innovative, but much appreciated that all of this mingles together in one place. I currently have three sources hooked into the unit all at once and can easily switch using the dials or the very nice included remote. Should DSD float my boat, I run my XDuoo x10t ii. Want Tidal MQA? Hook up to my MBP. It just works across many platforms and throw in BT without fuss and you have another hook up, which is painless in presentation.
There is much, MUCH more I could write, but I suggest you peruse the manufacturers webpage or the one on TTVJ for a more detailed look. I did enjoy reading about it, as an almost hearkening back to the old days and my Stereo Review or Audio rags.
Build/Fit:
I keep this separate because functionality deserves its own section here for the features are impressive.
Coming in either black or silver, the Teac looks functional and a bit old school to me, which isn’t bad. You even get the old “rack handles” for whence you used to have a rack of audio gear. I find this a refreshing look to others more “organic” shapes, especially with the ability to move the unit by the handle.
The unit does sit on a tripod of wide feet though, and I found myself tilting it accidentally more than once when doing something around it or on top of it. The top makes for a perfect “storage area” of gear and other smaller amps/DAC’s as well. Currently the excellent iFi Zen CAN sits atop right now, looking spunky and in nice contrast. Size is about what you would expect a desktop unit to be, with it only being a bit taller than expected. The iFi Pro iDSD would fit perfectly on top of it, making for two very worthy options. Of decent heft as well, the Teac is solidly built and put together just like you think it should be.
Functionality:
The front is dominated by the volume wheel on the right, and a small OLED display slightly left of that. Directly below the display are the 4.4bal and dual (L/R) 6.35mm bal headphone jacks. Spaced nicely, I do not have a cable, which split into L/R 6.35 jacks. No bother, as I have plenty of 4.4bal, and Will sent along his XLR female to 4.4bal jack; which currently drives my Eikon’s nicely.
To the left of the display is a menu button to access the items you can change from filter to brightness as well as other functions. To be honest though, I used the remote 95% of the time, since the unit may be left on “standby” with the main toggle switch left on. A rotating knob is to the left, which controls the input, but again...
Just to the right of the on/off toggle you have a clock button and another Opt/Coax in, which makes easy access to your portable sources that have the ability to run optical. As stated earlier many units have the cross-connectivity options that the Teac does, but these are laid out logically and with the thought of ease in use. I would finish this by saying I wish the lettering surrounding the front items were a brighter white as they fade almost completely away in less than optimal light. Again, the remote takes care of this as it is silver with black lettering and easier to see on these tired old eyes.
On the back you have the connectivity options, which are numerous. You can run XLR/balanced as well as RCA-analog LO on the left, which is also where the RCA in connections are. Laid out functionally and with the thought that these will be your stouter cables, so kept away from the more “fragile” connections such as digital/coax/USB. To access the dual on-board clocks for 44.1kHz and 48kHz frequencies, there is a 10MHz external clock input, “over with the digital inputs as well.
The Teac promotes itself as thoroughly competent in connectivity and functionality and to me it does not disappoint. Throw is Bluetooth as well and you can easily hook your Smartphone or DAP for quick access to your Tidal or Spotify lists.
As expected, a good DAC/amp should come with filter options as well. The Teac does not disappoint.
PCM digital filters
Sharp Roll Off: FIR filter with a steep roll-off that sharply cuts signals outside the audio band
Slow Roll Off: FIR filter with a slow roll-off that gently cuts signals outside the audio band
Short Delay - Sharp: Short delay filter with a steep roll-off that sharply cuts signals outside the audio band
Short Delay - Slow: Short delay filter with a slow roll-off that gently cuts signals outside the audio band
Low Dispersion: Short delay filter with low dispersion that cuts signals outside the audio band.
Off
Many more versed than I can discern the discrete differences from the above. I shall leave it at that. Suffice to say that even I can hear some of the differences.
Sound:
In talking with another reviewer, we agreed that the Teac provides an excellent cleanliness to it that promotes a solidly near-neutral sound. I hate to call this reference, for what is one person’s reference is another’s anathema. And of course, vice versa. So, calling the Teac neutral is not an insult but rather that it does not color your sound.
I personally find it refreshingly clean in some manners and connectivity, and slightly dull or colored in others. Running the same songs over the same headphones but different connectivity, I get two different sounds. Running optical from the back, the XDuoo X10T ii and the Eikon’s with an LQi XLR balanced cable sound refreshingly clean. There is a definite lilt to the song, without being antiseptic or flat. I even get a bit of holography from Alex Fox’s Just Grace. Very pleasant and uncluttered. Crisp in detail retrieval, and a clarity worthy of the UD-5xx history, the UD-505 promotes a listening pleasure where you can’t help but reach for the up-volume button.
Switching to the excellent Kennerton Magni running a DHC Double Helix 4.4bal cable, I get the same responses as the Eikon, with a bit more vibrancy. Bass is excellent as well, but it sounds a bit thinner to me. Crispness is as good as it gets here, and I am thoroughly impressed by the quad assortment of listening accoutrements I have at my disposal in one string. Vocals come across as a bit cleaner than the Eikon, but this isn’t about the two of them, but the sound, which is provided by the Teac. And while that cleanliness could be construed as clinical or antiseptic, I would concur that by changing your listening device or source, you can alleviate that thinner quality of note.
The Xduoo is one of my all-time favorite transport sources that sounds as clean as pretty much any I have heard. As a result, I can count on it to provide me the necessities of deciphering the discrepancies of the unit at hand. In this case the Teac is allowed to play nicely with the other toys to see how well it works.
Moving to the RCA line-in and the Cayin N6ii mk2, I first used the same songs as on the Xduoo. Using the excellent E01 motherboard and set on LO, I did have to increase the volume about 4 notches above the Xduoo. But what became immediately apparent was the better bass quality wrought from the Cayin. Running on Class-A, the Cayin simply sang with a vibrant, rich tonality, which the Teac “allowed” to shine through. Switching back to the Eikon’s the sound is a bit flatter, but I put this down to the tuning. Distinct notes are heard and separated easily. One can clearly make out Alex Fox’s strums and picks either way.
If I had to define the UD-505’s soundstage & layering is would have to be again competent and source/headphone dependent. Other have spoken on being able to discern and define in minute detail how those functions come across in a quality DAC/amp; but I would suggest this be taken with a grain as what you listen with has as much of an effect as what quality map goes through it. That said, yes you can discern between DAP’s, much as I have here, but the actual DAC/amp involved has allowed me to discern those differences. To me, not the actual unit; the Teac. I consider that a quality option when dealing with a desktop DAC/amp. There are times for clean, crisp, clear and transparent desktop unit. There are also times for colored ones.
The Teac does not offend me in any one category, but again I have a hard time discerning the actual influence of some “categories” here, which in my opinion means it is doing its job behind the scene without fuss.
Comparisons:
Teac UD-505 ($1699) v iFi Pro iDSD ($2299):
iFi is known for their versatility in operation and options. I chose the iDSD as my TOTL DAC/amp for it fit my bill since it is a tube-amp and has a fantastic DAC inside as well. Throw in input and output options galore, and what is not to like. I will admit I run it on full tube-SET about 95% of the time. Usually the only time I do not is in comparisons such as this. And yes, I obliged.
I love the functions provided by the iFi from the gain switch to the ability to run full solid state to a combination of tube/solid state to full-on tube mode. iFi seems to promote things ahead of the curve, and for that it is still a top competitor today. Plus, who doesn’t love a tube amp?
The major difference in sound comes from that tube sound, which promotes a warmer, richer sound. The Teac simply cannot come close to the warmth emoting from the iFi. And that is all right for it isn’t meant to be that way. Picking on the details of each, both are good, but the Teac presents a better detail retrieval with regard to an airier presentation. The iFi is still quite good, but since it is on the darker side, I perceive that there is a bit less air between the notes.
From my conclusion, “...What started as an audition, turned into a purchase. And as such, I became quite lazy. I preferred listening, instead of writing. And due to Lawrance’s infinite patience, I could be lazy and wait. He politely emailed me again, which was the nudge I needed. I sit here pecking on my keyboard listening to twenty one pilots through my Legend X and the fabulous XDuoo x10t ii/iFi Pro iDSD combination. I have better DAP’s, but to me the XDuoo is about as pure as it gets. And as such, I can customize the sound at my beck and call through the iDSD. This is as good as it gets. Sound-wise, the Apex Pinnacle 2 is better (as it should be for $12k), but with infinite more options for tuning, the Pro iDSD is my choice for well over 60% of my listening. I will fiddle with the filters on a sing by song basis sometimes but leaving it to one setting is as much fun as the other.
And here is where the true benefit comes in, the ability to filter as I chose, the ability to source as I chose, and the ability to tube as I chose. That to me is what sold me on purchasing the Pro. And I do not regret it at all. This is still a fantastic unit (with 4.4bal option now), and truly one, which will stay in my rotation for a good long time. It is the basis of my comparisons, as it should be. And that gives me the kind of joy I have right now finalizing this. The sound is sublime, and all is good. Enough said.”
Both are extremely versatile so this would come down to either the cost or preferred sound signature. Plus you will notice that the X10Tii made it into this review as well...I purchased the iFi, and I do not regret it in the least, nor want for more (save the aforementioned Apex Pinnacle II, of course...).
Teac UD-505 ($1699) v Yulong DA-Art Aquila ii ($700):
A “budget” entry into the DAC/amp market, the Aquila comes on the heels of its predecessors as well. Known for excellent sound out of the DAC section, the Aquila does not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the unit, plus it has a stylish look that lends itself to enhancing its location upon your desk or credenza. Sound-wise, the Aquila is about as neutral as it gets to me, and from my finale, “But, and here it comes, there are others that can do all of the above for near the same price. You can get similar performance from other manufacturers and get similar performance from manufacturers who’s wares cost 2x more as well. And this is where it also gets interesting. We are faced with a plethora of listening devices and why not a plethora of amplification devices as well? The Yulong fills into a niche of mid-fi quite nicely and performs admirably against the competition. You get fully balanced. You get two options in which to listen with both being balanced as well. You get a powerful semi-tunable DAC/amp that can function easily in most systems, without fuss. While not necessarily presenting as much character as some (such as the XDuoo TA-30 mentioned above), you get a thoroughly competent, clean sound that provides you with options in which to listen.
I cannot find too many faults in the Yulong save that it presents a near-neutral sound. Mind you, that is not a fault to many, and you can tailor that a bit with the ASRC/sync options, but is it up to the DAC/amp to flavor your sound too much? To give you that luscious deep-richness you crave? Or is its job to provide the listening platform that carries the sound across cleanly to your listening devices? Those hard to drive headphones will not suffer from that lack of “character” the Aquila II may have. In fact, it may benefit allowing you to really focus on the headphone listening pleasure instead. The Yulong DA-Art Aquila II just gets out of the way allowing the listener to experience the music and the headphone you are using. And sometimes isn’t that the point?”
Finale:
So there you have it. Another review from this old hard of hearing gent. One where I ramble on and do not really provide you with definitive answers as to whether you should purchase the review unit. Lately, I have shied away from actually coming out and saying, “GO BUY THIS!” Because, it really should be your choice, and your alone. I can tell you what I like and what I do not like, which can help but short of listening you are pressed to read the reviews. And here, I can tell you that if you value detail, clarity and a good air of note between then the Teac might just be a good fit for you. While some might balk at the cost, others may just say that this is an excellent value for it can run in my home system (as a pre-amp) and desktop, easily hooking up my portable DAP from the commute as well. That “value” of services cannot be underestimated, nor should it be overlooked. The proverbial “you get what you pay for” rings true often enough that one should be wary of spending too much. But at what cost you draw the line between functionality, cost-effectiveness and longevity is decided by your goals and pocketbook. And for that, the Teac might just be that excellent value if you can live with a near-neutral sound, which can be tailored by the source, with plenty to play with as well. I do like the Teac, and think that is should be given a listen (as I recommend often...) if you like an open, airy sound, which does not offend in any direction. It just might fit your bill. If on the other hand you prefer a bit of coloration or personality, this may not fit the bill unless you are happy with your DAP’s of choice, which can fill in the rich, warmth you desire.
I again thank Todd and TTVJ for a fabulous opportunity to hear a ware of his offering. The Teac UD-505 was a treat, and with the price drop, might give certain people an itch to add this to their arsenal.
disclaimer: The Teac UD-505 was loaned to me by TTVJ (Todd the Vinyl Junkie) for purposes of this review. I have no financial interest in TTVJ or Teac but was interested in this model due to its top end specs and mid-fi pricing. It is not an inexpensive unit, but for the features included it, it is less expensive than my Bel Canto or other similar DACs.
The UD-505 is outside my norm for reviews for sure with its $2k sticker price and the fact that it is as much a 2-channel component DAC as it is a headphone amplifier. It represents a market segment that is growing as all-in-one units begin to overtake component DAC and amplifier stacks in the headphone space and more and more people are adding either a dedicated DAC or a streamer to their 2 channel setups. For that reason, I am adding the review of the UD-505 here as I think in coming days this category will likely expand and more companies will offer this style of device.
Packaging:
The UD-505 is packaged for transport in a large cardboard box with heavy foam inserts and separate compartments for remote, power cable, rca to 3.5mm coaxial cable (for use with the front panel connector), and manuals to keep everything from getting scratched up. There are no interconnect cables in the box so whichever style is needed must be provided by the purchaser. An early recommendation is the purchase of a 4.4mm to XLR adapter as the one glaring deficiency on the UD-505 is the absence of a XLR balanced output port. The 4.4mm works well, but with the most common balanced termination being XLR, the choice of 4.4mm and dual mono 6.3mm is a bit perplexing.
Build:
In a word, solid. All parts are metal, heavy gauge and give a very solid feel. Combine that with dual Toroidal transformers internally and the heft of the unit is substantial as well. While not a big fan of the winged design, it does provide an easy way to grasp the unit and limits the risk of slips, drops etc. which is comforting for a $2k unit. Size wise, the UD-505 is roughly 12 inches wide, 10 inches deep, and 3 ½ inches tall making it slightly smaller than standard hi-fi components which typically have a 17 inch face. I do appreciate the front facing power switch, and the layout is quite easy to use once acclimated to the controls. The display is simple, but large enough to be seen easily at a distance (as it should be with a remote controlled unit), and offers 4 levels of brightness which is also nice as the highest level will allow for reading a book at night with the house lights off while the dimmest level is low enough to sleep in the same room with the unit. The auto-power off is also appreciated for using the unit at night. I’ll cover more details of the connectors and controls in the internals and controls sections below.
Internals:
If I have been a bit brief to this point, this is where that changes as this is the important part anyway. While layout may make a device easier to use, internals define how well it will work and the UD-505 is a tour de-force with premium components throughout. The UD-505 is the 3rd generation of the series that began with the UD-501 and maintains the same basic design that the previous models were built using. All of the UD series are dual monaural DACs with built in headphone amplifiers. This is an important distinction as I look at the UD series devices as first and foremost a 2-channel DAC and secondly as a headphone amp. I had to take the cover off and get a look at the internals and they are indeed first rate from start to finish.
power:
Starting with the power supplies (at right in photo below), the 505 uses a pair of toroidal core power transformers that are each capable of powering the entire unit but are connected to a single channel each. This gives the unit plenty of power to spare and a heavy power draw on one channel has no impact on the other channel resulting in better channel separation.
inputs/outputs:
The USB input is at center in the photo below (Type B connector) and has its own 44.1k and 48kHz clocks on board rather than relying on USB clocking and also supports the use of an external clock using a BNC connector on the rear of the unit next to the power connector. It is important to note that what appears to be a micro-usb port is not usable for input and is a maintenance port and should not be used unless directed to by Teac. The USB input is capable of using standard isochronous transfer or with the use of Teac drivers allows for a proprietary fixed data rate transfer that Teac claims reduces burden on the sending unit and guarantees better delivery. USB supports up to 32bit / 768 kHz PCM input and DSD512 with the Teac software installed in windows. In addition to USB, Coaxial and optical connections are both available but both are limited to 24/192 max and neither support DSD beyond 2.8MHz and even then only supported with 176.4kHz/24-bit DoP format. So the UD-505 is clearly aimed at USB input. For those who prefer wireless input, Bluetooth is provided and supports LDAC, aptX HD, and AAC in addition to the SBC standard offering a large range of connectivity options. In addition, RCA analog inputs are provided for use of the 505 with an external source for those who wish to use it as a pre-amp or headphone amplifier only.
Likewise, a pair of XLR outputs and a pair of RCA outputs are provided for those wanting to use the 505 as a DAC only. I tested the DAC section with the 505 replacing my Bel Canto in my home system for a time as well as utilizing it as a dedicated headphone amp from an external dac and as both dac and amplifier with a variety of headphones.
DAC:
In the UD-505, the DAC functions are handled by a pair of AK4497 chips. This is a distinct step up, as the 501 used Burr Brown chips and the 503 used AK4490s, so the move here is toward the flagship DAC chip rather than the mid-grade chips used in previous models. As most well know, starting with a good chip is important, but implementation can make a world of difference. The 505 offers up-sampling to 32/384 and 24.5MHz DSD and also exposes the filters of the 4497 chips to the end-user so the sound can be further tweaked to their preferences (more in controls section). The DACs also serve as the domain boundary between digital and analog domains within the unit and Teac has been very careful to completely isolate the two from each other with the sole exception to that being the pathway through the DAC so grounds are kept separate in the two domains.
amplifier:
The analog section has been given a lot of thought too and has buffer circuits for both fully balanced/differential output and a parallel drive model for single ended. Each channel has two circuits, one for differential output and another for single-ended and again both are completely isolated from each other to prevent any chance of cross-talk, interference or noise. Likewise, volume controls are split with four sets of variable gain-amps controlling volume for left, right, positive and negative (L+, L–, R+, R-). Again, separate controls help minimize interference and noise. Volume controls offer either a 100 steps or in ½dB increments depending on the users preference.
In addition, the UD-505 also supports Active-ground (via the 4.4mm connector). This technology forcibly reduces the ground to zero rather than utilizing the passive ground and assuming it is zero like most less expensive units do. This helps suppress mains noise and other sources of interference that are often seen when using passive grounds.
Controls:
The first control the user needs to understand is the output selection. the dual 6.3mm jacks can be used as either balanced connectors where each jack is used for a single channel or as standard single ended jacks where either jack can be used independently for standard 6.3mm stereo jacks. As one can imagine, plugging in the wrong type of device could lead to damage to either the headphone or the amplifier so this needs to be set first. Press the menu button to move into menu mode on display, then use the input knob to rotate through the options until you find Headphone 6.3mm, then push in on the input knob to be able to select the proper value for the type of device in use. Even when using the balanced option, Stereo jacks must be used as the wiring is Tip+, Ring – and sleeve unused so use of mono jacks will short the unit. New units should probably be shipped with a warning sticker over the 6.3mm jacks explaining that these settings must be updated first to prevent damage to the unit or headphones used.
Next up, selection of source, this one is easy, turning the input knob scrolls through the options for inputs starting with USB, Coax, Optical, Bluetooth, and Line-in(analog). The only trick is Coax and Optical 1 are rear connections and Coax and optical 2 are front panel connector. Once a connection is established it should display the bit rate information on screen. If you see the connection type and the word Check, this implies a connection is not detected.
The rest of the options operate very similarly to the output selection with a push of the menu button and then turning the input selector to reach the desired setting and pressing the input button to go into select mode, turning the input to select the desired value, and pushing it again to set the value for that setting. It is harder to describe than it is to do and works very well and quickly without a great deal of effort or learning curve.
As mentioned earlier, the 505 exposes the filters in the AK4497 so the user to can utilize them to tweak the sound. These are accessed via the mechanism described above, and the options are as follows. For PCM the options are: sharp, slow, short delay – sharp, short delay – slow, low dispersion, or none of the above (off) while DSD offers narrow or wide cut-off frequency as options.
There are too many options and controls to cover them all, so please see the manual for more details.
The UD-505 also works with Teac’s in-house music player software that exposes more of the options on the teac models to the computer and allows some settings changes directly from the software. More on it can be found here.
Sound:
Using just the DAC first, the UD-505 has a very smooth effortless quality to its delivery that makes for a very pleasant listening experience. Linearity is very good and detail is quite good but is very gently smoothed in places so a few ragged edges in tracks like Keith Richard’s Main Offender seem a little less jagged than perhaps they ought to be. This trade off is not uncommon in the AKM Velvet series DACs and is somewhat to be expected. Having said that, the UD-505 is one of the most detail oriented implementations of the AKM I have heard. Coming from the Bel Canto in my home system, detail is on par or better, transients are about on par, and if anything the UD-505 seems a touch fuller and warmer in comparison. Having said that, I think the Bel Canto comes off a bit cool and the UD-505 is more neutral rather than introducing warmth in and of itself.
Moving to the headphone output, I found the UD-505 had ample power to drive the He6 when run in balanced mode but left less than the headroom I would have liked in single-ended use. Other hard to drive headphones fared better with the 600Ω Beyerdynamic and AKG models having more than enough power in single ended mode to get louder than anyone should ever listen to them. Signature here was again quite linear with no major coloration anywhere throughout and detail again was extremely good even with that hint of smoothness seen earlier. The UD-505 does a great job of leveling the playing field on poor source material as that same smoothing effect comes into its own and made listening for long periods a pleasure even with a mix of tracks of varying quality. While purists may frown on this, the real world will find this to be a plus as most of us have collections of varying quality that we can neither afford to replace or find higher quality versions available in order to replace.
Comparisons:
When looking at comparing the UD-505 to other competitors on the market, it quickly becomes clear that at this price point most focus solely on being a DAC or solely on being an amplifier. I excluded the Phonitor X for example as the dac module in it is comparatively an afterthought unlike the UD-505 where I would argue the DAC is at least half of what you are paying for if not a bit higher percentage. For that reason, I chose the Bel Canto 2.7, the RME ADI-2 Pro and Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ as they are all fairly comparable in price, function and even to a degree aesthetic.
Bel Canto eOne DAC 2.7 – I’ve used the Bel Canto as the dac in my home system for quite some-time as I dearly love the transparency of this unit. If one has to define the 2.7 in a single word, Clean is that word. It only supports 24/192 as it utilizes the Burr Brown 17xx series dac chips so it gives up some resolving power to the 505 comparatively. It also does not have the balanced headphone output and is limited to a less potent single-ended output. Were I shopping for a new 2 channel dac today to replace the Bel Canto unit, the UD-505 would be a very short list of top competitors. I liked the sound of the UD-505 nearly as well as the Bel Canto as it delivers a very effortless clean sound with no digital artifact and offers about as wide a range of formats as can be had at the price point.
RME ADI-2 Pro FS R – Another potential suitor in this market space is the ADI. I’ve owned some version of the ADI-2 since release and this latest version is a beast that can go toe to toe with about anything at the price point. Having said that, it loses to the UD-505 on inputs as it does not support Coax (its optical only), doesn’t have Bluetooth, and its output power is not quite as potent as the 505. It fires back by adding Parametric EQ in addition to the filter modes that both expose, and by being more designed for musicians who want to use it as a recording interface. I think for users who want the most possible control the RME will likely get the nod, but for those wanting good sound with less fuss, the 505 is a great option.
Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ – The Mytek gives up a bit of resolution as it tops out at 32/384 and DSD256 with its generation back 9028 Pro, but it does add MQA support which is something the others currently dont. Its worth noting that both RME and Teac could easily add this with a firmware update if so desired as the chips used support it. The Burr brown of the Bel Canto means it is less likely to see this feature added. The DAC+ has a very comparable range of inputs with multiple coax, an optical, USB, and analog inputs as well as support for external clocking. Here the Teac is a bit more resolving, more potent as a headphone amp, and a bit more relaxed and effortless in its delivery. The Mytek was good when released and still trumps the 505 with MQA support but otherwise is starting to show its age.
Conclusions:
The Teac UD-505 is better than I expected it to be, and to be honest, I expected quite a bit having used both its older siblings. It takes the things the UD series has done well to date and adds to it with a more resolving, more effortless delivery for the dac section and couples it with a more linear and more potent output section in the amplifier. Adding the remote control functionality makes it a very viable pre-amp/dac for 2-channel applications, and its moderate size means it isn’t out of the question as a desktop stand-alone unit for the office. I found I really liked the UD-505 paired to a tube power amp as the UD-505 is so clean and so linear as to be almost boring and having a little warmth added back is something I prefer but for those looking for an absolute reference signature, the UD-505 comes about as close as I have heard in this price bracket and dangerously close to some in much higher brackets too. The only caveat is the lack of MQA support which may mean some will shy from it, otherwise, its a lot of product for the current asking price. BTW, I think TTVJ has it on sale at $1699 instead of $2k right now.
Jimmyblues1959
Great review!
Wiljen
Thanks, always appreciated.
USB DAC/Headphone Amplifier $1699-$1,999.00USD (Depending on where you buy it)
ON LOAN FROM:
Todd F. Green President
Todd The Vinyl Junkie www.ttvjaudio.com
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Hi-Res audio playback supporting DSD512 (22.6MHz) and PCM 768kHz/32-bit PCM
- Dual monaural circuit design with a high-end AKM VERITA AK4497 DAC on each channel
- 5 types of PCM digital filters and 2 types of DSD digital filters
- Up-conversion up to 24.5MHz DSD and 384kHz/32-bit PCM
- Dual on-board clocks for 44.1kHz and 48kHz frequencies, and 10MHz external clock input
- Bluetooth? receiver supporting LDAC? and Qualcomm? aptX? HD
- TEAC-HCLD output buffer circuit and TEAC-QVCS volume control for high quality sound
- 4.4mm 5-polar Pentaconn jack and dual 1/4″ TRS jacks for balanced and active-ground drives *1
- TEAC’s patent registered pin-point feet in three positions for the perfect installation *2
- “Bulk Pet” USB transfer technology, with four transfer modes to vary sound character *3
- Free TEAC HR Audio Player for DSD512 and PCM32/768 playback
TECH DETAILS:
- Hi-Res audio playback supporting DSD512 (22.6MHz) and PCM 768kHz/32-bit PCM
- Dual monaural circuit design with a high-end AKM VERITA AK4497 DAC on each left and right channel
- 5 types of PCM digital filters and 2 types of DSD digital filters
- Up-conversion up to 24.5MHz DSD and 384kHz/32-bit PCM
- Dual on-board clocks for 44.1kHz and 48kHz frequencies, and 10MHz external clock input
- Bluetooth® receiver supporting LDAC™ and Qualcomm® aptX™ HD
- TEAC-HCLD output buffer circuit and TEAC-QVCS volume control for high quality sound
- Dual toroidal-core power transformers
- Digital Isolator for separated digital and analogue sections
- 4.4mm 5-polar Pentaconn jack and dual 1/4” TRS jacks for balanced and active-ground drives*1
- TEAC’s patent-registered pin-point feet in three positions for the perfect installation*2
- Bulk Pet USB transferring technology with four transfer modes for various sound characters*3
- USB audio port for Hi-Res audio input from Windows/Mac
- Coaxial and optical digital inputs on both front and back
- Convenient analogue LINE input to use the UD-505 as a pre-amplifier
- Analogue outputs with balanced XLR and conventional unbalanced RCA outputs
- High-contrast full-graphic organic EL display with dimmer
- Full-metal body with an A4-sized footprint
- Free TEAC HR Audio Player for DSD512 and PCM32/768 playback
- Compliant with RoHS
The UD-505’s headphone amplifier circuit provides balanced-drive by using the TEAC-HCLD circuit, – comprised of four output transistors for each left and right channel – for headphone output. The amp uses transistors which are in parallel when a single-ended headphone is connected, the UD-505 delivers stronger driving power than most ordinary single-ended headphone amps provide. When listening to conventional headphones, it also operates in Class-A (by expanding the Class-A range of operation), despite using a Class-A/B amplifier. With challenging 600Ω high-impedance headphones the amp seemed to work very well in deed beacuse of this amp set up. Is it better sounding than my Bottlehead Crack With Speedball? Its not as musical but it certainly is faster and more precuise- meaning in many ways depending on your mood- you may want more accurate sound then it would be a clear winner for the UD505- but if you want romance in sound then using the Bottlehead is your ticket- still using the DAC in the TEAC UD-505 but bypassing the internal amp of the TEAC and RCA leads out to the Crack. Of course the 300ohm or 600ohm headphones are made for the Crack esentially and exclusively- and the Crack fails at anything under say 150ohms as an amp...Contrary - The TEAC Amp section can drive 32ohm IEMs all the way up to 600 ohm headphones- making it logical choice for both sound and convince as a one box solution.
Comparing the UD-505 as one box solution - it is a better sounding DAC and amp both judged seperately- when comparing it to the $1499 Wyre4Sound Intimo or the YULONG DA-ART Aquila II. YULONG DA-ART Aquila II is a fine cheaper solution to the one box delema and even managed to beat the Wyred4Sound Intimo... but fell short in performance when comparing the YULONG to the TEAC. The overall performance of the UD-505 puts it near state of the art honestly. They really did do an excellent job over at TEAC- again being a one box solution this punches way above most one box systems and rivals some of the best separates out there for performance and sound. It's operation flawless, whisper silent, volume as smooth as silk- a joy to use and listen to and operate.
BUT...
Comparing the amp section of the UD-505 to my PASS WHAMMY the winner goes to the PASS WHAMMY by far. The dynamics and stage using the dual OPA627 on browndogs along with the excellent engineering of the WHAMMY put this amp ahead. Kit price for WHAMMY is $200 plus the box and plus assembly, plus OPA627 on browndogs make this a $700 offering from engineer builders like the Amp Builder on etsy- if this WHAMMY design were more commercial like the TEAC with all their fancy laser etching, box construction, marketing and shipping costs the Whammy would be triple that price coming in somewhere around $1500- $1999. But kits already assembled can be bought for $800 or there abouts on ebay without hyped up boxes or silk screening.
Moving on- I wanted to isolate the UD505 as a DAC alone- Typically I use the Topping D90 which is brutal in it's ability to transfer the zero's and ones into beautiful precise music and hides nothing- I use all copper wire including the power cords from Signals Magic Power Power Cord which makes the DAC honest yet warmer than say silver or typical double or quad braided PC wire. Some may poo poo at the idea of cables. I did a long review on cables here on head-fi (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/capistranocables-xlr-cables.24634/) where I basically determine pure copper 6n or 7n works best for me and my gear. With that being said I used the refference wire by GRIMM called SQM XLRs for the UD505 by passing the UD505 amp - therefore using it solely as a DAC. I also used the GRIMM TPR XLR wire which is slightly more warm and fun. Hooking both the Topping D90 and the UD-505 to my Ray Samuels Apache - I was able to switch on the fly. The DAC on the UD-505 utilizes the VERITA AK4497 D/A while the Topping D90 uses the 'higher' AKM chip AK4499EQ- the most expensive AKM to date. Bottom line they are close- but the D90 edges ahead in detail, bass slam and stage- but by a small margin.
The Apache is in another league when comparing head-amps to the UD-505. Everything is more transparent, 3-d and holographic when music is mastered in that way. Vocals and things like cymbals and string instruments are all great with the UD-505- but switching to the Apache- you realize why it costs $3000. Is it a fair comparison? yes. The UD-505 holds it's own and it is close. The Apache is two box system (fully balanced preamp/amp which is connected by an umbilical cord to the regulated balanced separate power supply) and adding a DAC makes it a three box system. More desk space and more money- is the pay off worth it- yes for me my combo ssystem seperates have not been beat. But the TEAC UD-505 does deliver for less ruppies (cashola AKA bread) and very close to the performance of the three box setup.
More details: Loved the dual function Pentaconn, a totally new single-plug connector for balanced headphone drive
In addition to the dual conventional 1/4” TRS jacks for balanced connection, the UD-505 employs a newly designed single headphone jack for balanced drive. The Pentaconn jack is a new 4.4mm 5-pole jack that has been developed by NIPPON DICS Co., Ltd, and complies the RC-8141C JEITA Standard, providing a single-jack solution for balanced headphones (Which I used with my IEMs and my favorite headphone of all time... the Kennerton GH50 JM Editions; with great results I might add). More Pentaconn jack-equipped headphones and cables are expected in the near future. Along with the Pentaconn jack, two 1/4” TRS jacks provide three driving modes: balanced, active-ground, and parallel drive (for two pairs of single-ended headphones).
More features:
“Bulk Pet” USB transfer technology for enhanced audio quality. When transferring large volumes of digital data for Hi-Res audio sources through USB cables using conventional isochronous transfer mode, large variations can occur in the processing loads of the sending computer and the receiving USB DAC. This can cause sound to drop out and other problems to occur. However, with our new USB transmission technology – dubbed “Bulk Pet” – a fixed amount of data is transmitted constantly, levelling out the processing burden on both devices and contributing to stable data transmission. Changing the processing burden on the computer directly affects audio quality so users can select the setting they prefer (from four transmission modes).
PCM digital filters :
- Sharp Roll Off: FIR filter with a steep roll-off that sharply cuts signals outside the audio band
- Slow Roll Off: FIR filter with a slow roll-off that gently cuts signals outside the audio band
- Short Delay – Sharp: Short delay filter with a steep roll-off that sharply cuts signals outside the audio band
- Short Delay – Slow: Short delay filter with a slow roll-off that gently cuts signals outside the audio band
- Low Dispersion: Short delay filter with low dispersion that cuts signals outside the audio band.
- Off
Summery: A great buy at the price, the UD-505 is and has many features and performance few can match. I know the TEAC blew away the $1499 Wyred4Sound Intimo DAC/HEADAMP I reviewed months ago which is a very similar price to the UD-505. And you get a remote and preamp function with the TEAC. The DAC the sound is balanced, smooth and extremely detailed. If you want a very solidly built tank like desktop headphone amp, DAC and Preamp; the UD505 is a logical solid choice. It's near state of the art without having to fork over double or triple the price for just a slight sound improvement. Highly recommended as a one stop box solution that should serve owners well into the future.
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