StivVid
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
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Great news! Thanks, Todd! Looking forward to running it through its paces and to hearing the impressions of everyone else on the tour. Thanks again!
New Loaner Program - TEAC UD-505 Headphone amp and DAC!
- Thread starter Todd
- Start date
geoffalter11
Headphoneus Supremus
Hi Team Teac-UD-505 Loaners!
So, I am first out of the gate and I am really liking what I hear. It took me about 30 minutes to figure out how to use it as a DAC/Amp and as a DAC out to my Cembalo Labs Spring 1 Headphone Amp. I am now up and running and absolutely loving the way it sounds. For the past 2 months I have been using a Burson Conductor 3XP as my main DAC/Amp and as a DAC out to my Cembalo. I have liked it a lot, but have felt that as just a DAC out it sounded a bit sterile and not to my 100% satisfaction. Before the Burson, I was using a Vinshine R2R Reference DAC. It also sounded really good, but left me wanting.
After 1 hour with the Teac-UD-505 I am thrilled with how it sounds. I have been using my Ether C Flow's thus far and have found them to sound fast, punchy and full. The sound is extremely textured and full of life. I could care less how a piece of equipment measures. I only care about how it sounds to my ears. I am listening to Grant Green Live at The Lighthouse and the bass is just exploding. The notes are fast, decay is absolutely perfect. I can hear each instrument exactly as they should in exactly the right place. There is no hint of sibilance. My first impression is that the soundstage is opened up versus my Burson Conductor. It sounds more like front of SBD, versus 1st or 2nd row. This I like very much. Grant Green's guitar is sizzling. That is more Grant Green than TEAC, but it is nice to hear him sound as intended.
I don't have a way to listen to the TEAC balanced with 1/4" and I don't own a pentacon cable, so I can only use the TEAC as a SE headphone amp. Power wise I am at 75-78 on the volume knob with my Ether's. I can already tell that I will be enjoying the TEAC more as a DAC than as an all in one. But, I wasn't expecting the headphone amp to best my Cembalo. My Cembalo is insanely good. This is ok for me as I really enjoy their DAC implementation thus far. I am using it balanced from the TEAC into my Cembalo using a pair of Cardas Crosslink XLRs. Once you set the line out to XLR 2, you can use it as a DAC only fixed with 6DB and the volume shut off on the TEAC, or plug into the headphone amp and it works as just a amp/dac. I really like this feature because you don't need to change any other settings if you don't want to.
Over the next week I will be enjoying the TEAC in these 2 ways. I will use it with my Ether C Flow's, Focal Clear's and Quad ERA-1's. I will keep you all updated as I learn more.
Cheers! Let the music flow...
Thank you, Todd. As always you are an absolute pleasure to deal with. I can't thank you enough.
So, I am first out of the gate and I am really liking what I hear. It took me about 30 minutes to figure out how to use it as a DAC/Amp and as a DAC out to my Cembalo Labs Spring 1 Headphone Amp. I am now up and running and absolutely loving the way it sounds. For the past 2 months I have been using a Burson Conductor 3XP as my main DAC/Amp and as a DAC out to my Cembalo. I have liked it a lot, but have felt that as just a DAC out it sounded a bit sterile and not to my 100% satisfaction. Before the Burson, I was using a Vinshine R2R Reference DAC. It also sounded really good, but left me wanting.
After 1 hour with the Teac-UD-505 I am thrilled with how it sounds. I have been using my Ether C Flow's thus far and have found them to sound fast, punchy and full. The sound is extremely textured and full of life. I could care less how a piece of equipment measures. I only care about how it sounds to my ears. I am listening to Grant Green Live at The Lighthouse and the bass is just exploding. The notes are fast, decay is absolutely perfect. I can hear each instrument exactly as they should in exactly the right place. There is no hint of sibilance. My first impression is that the soundstage is opened up versus my Burson Conductor. It sounds more like front of SBD, versus 1st or 2nd row. This I like very much. Grant Green's guitar is sizzling. That is more Grant Green than TEAC, but it is nice to hear him sound as intended.
I don't have a way to listen to the TEAC balanced with 1/4" and I don't own a pentacon cable, so I can only use the TEAC as a SE headphone amp. Power wise I am at 75-78 on the volume knob with my Ether's. I can already tell that I will be enjoying the TEAC more as a DAC than as an all in one. But, I wasn't expecting the headphone amp to best my Cembalo. My Cembalo is insanely good. This is ok for me as I really enjoy their DAC implementation thus far. I am using it balanced from the TEAC into my Cembalo using a pair of Cardas Crosslink XLRs. Once you set the line out to XLR 2, you can use it as a DAC only fixed with 6DB and the volume shut off on the TEAC, or plug into the headphone amp and it works as just a amp/dac. I really like this feature because you don't need to change any other settings if you don't want to.
Over the next week I will be enjoying the TEAC in these 2 ways. I will use it with my Ether C Flow's, Focal Clear's and Quad ERA-1's. I will keep you all updated as I learn more.
Cheers! Let the music flow...
Thank you, Todd. As always you are an absolute pleasure to deal with. I can't thank you enough.
geoffalter11
Headphoneus Supremus
One last impression for today. I am shipping my Burson today, but before I boxed it up, I was able to compare the amp section of the TEAC to the Burson. The Conductor 3XP is a better amp. The TEAC is a better DAC. The Conductor 3XP is extremely powerful and has a very analogue sounding amp section. However, the TEAC has a way more analogue sounding DAC. It is extremely smooth and natural. Costing $300 more than the Burson Conductor 3XP is a pretty good deal. I wish I had the master clock to try with it. I have a feeling it would sound even better. TEAC's headphone amp is good thus far, but won't drive anything crazy. At least not single ended. I wish I had a more inefficient headphone so I can give you feedback. Hopefully one of the other loaners will be able to provide this feedback.
Todd
Headphone Vinyl Meister
Member of the Trade: TTVJ Audio
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2001
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HI Cpurdy,
The TEAC units are available through TTVJAudio.com and other authorized TEAC dealers. We have sold TEAC for quite a few years now. Their entire US catalogue is available here on our website
The TEAC units are available through TTVJAudio.com and other authorized TEAC dealers. We have sold TEAC for quite a few years now. Their entire US catalogue is available here on our website
cpurdy
100+ Head-Fier
I haven't been watching closely recently, but for some long time, I was looking for the 05 models and the US channels only had the 03 models, and that was going on for what seemed like ages. I remember that I could pick up the 05 models when I was in Tokyo or grey market in the US (e.g. eBay), but none of the dealers listed on the TEAC site had them available.
Dude, those Luxman products on your site make me kinda horny.
geoffalter11
Headphoneus Supremus
Today's UD-505 Update:
Still really enjoying it 2 plus days in. Tonight I played with the upsampling feature. Upsampling to DSD from 44k is pretty great. The sound is still extremely musical, highly resolving and textured. The midrange is opening up the space between the notes. Super happy thus far. I still prefer as a pure DAC, but the headphone amp is no slouch. My Focal Clears seem to be most comfortable at 60 on the volume pot. My Quad's like about 65 and my Ether C's about 78-80. If I buy one I will definitely invest in a pentacon cable for my Clear's and Ether's. I will want to enjoy the amp balanced, but that won't be part of this review. This is the best DAC I have heard in this price range. I really want to hear it with the master clock at some point. I am fairly certain that I will need own a UD-505 at some point in 2021. Hope you all have a great night. More to come... I will do a full review over the weekend. Until then, I will keep listening and smiling.
Thank you, Todd! You were right. The UD-505 is a great piece of kit. Worth every penny!
Still really enjoying it 2 plus days in. Tonight I played with the upsampling feature. Upsampling to DSD from 44k is pretty great. The sound is still extremely musical, highly resolving and textured. The midrange is opening up the space between the notes. Super happy thus far. I still prefer as a pure DAC, but the headphone amp is no slouch. My Focal Clears seem to be most comfortable at 60 on the volume pot. My Quad's like about 65 and my Ether C's about 78-80. If I buy one I will definitely invest in a pentacon cable for my Clear's and Ether's. I will want to enjoy the amp balanced, but that won't be part of this review. This is the best DAC I have heard in this price range. I really want to hear it with the master clock at some point. I am fairly certain that I will need own a UD-505 at some point in 2021. Hope you all have a great night. More to come... I will do a full review over the weekend. Until then, I will keep listening and smiling.
Thank you, Todd! You were right. The UD-505 is a great piece of kit. Worth every penny!
geoffalter11
Headphoneus Supremus
Good evening... My time with the UD-505 is coming to an end over the next couple days and I must say I am going to miss it. It is an amazing piece of kit. Its versatility makes it a modern device with all the necessary connections; with the ability to improve its performance exponentially through the addition of a master clock. I think if I buy one I will eventually add the clock. All that being said, its main function is to produce beautiful music. I have learned through discussions with Todd and various online reviews that TEAC is part of Esoteric, with some trickle down tech from the high end Esoteric stuff making it's way into the UD-505. This helps to explain what is my favorite part of the 505. It's sense of rhythm and timing. The sound has plenty of resolution, and could be considered dry if paired with analytical equipment. I wouldn't call the sound sterile by any stretch. However, when paired with a top flight amp, the 505 really comes into its own. Every time I listen to it I can't stop thinking about how much of the music between the notes I am hearing. I have relearned much of my music library this week as I have given the 505 about 40 hrs of listening time. My wife may divorce me if I keep it up. 
But, I can't stop listening because I just love how musical and textured the sound is. Xavier Rudd, a multi instrumentalist from Australia is a very talented rhythm guitar, slide banjo and dobro player. His playing is extremely subtle and I can hear his playing clearly as he picks between the notes. Check out Honeymoon Bay on his Storm Boy album for a great example of his rhythmic prowess and the 505's incredible sense of timing. The 505 has no problem unwinding my music and opening it up like a flower to present an open, honest and articulate midrange. The Treble is sweet with a slight sparkle. To my ears I do not detect a hint of sibilance. I was expecting to like the 505 as I trust Todd's ears and advice. However, I wasn't expecting to feel such a strong connection to the 505. It has helped me to realize how important timing and clocking is to a DAC. The 505 is NOT the most resolving DAC I have heard. And it is certainly not the most resolving or capable DAC out there, but for what it does $1700 is a steal.
As an amp, the 505 has surprised me. It is pushing about a 1/2 to 3/4 watt of power into 32 ohm. However, what it does do is present a clean, insightful, and extremely musical experience. The soundstage is wide and deep, and it has absolutely no problems with the 3 headphones I have on hand. Admittedly, they aren't the most inefficient headphones out there, and I could see needing something else to drive a Susvara, Abyss or HE6. They would sound a touch flat as they run out of juice. No such problem for my current stable (Focal Clear, Ether CX, and Quad ERA-1), and I would see no reason why I wouldn't use the 505 to enjoy hours and hours of music. Vocals are slightly forward, I detect a bit of peak in the lower midrange that makes the vocals sound intimate and emotive. The amp section benefits from the 505's inherent strength of proper timing with high quality power supplies. The only issue I have with the amp is that the sound of blocks being used on the drum kit can sound a bit echoey and hollow. They don't carry the same weight I am used to and come across a bit artificial. This is a minor quibble, as when I use as a DAC out to my Cembalo the weight and texture is back. I can hear the drum stick hit the block and the sound is completely finished before fading off. This mellows out the sound and unifies it with the rest of the upper midrange and treble. The bass is fast, and clean with no discernible midbass hump. Although a midbass hump generally provides a romantic warmth to the music, I find it to be a bit annoying and it takes away from me hearing an integrated mix. The 505's bass has no bleed into the midrange, at least none that I can tell with my limited experience and no measuring device. What I hear is honesty to the source and fantastic instrument separation. As I keep saying, it is the space between the notes that matters most to me and what I find to be the most rewarding when my favorite musicians pull it off. The 505 excels here, and any small nuances that aren't to my liking wash away. I guess what I like most about the 505 is that I don't really care about listening for the sake of analysis. It makes me want to listen to my music for as long as I can until my kids come down wondering what I am doing and I leave my trance to engage. I have had many sleepless nights this week listening for hours without any sense of time. Magical realism is said to be the philosophy where you lose your sense of space and time. When you do you exist only in the moment, and when you are not, you wish you were as you may miss something that is happening without you. The 505 makes me feel that if I put it down my music it will keep playing and I may miss something that I didn't know was there.
Highlights:
1. The 505 can be used SE or Balanced into your amp. My Cembalo is SE internally, so it makes no difference which I use as it will convert it to SE anyhow. However, I prefer the sound via XLR as it is pushing a bit more voltage into my Cembalo which has improved the dynamics.
2. The Menu and Input - The 505 is extremely easy to use. Hit the menu button and use the input knob to turn through the different options. Fixed or Variable, upsampling, line out choice, digital filters, balanced or unbalanced with 6.35mm or 4.4 mm, master clock, dimmer, display, volume type, and a auto power saving function. My favorite function is what the menu calls upconvert. Click on the menu, turn to upconvert and push in the input knob to engage the setting and then turn the knob clockwise until you get to the setting you want. You can even do this while the DAC and Amp are running. It will stop the music for one sec and then adjust to your new setting. It is essentially an upsampling feature where the 505 can take a 44.1k file and upconvert it all the way up to DSD 512. In PCM it will upconvert a 44.1k file to 352.8K using the 8Fs setting. 98% of my music is CD Quality FLAC, so this has been super fun to play with.
3. Once the 505 is hooked up to your amp and your server, you can go back and forth between the 2. When you plug into the headphone socket it automatically engages the amp and remembers the volume you last used. When you unplug your headphones and plug them into a different amp, it automatically switches to the digital connection you have chosen and if you have chosen Fixed at 6DB will set the 505's volume at 90 and you can run the volume off your headphone amp and the DAC works independent of the amp. Phenomenal flexibility and usability. This may be my favorite feature as I can go back and forth with the same headphone with volume matched on the 505 and my Cembalo to test the DAC and the amp independently. A bit of a flavor change by moving the headphone cable to the amp of choice. I love going back and forth to see which of my music and headphones I like more through the 505 or through my Cembalo. Admittedly, I like the Cembalo more as an amp, but that doesn't take away from the 505's extremely capable amp.
4. The sound of the DAC is resolute, musical, and textured with impeccable rhythm and timing. Bass is clean, and fast. The midrange is open and articulate with a wonderfully emotive nature. The Treble is subtle and present. At times it can sound a bit hot, but that isn't a deal breaker for me at all. The sound of the amp mirrors that of the DAC but can get a bit hotter in the treble when the source isn't great quality. When the source is right the amp honestly interprets the music.
Conclusion:
I think at this point my feelings haven't left much for interpretation. I absolutely love it, and would happily live with it as my DAC and back-up amp. I could see myself adding the master clock and spending the next year wondering how lucky I am during a time when so many aren't so lucky. The pandemic has taught me to enjoy the things I have and to humbly go about my day. I have a healthy safe family, a great career and the opportunity to enjoy pieces of kit like the TEAC UD-505 on a loaner tour through this amazing community of ours. Todd, you have always been an absolute professional. You are polite and completely understand the concept of customer service/relationships. I am honored that you have given me this opportunity and I will be forever grateful. At least until your next tour when I come groveling for a spot. I have learned that you carefully select the items you sell and that if you are selling it, I probably need to learn about it and listen to it.
Thanks for reading my review and I can't wait to read your impressions to see how they line up with mine. I look forward to learning more about the 505 through your experiences. I will try to post some pictures tomorrow to compliment this review.
Best,
Geoff
But, I can't stop listening because I just love how musical and textured the sound is. Xavier Rudd, a multi instrumentalist from Australia is a very talented rhythm guitar, slide banjo and dobro player. His playing is extremely subtle and I can hear his playing clearly as he picks between the notes. Check out Honeymoon Bay on his Storm Boy album for a great example of his rhythmic prowess and the 505's incredible sense of timing. The 505 has no problem unwinding my music and opening it up like a flower to present an open, honest and articulate midrange. The Treble is sweet with a slight sparkle. To my ears I do not detect a hint of sibilance. I was expecting to like the 505 as I trust Todd's ears and advice. However, I wasn't expecting to feel such a strong connection to the 505. It has helped me to realize how important timing and clocking is to a DAC. The 505 is NOT the most resolving DAC I have heard. And it is certainly not the most resolving or capable DAC out there, but for what it does $1700 is a steal.
As an amp, the 505 has surprised me. It is pushing about a 1/2 to 3/4 watt of power into 32 ohm. However, what it does do is present a clean, insightful, and extremely musical experience. The soundstage is wide and deep, and it has absolutely no problems with the 3 headphones I have on hand. Admittedly, they aren't the most inefficient headphones out there, and I could see needing something else to drive a Susvara, Abyss or HE6. They would sound a touch flat as they run out of juice. No such problem for my current stable (Focal Clear, Ether CX, and Quad ERA-1), and I would see no reason why I wouldn't use the 505 to enjoy hours and hours of music. Vocals are slightly forward, I detect a bit of peak in the lower midrange that makes the vocals sound intimate and emotive. The amp section benefits from the 505's inherent strength of proper timing with high quality power supplies. The only issue I have with the amp is that the sound of blocks being used on the drum kit can sound a bit echoey and hollow. They don't carry the same weight I am used to and come across a bit artificial. This is a minor quibble, as when I use as a DAC out to my Cembalo the weight and texture is back. I can hear the drum stick hit the block and the sound is completely finished before fading off. This mellows out the sound and unifies it with the rest of the upper midrange and treble. The bass is fast, and clean with no discernible midbass hump. Although a midbass hump generally provides a romantic warmth to the music, I find it to be a bit annoying and it takes away from me hearing an integrated mix. The 505's bass has no bleed into the midrange, at least none that I can tell with my limited experience and no measuring device. What I hear is honesty to the source and fantastic instrument separation. As I keep saying, it is the space between the notes that matters most to me and what I find to be the most rewarding when my favorite musicians pull it off. The 505 excels here, and any small nuances that aren't to my liking wash away. I guess what I like most about the 505 is that I don't really care about listening for the sake of analysis. It makes me want to listen to my music for as long as I can until my kids come down wondering what I am doing and I leave my trance to engage. I have had many sleepless nights this week listening for hours without any sense of time. Magical realism is said to be the philosophy where you lose your sense of space and time. When you do you exist only in the moment, and when you are not, you wish you were as you may miss something that is happening without you. The 505 makes me feel that if I put it down my music it will keep playing and I may miss something that I didn't know was there.
Highlights:
1. The 505 can be used SE or Balanced into your amp. My Cembalo is SE internally, so it makes no difference which I use as it will convert it to SE anyhow. However, I prefer the sound via XLR as it is pushing a bit more voltage into my Cembalo which has improved the dynamics.
2. The Menu and Input - The 505 is extremely easy to use. Hit the menu button and use the input knob to turn through the different options. Fixed or Variable, upsampling, line out choice, digital filters, balanced or unbalanced with 6.35mm or 4.4 mm, master clock, dimmer, display, volume type, and a auto power saving function. My favorite function is what the menu calls upconvert. Click on the menu, turn to upconvert and push in the input knob to engage the setting and then turn the knob clockwise until you get to the setting you want. You can even do this while the DAC and Amp are running. It will stop the music for one sec and then adjust to your new setting. It is essentially an upsampling feature where the 505 can take a 44.1k file and upconvert it all the way up to DSD 512. In PCM it will upconvert a 44.1k file to 352.8K using the 8Fs setting. 98% of my music is CD Quality FLAC, so this has been super fun to play with.
3. Once the 505 is hooked up to your amp and your server, you can go back and forth between the 2. When you plug into the headphone socket it automatically engages the amp and remembers the volume you last used. When you unplug your headphones and plug them into a different amp, it automatically switches to the digital connection you have chosen and if you have chosen Fixed at 6DB will set the 505's volume at 90 and you can run the volume off your headphone amp and the DAC works independent of the amp. Phenomenal flexibility and usability. This may be my favorite feature as I can go back and forth with the same headphone with volume matched on the 505 and my Cembalo to test the DAC and the amp independently. A bit of a flavor change by moving the headphone cable to the amp of choice. I love going back and forth to see which of my music and headphones I like more through the 505 or through my Cembalo. Admittedly, I like the Cembalo more as an amp, but that doesn't take away from the 505's extremely capable amp.
4. The sound of the DAC is resolute, musical, and textured with impeccable rhythm and timing. Bass is clean, and fast. The midrange is open and articulate with a wonderfully emotive nature. The Treble is subtle and present. At times it can sound a bit hot, but that isn't a deal breaker for me at all. The sound of the amp mirrors that of the DAC but can get a bit hotter in the treble when the source isn't great quality. When the source is right the amp honestly interprets the music.
Conclusion:
I think at this point my feelings haven't left much for interpretation. I absolutely love it, and would happily live with it as my DAC and back-up amp. I could see myself adding the master clock and spending the next year wondering how lucky I am during a time when so many aren't so lucky. The pandemic has taught me to enjoy the things I have and to humbly go about my day. I have a healthy safe family, a great career and the opportunity to enjoy pieces of kit like the TEAC UD-505 on a loaner tour through this amazing community of ours. Todd, you have always been an absolute professional. You are polite and completely understand the concept of customer service/relationships. I am honored that you have given me this opportunity and I will be forever grateful. At least until your next tour when I come groveling for a spot. I have learned that you carefully select the items you sell and that if you are selling it, I probably need to learn about it and listen to it.
Thanks for reading my review and I can't wait to read your impressions to see how they line up with mine. I look forward to learning more about the 505 through your experiences. I will try to post some pictures tomorrow to compliment this review.
Best,
Geoff
cpurdy
100+ Head-Fier
Did you upsample? What was the audio source (and bitrate). I'm wondering if this is the result of a filter post-up-sampling. (It's why I don't up-sample, if it's the same issue that I've experienced when experimenting with high bit rates and the D50, if I remember correctly.)
geoffalter11
Headphoneus Supremus
I did. I tried 2Fs, 4Fs, 8Fs, DSD 256 & 512. The sound definitely softens as I moved up with their upconvert, but the biggest change occurred when I used it as a DAC and my Cembalo Spring 1 as the amp.
Loftprojection
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 26, 2005
- Posts
- 970
- Likes
- 355
Thanks for the review Geoff. Ever tried an R2R DAC around the same budget like MHDT, Schiit...? If so, what do you remember of theirs sound versus the Teac? Did you try out the filters?
Many thanks.
Many thanks.
geoffalter11
Headphoneus Supremus
I have owned 2 different R2R Dacs. Metrum Musette and the Vinshine R2R Reference. I haven't heard the MHDT, but have heard the Yggy and Gumby from Schiit. Not super familiar with their filters. Sonically they are different. The Metrum and Vinshine were both softer and less dry. They were musical, but not nearly as extended as the TEAC. Especially the low end...
The TEAC to my ears bests all of them but the Yggy, which is equal to with a very different sound. The Yggy is more dynamic. However, I'd take the UD-505 because of the amp and the upconverting to DSD.
Well!
I just got the 505, and I've only listened to a few songs, but it really sounds great...in 5 seconds I could hear it was a level up from my Questyle 400i. I'm off this week, I will put it through the paces...
I just got the 505, and I've only listened to a few songs, but it really sounds great...in 5 seconds I could hear it was a level up from my Questyle 400i. I'm off this week, I will put it through the paces...
geoffalter11
Headphoneus Supremus
How's your week been with the UD-505? Excited to hear your impressions?Well!
I just got the 505, and I've only listened to a few songs, but it really sounds great...in 5 seconds I could hear it was a level up from my Questyle 400i. I'm off this week, I will put it through the paces...
I absolutely love it. It's breaking my heart to let it go...
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