[Eagle13]

I purchased the TEAC UD-501 recently based on favorable reviews on this site and others on the internet and am very, very, pleased. I wanted a headphone rig for my PC to replace a Cambridge Audio DM+, which I've been very happy with, but I now have a fair amount of DSD files and wanted something that would handle native DSD (I have a dedicated 2-channel setup for playing SACDs and DSD files in the living room, but often listen to music on my PC, and felt that converting my DSD to PCM was not cutting it anymore). The TEAC UD-501 is a wonderful sounding DAC that IMO, competes with DACs twice its price. It's PCM performance with upsampling ON and the Slow Filter engaged has a neutral to warm vinyl-like quality; and it's DSD performance is fantastic - it sounds comparable to several dedicated SACD decks I've owned and heard.
 
I've been using JRiver MC for years and upgraded to v19 a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised that it now will output natively in DSD:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=82074.0
 
I've spent a few hours this weekend "A/B'ing" between DSD "upsampling" and native PCM. Having JRiver MC 19 output everything to DSD really is the way to go with this DAC! PRaT and resolution have been fantastic on good old PCM (both Redbook and Hi-Res).  This DAC is simply marvelous on DSD. 
 
Caveat Emptor: Real-time DSD output requires a fairly powerful CPU! 
 
And, as always, YMMV!

 

[koiloco]

  I purchased the TEAC UD-501 recently based on favorable reviews on this site and others on the internet and am very, very, pleased. I wanted a headphone rig for my PC to replace a Cambridge Audio DM+, which I've been very happy with, but I now have a fair amount of DSD files and wanted something that would handle native DSD (I have a dedicated 2-channel setup for playing SACDs and DSD files in the living room, but often listen to music on my PC, and felt that converting my DSD to PCM was not cutting it anymore). The TEAC UD-501 is a wonderful sounding DAC that IMO, competes with DACs twice its price. It's PCM performance with upsampling ON and the Slow Filter engaged has a neutral to warm vinyl-like quality; and it's DSD performance is fantastic - it sounds comparable to several dedicated SACD decks I've owned and heard.
 
I've been using JRiver MC for years and upgraded to v19 a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised that it now will output natively in DSD:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=82074.0
 
I've spent a few hours this weekend "A/B'ing" between DSD "upsampling" and native PCM. Having JRiver MC 19 output everything to DSD really is the way to go with this DAC! PRaT and resolution have been fantastic on good old PCM (both Redbook and Hi-Res).  This DAC is simply marvelous on DSD. 
 
Caveat Emptor: Real-time DSD output requires a fairly powerful CPU! 
 
And, as always, YMMV!

 
Well, what took you so long?  Welcome to the 501 owner group and enjoy your DAC.  It is indeed excellent.  The built-in HP amp is not very powerful but quite nice, pushing my Q701 beautifully.

 

[Eagle13]

Thanks koiloco!  Very much looking forward to enjoying this DAC!  I agree the HP amp is solid but unspectacular, I'm guessing TEAC didn't want to cannibalize the market for the HA-501. Fortunately, my Sennheiser HD-700 is fairly easy to drive.

 

[koiloco]

  Thanks koiloco!  Very much looking forward to enjoying this DAC!  I agree the HP amp is solid but unspectacular, I'm guessing TEAC didn't want to cannibalize the market for the HA-501. Fortunately, my Sennheiser HD-700 is fairly easy to drive.

 
Though it's not spectacular.  It's really decent for a built in.  It can actually gives the HE500 a less aggressive/more relaxing sound signature which I like sometimes.

 

[lmf22]

  I've spent a few hours this weekend "A/B'ing" between DSD "upsampling" and native PCM. Having JRiver MC 19 output everything to DSD really is the way to go with this DAC! PRaT and resolution have been fantastic on good old PCM (both Redbook and Hi-Res).  This DAC is simply marvelous on DSD. 

 
I also found upsampling to 2xDSD is better than PCM (in various combination of upsampling and filters). Have you tried the different DSD filters? I found that FIR2 is more forward and very detailed. FIR3 is smoother and more relaxed. With FIR3 the details are still there, just not as obvious. Initially, FIR2 seems better, but I am enjoying FIR3 more and more. 

For PCM (i.e., when I watch movies or TV; JRiver output DSD with videos), I like upsampling ON and filter OFF.

 

[alpha67]

Hello All,
 
I am new to the forum but longtime lurker. I have a few questions regarding TEAC UD-501. I am currently using Win8\JRiver19, Yulong D100 DAC/Headphone amp with Sens HD600, this combo has served me well so far providing excellent quality of the sound. I am seriously considering Teac, for its DSD capabilities and the fact that it fits my budget. I can see that some of you are using it with JRiver... so I was curious how it works in that combination and are there any issues with setup, operation between the two?
Thank you in advance...

 

[Stealer]

Alpha67,
 
I am running win7 with Jriver MC19,
I switch between Schiit  and LD mk6+ Amp...
No problem configuring Teac UD501 with JRiver... as I use it for Audio only ... but never on Video

 

[alpha67]

Thanks Stealer,
 
Do you use DSD at all, how is that working?

 

[Stealer]

yes,
 
I do DSD but only few of them..
So far loving it...
Hope to get more DSD software...
 
rgds

 

[Stereo Hiend]

Hi guys,

I would like to know if a friend know teac ud501 fuses specifications ?

Because I intend to upgrade the stock fuses in it with hifi tuning supreme fuses as well.

Thanks and Best regards,

Stereo Hiend

 

[buson160man]

     I had not been using the headphone amp for some time because I have been listening almost exclusively to my active speakers. But the dac has fleshed in pretty much completely. So out of curiosity I wondered how the headphone amp section would sound like since I last listened to it. So I hooked up my trusty akg 701 phones and listened to it recently. I have to say that the headphone amp section actually works quite well with the akg 701s. I know that some people find the 701s kind of difficult to drive but the teac steps to the plate and accords itself fairly well with the 701s. In some ways I find it preferable to my burson ha-160.
     I really think the ud501 dac/amp is a great value and hits way above its modest cost.

 

[buson160man]

Hi guys,

I would like to know if a friend know teac ud501 fuses specifications ?

Because I intend to upgrade the stock fuses in it with hifi tuning supreme fuses as well.

Thanks and Best regards,

Stereo Hiend

  I am interested in the fuse rating for the teac as well. I had inquired teac earlier about the fuse rating and they said if I opened the unit it would void their warranty so I decided not to go that route until the warrantee period was over. The unit sounds very good with the stock fuse but considering I have upgraded all my fuses on all my other equipment to good effect I will be doing that with the teac as well. It is a pity that teac did not use a fuse holder that is accessable without having to open the unit up.

 

[koiloco]

       I had not been using the headphone amp for some time because I have been listening almost exclusively to my active speakers. But the dac has fleshed in pretty much completely. So out of curiosity I wondered how the headphone amp section would sound like since I last listened to it. So I hooked up my trusty akg 701 phones and listened to it recently. I have to say that the headphone amp section actually works quite well with the akg 701s. I know that some people find the 701s kind of difficult to drive but the teac steps to the plate and accords itself fairly well with the 701s. In some ways I find it preferable to my burson ha-160.
     I really think the ud501 dac/amp is a great value and hits way above its modest cost.

I concur with this.  This DAC drives my Q701 pretty well also.  It provides a very warm, pleasant SQ to the Q701.  It does require quite a bit of on the volume knob though.
The TEAC however can't drive my HE500 too well.  It barely has enough power for decent to loud volume on the HE500.

 

[Haoleb]

You only void the warranty if you tell them you opened it up. They have no way of knowing if you took it apart or not. There are no seals.
 
I have a ton of internal photo's from when I took mine apart, I just looked at them all to see fuse sizes but I do not see any fuses in there at all in the power supply section. There  may be some hidden under a center crossmember that I cannot see in the photo's however. But, At least in the usual places you would find a fuse I do not see one.

 

[Stereo Hiend]

Hi buson160man and Haoleb,

If you find fuse specifications out please let we know.

Thanks and Best regards,

Ruy
(Sorry about my english)