not to hijack this thread maybe i found a much better option for some people. if you prefer nos which i kinow was discussed in this thread. put the stock 501 or 503 in "nos" mode and compare it to the nuforce dac 9. i think most will agree it is much better at that. no wonder, that is all it does. compared to dsd i am not quite sure myself. i like options. still, the dac 9 is a real bargain for a nos dac. i have always said a lot more creates the sound of a dac than simply the conversion ic. no doubt stock the dac 9 uses better components. i guess it depends if you want dsd. today i would not be without dsd. i am not exactly being fair though i can get my hands on and have had almost anything. if i were going to pick one i think the dac 9 is your better bet even sans dsd. as for the ud-501 i would then take that and of course get right to work modding it. or not. crutchfield still sells the ud-501 brand new for only $849.go put 3 grand of parts and some 50 hours into it and you have something very serious. i would still perhaps take it stock over the dac 9. not the 503 though. the 503 does sound better in dsd stock to the 501 but it just seems to me they cut every corner they could to increase profit. the 501 was really built well for the money and a great springboard at which to go wild.i feel mine is worth 10 grand now. it sounds like it. i can honestly compare it to the likes of the gryphon without laughing. in fact, dead serious about that. do like the diamond v better but price comparison is completely unfair. even the gryphon is not short of amazing i can put them in the same boat. so if you do not feel you are up for dsd i think the dac 9 is a much better option. the reason i say this now is because i just did an extensive listening session today between the 501, 503, dac 9. my modded 501 is much better of course. count those paper in oil caps, super conductors now femto clock etc. it went way up the charts. in nos i feel the dac 9 is far superior. again though i am torn because i would not be without dsd right now. however crutchfield still having the 501 is what i would do unless you only plan on listening to nos. even if you do not mod it. i do like the idea of 11.2mhz but at the end of the day the 501 was much better built. luckily you can still get one. so now your choice. do you need dsd or not. it is said few people can here 1x dsd let alone 4x or more. plus it seems to flatten the frequency less natural. i prefer it. if you are in vinyl you should prefer nos. so i picked one although i am unsure of the prices. this came about because it just so happened i got the dac 9 today. i really need to have a garage sale lol. no, seriously no inquiries about sale of my gear please. i will let everyone know if and when. other than that i was wondering what other people thought about being sans dsd in 2016? do you require 11.2mhz or is 5.6mhz enough? gryphon only does 5.6 afaik so good comparison to decked out 501. i will say the directstream is very nice again but my ud 501 i like much better. stock the directstream is in a different class. now i just need to change the converter ic in this thing is the last step to excellence. interestingly that chip has better specs at the cost of 11.2mhz. i just feel people should either go get the 501 at crutchfield or if nos is all that matters to you snatch up the dac 9. still not sure about the prices though. for all i know i am comparing apples and oranges. dac 9 does not look expensive though. so would you guys go strictly nos in 2016? i wouldn't. although in the end it is the sound that matters regardless of how t is achieved. i prefer dsd, many do not. silly to buy a dsd dac if you do not intend to use it though. get one with better components as nos dacs tend to be. oh well done rambling sorry.
edit: just noticed esoteric d1 also is only 5.6mhz but lower end models are 11.2mhz. as i said there is much more to a dac than the conversion ic. i feel the ud-501 was better built stock if not sounding as good as the 503 but marginal. may advice remains. if you want teac buy the ud-501 from crutchfield while you still can. much cheaper too. you have a better built device and can always upgrade it to your hearts content. stock it is not too shabby either.
wait! one more thing. what about the ayre codex? same price? supposed to be a giant killer. strange the ayre qb9 has leser specs. not a fan of them usually but who knows. in that segment i pick bryston but now i am sure that is more money than the 503. i mean bda3 or whatever the latest one is. benchmark? lot's of choices. i just think the 503 went down in build quality but slightly better in sq. all bets are off if you mod the 501. i still say get the 501 while you can. it seems as of now the 503 is not even to be had in the states yet agan. more problems? don't know. maybe just distribution.