This is interesting DAC with a reasonable price tag, looks nice and high quality components.
Since it also offers bypass of the digital interpolation filters with direct 32-bit 352.8/384 PCM input as well as DSD128 support with good set of analog filters (conversion mappings), I wanted to study which would be best way to play back RedBook content on it.
I have excluded time-domain behavior inspections from this post, because going to that domain while keeping the frequency-domain behavior optimal at the same time is complex topic with too many variables to be discussed in a single blog post. (read: brickwall filters vs non-brickwall filters) So I cover only frequency-domain inspection of various ways to reproduce RedBook.
First set of measurements I perform is a 44.1/24 PCM with sweep from 0 - 20 kHz and measure this on a wide-band spectrum analyzer using "peak-hold" to expose both reconstruction properties and quality as well as see patterns of ultrasonic output since this seems to be a hot topic. Optimal output would have just the 0 - 20 kHz output and nothing else in the spectrum.
Second set of measurements I perform is intermodulation distortion test with 19+20 kHz tones. Optimal output would have just the 19+20 kHz tones visible and nothing else.
Since the UD-501 defaults to "NOS" settings, I first measured it in this mode.
NOS mode, sweep 0-20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-nos.png.a5d1afd344fc0cfd39854db36cba7e61.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28199" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-nos.png.a5d1afd344fc0cfd39854db36cba7e61.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
NOS mode, IMD 19+20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos.png.c9c3f3c20307d858b6008faa1dd2e719.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28200" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos.png.c9c3f3c20307d858b6008faa1dd2e719.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
Since the wide-band output of the IMD test looked quite extraordinary, I reproduce it here...
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos-wide.png.5daa807728823d3ac6f3ec9c4c633f16.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28201" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos-wide.png.5daa807728823d3ac6f3ec9c4c633f16.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
Next was time to test the most ordinary setting, with digital filter set to "SHARP".
SHARP mode, sweep 0-20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-sharp.png.6326b34d24dd0ea81a901d966575da74.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28202" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-sharp.png.6326b34d24dd0ea81a901d966575da74.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
SHARP mode, IMD 19+20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-sharp.png.6586f1e8ab1a82335b38e1a555b1b83a.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28203" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-sharp.png.6586f1e8ab1a82335b38e1a555b1b83a.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
Then was the filter type many find better sounding due to shorter pre-/post-ringing, filter set to "SLOW".
SLOW mode, sweep 0-20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-slow.png.f039b323c15b37ab336ffe753ba889cc.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28204" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-slow.png.f039b323c15b37ab336ffe753ba889cc.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
SLOW mode, IMD 19+20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-slow.png.7cbddd08f409d03bc67f410f08dd15a1.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28205" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-slow.png.7cbddd08f409d03bc67f410f08dd15a1.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
Since there is the digital filter bypass, I wanted to test HQPlayer with a "short" filter and 384/32 output (TPDF dither).
NOS mode, HQPlayer short@384/32, sweep 0-20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-short.png.045611f28389925c013c79c1b0089ffd.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28206" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-short.png.045611f28389925c013c79c1b0089ffd.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
NOS mode, HQPlayer short@384/32, IMD 19+20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-384.png.1c6270ef509d00a2c6f0eb4fd36ee7ee.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28207" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-384.png.1c6270ef509d00a2c6f0eb4fd36ee7ee.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
Then the part I was most interested in, testing upsampling to DSD128 using modulator "5.1". I used analog FIR setting 4 in this test, mostly because TI uses the same filter in their datasheet plots.
AFIR4 mode, HQPlayer short@DSD128, sweep 0-20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-dsd128-51.png.9088017003669c4ea7bcdc55cf564b83.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28208" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-dsd128-51.png.9088017003669c4ea7bcdc55cf564b83.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
AFIR4 mode, HQPlayer short@DSD128, IMD 19+20 kHz
<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-dsd128-51.png.3800f20d112a2cdf00fa1031db95c6db.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28209" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-dsd128-51.png.3800f20d112a2cdf00fa1031db95c6db.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
As a summary, at least on this DAC, DSD128 has most limited ultrasonic output and no strongly correlated elements visible at all. For those using HQPlayer, "5.1" is best modulator option for this DAC.<p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-nos.png.85b2ef78826e8e4d63d7626852ec98b0.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28449" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-nos.png.85b2ef78826e8e4d63d7626852ec98b0.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos.png.f94ccdedd6d43167bbf04f26756db328.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28450" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos.png.f94ccdedd6d43167bbf04f26756db328.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos-wide.png.dd6ef73dea8d362c2bf6a497bbcf6b20.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28451" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-nos-wide.png.dd6ef73dea8d362c2bf6a497bbcf6b20.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-sharp.png.69d3589f71b712556370321728a9e525.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28452" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-sharp.png.69d3589f71b712556370321728a9e525.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-sharp.png.7079c371354340ec2690237c0c35acb8.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28453" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-sharp.png.7079c371354340ec2690237c0c35acb8.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-slow.png.b18a6d0dcce18c172379ca7d1b3549d4.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28454" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-slow.png.b18a6d0dcce18c172379ca7d1b3549d4.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-slow.png.632cca49ff37f77aa15971ec6b9a3e6e.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28455" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd441-slow.png.632cca49ff37f77aa15971ec6b9a3e6e.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-short.png.b7d410ce64b47b02d00c698eb212463b.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28456" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-short.png.b7d410ce64b47b02d00c698eb212463b.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-384.png.eaa6c3b760d8b548e9f3c0ae48cac990.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28457" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-384.png.eaa6c3b760d8b548e9f3c0ae48cac990.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-dsd128-51.png.b583521e8e61fc49008cdd394f112a2c.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28458" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-sweep441-hqp-dsd128-51.png.b583521e8e61fc49008cdd394f112a2c.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-dsd128-51.png.726a233e4079d5894aece5696f3675f9.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28459" src="/monthly_2013_08/TEAC_UD501-imd-hqp-dsd128-51.png.726a233e4079d5894aece5696f3675f9.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
3 Comments
Recommended Comments