TEAC UD-503 DAC with up sampling DSD capability

[SoundStream]

Hi, has anyone own the TEAC UD-503? From the spec, it has DSD up sampling capability up to DSD256 from any PCM source. This is pretty cool feature. I can't find any review yet and have intention to upgrade my DAC. Here is website:

 

UD-503 | TEAC

 

any views, comments and reviews are welcomed. Thank you

[Jud]

Several people who own the predecessor UD-501 have said they like it a lot.

 

Internal conversion to DSD64 or DSD128 is typical of the vast majority of DACs, so internal conversion to DSD256 is just another step that might help things sound a little better. Or you can turn off the internal filtering and modulators and use something like HQPlayer.

[Norton]

Internal conversion to DSD64 or DSD128 is typical of the vast majority of DACs,

 

Is that correct? I'm sure your technical knowledge is better than mine, but are we talking about the same thing? Plenty of DACS can't play DSD at all, which seems odd if the majority are then converting PCM to DSD anyway.

 

I thought the TEAC was pretty unusual in offering user selectable 2/4/8 times PCM upsampling and PCM/DSD256 transcoding.

[Doak]

Is that correct? I'm sure your technical knowledge is better than mine, but are we talking about the same thing? Plenty of DACS can't play DSD at all, which seems odd if the majority are then converting PCM to DSD anyway.

 

I thought the TEAC was pretty unusual in offering user selectable 2/4/8 times PCM upsampling and PCM/DSD256 transcoding.

 

YOU are correct.

[Jud]

Is that correct? I'm sure your technical knowledge is better than mine, but are we talking about the same thing? Plenty of DACS can't play DSD at all, which seems odd if the majority are then converting PCM to DSD anyway.

 

Yes, it's correct. That's what sigma-delta modulation is, and if you look at the datasheets for nearly all DAC chips, you'll see they perform sigma-delta modulation.

 

I thought the TEAC was pretty unusual in offering user selectable 2/4/8 times PCM upsampling and PCM/DSD256 transcoding.

 

The user selectability *is* unusual. Most DACs do this internally (first converting to 352.8/384KHz PCM, which is 2/4/8 upsampling depending on input - for example, 44.1 -> 352.8 is 8x, 192 -> 384 is 2x; then sigma-delta modulating to DSD64/DSD128). The best part of user selectability IMO is the freedom it gives to use external software.

[beerandmusic]

just wanted to revive this thread since i just bought one.

Anyone else out there buy the UD-503? I don't see much on it here. I see it won some japanese 2016 award

 

TEAC is proudly to announce that the UD-503 have received Japan’s most authoritative award, the VGP 2016 (Visual Grand Prix) Gold Prize in D/C Converter category in October 2015.

 

 

I was contemplating one of the schiits until i found out they don't even support dsd, and although i haven't heard any of the schiits, but hear a lot of love and support for them, i personally want DSD as that is the best i have heard. I also listened to a dac a few years ago at CES (i think is was an antelope) that was the best i have heard.... that had an option of an external clock, and this teac has that option also, so that technology might also prove fruitful. Anyway, willing to give it a shot...i know Miska liked the 501, and i liked the 301 fine and this one is supposed to be better....

 

any other 503 owners out there?

[beerandmusic]

also would a regen help this unit, even though it sounds to have some isolation already?

 

Isolation circuit that completely separates the grounding of the digital and analog sectionsBetween the digital and analog sections, the circuit design uses a digital isolator to completely isolate both the power supply and the ground. So, all noise coming from digital input sources, starting with noise from the computer via USB, is prevented from entering the analog section by way of the power line or the ground. An isolation circuit offers significant benefit particularly when playing high-resolution audio sources with high sampling rates. The UD-503 is the first product in our Reference Series to include one.