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TEAC NT 503 or UD-503: Opinions?

wgscott

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BobSherman

BobSherman

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I'm using Audirvana+ (and, optionally, Dirac room correction as an AU plug-in, which is why I am going through some gymnastics that are probably irrelevant to less OCD listeners). I briefly looked at the Teac player but it didn't seem to offer anything. I don't think it does any network things. I think you have to configure it using the iOS interface its local webserver (there is a separate manual for all the network stuff on the Teac website).
I am curious, do you also listen without Dirac? Maybe get a feel for the new DAC without it, then dial in the room afterwards?
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wgscott

wgscott

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Yeah. For example, if I listen to DSD, Dirac can't process it unless I down-sample to PCM. But you are right, it is better to get an idea for how things sound first. Dirac does enable easy toggle on/off, to facilitate this (the advantage in addition to convenience is it keeps the gain constant, making comparisons easier). I also think the changes imposed by room correction are of a much greater magnitude than differences between DACs (at least DACs I have owned) and their filters, so yes, it is best to apply it only when everything else is settled. I've also noticed Dirac doesn't play nice with audio produced with Q-sound (like Roger Waters' Perfect Sense), so clearly sometimes it can not only mask differences but actually degrade the effect.

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odelay

odelay

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Franti knows how to rock the house like few other catholic boys can.

Plus anything with bongos tends to get me wiggling.

 

+1 for Jud's 'zen' approach. I'm getting some stuff in for review. I very much want to avoid direct A/B comparisons as much as I can.

 

I'm thinking I'll enjoy one set-up for a while... then maybe if something bothers me, I might switch things up to see if I'm 'bothered' more or less. So perhaps A/Bs are hard to avoid altogether... [emoji848]

TF cards - USB  -> GentooPlayer in RAM on Rpi4b, Ian’s PurePi II, FIFO Q7, HDMI-pro  -> Audio GD R-27 -> S.A.T. Infinity monoblocks -> Gallo Stradas + TR-3 sub / Erzetich Phobos

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wgscott

wgscott

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I've now had a chance to play with a few of the network features. The iOS/Android app gives you access to most of the controls that the conventional remote does (except filter settings and stuff like that). Setup is extremely straightforward -- the Teac is instantly discovered on the network. There are quite a few different streaming options, not only for music (including Spotify, Pandora, Deezer, Slacker, Sirius, etc) but also Tunein, which has pretty much every internet-enabled radio station, so I can get local broadcasts from my home town, from Cambridge UK, or anywhere else on the planet. This is particularly useful where I live, since over-air broadcasts are extremely limited, and doing this through iTunes was very clunky and unreliable. The sound quality is good as well. In addition to streaming services, you can stream music directly from your iOS/Android device (i.e., you don't have to resort to Blutooth and its compression), and there are options for DNLA and "Home Media". I think the latter requires windows file-sharing. I haven't tried these last two options yet.

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wgscott

wgscott

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I tried the DLNA functionality today, just to prove to myself it worked. First I tried serving a test library with Kodi. The file structure shows up in the Teac remote, but none of the files (mp3, flac, alac) shows in the remote. I then tried UMS, and this worked better, but seems to want to transcode everything (my real library is mostly ALAC). I also installed mediatomb, which would be an ideal DLNA server since it will run GUIless in the background, but I haven't messed with it yet. If DLNA precludes streaming ALAC natively, gapless, and precludes using room correction, I probably won't make much use of it. However, I am fairly convinced that this, or something similar, is really how computer audio ought to be done (rather than via USB, for example).

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BobSherman

BobSherman

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I tried the DLNA functionality today, just to prove to myself it worked. First I tried serving a test library with Kodi. The file structure shows up in the Teac remote, but none of the files (mp3, flac, alac) shows in the remote. I then tried UMS, and this worked better, but seems to want to transcode everything (my real library is mostly ALAC). I also installed mediatomb, which would be an ideal DLNA server since it will run GUIless in the background, but I haven't messed with it yet. If DLNA precludes streaming ALAC natively, gapless, and precludes using room correction, I probably won't make much use of it. However, I am fairly convinced that this, or something similar, is really how computer audio ought to be done (rather than via USB, for example).
Sounds cool,lots of nice useful features. Will you be setting up MinimServer? I think it is a good way to go.

As far as not using USB... If the computer functions (streamer) are built in, that is a good thing. (channeling Martha Stewart) It all depends what you are doing, allot a different ways to have fun.

 

The radio stuff is nice also. Even in an area with a decent amount of stations, (NY) I have not used FM for years.

 

[Tutorial] Installing MinimServer on FreeNAS or FreeBSD

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wgscott

wgscott

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After going through all the dependency installations, etc, I went to the MinimServer page MinimServer downloads and saw there is an OS X version. Within 30 seconds of download I am natively network streaming DSD. Everything "just works" (except for album art in the control iOS app. I probably need to have it in the folder rather than embedded.). I'll be interested to hear what happens when it transitions to the next track. Anyway, thanks for the tip. (The NAS is 15 miles from here on a completely different network, so this is much better).

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Jud

Jud

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After going through all the dependency installations, etc, I went to the MinimServer page MinimServer downloads and saw there is an OS X version. Within 30 seconds of download I am natively network streaming DSD. Everything "just works" (except for album art in the control iOS app. I probably need to have it in the folder rather than embedded.). I'll be interested to hear what happens when it transitions to the next track. Anyway, thanks for the tip. (The NAS is 15 miles from here on a completely different network, so this is much better).

 

Nice - after your last post I thought it was going to be a case of ALAC and alas.

 

(Sorry.)

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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BobSherman

BobSherman

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After going through all the dependency installations, etc, I went to the MinimServer page MinimServer downloads and saw there is an OS X version. Within 30 seconds of download I am natively network streaming DSD. Everything "just works" (except for album art in the control iOS app. I probably need to have it in the folder rather than embedded.). I'll be interested to hear what happens when it transitions to the next track. Anyway, thanks for the tip. (The NAS is 15 miles from here on a completely different network, so this is much better).
Yes setup is definitely easier on a MAC or PC. :)
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mansr

mansr

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I'll get it running on the NAS jail. It has a static IP address, so I should be able to make it work.

 

I wonder why they have all those platform-specific downloads (which excludes freeBSD) if it is java?

Java: write once, debug everywhere.

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Jud

Jud

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Unfortunately the android app won't work and my ipad3 can't find the TEAC HR app at apple. It seems others at the play store share my frustration with this TEAC failure.

 

So much for the network features :/

 

I put "Teac" in the search field just now and it came right up on my iPhone.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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