Teac NT503 Networking DAC

Yes - - it does. I’d be happy to embed a picture, but I don’t seem to be able to (I can only add a link). I can email one to you if you like.

 

Yes, MQA is displayed on the units screen. MQA streamed through Tidal is very impressive. Is it MQA or the remastering performed to make the MQA file that is making the sound quality difference I don't know but those files do sound significantly better; sound stage and detail.

 

I finally signed up to Tidal, free three months. When the trial expires I'm continuing. Sound is great, integrates seamlessly wit Roon and enough MQA files to keep me happy. It is fun adding albums to my collection that I don't want to purchase but want a complete collection. It is also fun to explore new music through radio play that incorporates my collection and music from Tidal.

 

@mds and @cje

The Teac NT-505 arrived in May and I've been reviewing it now for a while. Summer is busy for me, I've had the DAC for two months, but summer rates as half or less the available listening time in contrast to winter. So, listening time has been infrequent.

I am very happy with the NT 505 and want thank you both for your input and time.

Some notes below:

I switched from a Squeezebox to the NT 505, so the difference in sound quality is quite noticeable.

I purchased an Actiontec - Bonded MoCA 2.0 Wired Network Adapter (2-Pack) and then returned it. I had hoped to bridge my router to the DAC over cable. It may be possible, but it gets tricky with filters for the cable. I decided to put the time into wiring the house for ethernet cable in winter. For now, I have a "hanging" cable for access.

I primarily use DSD512 upsampling for most listening sessions.

Roon, Tidal, and MQA stream seamlessly on the DAC.

I needed to perform a firmware update on the NT 505 and it was only slightly difficult.​

I hope that the Teac NT 505 will last a few year as the price point is high.

...best

 

Congratulations, I am glad you are enjoying. I found that it took a very long time to settle into its best sound. If you are just beginning to use it and enjoy the sound, I believe you will enjoy the sound even more as it breaks in. The unit works really well with Roon and Tidal. I have found the Network connection to be a really nice way to connect to a NAS drive. Bluetooth works very well also. I have some SACD discs that were ripped to SACD (DSD) files and they stream very nicely to the DAC and their sound is wonderful.

 

Thank you! The NT 505 been a big jump in sound quality with my Zu speakers. I did not think I'd use the Bluetooth, but it was the first thing my wife wanted to use...
Apple PC>>Tidal>>bluetooth>>DAC

I was surprised, but she was happy using bluetooth with Tidal. Tidal on Roon is still clunky and new releases are delayed on Roon. I did listen to some higher quality sources and enjoyed the improved sound quality. I do have more than a few SACDs, but do not have a way to digitize or play them.

 

Hello,
How sound the NT 505 or UD 505 with music from Internet-Radio 128 kbps (low quality) ?
Ist the NT 503 better for this low bitrate ?
I am unsure about the high quality ak 4497.

 

In case of 128kbps internet radio the bottleneck isn't with the DAC/Streamer.

Why do you think an older model would be more suitable?

 

I stream from my NAS drive all types of files including low resolution MP3 files and find the sound quality of the low level MP3 files to be acceptable. In fact I have streamed MP3 files for friends and no one has ever complained that the sound quality was unacceptable. I question people who look down on MP3 files with a blanket dislike due to their perception that because they are not lossless they must sound bad. This is not the case the majority of time or at least not in my experience if the original mix was from a great sounding file / CD. I am a huge believer that the ultimate quality of music stems from the mixing and mastering point and not the end point. This is not to say that FLAC or Hi Resolution files don't sound better, they can and should but it depends on the mixing/mastering of the original music that the file came from. I can play a horrible brick walled Hi Resolution file and put it up against a well mixed higher byte rate MP3 of the same song and people will pick the MP3 file to listen to. This is why MQA files can't be classified as a better format, it all depends on the recording the MQA is taken from which will determine if it sounds acceptable or not. The NT 505 plays MQA files, if that is important to someone and the NT 503 does not.

I have no experience with the UD 505, but based on the quality of the NT 505 I would guess it will be a very good unit. No reason to believe the NT 503 would be a better unit for playing low byte rate files. In fact I think the NT 505 would be better due to its overall better build in ever respect and its myriad of settings available in terms of filters and up sampling.

Hope this helps.

 

Hello, I am a recent happy owner of TEAC nt-505! I have plugged it in my existing Meridian G02/G57 (preamp/power amp). With this setting, for the first time in my life and thanks also to TEAC, I can say that I have achieved a sound that approaches the high-end.

If I bypass the Meridian G02 and use TEAC as the preamp, the sound continues to be sweet, it is brighter and more in your face (this is good or bad, depending on personal taste), but the sound-stage is definitely narrower and the low frequencies are less rich. So, unfortunately, I tend to agree that I cannot get rid and sell the preamp so easily as I intended to... May I ask your own experiences in this matter? Have you tried TEAC NT-505 as a preamp? Thanks.

 

I have not tried the TEAC NT-505 as a preamplifier nor as a headphone amplifier. I own a preamplifier that I love so had no intention of using the TEAC for that purpose when I bought it. I had also read reviews that reported as good as the TEAC's preamplifier portion is that if you had a good preamplifier you might not be satisfied with the TEAC as your primary preamplifier, so I went in with no interest with that feature. The streaming and DAC portion of this unit are so good and the price so reasonable I didn't feel that not using the preamplifier portion made the unit any less than a stellar purchase.

I am sure there are better but you will need to spend an awful lot of additional money to better the TEAC. I guess your next upgrade could be an even better preamplifier. When I upgraded my preamplifier was when I realized how important a component it is and how much it affects the sound you hear by letting more detail, pace and rythm come through from your source, which if you are streaming should be the TEAC.

 

Thank you for your comprehensive reply! If you happen to test TEAC as a preamplifier just out of pure curiosity, please report back your findings. I hadn't realised the importance of the preamplifier before, and I was planning to sell it in order to cover for my expenses for the TEAC, that's why I am a bit disappointed. To set matters straight, I am not saying that the TEAC sounds bad as a preamplifier, it's just not as weighty and tidy.

By the way, you mentioned "reviews". Had you found any reviews in the english language that you are able to share with me? I have found none (only in German, Dutch, Swedish); it's a shame how under-marketed this product is!!

 

You are correct, not a popular product in the States and therefore no major magazine reviews in English. I mostly read blogs and forums for info from people with "real" experience with the product. Sometimes this is better than a magazine review, no conflict with advertising dollars or scarring away other manufacturers from lending their product for review.

 

I already commented how TEAC as a brand is under marketed everywhere and the NT-505 is flying so low under the reviewer's radars that it could be the audiophile equivalent of a stealth fighter. My guess is that TEAC forgot that reviewers usually gets units on loan to review and are not expected to pay and buy one out of their own pocket, especially at the retail price these go for.

 

Hell,
My NT-505 has been upgraded to the latest version of firmware. With Roon Nucleus, two are connected via a network hub. When using the computer version of Roon to play music, Used the NT-505's remote controller "upconverter" to upsaling the frequency, Roon will correctly display the signal transmission path (Signal Path). However, as long as the NT-505 is turned off and the Roon playback software is closed and then re-opened, the Signal Path displayed by Roon becomes "lossless". Pressing the INFO button on the NT-505 remote control or the UPCONVERT button still shows Upscaling. Can someone try to have the same situation? Thanks

 

I'd need some advice - I am using the NT503 as preamp in a setup with an active Genelec F2 Subwoofer and two G3 satellites, connected via XLR. Sound is great, it is a really efficient setup.
Before, I was using the Teac UD501, but among other aspects changed to the 503 due to its volume control capabilities. Now I am quite disappointed: the NT503 cannot really wake teh Genelec subwoofer up. With the UD501, the sub was on standby and would always wake up when a signal came from the DAC. Now, when starting the 503, I always need to switch the sub off and on before it would recognise the input signal.
Any idea about what could be wrong here?

 

I bought a used 503 recently, and I experience the same issues with spotify. Did you find any resolution for the issues? I see there is no firmware upgrade available?

 

Have you tried controlling the TEAC using Roon? Roon works really well with the various streaming programs out there. I was not happy with TEAC's audio and streaming program and ended up using Roon and it works great.

 

I’m using an NT-503 and AX-501 amp. Until now, I’ve been ripping CDs and playing back using an IO Data Soundgenic NAS.

Lately, I have a urge to get a CD player or transport for when I just want to play a CD.

Any tips on what would be best for this set up? The matching TEAC PD-501 seems out of production. Does it make more sense to go through the DAC or get a better CD player and go direct to the amp?

 

If you have a DAC in which you like its sound then I would probably only use a CD as a transport. In my opinion you would need to spend an awful lot of money on a CD player in which you would be more happy with it's DAC than the TEAC's DAC. Just one opinion.

I noticed that TEAC has a CD player and Tuner in the form factor of the NT-503. The model is Teac PD 301 CD Player with FM Tuner USB. This might be a perfect fit for you. It is being advertised on Amazon and EBay for just under $400, but I am sure you could pick it up other places also.

 

Thanks. Will look into this.

 

In the end, I managed to find a refurbished PD-501HR from Teac’s online store (I’m in Tokyo) when I as looking for the best priced PD-301.

It arrived and is just like new and has a 1-year warranty. I’m using it as a transport after comparing it directly to the amp. Definitely works better through the NT-503 using a coax cable (but not as nice as my vinyl!).

 

Hi, I just picked up a PD-501HR as well. However, I can't for the life of me figure out how to get it to play high-res WAV and DSD files from a burned DVD. I've tried many times, different burns, using both data and audio, nothing. Have you had any success? I've been all over the internet and can't find any help with this. No response from TEAC. Thanks.

 

Sorry - I just this. I’ve only been playing CDs so didn’t try this approach. Did you find a way?

 

Yes I did! It actually came down to the type of blank DVDs I was using, of all things.