TEAC’s VRDS-701 is a terrific CD player that’s a joy to use and packed with useful features.
TEAC VRDS-701 : Read more
TEAC VRDS-701 : Read more
TEAC VRDS-701
- Thread starter What Hi-Fi?
- Start date
Dom
Well-known member
podknocker
Well-known member
PrazVT
Active member
Really - a $3800 CD player? I didn't read anything in that review that makes me think this kit is worth > 25% of that MSRP. It's all profit margin and marketing hype for the "have more $$ than sense" crowd. Oh and by the way! You can pair this CD player with other insanely overpriced kit! Give it a rest WhatHifi.
PrazVT
Active member
"This player proves something of a slow burner for us, so be careful not to make snap judgements after a short audition at a dealer. Its sonic signature doesn't brim with sparkle or go out of its way to make your discs sound exciting. This is a more analytical tool than that and prefers to let the recording take the spotlight."
In other words, it's just a regular CD player in an over-built case.
In other words, it's just a regular CD player in an over-built case.
Gray
Well-known member
Makes it look more expensive (if the price didn't tell you).
Plus, the handles make it easier to pull the thing forward (as you do, maybe 3 times a decade).
manicm
Well-known member
manicm
Well-known member
And yet many will spend the same amount on a turntable. Give a rest and all that???
manicm
Well-known member
Teac are using their own in-house transport. So it's not just a regular CDP. And by the review it has an excellent DAC as weill with USB-C and optical inputs.
manicm
Well-known member
There are no new technologies in turntables either. Linn would make a direct drive turntable - still old but less common - but don't on cost grounds, and how much do they charge???????
And again, this Teac has its own bespoke transport, and going by the review an excellent, accessible DAC.
Sometimes I stream, sometimes I prefer CD.
ja_kub_sz
Well-known member
I've had one of these units for over a month now.
Sounds crazy... But it's excellent! Not kidding, this thing is nuts.
I've paired mine with the Teac 10MHz CG clock and just on face value alone CDP $3,300 and clock $1,800 (5k yes I know), but it's a preamp, CDP, and it's clocked DAC is an exceptional performer.
I have a T+A DAC200 which is $7,250 (DAC Preamp) and this Teac combination will leave 99% audiophiles wanting nothing more. It's that good. Has all the features of the DAC200 and almost indiscernible performance and sonic character. Also more filters and upsampling to boot.
Also as a transport I A/B tested it against my Innuos Statement with EtherGen switch+fiber and honestly it was extremely hard to tell the difference when comparing streaming to what the VRDS was sending through. Micro-dynamics and vocal detail nods to the Statement, but again oh so close, however this was with my Tambaqui. So again spend 15k on a S-tier streamer or just use this as a transport with clock for your CD's. Can't say enough good things about it.
Now with that all said, yes a $3,300 CDP, but if you're a believer in DAC's of said price this one's a steal for all that you get.
Sounds crazy... But it's excellent! Not kidding, this thing is nuts.
I've paired mine with the Teac 10MHz CG clock and just on face value alone CDP $3,300 and clock $1,800 (5k yes I know), but it's a preamp, CDP, and it's clocked DAC is an exceptional performer.
I have a T+A DAC200 which is $7,250 (DAC Preamp) and this Teac combination will leave 99% audiophiles wanting nothing more. It's that good. Has all the features of the DAC200 and almost indiscernible performance and sonic character. Also more filters and upsampling to boot.
Also as a transport I A/B tested it against my Innuos Statement with EtherGen switch+fiber and honestly it was extremely hard to tell the difference when comparing streaming to what the VRDS was sending through. Micro-dynamics and vocal detail nods to the Statement, but again oh so close, however this was with my Tambaqui. So again spend 15k on a S-tier streamer or just use this as a transport with clock for your CD's. Can't say enough good things about it.
Now with that all said, yes a $3,300 CDP, but if you're a believer in DAC's of said price this one's a steal for all that you get.
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ja_kub_sz
Well-known member
emperor's new clothes
Well-known member
A ray of sunshine amongst the inane and ill informed. Having owned the ud701n, I agree with you. The DAC 's delta sigma was co-developed with Esoteric and their versions are 10k plus. I also added the cg10 master clock which raised the bar more than expected. Considering the technology, this is good value imho. Having owned various CD players and DACs going back to 1984, this represents a huge leap in technology and sq compared to those early brittle, unrefined models (Technics,, Cyrus, Marantz,better, Meridian, much better, and Marantz again) The VRDS transport is also featured on Esoteric players and in the past, sold to high end manufactures such as dCS and CH Precision of Switzerland, 10 tomes the price of this TEAC.
unfortunately, my 701 developed a fault in the streamer and no spares were available from locked down China. The DAC performance was superb to my ears and bodes well for this player.
superb setup you have there. Certainly discerning enough to sort the wheat from the chaff!
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Jasonovich
Well-known member
I actually like the look of it, even with the handle bars but I don't know, I rather not pay three grand for a CD player that's sort of obsolete.
It makes better sense to invest in a quality Digital Transport, that has wide compatibility (plays all the digital formats/Codecs, CD's SACD's external drives etc), lots of inputs, such as USB, Bluetooth possibly a streamer as well and just add a quality DAC. You can ensure longevity as and when you need to replace your DAC with a better one.
It makes better sense to invest in a quality Digital Transport, that has wide compatibility (plays all the digital formats/Codecs, CD's SACD's external drives etc), lots of inputs, such as USB, Bluetooth possibly a streamer as well and just add a quality DAC. You can ensure longevity as and when you need to replace your DAC with a better one.
ja_kub_sz
Well-known member
Yeah MQA CD? That I scratched my head on. I would've 100% preferred SACD playback.
Probably my only critique of the VRDS 701.
Probably my only critique of the VRDS 701.
emperor's new clothes
Well-known member
That's why I will stick with my Marantz. Have a good collection of SACDs and feed CD out to the MF DAC, where it is upsampled. Have a few MQA CDs which play on the Marantz and are unfolded by the MF. 24/352.8 and sq is up there with SACD. Too expensive as Japanese imports.
surprised that it doesn't do SACD as that transport was capable and it has 1 bit processing. Marantz's top players convert pcm to DSD as does PS Audio and others, regardless of the number crunching algorithms employed in these latest players, sq is now far better than the limitations of a format marketed as "perfect sound forever" at launch.
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ja_kub_sz
Well-known member
I've never even looked for MQA CD's and would be interested to see what's out there.
I was very much on board with SACD and DVD audio years ago and have two players that can spin those discs.
ja_kub_sz
Well-known member
Just a follow up. So I have in house the Jay Audio CDT MK3 and their new Clock 2.
Head to head against the Teac VRDS and clock (as transports). I've listened to the Jay in 24bit/176kHz upsampling and native 16bit/44.1kHz of the Teac and these two transports are excellent, but honestly the Jay can sound ever so slightly etched with certain high frequency sounds. Vocals more present and up front with the Jay, bass more weighted and palpable with the Teac, both extremely detailed. Maybe ever so slightly more depth with the Jay do to vocals being more forward, but the Teac is just that good. Maybe even better considering there isn't anything that sounds strident on it. My speakers are the Focal Sopra 3 and Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC with Riviera Levante IA.
Teac VRDS 701 CDP and CG-10 Clock coming in at $3,800 + $1,800, Jay CDT3 MK3 with Clock 2 at $5,000 + $700. So both essentially the same price.
I honestly have to give my overall nod to the Teac yet again, however the Jay Clock-2 is a better value. If you want to try a diffenr clock with the Teac (cheaper) keep in mind you need a 50ohm clock and cabling to make it all work, which is harder to come by, then say a 75ohm clock.
Just a recap
Teac Pros
Tray load
DAC, CDT, Digital Inputs, Preamp
Better low frequency control and weight
Trigger functions
Better value
Jay Pros:
Tank build
Better Visibility for the screen
Upsampling (best with R2R or smoother more rolled off DAC IMO)
More vocal presence
Head to head against the Teac VRDS and clock (as transports). I've listened to the Jay in 24bit/176kHz upsampling and native 16bit/44.1kHz of the Teac and these two transports are excellent, but honestly the Jay can sound ever so slightly etched with certain high frequency sounds. Vocals more present and up front with the Jay, bass more weighted and palpable with the Teac, both extremely detailed. Maybe ever so slightly more depth with the Jay do to vocals being more forward, but the Teac is just that good. Maybe even better considering there isn't anything that sounds strident on it. My speakers are the Focal Sopra 3 and Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC with Riviera Levante IA.
Teac VRDS 701 CDP and CG-10 Clock coming in at $3,800 + $1,800, Jay CDT3 MK3 with Clock 2 at $5,000 + $700. So both essentially the same price.
I honestly have to give my overall nod to the Teac yet again, however the Jay Clock-2 is a better value. If you want to try a diffenr clock with the Teac (cheaper) keep in mind you need a 50ohm clock and cabling to make it all work, which is harder to come by, then say a 75ohm clock.
Just a recap
Teac Pros
Tray load
DAC, CDT, Digital Inputs, Preamp
Better low frequency control and weight
Trigger functions
Better value
Jay Pros:
Tank build
Better Visibility for the screen
Upsampling (best with R2R or smoother more rolled off DAC IMO)
More vocal presence
nopiano
Well-known member
Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts here. Yes, if only the larger display was on the TEAC! (My cheap Tascam CD200 player is easier to read than the 8x costlier Marantz. Older eyes need a bit of help!).
VNVNation
Member
Has anyone compared the VRDS 701 to a price comparable DAC, perhaps the Chord Qutest or Schiit Yggdrasil?
The 701 is an appealing all-in-one solution but I'm wondering if a 'cheaper' CD transport (maybe a Cambridge CXC or Audiolab CDT9000) combined with a dedicated DAC might offer more in terms of sound with the added benefit of upgradeability.
The 701 is an appealing all-in-one solution but I'm wondering if a 'cheaper' CD transport (maybe a Cambridge CXC or Audiolab CDT9000) combined with a dedicated DAC might offer more in terms of sound with the added benefit of upgradeability.
podknocker
Well-known member
John Darko reviewed this model recently and the tray is very wobbly, although not as wobbly as the one my Audiolab Omnia. I don't trust a really wobbly and flimsy tray and there's no need for it.
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VNVNation
Member
So you've compared the 701 and Omnia? What were your thoughts apart from the tray?
podknocker
Well-known member
I've not heard the TEAC, but I don't need to because it's a CD player, using 40 year old technology. It will sound like a CD player, with lots of detail and give you a clear window to your music, much like any other CD player you can buy these days. The tray is the essential part of the whole device and if it's flimsy, it's going to break if you're careless and you catch it. Then all the fantastic componentry inside is useless.
This is why streaming your tunes is better. A bit for bit perfect copy of an album, at 1411kbps, through the same circuit and DAC, will sound the same as the CD, without the high probability of the tray, or some other transport component failing. Making a HIFI product without any spinning stuff is better. Anything mechanical and with moving parts will have the highest failure rates.
This is why streaming your tunes is better. A bit for bit perfect copy of an album, at 1411kbps, through the same circuit and DAC, will sound the same as the CD, without the high probability of the tray, or some other transport component failing. Making a HIFI product without any spinning stuff is better. Anything mechanical and with moving parts will have the highest failure rates.
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