CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — TEAC VRDS-701

The VRDS-701 is a CD player in the Reference 700 series from TEAC, released in spring 2023 to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Japanese company. It is built around a newly developed version of the VRDS disc mechanism, and it doubles as a USB converter, a headphone amplifier and a preamplifier with analogue volume control. A companion transport, the VRDS-701T, was introduced at the same time. Buyers can choose a black or silver front.

Key specs that matter

Frequency response is 5 Hz to 80 kHz (+1 dB, -6 dB). TEAC gives 105 dB for the A-weighted S/N figure and 0.002% for THD at 1 kHz. Balanced XLR outputs have an output impedance of 220 ohm and the RCA outputs 180 ohm. Fixed output is 2.0 Vrms, or 4.0 Vrms with the +6 dB setting, and in variable mode the maximum reaches 12 Vrms balanced and 6 Vrms unbalanced. Digital inputs are USB Type-C, coaxial and optical, and the USB input accepts PCM to 384 kHz/32-bit and DSD to 22.5 MHz. The 6.3 mm headphone jack delivers 500 mW + 500 mW into 32 ohm with a slew rate of 2000 V/us. The chassis measures 444 x 111.3 x 333.6 mm, weighs 11.8 kg and draws 40 W in operation.

Engineering and use context

VRDS stands for Vibration-Free Rigid Disc-Clamping System. Each CD is pressed flat against an aluminium platter matching its own diameter, which raises inertial mass and cuts rotational vibration, and TEAC states that this also reduces the servo current needed. The mechanism sits on a semi-floating subchassis. Conversion is done by a TEAC delta-sigma discrete DAC with its own algorithms rather than an off-the-shelf chip, in a fully balanced dual-mono layout. DSD passes straight through, while PCM is turned into a 1-bit stream, with 2x, 4x or 8x upconversion by RDOT-NEO available. MQA CDs are fully decoded. Two clocks cover the 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz families, and a 10 MHz BNC input accepts an external master clock. Three separate toroidal transformers supply the analogue circuits, the digital control and the CD mechanism, and they are mounted on a floating subchassis apart from the bottom panel. The unit rests on three machined steel feet.

Pairing

Because the TEAC-QVCS analogue volume stage can run the outputs in variable mode, the VRDS-701 removes the need for a preamplifier when a stereo power stage follows it. With the level fixed, an integrated amplifier takes its signal over balanced or single-ended cables. A computer on the USB input turns it into the digital hub of a desktop or main system, and an external clock generator can be added later.

Alternatives

The TEAC PD-301DAB-X is another CD player from the brand, which also carries a DAB+ and FM tuner.