ЦАПы — TEAC NT-505-X

The NT-505-X is a compact USB DAC and network player from TEAC, the Japanese audio company, and it has since been discontinued. It combines a dual-mono DAC section with network streaming, Bluetooth, digital inputs, a headphone amplifier and variable outputs, so it can act as the source and preamplifier of a system in a single box. Black is the only finish.

Key specs that matter

TEAC fits two ESS Technology ES9038Q2M chips of the 32-bit HyperStream II family, one per channel. Over USB-B the player takes PCM up to 768 kHz and DSD up to 22.5 MHz, while the rear coaxial and optical inputs take PCM to 24-bit/192 kHz and DSD over DoP. Frequency response is 10 Hz to 80 kHz (+1 dB, -3 dB) with a 192 kHz PCM signal, distortion is 0.002% or less and S/N is rated at 110 dB or higher. Balanced XLR outputs give 2.0 or 4.0 Vrms fixed and up to 12.0 Vrms variable at 188 ohm, and the RCA outputs give the same fixed levels and up to 6.0 Vrms variable at 150 ohm. The 3.5 mm headphone jack supplies 500 mW + 500 mW into 32 ohm. The unit is 290 x 84.5 x 248.7 mm and weighs 4.1 kg.

Engineering and use context

The dual monaural layout draws power from two high-capacity toroidal transformers, and the enclosure is all metal with 8 mm aluminium panels resting on three-point Stressless Foot supports. Two crystal oscillators are dedicated to the 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz families, and a 10 MHz BNC input with 50 ohm impedance allows lock to an external master clock. RDOT-NEO processing can upconvert PCM to 384 kHz/32-bit or to DSD. Seven PCM filter settings are selectable, including sharp and slow roll-off, short delay and low dispersion types plus an off position. On the network side a gigabit Ethernet port supports OpenHome, Roon Ready operation after a firmware update, Spotify Connect plus TIDAL, Qobuz and TuneIn, while an MQA decoder is built in. Bluetooth 4.0 supports LDAC and aptX HD as well as aptX, AAC and SBC and remembers up to eight devices. Front mini jacks add coaxial and optical inputs, a front USB-A port reads flash drives, and a rear RCA analogue input with 24 kohm impedance lets a turntable preamp or tuner pass through the volume control. Power draw is 18 W.

Pairing

In variable mode the NT-505-X can run straight into a stereo power amp or active speakers, making a separate preamplifier optional. With the fixed 2.0 Vrms setting it plugs into the line level input of an integrated amp. A master clock generator can be connected later through the external clock input.

Alternatives

The TEAC UD-507 is another USB DAC model in the TEAC catalogue.