TEAC UD-503 DAC/Amp Discussions | Drop

Sep 30, 2019

pl_svnApple never seems to have really liked USB. I’ve had nothing but problems with every Mac and USB products since they first came out. I’m done with Apple. I hope a free Unix will JustWork®️

Vote

pl_svn

Sep 30, 2019

captainnever had USB issues with any (audio) product but this TEAC

Vote

Oct 2, 2019

pl_svnMy Mac mini i7 was so bad with audio that I had to write a program to run in the background to keep the optical audio-out from turning itself off every minute. When the audio turns itself off, it takes about a second to turn back on, meaning all alert sounds just disappeared into the ether without my program running! I filed dozens of bug reports but Apple never did anything about it. I also had about 10 USB hard drives hooked up, and I could never get more than about three to mount reliably at the same time I also had a cinema display, and it REALLY didn’t like driving that many pixels. I would have to switch back to an HDMI monitor to get the thing booted, and then plug and unplug five or six times to get the cinema display to connect at proper resolution. I hate windoze, but Apple sux. :-/

Vote

dat.guy.dere

Oct 11, 2019

pl_svnI haven't detected any USB glitches like that with the UD-501 and a MacBook Pro running Mojave. A different problem I did find though is that the system volume doesn't carry over; the only thing that works is mute/unmute. It works fine when I change the volume in the player though. I'd be interested to know if anyone has a solution.

Vote

Oct 12, 2019

dat.guy.dereYeah, because the Problem isn’t with USB, it’s with the SPDIF optical interface that Apple decided needs to be turned OFF every two minutes. Maybe Apple cheaped out on the LED and it only last 50,000 hours, so they turn the damn thing off all the time to make it seem like non-crap. The problem is that it takes a while for it to turn back on, so if you get an alert sound, which typically only lasts a quarter of a second or less, the ONE second that it takes for the LED to turn back on means you miss up to for alert sounds! I wrote a script to just keep the damned LED ON ALL THE TIME, and it works. But I shouldn’t have to do that. 😝

Vote

Oct 12, 2019

dat.guy.dereAlso, yeah, USB is passing PURE AUDIO DATA, not volume info. You’ll have to use the volume control on your preamp/amp, or revert back to impure audio which includes volume data in the stream. Decisions decisions decisions.... 😜

(Edited)

Vote

dat.guy.dere

Oct 13, 2019

captainI'm using the volume knob on my headphone amp which also serve as a pre-amp so it's not the biggest deal, but it would be great if I could control the volume via keyboard. Do you know how to make that work with the UD-501? It works with some smaller DACs.

Vote

Oct 13, 2019

dat.guy.dereNope. But, again, if it does then you aren’t passing PURE AUDIO data to your DAC and are therefore obviating the whole point of paying big bucks for it—i.e. to get the purest best conversion from digital to analog audio. I’ve been very happy with my Logitch 5.1 DTS DAC/audio system, but yeah, I have to use the physical knob to change the volume. It’s certainly conceivable that a side channel could control the DACs volume, but I don’t know of any that implement that; Let me know if there are any and I may buy one! 😄 Actually I could implement a computer to IR “remote control” to change the volume, but it’s not worth it to me... yet. I guess I’m not a True Hacker®️ (willing to spend weeks programming, to save minutes of effort) anymore. 😋

Vote

dat.guy.dere

Oct 13, 2019

captainHmm, never thought about it that way but it makes sense. Unless I'm missing something, you'd need to decode the signal to attenuate the amplitude which defeats the purpose of using an external DAC. Unless there's a way to pass the volume attenuation info along without interfering with the digital audio signal. LOL at True Hacker®️

Vote

View Full Discussion

PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE

Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX Headphones

$199

Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee Headphones

$149

Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X Gaming Headset

$99

Drop + HIFIMAN HE4XX Planar Magnetic Headphones

$189

Massdrop x Koss KSC75X On-Ear Headphones

$20

Drop Earpads for HD 6XX & 58X

$40

Drop + EPOS PC38X Gaming Headset

$129

Drop TRRS 2.5mm Headphone Cable for Sennheiser

$19

Drop BMR1 Nearfield Monitors

$129

Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones

$599

Trending Posts in Audiophile

Jaishreeram

Bug hunting post

Jun 9, 2023

Photos

Vote

ommacharya

Rigs

Aligning Stars: Taurus Horoscope and Marriage Prediction

Taurus, as a zodiac sign, has a significant influence on marriage prediction and astrology. Taurus people are generally sought after for long-term and harmonious relationships because to their...

Jun 9, 2023

Rigs

Vote

ommacharya

Aligning Stars: Taurus Horoscope and Marriage Prediction

Taurus, as a zodiac sign, has a significant influence on marriage prediction and astrology. Taurus people are generally sought after for long-term and harmonious relationships because to their innate attributes of loyalty, dedication, and stability. Taurus horoscope sheds light on love life, delivering forecasts and advice on how to manage ups and downs of marriage it plays an important part in marriage prediction, helping individual to make educated decisions and establish the groundwork for a happy and joyful relationship. Utilising the Taurus Horoscope for Marriage Prediction and Astrology Taurus horoscope offers distinct advantages over traditional marriage prediction and astrology practices. By integrating marriage prediction astrology with Taurus horoscope, individuals can gain a comprehensive understanding of their relationships. Taurus horoscope today provides real-time insights into the dynamics of partnerships, helping couples navigate challenges and seize...

Jun 9, 2023

General

Vote

maamir

Headphone recommend

Please recommend a pair of headphones preferably on sale, that is comfy AF and has good bass. I will use it with both my PC for gaming (while listening to music) and on my MacBook air (so 3.5mm output) thank you!

Jun 8, 2023

Questions

Vote

Opoxrapax

Any hope DROP will do us the pleasure of a Meze 109Pro Noir?

I imagine this has been asked before, but i can't find it! I myself would be more than interested in getting my hands on that...

Jun 4, 2023

Interest Checks

Vote

A community member

A Step Above Sennheiser HD 600?

Hi, hope the day is treating you well. I am curious what headphones are considered a considerable and worthy step above Sennheiser HD 600? HD 600 are my favorite headphones ever so far (I tried most of the popular options within 500$ USD price range). Something with a neutral signature, considerably more resolving. Would it be Focal Clear? Sennheiser HD 800S?

Jun 2, 2023