TEAC VRDS-701

PrazVT

Active member
Oct 23, 2023
2
1
25
Visit site
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
Oct 23, 2023
2
1
25
Visit site
"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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gray

manicm

Well-known 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.

And yet many will spend the same amount on a turntable. Give a rest and all that???
 
  • Like
Reactions: nopiano

manicm

Well-known 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.

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
TEAC transports and DAC choice usually mean great things. I'd love to hear one, but no CD player is worth this.

Case, PSU, circuit boards, optics, servo, transport, DAC, caps and resistors, display, remote control, packaging, shipping, profit.

This stuff has been around 41 years and there are no new technologies going into CD players. It's old tech and £2500 is totally absurd.

The Red Book standard entered a technological dead end about 20 years ago and it cannot be improved.

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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ja_kub_sz

ja_kub_sz

Well-known member
May 26, 2021
31
11
1,545
Visit site
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.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20231023_101911414.jpg
    IMG_20231023_101911414.jpg
    221.9 KB · Views: 10

emperor's new clothes

Well-known member
May 28, 2013
35
2
18,545
Visit site
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.
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!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ja_kub_sz

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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ja_kub_sz

emperor's new clothes

Well-known member
May 28, 2013
35
2
18,545
Visit site
Yeah MQA CD? That I scratched my head on. I would've 100% preferred SACD playback.

Probably my only critique of the VRDS 701.
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.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ja_kub_sz

ja_kub_sz

Well-known member
May 26, 2021
31
11
1,545
Visit site
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.
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
May 26, 2021
31
11
1,545
Visit site
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
IMG_20231101_134554680.jpg
 
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
View attachment 5452
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
Apr 30, 2024
3
0
20
Visit site
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.
 

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.
 
Last edited:

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.
 
Last edited:

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts