TEAC NT-505 - How good is it?

The Teac nt505 uses dual monoural mode AKM 4497 dacs, while my marantz uses AKM 4458 and Integra uses AKM 4438. All are 32 bit dacs, but s/n ratio on the Teac dac 128 dB, while 115 and 112 on marantz and Integra, respectively.

Of course lots of other factors come into play but those are relevant. 

I can can definitely hear the superior sound quality of Tidal Masters tracks with my Teac dac. Not so much with Integra and marantz doesn’t decode mqa 

@kren0006

right on mate !¡ NT-505 is first on my list when i gets the dosh

I think you’ll like it. When I compared its dac chip spec wise to others 2k or below I couldn’t find anything else that beat it. That plus the great user reviews and esoteric lineage convinced me to pull trigger. 

Downside for some might might be lack of WiFi. In my main system I’m good with router nearby but if I ever wanted to move it to my second (br) system I’d be out of luck

As I was mowing lawn today I was thinking about how I’d describe difference heard between Tidal Masters tracks and regular Tidal cd quality tracks 16/44. 

Best way way I can describe it is I can just “hear” the added resolution, not unlike seeing the picture difference in a 1080p content vs 720p, to use a slightly dated video analogy. Just wish Tidal had more Masters content!

Really for $2000. the TEAC looks to be a fine component. Plus, places like Crutchfield, who carry Teac, has generous return policies.