TEAC NT-505 - How good is it?

@aberyclark 

I owned the D1 and the NT-505 and the D1 and D2 have the same internals and sound the same. I think the D1 with the Sbooster was the better option so that was what I bought.  The Teac and the Lumin both operate as a streamer identically as they both use the same app.  The Lumin is warmer while the AKM4497 based Teac has a bit more detail but is still a smoother sounding DAC.  Advantages of the Teac is that it can operate as a DAC for other components and has a headphone amp if that matters. It is also a couple of hundred dollars cheaper.  Both are well built and solid feeling.

Thanks for info. Doc you use the 505 with Roon? If so any issues?

No don’t use Roon I just use the Lumin app but since it operates just like the Lumin it shouldn’t have any problems. Same software team does the Roon integration for Lumin, Teac and Esoteric streamers. A lot of D2 owners are going to the Sbooster connection kit and LPS to eliminate the internal SMPS that Lumin switched to with the D2 and T2. That’s why I just bought a D1 and Sbooster instead of a D2.The D@ and the Teac have the same list price but the Teac is discounted in the US where the D2 is not.

I’ve had my NT-505 for about 2 months and really enjoy it. 

Build quality is excellent. Has some definite heft to the box - feels very solid. The “handles” aren’t really necessary like they are on the ARC DSI200 integrated amp that it feeds, but no matter it kind of completes the aesthetic match anyway. 

Lots of features. I am only using it to stream Tidal but it is excellent for that task. 

The upconvert feature seems seems to work for non-MQA tracks. I am still working on which of the filters I prefer. 

Lumin app works well. When upgrading firmware be sure to use the tiny and unlabeled micro USB port on back and not the port labeled usb. That stumped me for awhile. 

Ethernet cable made difference for me. Started with 10 ft cat 5 or 6 (not sure) but was getting random drops every four hours or so. Upgraded to 3 ft cat7 (cheap amazonbasics cable,  $7) and no drops since with 50 hrs or more of play. 

Really good spatial separation of instruments, great tone, super smooth. 

Speakers are Spendor D7 with Signal Magic power cords and MIT matrix interconnects (XLR balanced) and speaker cables. 

When end I can I listen for hours at a time and I don’t want to get up. 

Other steamers I own are marantz one Integra avrs- both cost half or less than Teac $2k price but Teac much better to my ears. 

Dealer suggested bc Teac has much trickledown tech from Esoteric DACs which they said were best of best. 

Anyway, super happy with nt-505 so far

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