TEAC VRDS-701
TEAC high fidelity CD player fitted with the VRDS mechanism and a discrete ΔΣ DAC, with full MQA decoding and USB DAC function.
Description
The VRDS-701 is a high fidelity CD player from TEAC, built around the brand's own VRDS reading mechanism. It goes beyond simple compact disc playback thanks to extended digital functions, including full MQA decoding and a USB DAC function, making it a central source capable of handling both CDs and external digital streams.
The VRDS mechanism clamps the CD onto an aluminium turntable of the same diameter as the disc, which increases the inertial mass of the assembly and limits the rotational vibrations that can disturb playback. Digital-to-analogue conversion is handled by a discrete ΔΣ DAC developed by TEAC, built on a discrete circuit rather than from a standard DAC integrated circuit, with the aim of achieving more faithful reproduction of the audio signal. The unit is also built on a dual mono structure, with fully balanced transmission at every stage, semi-floating mounting and a power supply reinforced by three toroidal transformers.
In terms of measured performance, the VRDS-701 delivers a total harmonic distortion of 0.002% at 1 kHz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 108 dB. The analogue outputs present an impedance of 180 ohms on RCA, while the coaxial digital output is 75 ohms.
The player is compatible with CD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW and MQA-CD, and includes a USB reader capable of handling MP3 and WMA files. As a USB DAC, it supports DSD 22.5 MHz and PCM 384 kHz/32-bit formats. Its connectivity includes a coaxial and optical digital audio input, RCA, XLR and BNC analogue outputs, a coaxial and optical digital output, a 12V trigger input and output, a 6.3 mm jack socket, an RS-232C port and a USB type C port.
This type of unit is aimed at a CD music enthusiast wanting a high-end source that can also serve as a DAC for other digital devices, in a system where playback quality and rich connectivity are priorities.
Technical specifications
| Total harmonic distortion | 0.002 % (1 kHz) |
| Signal to noise ratio | 108 dB |
| RCA output impedance | 180 ohms |
| Coaxial output impedance | 75 ohms |
| XLR output impedance | 220 ohms |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 11.1 x 44.4 x 33.4 cm |
| Weight | 11.8 kg |
What to check before buying used
The loading tray and its drive mechanism deserve priority checking: slow, noisy or jerky movement points to imminent wear of the VRDS optical block. Listen to playback on several discs to detect any skipping, reading errors or refusal of certain CDs, which would indicate a tired laser. The aluminium turntable and the disc clamping mechanism should remain silent and stable in rotation, with no perceptible vibration or play. Finally, check that the XLR and RCA analogue outputs work properly, as well as the MQA decoding and USB input, which are sometimes overlooked on a unit that has seen little use in digital mode.
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