What is the TEAC ud-h01?
Maker of several lines of products that can be found in large retailers around the globe, TEAC also makes a Reference Series comprising high-performance components in small packages. Among these is the UD-H01 digital-to-analog converter. Armed with impressive specifications for a modestly priced product ($399 USD),…
Is the TEAC ud-h01 digital-to-analog converter worth $399?
Maker of several lines of products that can be found in large retailers around the globe, TEAC also makes a Reference Series comprising high-performance components in small packages. Among these is the UD-H01 digital-to-analog converter. Armed with impressive specifications for a modestly priced product ($399 USD), it promised excellent value.
What does TEAC do?
Founded in 1953 as the Tokyo Electro Acoustic Company, Japanese corporation TEAC has four divisions: one devoted to data-storage products, the others focused on audio devices. TASCAM is well known for its professional audio gear.
What does the ud-h01 sound like?
Available in silver or black, and shipped with a short RCA cable, the box houses a pair of Burr-Brown PCM1795 chips that can accept resolutions of up to 32-bit/192kHz and operate in a dual-differential configuration, a rarity at this price point. The UD-H01’s claimed signal/noise ratio is 115dB, its total harmonic distortion 0.0015% at 1kHz.
Is the ud-h01 the right DAC for You?
There’s a good variety of sizes of DACs around, but we think the UD-H01 is about right, at just over 21cm square and 5cm high. Smart and nicely put together, it feels substantial enough to justify the money required but will still slot in to a relatively compact space alongside the rest of your system.
What does the TEAC take?
The TEAC will take hi-res Studio Master 24bit/192kHz files via coaxial and optical inputs. We turn to Linn Records’ recordings of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and the H01 imparts impressive scale and dynamic reach on the music. And yet, the extra detail we might expect isn’t quite realised.