I'm really excited about writing this review. For 10 years I've been searching for a digital source to compliment a high resolution system. All of the past digital sources I've owned have left me longing for more. I'm thrilled to hear that we've finally entered an age where technology and knowledge has come together to make such a product. This product proves that digital can truly be musical. If this is something you're interested in, please read on.
I believe the success/failure of all audio products are dependent upon the specific system they are implemented in. Therefore, I feel that it is important to briefly describe the system it was auditioned in. My system is comprised of a Shindo Monbrison preamp, Lafon 8 watt WE 300B monoblocs, Arome CD matching transformer, and Shindo made Altec Valencia horn speakers. This system is capable of producing the inner most details found in recordings. Conversely, if there is the slightest weakness in the system, it will constantly and painfully let you know. I hear absolutely everything through those horns! Nothing seems to get by them undetected.
As a digital transport, I have predominantly utilized the Squeezebox Touch; however I also have an Oppo BDP 83 player that I have used. The good news is, both of these transports produce excellent results with this DAC.
Now let's talk about the TeddyDac... I was originally introduced to Teddy Pardo when I was searching for an upgraded linear power supply to use with the Touch. I subsequently purchased a TTouch and was very pleased with the results. This led me to inquire about the TeddyDac. Teddy told me the TeddyDac produces qualities similar to the TTouch power supply, just more of it and better. I told him to send one my way since he gives a 14 day trial period on all his products.
The DAC arrived in a compact black chasis approximately the same size as the TTouch power supply. This made it easy to place it within my cabinet. The TeddyDac has a total of 4 inputs - 2 coax, 1 USB, and 1 toslink. Teddy says it will take appoximately three weeks to fully break in the TeddyDac; however you can easily hear what the DAC is doing in your system after 48 hours of constant burn in.
I've listened to the DAC via the coax and toslink connections. Both are quite good; however the SB Touch sounds amazingly good when connected to the TeddyDac via a Lifatec Silflex glass toslink cable. This toslink cable can't be beat for the money IMHO. The Black Cat Veloce digital cable does a great job of communicating music via the coax inputs.
So how does it sound??? It sounds like music to me! TeddyDac represents a new generation of DACs. All of the previous DACs I have previously owned (Audio Aero, Bel Canto, 47 Labs, Altmann, Audial, Wavelength, and others) I would consider to reside in a previous generation of DACs. This DAC does an incredible job of converting the digital signal to an anologue signal sounding exactly like the original recording. In other words, it gets out of the way and lets the music come through. It starts by doing this with the darkest black background I have ever heard. The musical palate is totally dark and silent.
Most DACs considered non-fatiguing are also rolled off in the high frequency range. Not so with TeddyDAc. With this DAC you get a level of detail you never knew was previously there because it has always been rolled off or hidden by accompanying high frequency digital distortion. The TeddyDac simply removes the high frequency distortion often associated with digital sources and lets the detail shine through like the morning sun.
I previously shied away from DACs described as being detailed because my horns would painfully remind me that there was a problem with the source. This is the first DAC I have encountered that allows you to hear the little nuances you never knew were there in a way that produces zero fatigue. I used to cringe in my seat when I knew the part of a track was coming that contains a great deal of high frequency energy. With the TeddyDac, I now welcome those parts of the track and can't wait for them to come.
The TeddyDac also does a miraculous job of allowing the listener to hear the venue where the music was recorded. If the music was recorded in the Sistine Chapel, it will sound just as did when it was played/recorded in this venue. Conversely, if the music was recorded in a venue with poor acoustics, it will communicate that to the listener as well. As I stated previously, this DAC just gets out the way and lets whatever is on the recording walk right on into you system undistorted. There is no sugar coating here... TeddyDac simply converts the digital signal to a very clean and accurate analogue signal. Nothing more. Additionally and most importantly, if there is emotion contained in the original recording, then it is clearly conveyed to the listener via the TeddyDac.
So how does this DAC do this? If I had to guess, it must be related to the linear power supply generated via Teddy's patented voltage regulators. There are at least 10 of these regulators contained within the TeddyDac. Whatever it is, it obviously works quite well in the digital domain.
Another quality I should comment on is the bass energy this DAC produces. Bass notes shine though just like the high frequency energy does - clear, precise, and plentiful. Bass is really important to me because it can add so much body and presence to music. TeddyDac does and excellent job of conveying this to the listener as well. This also adds to the DAC's ability to communicate venue and emotion.
If you have a high resolution system and you've been searching for a digital source to compliment it, I highly recommend the TeddyDac. It is the first DAC I have ever encountered that actually caused me to take a sick day and stay home just so I could listen to it in my system all day. Just be careful... The hours can seem like minutes when you're listening to music via this DAC. TeddyDac proves that time also flies when the music sounds good!
I believe the success/failure of all audio products are dependent upon the specific system they are implemented in. Therefore, I feel that it is important to briefly describe the system it was auditioned in. My system is comprised of a Shindo Monbrison preamp, Lafon 8 watt WE 300B monoblocs, Arome CD matching transformer, and Shindo made Altec Valencia horn speakers. This system is capable of producing the inner most details found in recordings. Conversely, if there is the slightest weakness in the system, it will constantly and painfully let you know. I hear absolutely everything through those horns! Nothing seems to get by them undetected.
As a digital transport, I have predominantly utilized the Squeezebox Touch; however I also have an Oppo BDP 83 player that I have used. The good news is, both of these transports produce excellent results with this DAC.
Now let's talk about the TeddyDac... I was originally introduced to Teddy Pardo when I was searching for an upgraded linear power supply to use with the Touch. I subsequently purchased a TTouch and was very pleased with the results. This led me to inquire about the TeddyDac. Teddy told me the TeddyDac produces qualities similar to the TTouch power supply, just more of it and better. I told him to send one my way since he gives a 14 day trial period on all his products.
The DAC arrived in a compact black chasis approximately the same size as the TTouch power supply. This made it easy to place it within my cabinet. The TeddyDac has a total of 4 inputs - 2 coax, 1 USB, and 1 toslink. Teddy says it will take appoximately three weeks to fully break in the TeddyDac; however you can easily hear what the DAC is doing in your system after 48 hours of constant burn in.
I've listened to the DAC via the coax and toslink connections. Both are quite good; however the SB Touch sounds amazingly good when connected to the TeddyDac via a Lifatec Silflex glass toslink cable. This toslink cable can't be beat for the money IMHO. The Black Cat Veloce digital cable does a great job of communicating music via the coax inputs.
So how does it sound??? It sounds like music to me! TeddyDac represents a new generation of DACs. All of the previous DACs I have previously owned (Audio Aero, Bel Canto, 47 Labs, Altmann, Audial, Wavelength, and others) I would consider to reside in a previous generation of DACs. This DAC does an incredible job of converting the digital signal to an anologue signal sounding exactly like the original recording. In other words, it gets out of the way and lets the music come through. It starts by doing this with the darkest black background I have ever heard. The musical palate is totally dark and silent.
Most DACs considered non-fatiguing are also rolled off in the high frequency range. Not so with TeddyDAc. With this DAC you get a level of detail you never knew was previously there because it has always been rolled off or hidden by accompanying high frequency digital distortion. The TeddyDac simply removes the high frequency distortion often associated with digital sources and lets the detail shine through like the morning sun.
I previously shied away from DACs described as being detailed because my horns would painfully remind me that there was a problem with the source. This is the first DAC I have encountered that allows you to hear the little nuances you never knew were there in a way that produces zero fatigue. I used to cringe in my seat when I knew the part of a track was coming that contains a great deal of high frequency energy. With the TeddyDac, I now welcome those parts of the track and can't wait for them to come.
The TeddyDac also does a miraculous job of allowing the listener to hear the venue where the music was recorded. If the music was recorded in the Sistine Chapel, it will sound just as did when it was played/recorded in this venue. Conversely, if the music was recorded in a venue with poor acoustics, it will communicate that to the listener as well. As I stated previously, this DAC just gets out the way and lets whatever is on the recording walk right on into you system undistorted. There is no sugar coating here... TeddyDac simply converts the digital signal to a very clean and accurate analogue signal. Nothing more. Additionally and most importantly, if there is emotion contained in the original recording, then it is clearly conveyed to the listener via the TeddyDac.
So how does this DAC do this? If I had to guess, it must be related to the linear power supply generated via Teddy's patented voltage regulators. There are at least 10 of these regulators contained within the TeddyDac. Whatever it is, it obviously works quite well in the digital domain.
Another quality I should comment on is the bass energy this DAC produces. Bass notes shine though just like the high frequency energy does - clear, precise, and plentiful. Bass is really important to me because it can add so much body and presence to music. TeddyDac does and excellent job of conveying this to the listener as well. This also adds to the DAC's ability to communicate venue and emotion.
If you have a high resolution system and you've been searching for a digital source to compliment it, I highly recommend the TeddyDac. It is the first DAC I have ever encountered that actually caused me to take a sick day and stay home just so I could listen to it in my system all day. Just be careful... The hours can seem like minutes when you're listening to music via this DAC. TeddyDac proves that time also flies when the music sounds good!
