VRDS Dreams, Teac VRDS-20 CD Player

Teac VRDS-20 CD player. The bottom footer at the bottom of the four corner pillars are adjustable for height and compensate for stability if one uses a spirit level

I've always wanted an Esoteric or Teac VRDS series CDP. So when this Teac VRDS-20 unit appeared in the classifieds, I wasted no time making it mine! Amongst the Teac VRDS series CDPs, I feel the VRDS-20 is a bit of an odd ball, styling wise. It just looks like a VRDS-7 or 10 but with 4 pillars on each corner which comes with adjustable metal cone feet! I guess a bit of audiophile touches here & there wouldn't hurt. The funny part is the next in line, the VRDS-25, reverted back to the generic square box of the VRDS-10 looks! Otherwise the Teac VRDS-20 share all the family looks of the VRDS series CDPs from Teac of the early 90's era. The Teac VRDS-2- was sold from 1992-1997, and that was era of the TDA-1547 Bitstream DACs from Philips, which this unit uses a pair for it's balance output configuration and also technically, to give a more linear frequency response on both L & R channels.

This Teac has a very brutish business look, and the chassis is at least double layer copper coated in no less than 8 internal compartments. The internal construction has a no expense spared look, which I like. This unit is using the mid tier VRDS mechanism, essentially a heavily modified Sony KSS-151 transport. As a mid tier VRDS, there are some compromises to be made, but overall I feel this is still acceptable as an engineering solution. The transport is not copper coated, the bridge holding up the VRDS clamp is not die cast metal, but some kind of bulk mould compound with enough solidness to anchor the VDRS clamp, which is again a compromised solution of compound coated metal, instead of copper coated aluminum of the most premium of VRDS.  My personal view is to disregard the later economy versions of  VRDS transports with bulk mould compound bridge & plastic CD clamp, like those that currently resides in the Esoteric K-05 series CDPs. The Teac VRDS-20 was available in Champaign gold or Satin black back then. I like that little quarter window on the top casing panel to allow viewing of the VRDS CD clamp at work.

 

The back panel is simple digital out, which includes Toslink & Co-axial on the left, a acptive power cord in the center, and analog outputs(RCA & XLR) on the right

My Teac VRDS-20 came with this OEM remote, but is functional enough with a matching Champaign gold color scheme

I plugged the Teac VRDS-20 in to my system, in place of my usual Sony CDP-X7 ESD, using it's balanced, XLR output. all else remains the same in the system. From the very first disc I spin, the tonality of the Teac was rather flat, with a slight mid range centric emphasis which make vocals stand out slightly in from of the sound stage. The Sony by comparison, while had a warmer tonal color, has a flatter less mid range centric presentation. The Teac also sounds slightly less detailed by comparison. 

Overall, the Teac has a very agreeable sound when listened on it's own merits. The highs are polite & laid back, the mid range as I have mentioned, and bass for my preference, could be snappier. Where it falls a little short is the emotional connection or musicality as normally referred as. At this level, I think the Teac has a slightly more dynamic sound compared to my very previous Marantz CD-16D which is a machine of similar sound specifications but only slightly more musical in presentation.

Form the 2 comparison above, i.e. Teac VRDS-20 vs Sony CDP-X7 ESD or Teac vs Marantz CD-16D, I feel the latter is more of a fair comparison as both are Bitstream implementations CDP clad in copper chassis, both are closer in price point, but both using different transport & other audio parameters of CD player build up. If just looking by the eye, the Teac looks the winner with it's more impressive transport, multi layer/compartment chassis & internal layout. The Marantz however do sound somewhat better musically if judge using one's ear. I think what could've being the final arbiter? The KI(Ken Ishiwata) factor I guess, the man's not considered in the industry a "Golden Ear" for no reason!

The impressive innards of the Teac VRDS-20

Too bad the Teac VRDS-20 coaxial out didn't managed to signal lock with the input of the Teac UD-501 DAC, otherwise another sound dimension may have been possible!  

After playing the Teac VRDS-20 for a few weeks, I thought I'd try plugging the VRDS transport to my newer Teac UD-501 DAC using a co-axial digital cable, to see how the great transport can compliment a newer design DAC. The UD-501 is using the much newer AKM DAC design capable of DSD decoding, which itself is the manifestation from the continuous development from Bitstream. Unfortunately, for some reason, the Teac UD-501 DAC refused to lock in to the VRDS co-axial digital signal output once the cable was connected. I tried a couple of times but to no avail. You've gotta give up at some point, right?

Finally after like more than a decade of lusting after a Teac or Esoteric VRDS type CDP transport, my dreams came thru with this but only with a slightly underwhelming feelings on the musicality factor. Perhaps a slightly more musical cable can elevate the Teac VRDS-20? one only has to try.........  

Retro Giant Slayer, Kenwood KX-880G Cassette Deck

The Kenwood KX-880 G's unique & unmistakable 2 display styling feature! Looks a little weird at first, but with a little use, I certainly have learned to appreciate the separated peak recording meter from the other display parameters

While rather heavy for a 2 head spec deck, other than a high spec Sankyo direct drive transport, and a bigger than usual power supply tranny on the left, nothing on the inside would give a clue to it's build quality & sound performance! On the middle is the power supply regulator & control board, while partitioned on the right is the audio PCB board. The Dolby B & C noise reduction board is seen standing as an attachment board. That's smart design actually as the same audio board can accommodate a Dolby noise reduction board that incorporates HX Pro in the last of the KX-880 series 

Kenwood Corporation had a healthy reputation in the hifi industry in the 70's & 80's. Like many Japanese audio giants of the era, the late 90's was the start of the dark era. However 1985 was still fine vintage as far as Kenwood is concerned. The KX-880 series cassette deck started life in 1982, and had a seven year production run in various guises until 1989. It started as the KX-880, then as the KX-880 SR, followed by the KX-880 SRII, and the mid point evolution of KX-880 G as featured here, superseded by the KX-880 D  and lastly the KX-880 HX. Being a design from 1982, the Kenwood makes no concessions for an optional remote control feature, much like the Denon DRS-810 has.

The Kenwood KX-880 series was positioned as the top spec 2 head cassette deck, with the same unique 2 display styling as the top range KX-1100 3 head deck. Of the 2 display windows, 1 horizontal displays the tape counter, tape type & status. The other vertical display is for the wide range peak recording meter. As per it's high spec 2 head deck status, the transport is direct drive type from Sankyo, which is later adopted by Nakamichi for the CR-1 & DR-1 series. The back panel is standard cassette deck, with input & output RCA and a fixed power cord. The Kenwood being nicely, but not luxuriously built weights a decently hefty 5.9kg. However, once on the inside, nothing would indicate of it's heft or sound quality potential. 

I plug the Kenwood KX-880 G in to my system, in place of the Denon DRS-810 3 head deck, and upon pressing play, the sound just blew me away! Gone were that slightly muffled mid range sound typical of cassettes, the Kenwood sounded fresh, crystal clear like a wide open window, detailed(as much as the cassette format will allow), large scaling & wide dynamic range.  The Kenwood sounds like nothing of any 2 head spec deck(and probably some 3 headers too) can ever be! I never heard any wow & flutter during it's time here, perhaps due to it's direct drive tape mechanism, but the funny thing is that very same transport used in my previous Nakamichi DR-1 had some degree of wow & flutter, even if it's just every now & then. I also thought the Kenwood in comparo, sounded much better than the much more up market Nakamichi.

This is a highly recommended buy or keeper if one just wants to listen to the best possible sound quality cassette tapes has to offer. I am sure the recording quality is equally fine, sans the off tape monitoring feature, meaning you don't know what you'll get until the end. However, should one be very familiar with tape bias settings and type types, then the results can be predictable too, caveat being this for experienced users only. For the Kenwood KX-880 series asking price of sub MYR1k, it's really a retro giant slayer!

Gelombang AV Festival 2022, Now On From 5th - 7th August!

The Gelombang AV Fest 2022 which was supposed to have taken place from 25th March 2022 was postponed due to the Omicron wave of COVID-19 that hit Malaysia badly. With daily cases exceeding 30,000 daily, the organizers have taken the decision to delay the event to a safer time.

As we contacted the hosting hotel for a suitable date, post 1st April, when our government declared endemic and opening up of travels & economy sectors, the weekend of 5th-7th August is the next available date. Also for the event, we have appointed a ticketing partner to handle all show ticket sales.

See you all at Gelombang AV Fest 2022!