uDAC line level question and recommend me a low budget dedicated DAC

I have a uDac and all I can say is that the front input is a headphone out, and using an amp with the uDac connected to your computer would be double amping and not bypassing the internal amp. It also has sibilance when cranked up, especially in RCA mode. I'm not sure of precisely what you asked but I'm just letting you know what I know. Anyhow, yes, this is overrated, but it is a very good headphone amp for a good price while being reliable, easy to use and portable. As a DAC, I'd suggest against it.

Udac is a great dac, but most people use the rca outs to a headphone amp if they need extra power, I know Lil' knight does this. Udac does have line out via it's digital coaxial, and that works better for me when I hook it up to my sound system. It's hard to beat Udac's price for sound ratio. There are better sounding dacs, but udac is all I require.

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Originally Posted by 11amaberry 

Udac is a great dac, but most people use the rca outs to a headphone amp if they need extra power, I know Lil' knight does this. Udac does have line out via it's digital coaxial, and that works better for me when I hook it up to my sound system. It's hard to beat Udac's price for sound ratio. There are better sounding dacs, but udac is all I require.

This is not a line out.  This is a digital output - using the Udac this way it becomes a USB to SPDIF convertor - handy if your computer doesn't have a SPDIF output and your external dac doesn't have a USB input.  That SPDIF digital output still needs to go into a proper outboard dac.

The Udac has a fundamentally misleading name (shame on nuforce) as it is not a dedicated dac in it's traditional sense.  The line out at the back is fundamentally it's headphone output - using a 3.5mm to RCA cable would yield the same result (assuming cables make no difference).

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Originally Posted by High_Q 

Recommend me a good low budget DAC.  Recommend me a dedicated DAC the a good value for money under $300.  if there is DAC that cost less than $150 that performs well as dedicated DAC, I will consider it too, as I'm trying to spend less.  I was very disappointed with D10 DAC.  Although it bypassed the amp, it was a lousy sounding compared to uDAC IMO.

Check out the Audio GD website - I have no experience with this brand, but their engineering philosophies seem high end orientated.

If you want to upgrade the µDAC and keep the price down I think the Audinst HUD-mx1 is ta serious contender, take a look here http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/484163/review-audinst-hud-mx1-dac-amp-a-promising-newcomer-compared-to-audio-gd-fun-amb-gamma2 and here http://www.headfonia.com/?p=3693&page=4 the second link is to a review of the µDAC but a the end there's a comparison with the Audinst. It will not be a big improvement as I see it, but it will be noticeable. I'm in the same situation as you are as I want to upgrade my µDAC too but perhaps it's better to wait and do a more significant upgrade. But that choice will depend a lot on economy and temperament.

Edit. The Purepiper A-1 http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/476557/review-of-the-purepiper-dac-a-1-an-excellent-24-96-budget-dac looks like it may be worth considering too.

Hold on, so the uDac doesn't have a true line out????

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Originally Posted by Blackwheel 

Hold on, so the uDac doesn't have a true line out????

If you own a reference level headphone, then no.

 

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Originally Posted by High_Q 

What about V-DAC and Musiland 02?  Are they both dedicated DAC?  Do they have line-out?  Anyone can speak from experience both DACs and how are they compared to uDAC?

The V-Dac is a popular competitor to the Cambridge Dacmagic which I own - I know nothing of this Musiland so cannot comment.  The Dacmagic is a nice entry level Dac that gives very little away to hi-end dacs.  But I believe maximum value comes from China.  If you own a reference headphone these are worthwhile avenues, but be warned - you are treading dangerous grounds, the law of diminishing returns apply - a lot of members here won't even be able to hear the difference and some here feel Dacs technically make no difference.

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Originally Posted by SP Wild 

If you own a reference level headphone, then no.

 

The V-Dac is a popular competitor to the Cambridge Dacmagic which I own - I know nothing of this Musiland so cannot comment.  The Dacmagic is a nice entry level Dac that gives very little away to hi-end dacs.  But I believe maximum value comes from China.  If you own a reference headphone these are worthwhile avenues, but be warned - you are treading dangerous grounds, the law of diminishing returns apply - a lot of members here won't even be able to hear the difference and some here feel Dacs technically make no difference.

One more question... in terms of sq, would you choose the uDac or the Headstage USB Dac Cable.

No idea, don't own neither - I don't own any such simplistic dacs.  I was quite happy to stick my HD595's into any headphone hole.  When I moved to reference phones, I by-passed these simplistic devices.