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DAC1 USB to a uDac-2 :(

post #1 of 8
1/20/11 at 2:37pm
Thread Starter 

So only after a solid 20 days with my Benchmark I sadly had to return it do to expensive car troubles.  Picked up the uDac-2 to hold me over in the meantime.

 

Just a quick question.  The DAC1 allowed to me stream bit transparent correct, by completely cutting off audio control on my mac giving me a "no audio symbol" if I tried.  The uDac-2 does not do this; however, if I keep Cog/iTunes at 100% volume and my iMac at 100% volume and control just with the uDac am I bit transparent?

 

or 

 

 

very confused haha?

 

 

Walt

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post #2 of 8
1/21/11 at 12:35am

You should be bit perfect then.

 

How is the sound of the µDAC2 compared to the Benchmark?

 

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post #3 of 8
1/21/11 at 9:18am

I'd like to know this too--in fact, how is the uDAC2 compared to the uDAC?
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by burgunder View Post

You should be bit perfect then.

 

How is the sound of the µDAC2 compared to the Benchmark?

 

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post #4 of 8
2/17/11 at 11:30am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by burgunder View Post

You should be bit perfect then.

 

How is the sound of the µDAC2 compared to the Benchmark?

 



Not even close as expected but it will do for now :(  Bass isnt as tight, highs arent as crisp etc the pro 900s are very bass heavy so the benchmark was extremely nice.  Do like how I can just hop in bed with my laptop and stream my library from my desktop and bring the udac2 with me...

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post #5 of 8
2/17/11 at 1:31pm

Interesting, I'm thinking of stepping up to a stand-alone DAC and got the uDac2 to hold me over while I sell off my Onkyo SE-200 PCI LTD sound card and save up abit. The uDac2 sounds far better than my laptop or on board sound card but compared to the Onkyo RCA outs it is not even close, the Onkyo destroys it in all categories except treble presence. I feel that the 2Dac2 has slightly more presence but much less extension. The uDac2 also has more bass but its nowhere near as clean as the Onkyo. Soundstage is also far wider on the Onkyo.

 

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post #6 of 8
2/17/11 at 2:34pm

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ElectroNut View Post


Not even close as expected but it will do for now :(  Bass isnt as tight, highs arent as crisp etc the pro 900s are very bass heavy so the benchmark was extremely nice.  Do like how I can just hop in bed with my laptop and stream my library from my desktop and bring the udac2 with me...



Are you just comparing the headphone out of the DAC1 vs uDAC2? If so, I'm not that surprised at the resuls. Try comparing the two through RCA output into a standalone headphone amplifier and the differences may be smaller than expected.

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post #7 of 8
2/21/11 at 8:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kite7 View Post

 



Are you just comparing the headphone out of the DAC1 vs uDAC2? If so, I'm not that surprised at the resuls. Try comparing the two through RCA output into a standalone headphone amplifier and the differences may be smaller than expected.

 


Are you just comparing the headphone out of the DAC1 vs uDAC2?

Yes.

 

The udac two also sometimes is fidgity etc.  The DAC1 I could also leave on ALL the time as it will hibernate and stay warm to rage beats whenever I wanted.  The udac I try and remember to turn off.  Also sometimes I forget my headphones are on lol and get up to walk away and the udac getting almost pulled off its stand reminds me.  The coil cord plugged into the 7lbs DAC1 isnt going anywhereee haha.  Stays put which I like.  Just has a lot of bells and whistles which all are conveinent...

 

All in all I basically like that the udac2 sounds amazing compared to my soundcard and that its portable (to my laptop in bed).  Other than that I hate it compared to the DAC1 haha
 

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post #8 of 8
2/22/11 at 8:25am

I have owned a Benchmark DAC1 Pre for quite a while now and I use it both as my main rig for listening, as a reference, and as "pro grade" piece of equipment for conducting objective testing with. There are some results of its performance (combined with the Benchmark ADC1) on my blog.

 

I also have a NuForce uDAC 2 and will soon be posting a full review of it with lots of detailed measurements including how it deals with jitter and more. It will be interesting to see if the uDAC 2 is a "poor man's Benchmark DAC1" or has some obvious problems.

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