[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

There's a story there... 
 
I thought the µDAC bested my lil' PICO AMP/DAC, but the output was anything but linear! To it's credit, I found the Harmonic Technology Magic Link II IC made the µDAC sing! However, we're talking about connecting a $1K IC to a $129 DAC/AMP! I'm certain that most people hadn't heard it at its best! 
 

Well I had two uDAC-2's this time last year.  The first one when it worked for one week was no better than my iMac's output.  The second one which was the replacement for the first one was a used unit.  The RCA outputs were badly scratched and the volume control was obviously scuffed.  Only one channel worked on the replacement unit.   But in that week of comparison between my iMac and the uDac-2 the iMac actually won out in sonics.   I was using Magnum and MIT interconnects but it was clear to me that the unit is made for windoze laptops that have poor USB implementation.  

 

[TheWuss]

WA - are you confusing nuforce's UDAC with W4S's new product the [size=medium]µDAC ?? 

[/size]

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

WA - are you confusing nuforce's UDAC with W4S's new product the [size=medium]µDAC ?? 

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 I'm speaking of the NuForce uDAC-2.   I did not realize W4S has a product listed as µDAC until your post. So I guess I was confusing them!   But I guess that would be pronounced Micro DAC.  That is unfortunate that they have a product with a name that appears visually to be so similar.
 
:::::::Church lady::::::Never mind:::::::::::

 

[TheWuss]

hahaha.  that's okay, WA.
the only reason i was so quick to point it out is that it got me at first as well.
i think that is the mathematical symbol "mu".
so, i suppose it would be "mu-dac".
 
but, yes, unfortunate that it look similar to the abismal udac. 

 

[Hawaiiancerveza]

I'm hoping the Mint as well as the uDAC come out soon so we can get some reviews.  I like the HDMI option of the DAC2 

.  Would it be usable with the Realizer?  From what I've been told the realizer's only digital input is through HDMI.  

 

[TheWuss]

Yes. Headfi member sillysally uses the realizer with dac2.

 

[Hawaiiancerveza]

Sweet!!! If only I could muster all the money for this purchase with my HPs... I feel broke just thinking about this...

 
Quote:

Yes. Headfi member sillysally uses the realizer with dac2.

 

 

[Szadzik]

I almost bought the W4S uDAC, but decided I would wait for some reviews.

 

[Hawaiiancerveza]

Ya same here. I'm also interested in the mINT

 

[TheWuss]

my Dac-2 arrived today.
very interesting.  didn't realize the finish on the dac-2 was a sort of truck bed liner.  

Rhino Liner.  hahaha

 

[Icenine2]

It's powder coated like that.  And that is why I wanted to paint mine RED (check above post a page or two back)!

 

[AppleheadMay]

Quick question here.
I am trying to decide on the Dac2 vs the Wadia 121 at the moment and also keeping an eye on the W4S Music Server. This is all for my phones setup and has nothing to do with speakers.
 
But now I read about the Mint. Suppose I connect a Mint via USB to my computer and connect it with a pair of B&W CM1's I have for use on my desk, would that qualify as a nearfield system or does such a system require special speakers?
Now I have B&W MM1's connected to my computer via USB, thus the Mint + CM1's would replace those.

 

[starfish]

I think the 2-tone black finish looks good.  The faceplate's powdercoat black is the standard stereo component black that matches pretty much every factory black component ever made.  The hammered charcoal case finish is complementary to the faceplate. The DAC-2 finish makes a nice match with a Squeezebox Touch on top, IMO.  
 
W4S has made a very sturdy, functional yet utilitarian component case look more high tech with the bumped out faceplate and 2 paint colors.  Complaining about the black version finish is really nitpicking over extreme minutia, IMO.  The silver finish is open to debate as far as I'm concerned.  In the photos it looks like rackmounted computer server aluminum.

 

[MacedonianHero]

FYI...just found this....its a bit of an oldie, but sums up what I think of this great DAC:
 
http://www.avguide.com/review/wyred-4-sound-dac-2-digital-analog-converter-tas-210?utm_campaign=Weekly%20Email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email-297&utm_content=AVG%20Readers%27%20Favorite%20TAS%2C%20TPV%2C%20and%20Playback%20Reviews%20of%202011
 
 

 

[AppleheadMay]

What puzzles me is the Music Server. It has a network connection but how does one playback the music via network?
Neither the Dac nor the Mint have a network input. So the only way to get music off is via digital out but then you'd need multiple servers and dacs around the house.
Doesn't really make sense to me.