nos024
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2013
- Posts
- 39
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- 20
Ive had a bit of time to compare the DAC and headphone amp, it really is fantastic value for money, especially for headphone users.
Managed to do some comparisons to the DAC's i had on hand.
All units were run into an Antelope Satori monitor controller, with me referencing using both a calibrated set of Genelec 8351's and a set of low impedance LCD-4z on the Satori's headphone amp.
Audeze Deckard - Nu Audio sounded slightly sharper and had a little more dynamic definition and separation when used as a DAC via line outputs. The Nu Audio headphone amp had a tiny bit little more definition and dynamics, but the tonal balance was extremely similar, i suspect both of these units are using a very similar AKM converter chip and are both xmos based (didn't even need to put the driver on for the deckard, as the nu-audio one picked it up) . I changed the filter setting on NU-Audio to the top setting (cant remember what this was called, but i got noticeably sharper transients) It thendefinitely won me over from the deckard, although the deckard does have more power and headroom (but of course, you won't need it with low impedance headphones). However even with the master volume and headphone volume on full i was happy with the NU Audio output without saturation with the 200ohm (and hard to drive) LCD-4.
Antelope Orion Studio - The DAC on this is on of my favourites in the studio world and did have a little more dynamic detail and separation than the nu-audio, although the overall tonal balance was similar, but it is nearly 8 times the price! However, although the Orion has a very clean headphone amp, the Nu Audio smoked it for breakfast in the power stakes, I would much rather mix and listen to the nu-audio on headphones and you wouldn't have a choice with anything but the lowest impedance models on the Antelope.
Chord Hugo - I felt that there was a similar level of power between the nu-audio and the Hugo, but the nu-audio seemed to cope with the louder volumes on high impedance headphones slightly better! However, there is a touch more upper mid detail from the Hugo (which frankly, you would expect at over 5 times the price) equally on both the line and headphone outputs
So to sum up, I'd put it above the (£599) Deckard (though with slightly less headroom on the amp if you have extremely hard to drive headphones), and below the (£1400) Hugo... but at £249 its an absolute steal for the money, with the headphone amp especially being incredibly impressive at the price.
I'm going to try the same tests again with a set of HD650's and see how much of a noticeable difference it makes when you're not running £5K speakers and £3.6K headphones.
I'll try and pull some of the other high end PC sound cards and the similar priced pro interfaces to compare against too, now the silliness of NAMM week is over!
Will also have a go with the ADC compared to the Orion and the other pro interfaces as on paper, it does appear rather excellent.
Thanks for the review. I will pick it up and try it out. I am currently running the STX II. On paper the NU audio should be an upgrade...