[Armaegis]

Have you tried it on a different computer? I still suspect that it's an interface or grounding issue. Slap a quick ground loop isolator on there just to check, or try from a laptop running off battery.

 

[jasonl]

We have been very helpful in sending replacement boards without even confirming the problem. We took a LOSS but more than willing to help out. How many companies you know would provide direct support like us even when you purchase from a foreign dealer?
But we can not continue to provide support without able to confirm the problem. Is it a ground loop noise? Your computer noise problem? Sure, there was a problem with an early production batch of uDAC2 with noise and we sent out boards to everyone who request for it. By airing your grievances won't help to resolve the problem. Have we done enough? I will let the public be the judge.
 
Here's what we can do for you: send the uDAC2 and the boards back to our USA office. If we confirm that they are defective, we will send you a new uDAC-2 plus a free earphones, all at our expense!
But if it is no fault of our own, we will simply send the working uDAC-2 back to you.
 
Jason

 
Quote:

I'm really starting to lose my patience with NuForce. Today I got a replacement board. It wasn't easy to build in. The old boards were glued together on certain parts and it took a while before I finally was able to pull them apart and put in the replacement board. With the 10 screws it took me half an hour until I exchanged the board.
 
I hooked it up and guess what. Nothing has changed. The humming tone is still there via the RCA out and I'm not able to choose 96/24 as bitrate. The new board didn't fix any of my problems.
 
This is the third replacement unit I got from NuForce now. The first one I bought was broken. The second exchange unit was broken. And now the third board isn't working again.
 
I have to admit I'm highly dissapointed with the NuForce uDAC 2. I literally spend 120€ for nothing. The retailer had a 14 days money back option which already has expired.
 
I wrote several emails, opened support tickets, made phone calls, repacked the DAC and brought it to the post office and finally had to repair the device myself without any success.
 
I'm going to open another support ticket, let's see what they suggest this time.
 
 
With all this trouble I can not recommend the uDAC 2. As somebody else mentioned. One bad device is excusable. Three defective devices in a row are not.

 

[vilasn]

My initial impressions of udac-2 are positive, below is my setup, player used iTunes/ apple lossless,
 
1. Lenovo laptop, Windows 7, udac-2 to one of the USB ports, udac-2 headphone out to - Sansa Clip stock and Audeo Phonak PFE 111
2. HP Desktop, Windows XP, udac-2 to one of the USB ports, udac-2 RCA out to Altec Lansing
 
In both cases sound was very satisfying, real test is in the weekend when I will be connecting it to the home system.
 
Thanks Nuforce for a nice product.

 

[WarriorAnt]

My impression of the uDac-2 was based on the two units I received.   As I mentioned in a previous thread the first unit stopped functioning after 5 days, until then it did sound very good.  But the replacement unit that followed it appeared to be a used unit and had severe distortion in the left channel using both the RCA outs and the headphone out.  I was a high end broadcast video editor/eng. for 2.5 decades and I know how to troubleshoot a problem. I spent much time troubleshooting both units before I made a decision the units were malfunctioning.  I would have asked for a third replacement unit, but the fact that I was sent a malfunctioning second unit right out of the box that appeared to have already been used lowered my confidence in NuForce to the point of complete discouragement.  There is definitely a quality control problem with these units. If you read around the net you'll come across the same complaints.  Other users can post their positive results but that doesn't negate or diminish the negative results others have come upon with the uDAC-2. Nuforce could at least test the replacement unit that's being sent, used or otherwise. That kind of practice would avoid annoying the consumer and help avoid negative posts such as this one. Because of my experience I would NOT recommend this product but I do applaud it's mostly painless return policy.

 

[Polarbear]

 
Quote:

Have you tried it on a different computer? I still suspect that it's an interface or grounding issue. Slap a quick ground loop isolator on there just to check, or try from a laptop running off battery.

I heard many ground loops. It's not a ground loop. It's a sine wave like high tone combined with noise that is generated somewhere. When I hook up my amp to my internal sound everything is crystal clear. Maybe "humming" wasn't the right word. I'm not so familiar with describing sounds in english. 
 
Anyhow, fact is that the uDAC-2 isn't working with my amp and loudspeakers and I can not listen to 24/96 with it at all. All I have is a 24/48 headphone DAC. Another exchange probably won't fix my problems so I'm looking for a way to get my money back now.

 

[jasonl]

We are going through growing pain .  We are trying out best, but with sales going up so quickly, our production and support are stressed. So eventually something slipped through our hand.  Unfortunately for a few customers like "WarriorAnt", we couldn't keep them. So all we can do at the very least is to give you a full refund.

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

We are going through growing pain .  We are trying out best, but with sales going up so quickly, our production and support are stressed. So eventually something slipped through our hand.  Unfortunately for a few customers like "WarriorAnt", we couldn't keep them. So all we can do at the very least is to give you a full refund.

 
I appreciate the customer service and the customer response NuForce gives to it's customers.  Don't get me wrong on that subject, it's as good as it gets in any industry Iv'e seen.  It's fast and very efficient. Maybe my reaction is a bit harsh, perhaps NuForce can check the replacement units they send out.  This might the alleviate the distress a consumer experiences. I can understand any unit failing during use even a replacement unit, but to be nonfunctioning right out of the box that's whats going to cause folks to moan.  That's the kind of thing that creates negative energy.  The thing for me was I was really starting to enjoy what the uDAC-2 was doing for me especially for the cost and I didn't want to ever send it back again.

 

[firecommon]

So... I just received my udac-2 today. Sounds great with my ms-1000s! I feel like soundstage has improved alot over my onboard soundcard!
 
However, i do hear a tone that is very quiet at around 2 khz... I mean realll quiet... can't hear at all while listening to music at low volume nor can i hear it for like 5 seconds after turning off my music at normal volumes (probably because of my brain )
 
This tone doesn't really take away from my listening experience but is it normal? Do i have the 'tone' problem that many others in this thread have had?
 
Edit: while listening to some quiet piano music, i can hear the tone.. i think i do indeed have the tone problem..

 

[jasonl]

This is not $1000 high-end audio and we are dealing with computer noise and switching power supplies. So we have to be realistic about it. When we improved the resolution and transparency of the DAC and analog circuit, you are going to hear all sorts of noise if you have very sensitive earphones. Kind of make sense doesn't it?
On the more expensive Icon HDP and other high end audio, we are able to implement isolation circuit, highly regulated on board power, put more caps at places to damp the noise etc.
 
Quote:

So... I just received my udac-2 today. Sounds great with my ms-1000s! I feel like soundstage has improved alot over my onboard soundcard!
 
However, i do hear a tone that is very quiet at around 2 khz... I mean realll quiet... can't hear at all while listening to music at low volume nor can i hear it for like 5 seconds after turning off my music at normal volumes (probably because of my brain )
 
This tone doesn't really take away from my listening experience but is it normal? Do i have the 'tone' problem that many others in this thread have had?
 
Edit: while listening to some quiet piano music, i can hear the tone.. i think i do indeed have the tone problem..

 

[rasmushorn]

The uDAC-2 is the perfect Optical --> Coax converter. It runs several hours everyday from our Mac Mini optical out to coax into our TV. At the same time it has a super synergy with my Grado SR-325i. I really like the product and I fully understand why it has been so successful. The best thing is that it is powered from USB. That means that when it runs as a Optical --> Coax converter I do not need another PSU to drive it.
 
Great product. I fell in love with the first uDAC immediately when I heard it at a Head-fi meet in Berlin last year. 

 

[sling5s]

My udac-2 on the left RCA out has problems making a connection.  Sometimes I have to wiggle it to get the RCA to connect.
Anyone else have this problem with one of the RCA outs.  
 
Jason, what should I do?  It's not that the sound doesn't come out. Its just that I have to wiggle it in and out to make the connection.
 
Please advise.
 
thank you
david

 

[replytoken]

Quote:

Jason, what should I do?  It's not that the sound doesn't come out. Its just that I have to wiggle it in and out to make the connection.
 
Please advise.

Jason has mentioned in previous posts that he does not monitor the forums here with any frequency.  You might be better served to fill out a help ticket with NuForce.
 
--Ken

 

[sling5s]

thanks

 

[butch]

a hello to everyone from Romania
 
received my uDAC-2 yesterday. didn't have much of a chance to thoroughly listen to it but first impressions are: just great. even with generic "wall-mart" grade headphones the level of detail and spaciousness that it brings is amazing. listened to it on a pair of Dynaudio Audience 52s and for the price it's a definite WOW. I'm looking forward to listening to it on my SR80s (which are currently on loan to a friend). congratulations NU-FORCE.

 

[yves]

Hello everyone,
 
I received my uDAC2 today (in Belgium) and I felt compelled to make an account here just to say how blown away I am by it. I'm listening to it on my Klipsch S4 and the difference in clarity vs. the onboard sound card is simply astounding. No hiss or noise either. The only disappointing thing is that as far as I can tell it doesn't come with shielded cables, but at this price point maybe that's too much to ask.
 
Greetings