[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It has no opamp stage, so you're better off looking for a dedicated amp for gain purposes.

Why do you say that? It has an amplification stage for the headphone out, it just doesn't use opamps to do amplify the music. I don't know if that qualifies as being a discrete SS output or not, because they don't describe it as such, but it's very similar in design to the Icon Mobile, even though it doesn't sound the same.

The gain is low enough to use very sensitive custom IEM with it, but high enough to drive an HD600 to loud levels or and HE-5 to medium levels.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Binary Maestro /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just got my uDac but I'm having problems with mine. The sound is horrible, it hisses and cracks and slows down. Its like playing a really bad record on a really bad turn table. I'm using foobar2k I've dried with DS WASAPI and ASIO they all make these noises. Does anyone know what might be the problem? I'm using the headphone out so its straight form PC> UDAC> HP Edit: OK I tried it on another laptop using foobar and asio and it plays perfect? Whats up with that? I'd rather not use this laptop as it is older and slower. Does anyone know what would be causing it to glitch and jitter like crazy on my laptop?

I'm a mac user, so not much help. Does fubar have it's own volume level or gain that is turned up all the way?

 

[Binary Maestro]

I made sure everything was turned off. But I forgot to mention that even when i play a flac in vlc it still does it

 

[swmtnbiker]

What flavor of Windows are you running? You mentioned WASAPI. Vista? 7? Have you checked to make sure you have CPU power management turned off both in Windows and in your system BIOS? There have been numerous reports of this mucking with USB audio output.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why do you say that? It has an amplification stage for the headphone out, it just doesn't use opamps to do amplify the music. I don't know if that qualifies as being a discrete SS output or not, because they don't describe it as such, but it's very similar in design to the Icon Mobile, even though it doesn't sound the same. The gain is low enough to use very sensitive custom IEM with it, but high enough to drive an HD600 to loud levels or and HE-5 to medium levels.

What I meant to say was if he is looking for something with good enough gain and amp quality (by the sound of it he probably has something difficult to drive) it'd be better something with a dedicated amp section in the output, as decent as uDAC's is. Didn't mean to give him the impression that its amp section is totally wimpy or anything like that (I did say earlier that HD650 volume wise went high enough), so my bad for any confusion there.

As for the foobar problem, hmm, I'm running the uDAC off Windows 7 in the similar Foobar (WASAPI) setup and not experiencing any SQ problems... if there is problem with both WASAPI and ASIO then I think it might be possible that it's the uDAC hardware problem... perhaps try it on another computer and see if the problem reoccurs?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What I meant to say was if he is looking for something with good enough gain and amp quality (by the sound of it he probably has something difficult to drive) it'd be better something with a dedicated amp section in the output, as decent as uDAC's is. Didn't mean to give him the impression that its amp section is totally wimpy or anything like that (I did say earlier that HD650 volume wise went high enough), so my bad for any confusion there.

Ah, I understand.

 

[Binary Maestro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpippel /img/forum/go_quote.gif What flavor of Windows are you running? You mentioned WASAPI. Vista? 7? Have you checked to make sure you have CPU power management turned off both in Windows and in your system BIOS? There have been numerous reports of this mucking with USB audio output.

I am using a Hp Tx2500z Tablet pc running windows 7
I have turned off all the power effecting items in the power options. Nothing that i can see in the bios that would effect the bios.
And as I stated in a previous post I am using it on an older laptop and it is working fine with fubar and asio using the default settings, plug and play was basically it. I didn't do anything different on this laptop so I'm leaning towards something on my hp being weird.

 

[lawrywild]

Order shipped already... that was quick!

 

[K_19]

I just finished listening to the uDAC as a DAC in my main WA6 rig, through Foobar2k (ASIO). Here are some of my thoughts compared to the Pico DAC:

- The uDAC IMO is actually wider than Pico DAC as the soundstage width goes... this I was very impressed with. However, the sense of lateral and 3D soundstage is superior with the Pico.

- uDAC is buttery smooth and got that warmish tint. I have a feeling this would be a great companion to SS amps. It was great with WA6 also, but at times TOO smooth, so with tubes it's bit in the air IMO... it'll largely depend on how warm the amp is, what tubes are used, etc.

- Pico is definitely brighter, and undeniably has better high end/upper midrange extension. It goes better with my rig as two of my three main headphones can use help in the top end (RS1/Flats, HD650). But with K701, I felt that it went along better with the uDAC as the DAC.

- I actually think uDAC does better with micro details in the mids than the Pico. I feel that it's also better balanced in the mids, and Pico sounded like it had a slight upper mid emphasis compared to it. Pico mids can sound harsh at times, and can be fatiguing, but jumps out at you more cuz of that... in comparison uDAC NEVER sounded harsh to my ears.

- Pico had much tighter bass compared to the uDAC. Very evident with my RS1 especially.

- Overall, Pico sounded a lot energetic and dynamic, and uDAC sounded more laid back and smooth.


So in the end, I found that Pico DAC is better suited for my rig, but that uDAC may actually sound better depending on what the rig is. If you have a bright, treble heavy rig, then uDAC may actually be better suited I suspect. It's an amazing value at $99 as a DAC either way and puts my older DACs in its price range (Total Bithead, Hotaudio DAC Straight) to total shame. It's going back to serving as a lone DAC/Amp in my secondary rig, but anytime I want a more smooth, laid back listen, I know what DAC to turn to now.

 

[estreeter]

Thanks for your impressions, K_19 : as a 325 owner, the uDAC sounds like its tailor-made for taking some of the edge of my cans. I can normally handle the treble, but last night I had to concede the Van Halen's 'Eruption' and the 325 is not a match made in heaven - there are a couple of points where Eddie deliberately goes for high-pitched guitar madness and the 325 says 'hey, here's an icepick in the temple !'. Great when you are full of beans, not so after a tough day at the office

(still waiting patiently for the Icon HDP, but the uDAC may be just the ticket for work. Roll on February).

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for your impressions, K_19 : as a 325 owner, the uDAC sounds like its tailor-made for taking some of the edge of my cans. I can normally handle the treble, but last night I had to concede the Van Halen's 'Eruption' and the 325 is not a match made in heaven - there are a couple of points where Eddie deliberately goes for high-pitched guitar madness and the 325 says 'hey, here's an icepick in the temple !'. Great when you are full of beans, not so after a tough day at the office (still waiting patiently for the Icon HDP, but the uDAC may be just the ticket for work. Roll on February).

Haha, this reminded me when I turned on Eruption (I love Van Halen; everything from the DLR beginnings to the end of Hagar era) with the RS1 when I was trying out the bowls... with the Pico DAC -> WA6 (with Sovtek tube; got a sharp top end), those high-pitched parts literally felt like they were tearing through my eardrums... after that experience, I took off the bowls, put flats back on, and haven't used the bowls since. I couldn't even imagine how it would have been with 325i that apparently have harsher highs! I'm very sensitive to it... and Pico definitely didn't help the matter with its sharp highs... I didn't try Eruption with my testing but few of the Van Halen songs I heard on shuffle (Jump, Why can't this be Love, Poundcake) sounded golden through uDAC as DAC. I think it'll go very well with your 325i.

 

[Binary Maestro]

Hmm, In reply to my other previous post it appears that the problem is gone, After listening for an hour or so on my other laptop i thought i'd try again on my hp and try to figure out the problem. Upon plugging in the dac everything appears to be working correctly. Perhaps it had to do with the dac being in freezing cold mailbox for awhile. Anyways it seems to be working correctly now.

However I am having a difficult time selecting the correct buffer length in foobar. What do you guys use for your udac?

 

[richbass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. (as DAC only) I think the D4 USB DAC is a little more resolving than the D10 USB DAC, so closer to the Pico. The D10 optical DAC from Macbook seems very similar to the D4 and Pico via USB. Both iBasso DAC have a low output voltage than Pico DAC, so it makes volume matching and comparisons more difficult. The uDAC output voltage competes with the Pico DAC, so volume matching is easy, and that is where I hear the slight more warm/forward sound of the uDAC and the slightly more extended clearer treble or neutral tone in the Pico DAC. Detail and air, ambience soundstage are excellent in all of them. 2. Yes, D4 amp stock sounds a little better than D10 stock or with the best opamps installed, and is closer to a cross of P-51 and Pico while D10 with stock opamps is closer to Predator. Opamp rolled D10 heads in the direction of P-51, but with less crisp and extended treble, while D4 with better opamps rolled into pretty much equals the P-51. The P-51 is my benchmark for favorite portable amp, and at CanJam I felt the Pico Slim equaled it. 3. I haven't heard any of those headphones. 4. D4 can drive 25-600 ohm, but with 300 ohm or more you pretty much need to use the 9v battery option for the best performance. D10 is not great with my 600 ohm AKG K240M, and not recommended.

So, D4 Mamba is a better buy. D10 only has Coxial and Optical as an addition.
How did K240M performed with D4 ?
Thanks again..

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just finished listening to the uDAC as a DAC in my main WA6 rig, through Foobar2k (ASIO). Here are some of my thoughts compared to the Pico DAC: - The uDAC IMO is actually wider than Pico DAC as the soundstage width goes... this I was very impressed with. However, the sense of lateral and 3D soundstage is superior with the Pico. - uDAC is buttery smooth and got that warmish tint. I have a feeling this would be a great companion to SS amps. It was great with WA6 also, but at times TOO smooth, so with tubes it's bit in the air IMO... it'll largely depend on how warm the amp is, what tubes are used, etc. - Pico is definitely brighter, and undeniably has better high end/upper midrange extension. It goes better with my rig as two of my three main headphones can use help in the top end (RS1/Flats, HD650). But with K701, I felt that it went along better with the uDAC as the DAC. - I actually think uDAC does better with micro details in the mids than the Pico. I feel that it's also better balanced in the mids, and Pico sounded like it had a slight upper mid emphasis compared to it. Pico mids can sound harsh at times, and can be fatiguing, but jumps out at you more cuz of that... in comparison uDAC NEVER sounded harsh to my ears. - Pico had much tighter bass compared to the uDAC. Very evident with my RS1 especially. - Overall, Pico sounded a lot energetic and dynamic, and uDAC sounded more laid back and smooth. So in the end, I found that Pico DAC is better suited for my rig, but that uDAC may actually sound better depending on what the rig is. If you have a bright, treble heavy rig, then uDAC may actually be better suited I suspect. It's an amazing value at $99 as a DAC either way and puts my older DACs in its price range (Total Bithead, Hotaudio DAC Straight) to total shame. It's going back to serving as a lone DAC/Amp in my secondary rig, but anytime I want a more smooth, laid back listen, I know what DAC to turn to now.

Great impressions, which pretty much go along with what I have said.

Can you try the uDAC > WA6 > RS-1 with bowls and see if you agree that it's a great match? With flats the RS-1 sound better with the Pico DAC, but the soundstage is better with RS-1 bowls if you have the right DAC like this one.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by richbass /img/forum/go_quote.gif How did K240M performed with D4 ?

Probably as good as the Pico did when I posted my review - decent, while I think the 3MOVE might have been a little better (I'd have to check my notes or you can look at the big DAC/amp review thread). If I recall correctly, the TTVJ portable Millet Hybrid is one of the best sounding portables with the 600 ohm AKG for some reason (and also one of my favorites with Grados), but the 9v amps like the above listed are not bad. The 5v amps (excepting TTVJ) didn't fare so well.