[blownsi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiophile13426 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It seems the udac is very popular on head-fi, just wondering would a transition from the turtle beach microadvantage external sound to the nuforce uDac improve the sound a lot? By a lot I mean very noticeable change in the quality of the sound projected through a laptop? If anyone feels their nuforce udac is not up to their standard, and would like to sell it, I'm willing to try an used one. Do pm me.

It's a huge upgrade from the turtle beach and it can actually drive difficult phones. I had to use my Senn HD-280's with the TB cause it just couldnt push the 701s.

 

[Commanderloochy]

I apologize if this has been asked before but can the udac output in 5.1 surround sound if I use the coaxial output?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Commanderloochy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I apologize if this has been asked before but can the udac output in 5.1 surround sound if I use the coaxial output?

I don't believe so. I think I read that somewhere else.

 

[jjsoviet]

Looks deliciously tempting. My laptop's headphone out is crappy, even crappier when used for my M-Audio AV30 speakers. Can the uDAC drive these 30-watt desktop speakers? I will just have to use RCA-to-RCA cables for the setup anyway.

And another thing, can it simultaneously output sound through the headphone and RCA jacks? Thanks.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjsoviet /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looks deliciously tempting. My laptop's headphone out is crappy, even crappier when used for my M-Audio AV30 speakers. Can the uDAC drive these 30-watt desktop speakers? I will just have to use RCA-to-RCA cables for the setup anyway. And another thing, can it simultaneously output sound through the headphone and RCA jacks? Thanks.

The RCA shut off when the headphone is plugged in, and the S/PDIF is activated when you shut off the volume knob. It should have no trouble driving amplified speakers, as a preamp.

 

[jjsoviet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The RCA shut off when the headphone is plugged in, and the S/PDIF is activated when you shut off the volume knob. It should have no trouble driving amplified speakers, as a preamp.

Okay, cool! Thanks good sir.

 

[vokain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't believe so. I think I read that somewhere else.

Actually, I think I am getting a surround sound signal. I did a surround sound test with the coax-out to an A40 mixamp (converts DD 5.1->Dolby Headphone), and I seem to be getting the forward left and right, and back left and right in the right places. A quick test without the mixamp made the FL and BL sound equally on my left, and the FR and BR sounded equal on the right.

I watched the Bourne Ultimatum with 5.1 AC3, and I'm pretty sure I was hearing surround too.

I don't see why it wouldn't transport a multi-channel signal. If used as S/PDIF out, it wouldn't [shouldn't] touch the stream, leaving the multi-channel data intact, if my understanding is correct.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vokain /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, I think I am getting a surround sound signal. I did a surround sound test with the coax-out to an A40 mixamp (converts DD 5.1->Dolby Headphone), and I seem to be getting the upper left, upper right, and lower right and lower left in the right places. I watched the Bourne Ultimatum with 5.1 AC3, and I'm pretty sure I'm hearing surround too.

A better test would be to feed it into your 5.1 home theater.

 

[vokain]

Yes, I'll check that tomorrow when i have time. I don't feel like getting behind my home theater right now. I'm fairly positive I heard surround though, because the forward left and back left sounded equal when heard straight out of my uDAC.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vokain /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, I'll check that tomorrow when i have time. I don't feel like getting behind my home theater right now. I'm fairly positive I heard surround though, because the forward left and back left sounded equal when heard straight out of my uDAC.

You might get that effect just because of the dolby headphone, even with stereo, can't you?

 

[Silvercomet]

Just received the uDac in the mail today. What are the optimal settings on both Macs and PCs for the uDac?

Running foobar on Windows 7 and itunes on Mac, with a variety of MP3 and FLAC files

Thanks

 

[robjrock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkeny /img/forum/go_quote.gif Has anybody opened one up to confirm NuForce's claim of no op-amps in the signal path? There were some fuzzy pics early in the thread but impossible to make anything out.

Yeah, funny I was just thinking about that (my uDac hasn't come yet) but I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the Sabre DAC used features a little IC amp built into the chip, which 'activates' when you plug in the headphones. So technically speaking the sound is amped by an integrated circuit, just not a separate chip.

Or have I got my wires cross (punned entirely intended!?

)

 

[mmerrill99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robjrock /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, funny I was just thinking about that (my uDac hasn't come yet) but I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the Sabre DAC used features a little IC amp built into the chip, which 'activates' when you plug in the headphones. So technically speaking the sound is amped by an integrated circuit, just not a separate chip. Or have I got my wires cross (punned entirely intended!? )

Yes, robjrock, you are correct in this but I use the same ES9022 DAC to directly drive headphones & I wouldn't say that I get ear splitting volume driving AKG701s so this leads me to believe that some further amplification is being applied in the uDac. The output stage of the ES9022 seems to be an op-amp stage which generates 2Vrms output but it seems to have a good current output also to be able to drive 32 ohm headphones (NuForce say 16ohm to 300ohm is the range?)

Does anybody care to open one up & take some good pics & we can establish how this is being achieved. It could lead to some op-amp swaps which may be beneficial to sound!

 

[grokit]

After reading through these posts, I am reminded of a pet peeve of mine: they're all cheap. Why can't we get something like a well-built 15-port USB hub with IC-controlled voltage distribution and a high-grade discrete power supply and perhaps noise filtering as well, for professional use? I'm sure they would sell, even if they cost $150 people would buy them, add more if it's rack-mountable.

Also I am reminded of all the research I originally did regarding DACs before I took the plunge and acquired the first of many USB outboard models. I kept reading that you should connect your DAC to your computer's best USB port, and never to a hub. There was quite a bit of discussion as to what hubs were best, dependent upon the computer model. Maybe it makes a difference whether or not the DAC is powered or unpowered, or if the hub is

?

Quote:

Originally Posted by feverfive /img/forum/go_quote.gif O.k. Thanks... it is a powered hub; cheap one I've had for several years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am using a mini 4-port portable hub and the cable takes the power from both USB ports on the macbook. I can connect the uDAC, Pico DAC, HDP and DACport (or D4) all at the same time with no problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill St. Clair /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looks like that one can take power from its AC adapter OR bus power. As long as you're using the AC adapter, it should work fine with the µDAC. No guarantees, of course, until you try it.

 

[feverfive]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am using a mini 4-port portable hub and the cable takes the power from both USB ports on the macbook. I can connect the uDAC, Pico DAC, HDP and DACport (or D4) all at the same time with no problem. I do believe that since the HDP plugs into the wall that it doesn't draw much power, and the Pico DAC doesn't either since it's a DAC only and not an amp. Still, I have enough USB power to use the uDAC, DACport, D4 and Pico, and switch between them even though 3 of the 4 have internal headphone amps that are powered entirely by USB. Only one can be active at a time, so when the others are dormant they don't draw much power.

Thanks HPA... Gonna read some more to see whether the uDAC will even make a real difference in SQ (connected to my MBP) for my ATH-ESW9's.