[roker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Our VP of R&D just signed off on Icon HDP today (he is at the factory). We hope this time we are more prepared for the demand. I don't think we can ship on Feb 5, most likely taking order on Feb 5 but ship on the 8th. Well, provided there is no new problem .

how about a snapshot?

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdr. Seraphim /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm with pfillion I'm glad he said it first 'cause, I think the µDAC is a step up from my Pico amp/DAC too!

I think with certain setups this is definitely possible for it to be. My main rig caters to the Pico DAC more but I can see the uDAC matching much better with some of the brighter setups (as I've said before, I prefer both my K701 and K271 being fed by uDAC rather than Pico).

 

[YtseJamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdr. Seraphim /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm with pfillion I'm glad he said it first 'cause, I think the µDAC is a step up from my Pico amp/DAC too!

So I am not dreaming?

It's the best $100 that I have spent since I joined head-fi!

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think with certain setups this is definitely possible for it to be. My main rig caters to the Pico DAC more but I can see the uDAC matching much better with some of the brighter setups (as I've said before, I prefer both my K701 and K271 being fed by uDAC rather than Pico).

I'm pairing the lil' µDAC via RCA outputs with my DNA Sonett (using the Signal Cable Silver Reference) and the ES3X. The results, at least with this combination, reveal better balance, much better resolution and wonderful timbrel color. Now I can't wait to try out the nuForce DAC-9 (Nuforce DAC 9 | 24/192 DAC) , or the new Cullen Circuits DAC-1 (DAC-1 Coming soon! - Cullen Circuits).

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfillion /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I am not dreaming? It's the best $100 that I have spent since I joined head-fi!

This one's their teaser! I'm looking forward to the HDP or the DAC-9. Price-wise, the µDAC is a no-brainer since it's almost chump change!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think with certain setups this is definitely possible for it to be. My main rig caters to the Pico DAC more but I can see the uDAC matching much better with some of the brighter setups (as I've said before, I prefer both my K701 and K271 being fed by uDAC rather than Pico).

Yeah, it's an advantage to have both DACs with a little different sound signatures, to aid in tuning or matching to amps and phones.

 

[Blue Monday]

Just got mine today! Such an improvement over onboard sound, but I guess that's no surprise to anyone here, lol. The only way I can think of to describe the difference is to imagine listening to your headphones when there not on your head, and then putting them on (if you've got open cans). I used to just get piercing highs when I turned up the volume on my pc, but now volume scales much more nicely. I don't have to search for things that are in the background anymore; everything is there. It's nice not to have all that humming and popping going on too. As far as I'm concerned this is a no brainer upgrade for anyone with some decent headphones/speakers and is still using an onboard soundcard.

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

Hi all! Another happy uDac customer here. Got mine about a week ago. Have been using it solo and via RCA out to my Cyber 20 amp while listening to RS-1s, K702s and now-departed HD595s (sent back to Amazon, but HD650s are on the way). As a DAC only, it does an admirable job. As a headphone amp, it pushes the K702s quite well (a surprise to me), but struggles with the RS-1s (something of a surprise as well, though I will admit to struggling in general with the signature of the RS-1).

I have a Little Dot DAC_II on the way, so the uDac will assume the role I'd bought it for in the first place: going with me in my computer bag in case of "emergency." But it's great to know that this unit can fill in for either my living room (DacMagic) or home office systems in a pinch.

 

[sune]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olias of Sunhillow /img/forum/go_quote.gif " But it's great to know that this unit can fill in for either my living room (DacMagic) or home office systems in a pinch.

Would love to hear more impressions on how the uDac compares to the DacMagic!

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sune /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would love to hear more impressions on how the uDac compares to the DacMagic!

After a few months with my uDac, I am still very impressed, but I find that the DacMagic is still the better DAC. I simply still here things on the DacMagic that the uDac doesn't (or doesn't do as well). But heck, the price difference is 5X.

The performance though is not 5X. The sound staging and clarity are simply better with the Cambridge Audio product.

 

[sune]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero /img/forum/go_quote.gif After a few months with my uDac, I am still very impressed, but I find that the DacMagic is still the better DAC. I simply still here things on the DacMagic that the uDac doesn't (or doesn't do as well). But heck, the price difference is 5X. The performance though is not 5X. The sound staging and clarity are simply better with the Cambridge Audio product.

Thank a lot, that's great to know!

The difference between the dacmagic and udac is only a 2X-2.5X here in the UK though. And the dacmagic does offer a lot more options, if you only need a dac.

Sune

 

[donunus]

then again the uDac also comes with a decent amp which adds to the value factor

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif then again the uDac also comes with a decent amp which adds to the value factor

Very true. I have been pleasantly surprised by this little unit's amp. It's not a world-beater by any means, but it holds its own.

I'm planning on taking my DacMagic out of my speaker setup this weekend and comparing it to the uDac in my home office rig. I will post my observations.

 

[donunus]

The great thing about the uDacs amp is that it is actually less colored than some more expensive amps. the c2c and the gilmore lite come to mind

Dont compare it to the detail of the highs of the glite or the bass boom of the c2c though. The uDac doesn't try to do all those stunts, it just gets out of the way of the music.

 

[sune]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif then again the uDac also comes with a decent amp which adds to the value factor

Absolutely, but: "the dacmagic does offer a lot more options, if you only need a dac".

Myself, I'm eagerly awaiting my uDac, for use with computer/headphone setup

My intention for asking about how they compare is that at some point I'm looking for an all-in-one solution solution for my main computer and "speaker" (cough) based system. This would replace my DacMagic and pre-amp. I'm assuming that someone with a headphone based setup could easily be in the same position.

Perhaps the HDP for this purpose then