KingRex UC192 32bit/192kHz USB Interface

[borrego]

6moon review: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/kingrex8/1.html
Taiwanese (Chinese) comparison with Hiface and Hiface EVO: http://blog.xuite.net/sniper0710/life/39483105
 
The comparison was done without using the proprietary Windows drivers
 
Could it be the next USB interface champion?

 

[leeperry]

6moons is painful to read coz they talk a lot of nonsense:
-the Burson HA-160D uses an isochronous Tenor chip...not quite async
-they say "1pmm 12MHz TCXO" as if it were the holy grail...but it's not. The holy grail is two have 2 low jitter(and the ppm resolution has nothing to do w/ jitter) discrete clocks that are exact multiples of 44.1 and 48...and this 12MHz clock is not here to "reclock", it's here to work as a reference to the DSP.
 
on page 6 of the manual: http://www.skyview3d.com/skvwtp/Kingrex/UC192/KingRexUC192D2DconverterUserManual.pdf
 
you can read that the unit can burst into flames if you leave it plugged in and not in use...it's a joke, right?
 
on the same page, they also say that if you see/smell smoke, you should unplug it...now that makes sense.
 
the proprietary drivers are from VIA and they seem to provide KS on XP, nice to see that VIA has a USB chip available...and its firmware can be updated via USB, always a nice touch.

 

[borrego]

I think the "fire and smoke" wordings in the manual are just liability limiting clauses.
 
I think it uses the same USB chip as the HIFACE as the Taiwanese did the test with the same HIFACE drivers.
 
But $189 is still expensive to me as an USB Audio interface which I still have to upgrade the power supply. For the same amount of money I can get the new WD TV Hub network player. But I think it is a good alternativce to the HIFACE offerings.

 

[vert]

I realize there are expensive USB converters and DACs out there coming with a $5 wallwart power supplies that are made in China. But for $189, it's not such a crime.