[norskman]

Sorry for hiJacking your thread guys... but I thnik you could just be the folks to advice me?

I have just purchased a pair of GRADO 60i phones (very pleased) I am looking for a pair of active speakers and I can not make my mind up BX5a or A5s I can not audition..where I live so need good feedback from the forums.

But the main reason for this,is to ask about the UDAC? I get confused by UDAC & ICON

If I play music from my Dell -Studio 17 I need the UDAC right? which if I am correct will improve sound quailty through the new phones and later,through the active speakers?(which ever I decide to buy)

But if I wish to listen to my music either at home or on the move, I require the Icon is this correct? I have a sandisk Sansa Fuse 8Gb MP Player...

If you can help would be very obliged to you..any suggestions as to the above or alternatives in same or near same price bracket please.Fianlly what cables would improve things even further Ie which interconnects & speaker cables...

all the very best Steve

 

[daouda]

I dont have any of those yet so take my advice with a grain of salt : im in pretty much the same situation as you with about the same needs and after much research ive settled on the uDAC (to improve crappy laptop headphone-out sound) + audioengine 5 (havent bought them yet though).
From what i've read the BX5a are more like studio monitors and cant sound a little bright and a tad harsh after a while, which should be fatiguing, A5 were made for enjoying music (while still retaining a reasonably flat response) and should be better for that purpose. The uDAC amped HPO will definitely be better than your laptop HPO for your headphones, and its RCA line out is the way to go if you want to connect your laptop to active speakers.

 

[norskman]

Hi Daouda..
Really good to hear from you..amazing but two minutes ago I was mailing a company in the UK about the Audioengine a5 (bamboos) these speakers were highly recommended to me over a year ago now..but I have had a hard time tracking down a pair at a reasonable price?

And before that I was in touch with Jason @Nu-force asking if he had any "B" Grade UDACs or ICONS? I am trying to keep costs down...as it is expensive to buy this gear in Norway(if you can find it) or import it which is really expensive!

I was in the hunt for the Bx5s but had my reservations about them much on the lines you outline..

I am not at all tech minded and find it tuff to understand sometimes..and get my head around what are simple concepts to most folk on here.

For Example I do Have this Dell studio 17 laptop keeps breaking down and Euro dell are like my å*s"...Anyway I can wait for the speakers...

but thought Okay..I have just purchased the
GRADO 60 i and so thought?which do I need the UDAC or the ICON poor old Jason @nu-force... as had to be very patient with me...


but if I am correct..the UDAC for the laptop? and the Icon for the Sandisk Sansa Fuse Mp3 Player? I think

help appreciated ..>HPO< pleaase excuse me but waht does HPO mean?

look forward to more imput all the best Steve

 

[aspenx]

HPO = headphone out = the jack that you plug your headphones in on your laptop.

 

[J.Pocalypse]

I got my uDAC in the mail today. It probably doesn't even have 4 hours burn-in on it. Right away, I noticed a difference. Everything seems more up front. Fuller. Etc. It powers my 428s awesomely. I'd suggest it to anyone.

 

[Ultrainferno]

So finally how does the uDac do with the M50?

 

[proneax]

Can you comment on how the uDAC handles having speaker and headphones connected simultaneously? (do they both work at once?)

Saw in another thread that disconnecting headphones enables volume control on the RCA out, but with headphones in audio is still output to the RCA out or not?

Thanks!

 

[evulfuson]

For a pair of ATH AD700 and MS-1, how would the udac compare with the zero dac/amp?

 

[Dalamar]

Zero is better in RMAA if I recall, and thus better. But if you have a problem GL getting replacement/repair to china. Shipping is like $30.
 
There is no such thing as matching a dac or amp to headphones, all placebo. DACs/AMPs that are designed properly are transparent and don't cost over $80.
DACs are mostly transparent anyways, see sig. Your hardware most certainly doesn't require a special amp, the output from just about anything will be fine.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

For a pair of ATH AD700 and MS-1, how would the udac compare with the zero dac/amp?

Well both units are in the entry level area.  You can look around and find some impressions of both unit and use this info to help make up your mind.