[Mediaogre]

^^ Ugh. I just answered my own question. For anyone else who's curious about how the DAC cable works (or, like me, was too lazy to click around on Robert's site) here's a snip from the page on Headphonia.com:
 
 
 
Quote:

It installs itself without separate software; just connect it to a USB port and the computer's sound card is bypassed. It functions on all systems with a USB connection, whether they are Windows, Linux or Mac. 

 

[PANGES]

^Your quote says that it'll connect and auto-switch to the DAC, but from my experience with DAC's (which is limited to the NuForce amp/dac combo) on my MacBook Pro, after you plug the DAC into the USB, you have to go into Settings and manually select to have the output go to the USB DAC and not the headphones out. Maybe his cable is different...?
 

 

[wuwhere]

On my laptop with WinXP, I just connect the DAC cable, open up Foobar, connect the cable's lineout to my amp, turn it on, and hear music from my IEM. No settings to change or set-up.

 

[Hellenback]

Quote:

^Your quote says that it'll connect and auto-switch to the DAC, but from my experience with DAC's (which is limited to the NuForce amp/dac combo) on my MacBook Pro, after you plug the DAC into the USB, you have to go into Settings and manually select to have the output go to the USB DAC and not the headphones out. Maybe his cable is different...?
 

If you are using different outputs with different players you might have to set each for usb to be the default (output) player.
I leave Foobar->ASIO4ALL-> Dac as default and it always picks up the line-dac without a hiccup.

 

[PANGES]

 
Quote:

If you are using different outputs with different players you might have to set each for usb to be the default (output) player.
I leave Foobar->ASIO4ALL-> Dac as default and it always picks up the line-dac without a hiccup.

Ah. Gotcha. When you set the DAC as default, and you unplug it, I'm assuming it'll automatically switch to the computer HPO, correct?
 
If so, I'll keep that in mind in the future when I pick up another DAC.

 

[zeeter]

Has anyone received their new cases yet from Robert?  I still have the plain black case that my arrow came with when I got it back in March.  I'm hoping he still plans on sending these out free of charge when/if he gets around to finishing them.

 

[wuwhere]

I haven't and its been a month since I received my black Arrow.

 

[Mediaogre]

^^ x2. I haven't and I've had mine since February. I know Robert's intentions are positive, but... at this point, it wouldn't hurt to send a friendly inquiry.

 

[Hellenback]

 
Quote:

 


Ah. Gotcha. When you set the DAC as default, and you unplug it, I'm assuming it'll automatically switch to the computer HPO, correct?
 
If so, I'll keep that in mind in the future when I pick up another DAC.

 
If you have your computer set to use only the default sound device (little check box in sound device properties) all software audio players will use the default device only.
As I prefer the line-dac to any other audio out on my computer, I leave the default box checked so there is no need to fiddle around if I use different players.
With Foobar I have it configured to run through ASIO4All first as I think it improves the sound. I guess if I think it does....it does

 

 

[Hellenback]

Quote:

Has anyone received their new cases yet from Robert?  I still have the plain black case that my arrow came with when I got it back in March.  I'm hoping he still plans on sending these out free of charge when/if he gets around to finishing them.

So far in my experience he has always kept his word (even if he's been late). I think he's just really swamped. From my communication with him it seems he doesn't feel completely comfortable communicating in English so avoids it. He needs to learn to know when it's important to make the effort if he wants to keep his customers happy. Apparently there are some other reasons he's unable to reply directly in the forum, which makes it even harder to address things as they come up.
A one man show is difficult to keep going once a product like the Arrow takes off. Personally I'd rarther wait than have him farm out the work or lower his standards. 

 

[Mediaogre]

Quote:

So far in my experience he has always kept his word (even if he's been late). I think he's just really swamped. From my communication with him it seems he doesn't feel completely comfortable communicating in English so avoids it. He needs to learn to know when it's important to make the effort if he wants to keep his customers happy. Apparently there are some other reasons he's unable to reply directly in the forum, which makes it even harder to address things as they come up.
A one man show is difficult to keep going once a product like the Arrow takes off. Personally I'd rarther wait than have him farm out the work or lower his standards. 

 
I agree with Hellenback. And in order to avoid the perception of lowered standards, he can try to make a better effort to set expectations. If my expectations are reasonably managed, I don't have to guess or whine or wonder.
 
I'll shoot him an email today and try to get an update.
 

 

[Shauntell47]

Well, i know why he's not on this forum anymore. Used to be actually, it's an old story we wouldn't want to dig back up.

 
Btw, i didn't know he didn't like to write in English, maybe he'd be more talkative if i write in German. Worth a try.

 

[Blackwheel]

Can someone PLEASE tell me how the Nuforce uDac compares to the dac cable???

 

[grokit]

Quote:

Can someone PLEASE tell me how the Nuforce uDac compares to the dac cable???

 
I have both and would say that the uDac is a bit more colored, or warmer, while the DAC cable is more accurate/clinical. I would not say that one sounds better than the other, but the cable is a one-trick pony while the uDac has multiple functions (line out, headphone amp, digital converter). So while one is more versatile, the other is a bit cleaner sounding. I have not tried the uDac as an spdif converter, but I have read that it really "cleans up" that way.  Both are great values IMHO.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Can someone PLEASE tell me how the Nuforce uDac compares to the dac cable???

I have not heard the new DAC cable yet, only the original $39 DAC cable which doesn't use the WM8740.  The uDAC is a bit more detailed and spacious, but also a little warmer sounding.