[project86]

Quote:

I am very interested in that comparison too

 
Sorry, haven't heard those.

 

[Mdraluck23]

Looking into an HE-400, anyone tried it?

 

[purplegoat]

been using the u100 with the k712s. finding it pretty unsatisfactory. not sure if it's the headphone's fault but the mid range is pretty recessed

 

[WiZLV]

Audinst HUD-MX2 is better than U100?
Maverick D1 is better than U100?

 

[Quemar]

Just received my U100 and I love the sound, but have some problems, which are:
 
1. If it is powered on when I power up my desktop there are a lot op pops and crackles (this is only a minor issue).
2. The line-outs can only be volume controlled via software.
3. The headphone volume can only be controlled via the volume knob.
4. It does not auto-detect when I plug in my headphones.
 
Now I could well make my peace with problems 1-3, but having to unplug my studio monitors to listen via headphones is an absolute dealbreaker.
 
So here's my question: Is this normal or do I have a defective unit?

 

[purplegoat]

pretty sure if you're using the line out it's DAC only and also that the knob controls the amp.. If you really want the extra juice connect the 1/8th inch connector onto the sony to RCA adapter and plug it into the HP out.. I wouldn't recommend it though if you have a good amp elsewhere..
 
what do you mean it doesn't auto detect?

 

[Quemar]

  pretty sure if you're using the line out it's DAC only and also that the knob controls the amp.. If you really want the extra juice connect the 1/8th inch connector onto the sony to RCA adapter and plug it into the HP out.. I wouldn't recommend it though if you have a good amp elsewhere..
 
what do you mean it doesn't auto detect?

My assumption was that that it would detect when I plug in my headphones and mute the speakers (line out). I have gotten used to this being the case with every piece of audio equipment I've owned so far. Having to physically unplug the rca plugs for the headphones to even work seems medieval to me.
 
BTW I was planning to use the U100 exclusively as an external soundcard for my desktop PC, I have a pair of M-Audio BX5a active studio monitors and a couple of decent headphones and was looking forward to some easy listening, but these niggles make for some "high maintenance" listening. I have no plans for a second amp or a more complex setup, this was supposed to be enough.
 
Thanks for the quick feedback, was not expecting a reply for a couple of days at least

 

[purplegoat]

NP
 
I've just double checked and I don't believe your unit is defective, the HP out does not mute the line out for me. This doesn't cause any issue for me since I have it linked up to my speaker amp which I just turn off if I'm not using. In your position I would do what I mentioned previously and use that adapter because then you can just swap your HPs and speakers out on the front and also you'll be able to amp your speakers. Sorry that's all I can offer.

 

[Quemar]

Thanks a bunch for your help purplegoat, it's good to know where I stand
 
However I don't think your solution could work for me since my speakers have a built in amp. I'll probably just make do like this, at least for a while, since I use the speakers 95+% of the time anyway.

 

[purplegoat]

Very welcome!
 
Ahhh, okay. Yup, nevermind!

 

[steagle]

Hey Quemar - I'm interested in getting this U100 myself and my needs are similar to yours - sending audio from my computer to my desktop speakers or my headphones. Are you saying that in order to get audio to your headphones, you have to physically unplug the RCA outs to your speakers? Or is it just that's easier for you to do than manually power down your monitors? Hopefully it's not a case of only one output can be active at a time.

 

[Quemar]

You know what steagle? When I first got the Yulong I plugged in the headphones and couldn't get the volume knob to work (it only works with the headphones) and so I came to the conclusion that if anything was plugged into the rca outlets the headphone amp would cut out.
 
But now it's working just fine and so I can just turn off the speakers to use only the headphones. Couldn't tell you what happened there...
 
At any rate, yes, you can just turn off the speakers. You can only control speaker volume through software BTW 
 
q

 

[steagle]

Interesting - well glad to hear it's working as intended! As for the software volume control - that's kind of annoying. I read on Yulong's product page for the U100 that when plugged in your computer's audio is automatically set to 100% and cannot be modified. I'm so used to controlling audio on my keyboard, which has worked fine in tandem with my budget Behringer UCA202, whether I'm using headphones or the RCA outs. I suppose I could get used to using the physical volume controls on my speakers to control audio, but it's definitely way less convenient than the volume keys on my keyboard.
 
That said, I heard there's a firmware update you can do to allow your OS to control audio output again - have you tried this or know anyone who has installed it?

 

[Quemar]

I may not have been too clear in my earlier comments, so here's my retry:
 
1. If you start up the computer with the Yulong turned on the volume will be at 100%. If you turn the Yulong on after startup it will be at the volume setting you last left it.
2. RCA volume is controlled through the OS only, from the keyboard f.ex. Volume knob has no effect on RCA out.
3. Headphone volume based on a combination of OS and volume knob setting.
 
I run Windows 8, so the information I am giving might be different for different OS's
 
Hope that helped, don't be shy if you have any more questions
 
q

 

[steagle]

Thanks for the clarifications. Sounds identical to the behavior of my UCA202, which I've really grown used to. As long as I can use my keyboard's volume keys to adjust the volume of the RCA outs I'm good I'm on Mac OS X 10.9 btw, but should be same behavior as Windows.
 
And sure I have another question... would this be a decent amp to use for a pair of Sennheiser HD600s? I'm torn between those and the 598s (that's a topic for another thread), but I know the 598s require minimal amplification, so curious about the 600s in tandem with this DAC.