Tiny DAC, Big Sound, Evolved – Stoner Acoustics UD100 / UD110 / UD120

[ClieOS]

The impression of the UD110 is added to the first post.

 

[shotgunshane]

Very informative impressions- thanks ClieOS.

 

[Poimandres]

Indeed looking forward to receiving the 110.

 

[FlySweep]

Thanks ClieOS.. very helpful.

 

[d marc0]

Has anyone tried the dac with ios7 + lightning camera adapter?

 

[FlySweep]

 

Has anyone tried the dac with ios7 + lightning camera adapter?

 
I've got a UD110 coming.. I have an iPhone 4 (running iOS 7) as well as a Galaxy S3 (running the latest version of TouchWiz, which natively outputs USB Audio).. so I'll report on inter-operability with both devices (using the CCK & OTG cable, respectively).

 

[d marc0]

I've got a UD110 coming.. I have an iPhone 4 (running iOS 7) as well as a Galaxy S3 (running the latest version of TouchWiz, which natively outputs USB Audio).. so I'll report on inter-operability with both devices (using the CCK & OTG cable, respectively).

Thanks mate. I just ordered the UD110 as well. Hoping ios7 supports or able to power the dac. Also waiting for a reply from stoner acoustics if they've tested it with ios7. I'll post their reply here...

 

[Lohb]

Looks very nice. Very homebrew, but cool homebrew as is the price ! Might pick one up.

 

[daveyostrow]

Nice, thanks for the update
When you say software controlled volume, this default by windows or some other music software?

 

[lh2705]

@dave, default by windows

 

[daveyostrow]

I have been waiting for the ud110 for a while, but im surprised there still hasnt been a more comparisons of the hifimediy to the original ud100.
...on page 10 is the only one i have found

 

[ClieOS]

  I have been waiting for the ud110 for a while, but im surprised there still hasnt been a more comparisons of the hifimediy to the original ud100.
...on page 10 is the only one i have found

 
Though I haven't listened to anything from HiFimeDIY, the basic topology is so similar (given they are all USB receiver -> ES9023 direct output) and I have had 3 different ES9023 based DAC (UD100, ODAC, iDAC), I can almost conclude the HiFimeDIY will be extremely similar sounding compared to just about any other ES9023 based DAC, if not identical. If you already own an ES9023 based DAC, the chance is you won't get much, if any SQ upgrade from another ES9023 DAC. There is simply not much point to have more than one ES9023 DAC unless there are other features you want from the other DAC.

 

[exiton]

Got my UD100 in the mail today.  It came in a regular letter envelope, so incredibly light and small.  With the windows driver, shows 16 and 32 bit available (skips 24).  Stoner said that with 16 bit it's volume can be controlled in windows, with 32 bit it's player software controlled.  I plugged the UD110 in my Raspyfi setup and no initial luck.  It shows up as a device, but no audio out.  I'll try some more configuration things to get it working.  I'll comment that it does sound great.  I've got an ELE EL-D00 dac (also yellow shrink wrapped) and a HiFiMeDiy dac, the UD110 sounds as good or better to my non-critical ears as a line out to a amp.  I don't think the UD110 is as flexible as the HiFiMeDiy dac because it's not the best at driving headphones directly due to high output impedance. 
 
Update:  It lists two cards in linux (raspyfi), weird!
 
card 0: UD110 [UD110], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: UD110 [UD110], device 1: USB Audio [USB Audio #1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
 
 

 

[FlySweep]

Yep.. my UD110 arrived today as well.  As exiton noted, it sounds excellent.  Very transparent.  I doubt I could tell it apart from the ODAC in a blind test.  I'm using it with my laptop (running Windows 8).  The control panel/driver that Stoner Acoustics provided installed flawlessly (I linked to this a few posts back).
 
The most exciting discovery with the UD110?  It works with my iPhone 4 (running iOS7) & CCK !  It did require an (unpowered) hub (between the CCK & DAC), though.  I couldn't test Android compatibility since my Galaxy S3 is acting up (it's running the latest version of TouchWiz but I'm fairly certain it's a hardware issue with the phone.. since I've had success with USB OTG/USB Audio with my previous Galaxy S3).

 

[d marc0]

Yep.. my UD110 arrived today as well.  As exiton noted, it sounds excellent.  Very transparent.  I doubt I could tell it apart from the ODAC in a blind test.  I'm using it with my laptop (running Windows 8).  The control panel/driver that Stoner Acoustics provided installed flawlessly (I linked to this a few posts back).

The most exciting discovery with the UD110?  It works with my iPhone 4 (running iOS7) & CCK !  It did require an (unpowered) hub (between the CCK & DAC), though.  I couldn't test Android compatibility since my Galaxy S3 is acting up (it's running the latest version of TouchWiz but I'm fairly certain it's a hardware issue with the phone.. since I've had success with USB OTG/USB Audio with my previous Galaxy S3).

That's great news mate! What did you use as a hub to make it work with your iPhone?