[ClieOS]

Unless you know the USB DAC has really good implementation on sync or adaptive mode, it is almost always better to use an async mode USB DAC.

 

[BeatsWork]

  Thanks but now im more confused =P 
 
My HD560 are somewhat bright. I will be pairing them with the Schiit Vali that is supposedly more warm. Will the Modi+Vali still be to bright?
Will i miss the extra 32bit and (352.8/384 asio) kHz? What about being async or no async. Is this a advantage to UD120?
 
Sorry for these nooby questions.

 
On the 32 bit - there is no 32 bit content perhaps studio WAV?  Don't think FLAC encoder even supports 32 bit.   So you're not limiting your options to play a source file back at 24. Likewise 352.8/384 - not even going to touch that but earlier in this thread where links to expert opinions on bit depth/sampling rate etc.  Draw your own conclusions 

    MY answer would be - no your not going to miss it but I'm sure you can find others who would disagree.   The only possible advantage of 32 over 24 that I can think of is possibly upsampling for processing of DSP - again how much real world impact that will have - debateable (and I'm sure someone will).
 
On your specific combo the Modi+Vali must be a pretty popular combination so I'd search for a reviewer who tested both and what their overall impression was then look for expert review of HD560 and look for overlaps in "weak" vs "strong" areas.  Ideally you pick gear that compliments not duplicates weak areas thus compounding flaws.

 

[PhonerX]

Finally I have received mine UD120. The difference in sound between my old sound card and this DAC is really remarkable! I could never go back to listening music through my old built-in sound card.
 
However, I have a weird problem with the DAC. The screen of my laptop is not able to turn off if the DAC is plugged in (no matter if the BRAVO-HD drivers are installed or not).
If I try to turn off the screen, it just flickers black for a second and turns back on. This happens also if I use the Windows power saving option and set exact interval of inactivity when the screen should turn off to save power.
 
I have tried this on three different laptops with Windows 8.1 and 7 and all the PC's have the same problem when the DAC is plugged in. There are no problems with the screen as soon as I unplug the DAC. So it is the DAC that causes this problem.
 
I wonder if other owners of UD120 have encountered this. I would like to receive your feedback. Thanks in advance.

 

[BeatsWork]

  Finally I have received mine UD120. The difference in sound between my old sound card and this DAC is really remarkable! I could never go back to listening music through my old built-in sound card.
 
However, I have a weird problem with the DAC. The screen of my laptop is not able to turn off if the DAC is plugged in (no matter if the BRAVO-HD drivers are installed or not).
If I try to turn off the screen, it just flickers black for a second and turns back on. This happens also if I use the Windows power saving option and set exact interval of inactivity when the screen should turn off to save power.
 
I have tried this on three different laptops with Windows 8.1 and 7 and all the PC's have the same problem when the DAC is plugged in. There are no problems with the screen as soon as I unplug the DAC. So it is the DAC that causes this problem.
 
I wonder if other owners of UD120 have encountered this. I would like to receive your feedback. Thanks in advance.

 
Not having that issue personally.  There is a really good guide somewhere on using powercfg from command line to diagnose.  If I can find it will repost but in meantime http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824902.aspx

 

[PhonerX]

   
Not having that issue personally.  There is a really good guide somewhere on using powercfg from command line to diagnose.  If I can find it will repost but in meantime http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824902.aspx

Thank you for your suggestion. If I understand you correctly you mean powercfg commands like:
 
 
POWERCFG /DEVICEQUERY wake_armed
 
POWERCFG /REQUESTS
 
Well I have tried them, but the only result I get from them is "NONE". So they are not helping really.

 

[BeatsWork]

  Thank you for your suggestion. If I understand you correctly you mean powercfg commands like:
 
 
POWERCFG /DEVICEQUERY wake_armed
 
POWERCFG /REQUESTS
 
Well I have tried them, but the only result I get from them is "NONE". So they are not helping really.

 
So the additional command lines I was thinking of where /energy  /batteryreport /sleepstudy  which produce some really detailed reports.  Sounds like you have already gone this route though - sorry.

 

[thirddegreee]

I'm still having a lot of problems with the UD120. Plug it in and youtube videos have no sound and are sped up using Chrome. Foobar there is no sound and the song speeds through.
 
Is there anything I'm doing wrong?
 
When there is sound it seems a bit random when it works. 
 

However, I have a weird problem with the DAC. The screen of my laptop is not able to turn off if the DAC is plugged in (no matter if the BRAVO-HD drivers are installed or not).
If I try to turn off the screen, it just flickers black for a second and turns back on. This happens also if I use the Windows power saving option and set exact interval of inactivity when the screen should turn off to save power.

 
 
I have this too! 

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

So the UD120 is generally considered better in quality than the ODAC? I read comparisons early in the thread that said that it has the same upper midrange detail and slight lushness, but with better bass and vocal texture. Does this still hold true or was it new toy syndrome?

 

[BeatsWork]

  I'm still having a lot of problems with the UD120. Plug it in and youtube videos have no sound and are sped up using Chrome. Foobar there is no sound and the song speeds through.
 
Is there anything I'm doing wrong?
 
When there is sound it seems a bit random when it works. 
 
 
 
I have this too! 

For Youtube - Right click on Speaker icon in system tray and select Playback Devices.  Is UD120 set as default?   Did you close Foobar before trying Youtube?  If set to allow applications to take exclusive control that could also be the issue.
 
Foobar - File>Preferences>Playback>Output - Bravo HD Selected?

 

[thirddegreee]

  For Youtube - Right click on Speaker icon in system tray and select Playback Devices.  Is UD120 set as default?   Did you close Foobar before trying Youtube?  If set to allow applications to take exclusive control that could also be the issue.
 
Foobar - File>Preferences>Playback>Output - Bravo HD Selected?

 
 
Thanks for the help. It's a strange one as it plays up whatever settings I use. The exclusive control, sort of find that a bit useless as I listen to Foobar and then can't listen to anything else until I close down Foobar. This might be a strange question but what is the advantage of exclusive control? It just freezes Foobar and crashes. The advantage of bit perfect playback (whether or not you can hear the difference) is at the cost of practicality of using a laptop for various things. 

 

[cllee]

  For Youtube - Right click on Speaker icon in system tray and select Playback Devices.  Is UD120 set as default?   Did you close Foobar before trying Youtube?  If set to allow applications to take exclusive control that could also be the issue.
 
Foobar - File>Preferences>Playback>Output - Bravo HD Selected?

that is because you set the bitrate too high put the 1XX setting instead 3XX (bravo hd software/driver)

 

[ClieOS]

Yeah, note that the only way to use 384khz is via ASIO support. If the software doesn't support ASIO, then you can't select 384khz.

 

[goldenSHK]

Sorry if this has already been answered, but some clarification is nice. Is the new UD120 also just a DAC with no amp section? As in, it isn't a good idea to plug your headphones directly into it? Can you though? What exactly happens if you plug your cans directly into it? Based off the specs it has quite a respectable amount of output power. 

 

[ClieOS]

  Sorry if this has already been answered, but some clarification is nice. Is the new UD120 also just a DAC with no amp section? As in, it isn't a good idea to plug your headphones directly into it? Can you though? What exactly happens if you plug your cans directly into it? Based off the specs it has quite a respectable amount of output power. 

 
It is purely a USB DAC without any amp section.
 
You can plug a headphone into UD120, assuming you lower the volume digitally first - if not, you might go deaf very fast. But even if you lower the volume, UD120 will still do a poor job driving your headphone because, well, it is not designed to drive a load directly. DO NOT confuse volume (voltage) with output power - those are two different concept all together. Just because something can output a lot of volume does not in anyway means it has good power. To drive a headphone well, you need both voltage and current in good supply, and UD120 (or any line-out source) just doesn't have the capability to output current in demand - that's the job for an amp.

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

Sorry if this has already been answered, but some clarification is nice. Is the new UD120 also just a DAC with no amp section? As in, it isn't a good idea to plug your headphones directly into it? Can you though? What exactly happens if you plug your cans directly into it? Based off the specs it has quite a respectable amount of output power. 

Even if you get enough power from the line out, the output impedence of the UD120 is 470 ohm. I assume even a high-impedence headphone would sound like mush out of it.