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

[ClieOS]

  I had a UD120, but it doesn't play nice with my laptop. Was considering a HiFiME 9018D, but that would be $128 shipped. Any other DACs under $100 you'd recommend anyone? the UD120, Dragonfly 1.2, HiFiME Sabre U2, and idk what else, all use a ES9023 DAC. The 9018D has a sabre ESS9018 as you'd expect. Idk about the sound quality difference though. 

 
HiFimeDIY's 9018D uses the same USB receiver (SA9227) and therefore it will use the same driver. If you have problem with UD120 on your PC, then there is a chance it will run into the same problem with 9018D as well. The ES9018K2M (*not to be mistaken as ESS top-of-the-line ES9018, as K2M is better but closer to ES9023 in performance) inside 9018D is a pretty solid sounding DAC and. But like all the ESS chip, it does sound a bit more 'digital' in comparison to other DAC from TI / Wolfson / AKM / etc.
 
May I ask what you mean by UD120 ''doesn't play nice' with your laptop?

 

[SoAmusing777]

  fulla & modi are under $100. are you only looking for a portable dac?

Pretty much, and I am considering the Modi.

 

[SoAmusing777]

   
HiFimeDIY's 9018D uses the same USB receiver (SA9227) and therefore it will use the same driver. If you have problem with UD120 on your PC, then there is a chance it will run into the same problem with 9018D as well. The ES9018K2M (*not to be mistaken as ESS top-of-the-line ES9018, as K2M is better but closer to ES9023 in performance) inside 9018D is a pretty solid sounding DAC and. But like all the ESS chip, it does sound a bit more 'digital' in comparison to other DAC from TI / Wolfson / AKM / etc.
 
May I ask what you mean by UD120 ''doesn't play nice' with your laptop?

Ah! I didn't know that. What do you mean by digital?

I mean that the sound is distorted and crackly. I need to get a new laptop.

 

[ClieOS]

  Ah! I didn't know that. What do you mean by digital?

I mean that the sound is distorted and crackly. I need to get a new laptop.

 
A 'digital' sound is usually a sound that is described to be cold, clean, detailed and sterile. This is opposite to an 'analog' sound that is usually warm, musical and full of texture.
 
Distortion and crackly sound can be driver issue, and no necessarily hardware issue. You'll need to tell me more detail about your setup and driver in order for us to help.

 

[SoAmusing777]

   
A 'digital' sound is usually a sound that is described to be cold, clean, detailed and sterile. This is opposite to an 'analog' sound that is usually warm, musical and full of texture.
 
Distortion and crackly sound can be driver issue, and no necessarily hardware issue. You'll need to tell me more detail about your setup and driver in order for us to help.

I see.
t. 
I'm running Linux Mint 17.1 on my HP Envy 15z-j100, and it's crackly. There are no drivers for linux. It works fine on a mac with linux.

 

[ClieOS]

  I see.
t. 
I'm running Linux Mint 17.1 on my HP Envy 15z-j100, and it's crackly. There are no drivers for linux. It works fine on a mac with linux.

 
I don't use Linux so won't be able to give much help to you. But given UD120 is working on another PC, that strongly suggest it is a driver problem on your Linux. I'll suggest you look into the possibility of reinstalling your USB audio class 2 driver. Also, if it has USB 3.0, you might want to update its driver or BIOS to the latest. USB 3.0 is known to cause a lot of problem with USB DAC, especially older driver.

 

[SoAmusing777]

   
I don't use Linux so won't be able to give much help to you. But given UD120 is working on another PC, that strongly suggest it is a driver problem on your Linux. I'll suggest you look into the possibility of reinstalling your USB audio class 2 driver. Also, if it has USB 3.0, you might want to update its driver or BIOS to the latest. USB 3.0 is known to cause a lot of problem with USB DAC, especially older driver.

It doesn't have USB3.0. I mean, I could install linux again on this laptop, but it's not going to change anything. I put this exact linux on a flash drive and ran it on a mac as well as my laptop... Laptop creates the crackle and mac did not.

 

[ClieOS]

  It doesn't have USB3.0. I mean, I could install linux again on this laptop, but it's not going to change anything. I put this exact linux on a flash drive and ran it on a mac as well as my laptop... Laptop creates the crackle and mac did not.

 
Is it? I just checked HP's support page and the user manual said it has four USB 3.0 ports, unless I am looking at the wrong model (here).
 
From the picture I saw online, it seems instead of using the typical blue color for USB 3.0, HP uses a 'SS' symbol to mark their USB 3.0 ports.

 

[SoAmusing777]

   
Is it? I just checked HP's support page and the user manual said it has four USB 3.0 ports, unless I am looking at the wrong model (here).
 
From the picture I saw online, it seems instead of using the typical blue color for USB 3.0, HP uses a 'SS' symbol to mark their USB 3.0 ports.

Oh, wow, well there it is. Totally didn't know that. So I need to update the audio class 2 driver eh? Bios seems risky.

 

[SoAmusing777]

   
Is it? I just checked HP's support page and the user manual said it has four USB 3.0 ports, unless I am looking at the wrong model (here).
 
From the picture I saw online, it seems instead of using the typical blue color for USB 3.0, HP uses a 'SS' symbol to mark their USB 3.0 ports.

I'm getting a new laptop and selling the one I have. It does have one USB 2.0 port. That will help. Plus, I don't have to deal with the stupid beats audio on linux (my sound is anemic). 

 

[SoAmusing777]

Edit: Selling my UD120. Hopefully it's a good price. Got the info I needed. Sale in the signature.

 

[ClieOS]

 
Anyway, just order an HiFimeDIY USB DAC and we will see how it goes. Should be here within 2 weeks.

 
Got the HiFimeDIY USB DAC  this morning and just run through some test. As expected, the basic topology is almost identical between it and UD100. The real difference is that HiFimeDIY sets the ES9023 to the lower max voltage output (about 1.84Vrms) where UD100 is set to full 2.06Vrms output. RMAA measure is also very close between the two. The only noticeable difference is that the lower output on HiFimeDIY seems to improve the overall stereo crosstalk on ES9023 a bit.

 

[SoAmusing777]

   
Got the HiFimeDIY USB DAC  this morning and just run through some test. As expected, the basic topology is almost identical between it and UD100. The real difference is that HiFimeDIY sets the ES9023 to the lower max voltage output (about 1.84Vrms) where UD100 is set to full 2.06Vrms output. RMAA measure is also very close between the two. The only noticeable difference is that the lower output on HiFimeDIY seems to improve the overall stereo crosstalk on ES9023 a bit.

I'd love to see how the 9018D compares to the UD120, but moreso the GeekOut 450 since they both use the same DAC (ESS9018K2M).

 

[ClieOS]

  I'd love to see how the 9018D compares to the UD120, but moreso the GeekOut 450 since they both use the same DAC (ESS9018K2M).

 
Not going to pick a 9018D up since I have my money invested on something else. Will need to start printing money to be able to afford all these toys. However, I do have the Oppo HA-2 with me, which also uses the ES9018K2M, and will be reviewing it soonish.

 

[money4me247]

 
Not going to pick a 9018D up since I have my money invested on something else. Will need to start printing money to be able to afford all these toys. However, I do have the Oppo HA-2 with me, which also uses the ES9018K2M, and will be reviewing it soonish.

yay! ha-2. i ordered that as well. excited to see how it performs.