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Originally Posted by agile_one /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Got my Trend UD-10 USB Converter from BuYoYo.com. Very good service - ordered late Saturday 11/11, and it arrived in Florida Thurs, 11/16 - excellent service from Hong Kong.
The device is exactly as pictured and described, and performs beautifully. I do not have the battery pack for it (ordered separately a few days ago), so only used with USB power so far. It does just what I wanted/needed. Gives me a nice, clean digital out from my laptop full of flac music files. Using foobar 2000 as player, and sending the output from the Trend UD-10 to a Stello SA220 dac via AES balanced digital IC, the result rivals mid to upper level cdp's. I liken the sound to the Cary 306/200 I had - very clean and detailed, and just a tad forward. I attribute none of the sound to the UD-10 - it is totaly transparent, which is what it should be.
I am happy so far. No snaps, crackles, or dropouts of any kind. Build quality is very good - a sturdy metal box, good quality connections, and thoughtful inclusion of a USB cable and mini x RCA connector to allow analog out from the headphone jack (which I have not tried). Looking forward to getting the external power supply. I will have this at the SoFL meet on 12/2 for others to see and hear, so more impressions will follow.
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Originally Posted by agile_one /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Did some headphone listening last night, but only with Grado SR60, and only with the UD-10 under USB power, as I do not have the battery pack for it yet.
What I heard was good, very good. SR60s never sounded better - clean, clear, as much soundstage as possible for them - a nice view into the music. But while the UD-10 provided great sound quality, it lacked somewhat in quantity. There was plenty of volume available for my purposes of monitoring, and relaxed listening, but, at least under USB power, not enough for truly rocking out to heavy rock or metal. I would classify the headphone output as more of an analog out then an amplifier out.
Did not try high imp cans, but will get to it eventually - probably after the battery pack is here so I can measure the effect of that as well.
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Originally Posted by agile_one /img/forum/go_quote.gif
High impedance headphone report.
Well, the battery pack is still not here (P.O. tried to deliver, but no one home to sign), so still do not know if it will give more output power than USB.
As a typical impatient Head-Fi'er, I yanked the balanced cables off my HD650s, reinstalled the stock cable, and have been listening to the USB powered UD-10 from foobar with ASIO drivers for the last hour or so.
Even more than with the low impedance Grados, highest volume is not what one would want for rockin' out or even listening to classical pieces with great dynamic range. Very pleasant for casual listening or monitoring, but most will feel the need for an additional amp in the rig for long term use. This reinforces my conclusion that the UD-10 is a way to get signals out of a computer (digital in any form - balanced AES, SPDIF via coax, bnc, or toslink optical, and analog from the 1/8" mini socket), rather than a headphone amplifier.
Once again, though, the quality of the sound is outstanding. Pure, clean, detailed, and coming at you from a deep, dark, bottomless hole of silence.
For me, the UD-10 is a definite keeper.
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Originally Posted by agile_one /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It sould easily overpower any iem I've ever heard, with the possible exception of ety 4s.
Against entry level amps (pint, Corda HeadFive, LD, etc), the quality is greater, but the quantity (ultimate loudness, at least with USB only power) is less. Of course, it's an apple to oranges comparison - can the Headfive, LD, or pint give a digital out from a usb in? No, and that (the digital out from a usb in) is what the UD-10 is all about, and why I decided to try it, and have decided to keep it. The outstanding quality of the analog out, and it's ability to drive headphones to pleasant listening levels is just a terrific and unexpected bonus.
If you just want a headphone amp, perhaps the UD-10 is not what you are looking for, but stay tuned for results after I get the external power pack. If you want quality digital output from a computer via a USB port, then I can heartily recommend it.
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The above quoted posts are just so all my listening comments are in one place to make it a bit easier to follow.
The battery pack arrived just before Thanksgiving holiday, but with company and all, no chance to give it a try until tonight. Results? Sorry to say, no discernable increase in volume with headphones, so it appears it is just an alternate power source to prevent a laptop battery from running down when used without AC power available.
Sound quality is still excellent, but volume remains the same as reported above. HD650 is powered to moderate listening levels, Grado SR60 or HF1 quite a bit higher, and totally usable. I have no iems, but expect most would be very adequately powered. I am listening with HF1s right now, and the result is very satisfying - plenty of volume, and a clean, punchy, typically Grado sound.
So, is the UD-10 a headphone amplifier? I say no. It is a good headphone source for casual listening or quick monitoring, however. It's real strength and purpose is to get a quality digital signal from a computer via USB, and it does that eminently well. I am definitely keeping mine.
Look for more comments as others get to try it at Saturday's (12/2/2006) SoFL meet. I will have it set up from a laptop feeding a Stello DA220 DAc, then onto an Audio Technica HA2002 amp via single ended out, and a HeadRoom BlockHead via balanced out - should be interesting.
