[SpyderMan]

I have had mine for 2 1/2 years.  Sometimes it would get warm to the touch.  Every once in a while I had to unplug it for a few minutes then it worked again.  Last week, the left channel died.  If I leave it off for a while then plug it back in, the channel seems to come back, at least some of the times.  Just happened again.   Hoping the left channel comes back...

 

[SpyderMan]

Update. Looks like the headphones were the issue not the uDac.  Tried another pair and it is working well so far.  I use mine throughout the entire day.

 

[SpyderMan]

Does anyone else have problems with touching the unit?  Static electricity maybe?  The uDAC goes out or the volume and quality drops.
Sometimes this happens when I don't think I am doing anything close to the uDAC.
Ungplugging them and reconnecting the USB port fixes it every time.

 

[Foolwolf]

Hi SpyderMan, can't say that I have had any of the described experiences with my uDac2. Seems that I'm lucky that way. I have switched to a Lead Audio LA-120 now that is much better sound-wise and handles the larger Headphones a bit better so I will see if my wife experiences anything of what you mentioned on her laptop...

 

[xtitan1]

  Does anyone else have problems with touching the unit?  Static electricity maybe?  The uDAC goes out or the volume and quality drops.
Sometimes this happens when I don't think I am doing anything close to the uDAC.
Ungplugging them and reconnecting the USB port fixes it every time.

Sorry, I must have missed the subscription email back when you wrote this. 
 
In case it is still relevant to you, I have just tried messing around with the unit while listening to my HD 595s: picking it up, putting it down, touching the contacts, jiggling around the input and output wires a little. Nothing changed the sound at all to my perception.
 
This may be stating the obvious, but I think either your unit is bad or something else in the chain is bad (perhaps cables if it's an issue grounding?). The cables theory should be able to test if you have spares laying around. 
 
Just to update everyone on this, I've been using this unit since the original post and have had it on 24/7 almost the entire time (except for when I unplugged it to move to my new apartment). I have gone on the hunch of someone else and have it plugged into a powered USB hub. 
 
The unit does not get very hot anymore, it's about room temperature. I'm not sure if that's due to the USB hub or not though as I didn't do a scientific test.