| | |  | Accessory | Home » » NuForce Icon uDAC (USB DAC and headphone amp) | | | | | | | Description: | | The NuForce uDAC is a high-performance USB Digital Audio Converter (DAC) that connects your personal computer's audio with your home stereo, desktop sound system, or headphones. The quality and versatility of the uDAC's performance belies its diminutive size. With its extensive power supply, filtering capabilities and charge-pump circuit as a foundation, the uDAC processes incoming data via a USB audio receiver. A D/A converter chip then translates the data to a two-volt analog signal. The NuForce uDAC's performance equals or exceeds that of a great many audiophile CD players. The unit's exemplary flexibility -- analog RCA, digital coaxial, and high-performance headphone outputs -- is bound to satisfy the needs of the most critical music lover. | | | Features: | |
• Discrete USB audio receiver, D/A converter and headphone amp
• Coaxial S/PDIF output (turn off volume control to activate)
• Double jitter-reduction mechanism at data level and at oversampling filter stage
• High voltage 2V analog output
• High-quality analog volume control
| | | Product Details: | | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 41 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
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 uDAC 2Aug 12, 2010
I was at the Hong Kong AV show 2010 and came across the Nuforce booth. Although I have the Icon, I was not overly impressed with the SQ and was a bit skeptical about trying out the uDac 2/Impulse usb cable on demo with a Macbook and the NE-7M earphone which I happened to be also using currently with my iPhone 3GS.
I was glad I did. The sound was glorious. Very transparent, excellent image and separation, well rounded and punchy bass, a little warmish but not lacking in clarity. Instruments and vocal were airy and nicely paced. The high was extended, no sibilance at all and mid smooth. Never owned a headphone amp before and I was really happy that I was about to own one at last.
Bought the uDac2 together with the Impulse USB cable and took them back to Singapore. Hooked them to my MBP, Allnic Pre and W4S SX1000 monos' driving the Aurum Cantus V8F...wow, never expect the sound to be that good coming out from my iTune's library. I will dispense no more superlatives but to say that at this price point, it is the most value for money Dac/Headphone amp in the market, easily beating most of those over $500 and more equivalent.
Go and grab one and you won't be disappointed.
One word: eargasm.Aug 10, 2010
After using the uDAC for the better part of the year, I can say that it has brought a smile to my face each time my computer boots up. Never before have I heard such wondrous sound from a unit so small and utterly cheap that packs so many features.
I currently have it hooked up to an external amplifier driving some bookshelves via the RCA lineout and some recabled AKG k518's via the headphone out, and the little DAC never ceases to amaze me (playing .flac through foobar with ASIO). From its luscious, thick midrange, to the velvety bass, I am flabbergasted as to how I am getting this experience from a sub $100 unit.
The compact size helps reduce desktop clutter, and for the first time, has allowed me to bring an external DAC along with my laptop so I can enjoy fantastic sound outside of the house. And because it is completely separated from the computer, I can just as easily plug it into someone elses computer and experience identical results-it's that easy. Hook up a few cables, plug it in, and within seconds you're listening to music.
It does appear I am preaching the product quite a bit, but you owe it to yourself to try it. From its elegant industrial design, to its utter simplicity and fabulous sound, you simply can't go wrong.
Well done NuForce, you have hit it out of the park with this one, may the next incarnations be as good if not better!
Tiny but solid device with high quality audioJul 10, 2010
This tiny device (barely 2 inches wide and half inch tall) converts digital music to analog format (thus the name micro-DAC). However, it also outputs digital format as well, which is what I'm using to feed into my home stereo system. In my ears, the audio quality out of this device is nearly as good as CD's. Of course, it matters what the bit rate of the streaming service is. MOG for example is quite high, above 250 kbps.
Perfect laptop companionJul 02, 2010
I bought this device because I produce electronic music and I needed good quality sound output. Just plug this device into the USB slot and plug your headphone into it. You will never again look back to external USB sound cards. You can check out the music titled "Moonshine Romance" I produced here:
[...].
I still need to master it, so at this moment I converted it to lower, but still enjoyable quality (this way a low frequency noise the stringed instrument produces is not heard much).
I have to tell I could not be happier with this well priced little device that receives raving reviews all over the world. Add to this the Audio Technica ATH-M50 DJ Studio Headphone and you are set for high quality music listening.
cheap, low profile, simple, and it really does somethingJun 21, 2010
before i even start, let me say that i am NOT an audiophile, and this is the most expensive piece of audio equipment i own (unless you count my mobo, but that controls the whole computer, not just audio).
For $99 dollars, this little number really made a difference in my listening experience and showed me just how weak a link my onboard audio was.
for reference, my old setup was a pair of panasonic rp-htx7s, realtek, and 128kbs rips. i now have this, audio-technica ad700s, and most of my library is 320kps mp3s or vbr wmas
the upgrades to my headphones and source were an improvement, but not by much. once i hooked this up, well, all i had to say was WOW!
i never had much buzz from my onboard, but this eliminated almost all of it.
the real gain was in clarity and soundstage. instruments sound more like real instruments and not a synthesizer, echoes sound natural, not like a cheesy effect.
i doubt this sounds anywhere as good as some thousands of dollars audiophile setup, but it's still a lot more than what i was expecting.
as for the unit itself, it's smaller than a flip phone, looks to be rock solid, and is very easy to set up, all i did was plug it in and windows did the rest in about a minute.
the only thing i can really say against this product is that it is relatively bare of features, but given the price, sound quality, and the fact that i don't need them, all the better.
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