NuForce Icon uDAC-2 (Red) Headphone Amp and USB DAC (24bit/96kHz) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I read so many reviews about uDac and improved version uDac-2 so I decided to get the uDac-2 to bring my ATH-M50s to a new level of listening. I was so excited when receive the uDac-2 bought from Amazon market place and I was surprised that Nuforce didn't charge tax even it was shipped from California. The uDac-2 is very small and very well constructed. I think the red color makes the little amp looks much nicer. Let's talk about sound quality:
Well, I just want to tell you I am just a few who question about all the hype and positive reviews about the uDac-2. Many reviewers swore they can hear the difference from their fancy iMac and laptops but NOT in my case. I tested with my Dell E6400, Asus 1005HA, Hanspree, and intel server board and I couldn't tell whether the uDac sounds better. I want to remind you that most of the latest PCs, Laptops have high def audio chips which capable of delivering high quality audio and better noise ratio.
I wouldn't buy the uDac-2 alone just for headphone but I have a second use for it: stream my audio from pc and laptop to my dedicated 2ch stereo setup. The uDac-2 has RCA and digital coax at the price that no one else has offered.

Pros:
- Very good customer service.
- Small and sturdy, high quality build
- Digital coax
- Analog RCA out
- Work with windows XP, Windows7 and Ubuntu. No driver installation required.
- Very quite and sound smooth

Con:
- Questionable about the improvement over on board sound card.

If you really want this dac, I recommend the RED version.

Update 9/13/2010
It's not quite true that I couldn't hear the difference. The Dell E6400 sounds a bit more forward and emphasises on the high while the uDac-2 rolls off the high so it's a bit more pleasant for long period of listening. I spent so many hours of testing, matching the volume level and picked different type of music just to find out almost unnoticeable difference.

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Product Description:
NuForce uDAC-2 is a high-performance USB Digital Audio Converter (24bit/96kHz) that connects your personal computer's audio with your home stereo, desktop sound system, or headphones. The quality and versatility of the uDAC-2's performance belies its diminutive size. With its extensive power supply, filtering capabilities and charge-pump circuit as a foundation, the uDAC-2 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-2'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. ***** The highly successful uDAC has been upgraded with improved headphone amp, 24bit resolution and higher quality volume control *****

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