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Reddit mentions of Nuforce ICON-UDAC2-BLACK Headphone Amplifier and USB DAC

Sentiment score: 11
Reddit mentions: 16

We found 16 Reddit mentions of Nuforce ICON-UDAC2-BLACK Headphone Amplifier and USB DAC. Here are the top ones.

Nuforce ICON-UDAC2-BLACK Headphone Amplifier and USB DAC
Buying options
View on Amazon.com
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    Features:
  • Discrete USB audio receiver and D/A converter
  • Coaxial S/PDIF output
  • Double jitter-reduction mechanism at data level and at oversampling filter stage
  • USB-powered, no external power supply required
  • A highly linear TOCOS volume control for improved channel tracking at low listening levels
Specs:
ColorBlack
Height1.49 Inches
Length2.67 Inches
Weight0.2 Pounds
Width0.82 Inches

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Found 16 comments on Nuforce ICON-UDAC2-BLACK Headphone Amplifier and USB DAC:

u/calinet6 · 9 pointsr/audiophile
  1. It will make a difference compared to a MacBook's line-out, or compared to most PC sound cards. If you have a very good sound card, it's possible it has a good DAC and good components/construction and you may not be able to tell, but many don't live up to the standards.
  • Quick question - what kind of PC, what kind of sound card (if you know) and how are you connecting everything?

  1. You absolutely can get a DAC that will improve your sound for around your budget. The step from default line-out to any DAC is huge, probably the biggest effect of all; the step from low-end DAC to high-end DAC is both more subtle and more costly. But make that first step!

    The major factor will be the quality of your other components—but with the B&W and the Rotels, if your ears are good you should be able to tell.

    Recommendations:

  • nuForce - pretty much anything, the uDAC-II is their latest offering and is US$129 over here. It has a headphone amp built in, but the line outs are excellent as well.

  • the HRT MusicStreamer - designed more for direct USB to Amp connectivity (basically what you're looking for) and gets good reviews. Has the extra advantage of being "asynch" if you believe in that sort of thing. US$149

  • Firestone Fubar II Mk 2 - I had the first version of this little DAC and enjoyed it, but ultimately I like the nuForce uDAC better. The Mk 2 may be better, it advertises new components and a better signal path. US$169.

  • This Creative X-Fi USB box looks pretty nice, and reviews give it high marks for fidelity, but looks like it might have some flaws in installation/setup. US$99.

    I currently listen to the nuForce uDAC-II, with both headphones and studio monitors, and I like it very much. As I said above, it beats my (first-revision) Fubar II mainly in the stereo imaging and musicality departments, especially when used as a desktop DAC with the line outs. The Fubar was accurate as anything, but was a little flat to listen to for my taste. The Mk 2 may have improved things and in any case it's a very good DAC for desktop use. The others I have not listened to, but I hear very good things about the HRT MusicStreamer, and the Creative X-Fi product is bound to sound great, barring any difficulties you might have with installation.

    Any of those DACs I am confident will give you an improvement in sound. Listen in the details; the tightness of the bass, the smoothness of voice, the sparkle of the treble, the placement of sound in the stereo image; all of those will be clearly and (hopefully) obviously improved with a good DAC if you're comparing from a default line-out. The first time you hear the difference it'll sorta knock your socks off...

    Then again, if you don't hear a difference with your Apogee Duet II... perhaps it won't be that big a deal, and you can save yourself the investment. Also, is there a reason you can't use the Apogee with the PC or do you just want a dedicated connection for it? Another factor will be the source material, so make sure you're putting through CDs or lossless audio files, or at the minimum very high quality mp3's. Low bit-rate mp3's will sound pretty much the same regardless of the DAC you put them through...

    tl;dr: In my experience a good DAC makes a huge difference, there are lots in your price range, make sure you'll be able to hear the difference in the investment, good luck, let us know how it turns out :)

    (P.S: if it's ok to say so I'd be happy to sell you (or anyone else ;) my Fubar II (original version) for US$100. PM me if you want it!)
u/Solidity · 6 pointsr/buildapc

I also own a pair of the SR80is as well as a NuForce Icon uDAC-2 Black Digital Audio Converter. I would say it's the best investments that I've made for my laptop.

u/YourMatt · 5 pointsr/audiophile

On a budget, I would probably opt for the NuForce Icon. It's a USB DAC and has RCA outputs you can use to connect to your receiver.

u/beauty_contest · 4 pointsr/headphones

7506 @ $70 is a wonderful price. I say keep them and enjoy them until they're noticeably getting older. If you're new to headphones you will not be disappointed.

I will suggest investing in a udac to improve the sound quality from your computer. These honestly do make a huge difference. I've heard good things about the nuforce udac2.

u/Mr_Quagmire · 3 pointsr/Audi

I've been thinking about doing this for a while, just because I want to be able to display some custom gauges. You'd need a good touch screen + an install kit + a wiring adapter at the very least. For me, I'd also get something like this since the audio output quality from a Rpi has received mixed reviews at best. Then you'd need to figure out the best software to use, which I'm not very familiar with yet.

If you don't want to get into anything custom, a Pioneer Appradio would be much easier and probably cheaper too: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/ch.AppRadio.Compare

u/DGtheAlmighty · 2 pointsr/battlestations

Yes I just upgraded, I will give an update when my audio setup comes in. I'm going with Cerwin Vega VE-5M's, Audiosource Amp 100, Nuforce Headphone amp to go with my M50's and Bose AE2's, and I'll stay classy with a vintage Pioneer SG-505 from 1985. Don't worry, it's being upgraded ;)

u/trisweb · 2 pointsr/audio

I second the external USB sound card/device. Depending on how high quality you want to go and what kind of amplification you want, there are lots of options.

Turtle Beach makes one for slightly cheaper that looks decent.

The soundblaster above is probably a pretty good bet.

There are a whole bunch of off-brand USB sticks for around $15 that probably won't cut it.

There are external boxes, like the Creative Labs X-Fi soundblaster box, in the $60-80 range but probably better.

And for real good fidelity, you start getting into the USB DAC range. Highly recommended if you have good ears/headphones. These can range from $100 to over $500 depending on what you want... a few recommendations:

  • The Audiophile Products FireEye II (Dac+Headphone Amp, $97)
  • NuForce uDAC-II $129 (or uDAC-II-HP for headphones only, without RCA outputs, $99)
  • FiiO E7 USB DAC/Headphone Amp ($99)

    If that's in your price range then you'll enjoy the sound out of any of them, but check reviews and shop around, see what people think. I have the nuForce uDAC and really enjoy listening to it, so I can definitely recommend that based on experience.

    Best of luck!
u/las0m · 2 pointsr/audiophile

I think you should consider getting a USB DAC along with the speakers. Even something simple like this would add a lot to your enjoyment of those speakers:

http://www.amazon.com/NuForce-uDAC-2-Black-Headphone-24bit/dp/B003Y5FRNS

Edit:

These will absolutely crush those Audioengine speakers - i'm using these in my office system and with a good source they make for an EXCELLENT hifi solution. Until you start getting into $2-3k active monitors you can't find much that will keep up with these QUADs.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1314806562&/QUAD-11L

edit again: Looking again, those aren't the active variant of those speakers, so they won't really work for you unless you get an amp setup. If you can find some 11L-Active speakers and a decent DAC, though, you'd be set.

u/yokken · 1 pointr/audiophile

http://www.amazon.com/NuForce-uDAC2-Digital-Audio-Converter/dp/B003Y5FRNS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341804959

This is good for $119. But if you're willing to spend a little more, go for the Audioengine D1. It's a sexy beast. Neither of these are gonna be going very far though. You could transport them with you when you're traveling but not when you're on a plane.

http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-D1-Premium-24-Bit-DAC/dp/B006IPH5H2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341804881

I'm dying for that D1 and a pair of Audioengine A2s. It's between the A2s and the M10s. I can't decide.

u/Referencez · 1 pointr/audiophile

In the near future of buying some pc stuff and other peripherals, i came across a thought of "which DAC for my dream speakers should i use?" So I plan on getting these sweet puppies:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H0MQYW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=17VDCKL4LO5IJ&coliid=I5C4DPHEWA9D4
But obviously to get the best sound, I'll need a DAC or an amplifier.
Here's some I have in mind:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006IPH5H2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=17VDCKL4LO5IJ&coliid=I1S7F043SU6CQK
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Y5FRNS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=17VDCKL4LO5IJ&coliid=I1FYZ24Y1G14AO
Help me choose? i want to get a good DAC but I really want to get the cheaper option. HEALP

EDIT: Here's the original thread for better formatting.

u/dhs1541 · 1 pointr/audiophile

Thanks, that does look like a good option. How would this NuForce compare? It seems to have the save 24bit/96kHz spec and I like the fact that it has a headphone jack.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/audiophile

here

if you need a DAC you can upgrade to this

u/totallyshould · 0 pointsr/audiophile

I've heard great stuff about the NuForce from a friend who has it.

I can't comment much on small monitor speakers, but I can tell you what I think of my Sennheiser HD280 headphones. I think they sound fairly good, but the padding is inadequate and after a few hours one of my ears hurts where it is touching a hard part of the headphone. If I was buying again now, I'd have a long hard look at the ATH-M50.

u/shamonington · 0 pointsr/headphones

Here is another Amazon suggestion. Any experiences with the NuForce uDAC2?

u/TheDeadlySinner · 0 pointsr/videos

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Here's three that are dedicated DACs and Amps. I own the e10 and it sounds great, and not just for its price.

Also, they didn't say that the dedicated amp would be able to drive high impedance headphones well. Keep in mind that they're targeting Beats headphones which have low impedance.