Firstly I would like to thank Peter at
Speed Dragon Multimedia for sending me this sample of their new DSD DAC for
review. I have given this over 50hrs of burn-in, due the the solid state nature
of this device no differences were noted. I will try and write as honest a
review possible.
Gear Used:
Dell XPS15 > standard USB cable >
UAU19A > Modified T50RP/Audiofly AF160/German Maestro GMP 8.35D (velour
pads)
Media monkey was my media player of choice.
Tech Specs:
Model
|
UAU19A
|
Power
|
USB/5VDC
adapter (optional)
|
Input/output
|
USB
Type-B
6.3mm
headphone out
3.5mm
headphone out
3.5mm
stereo out/Toslink out
|
Control
|
Combo
volume knob/power
ON/OFF
|
Steaming
resolution
|
DSD
5.6MHz 1-bit
DSD
2.8MHz 1-bit
PCM
up to 384KHz 32-bit
|
Stereo
Crosstalk
|
>-100dB
|
Signal
to Noise
Ratio
(SNR)
|
112dB
(A-Weighting)
|
Total
Harmonic
Distortion
(THD+N)
|
0.003%
(A-Weighting)
|
Headphone
driving Ability
|
16-600ohm
|
MSRP: $288
Packaging, accessories and build quality:
The packaging is a simple card box, with
pictures on the front and information on the back. The box is white and quite
attractive, it features all the specs and information a buyer would need. The
white outer sleeve slides off revealing a tan box which folds open to present
the DAC neatly packed in to a card insert. Underneath this insert you will find
the included accessories. Overall the packaging is good looking and protects
the DAC as it should.
Accessories are good, you get the standard
USB cable, Driver installation disc, a 3.5mm to RCA cable for connecting the
DAC to another headphone amp or speakers, an aux power cable (for use with
apple devices) and also a Jriver media player 1 year subscription, which is a
great add on.
Build quality is very good, the metal
housing feels very robust, it is held together by hex screws, which is also
good as a great feature this has is interchangeable op-amps. All the sockets
feel solid and it is a very well put together piece of kit. I also love the
size and shape.
Usability:
This DAC is easy to set up, but the driver
can be a pain sometimes. One thing to note is this will only work with ASIO
output, the only time I had problems was when Media Monkey was on WASAPI, which
made my computer crash.
You have to open the driver prior to
plugging the DAC in, otherwise it won't work. Otherwise it is easy to use. The
volume knob acts as the on/off switch, all outputs and inputs are easily labelled.
This DAC works with apple devices if it is
power with the aux power cable supplied.
The op-amp can also be easily replaced by
just unscrewing the 4 screws, pulling the old one from the socket and installing
one that you want to use.
The LED lights on top of the DAC let you
know the sample rate you are listening at, and work very well. Overall it is
not difficult to setup, but the driver only works with ASIO. Hopefully future
driver updates will improve compatibility. Also having both 3.5mm and 6.3mm
headphone outputs is great, and it means no need to carry adapters.
Sound:
The most important part, and it does not
fail to impress.
This device comes from a relatively unknown
brand, but it does not mean they have cut corners, this DAC looks great, is the
perfect size for a office/coffee shop setup, whilst making a great home DAC for
a bigger system due to the optical/line out jack on the rear.
The sound can be described as flat and
detailed, I never find myself wishing for more detail, yet also I never find it
overly revealing to the point that I cannot enjoy MP3 files. It does sound
better with well recorded music, as most systems do, but it also plays MP3 very
well, this is also headphone dependent.
It plays well with everything, not adding
any extra flavour, which I prefer. The lows shows no signs of bloat, they are
precise and well defined, the mids lack no body, nor are they thin, and the
highs extend without harshness.
This is a very neutral sounding DAC, with
enough juice to power most headphones, it also pairs well with all headphones
due to the neutral sound. Separation is excellent, as is the soundstage, this
again is also headphone dependent, but I found this DAC does not hinder the
headphone of choice's performance, which is what any DAC should aspire to do.
Thanks for reading, I would highly
recommend this as a simple office setup or portable coffee shop setup, DSD compatibility
is also great and means it is future proofed.
Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (driver is
holding it back a little)
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