Yea, I need to see some reviews as well on this thing VS other higher end DAC since TS is quite confidence.
Lets see, the list would follow against:
1. FiiO E7
2. FiiO E10 (24-bit)
3. Hippo CriCri
4. Hippo CriCri+ (24-bit)

Any other could be much appreciated.
Btw, what's the max frequency support on this? Has anyone tried on 24/48? 24/96? 24/192()?

Alright, after waiting for so darn long I finally hit the send button and inquire chchyong89 regards more info on this, pay the bill, and arrived today.

As usual the Poslaju packaging, the side got torn a bit when I try to peel it open, guess that's not the opening, used scissor instead.
[attachmentid=3103615]

And the main dish...
[attachmentid=3103616]

IEM: Audio Technica ATH-CK300M
Software: Foobar 1.1.3 (volume @ -2.97db)
Plugins: WASAPI (USB Audio DAC) Output 16-bit.
Song: Utada Hikaru - Prisoner of Love

First listening:
Starts of the music, I can already feels the extended bass and over-powering treble (quite harsh). The SQ is definitely good, clean, but as this is out-of-the-box listening I can't really determine yet if there's any change after burn-in.
Low: Very deep, punchy, low-mid was also presented despite my IEM is weak at this point. So the low frequency response is being extended, good for bass lovers.
Mid: Good, not overly recessed or over-powered by the Low, quite impressed.
High: Mid-high is quite harsh in this area where you find certain frequency should be slightly lower, just like the bass, it is extended, especially female voice can be quite ear-piercing.
Detail: Present, good, can determine the instruments used quite easily and differentiate each other.
Soundstage: Good, but not wide enough I guess (read below for comparison).
Overall: A good DAC at its price, volume isn't overly loud (my IEM is quite sensitive), SQ is nice and clean, extended bass and high, can be little harsh at some point but overall it's a good DAC.

Compared with: Hippo CriCri+ 24/96 (I'll use Hippo in this case)
Plugins: WASAPI (Ti USB Audio) Output 24-bit (can't Output 16-bit unfortunately)
Song: (same for comparison)
Low: Hippo does present less bass in this area, low-mid is recessed and only deep bass is present but much deeper.
Mid: Slight if not so noticeable, much smooth in this case, but not so noticeable in the whole song.
High: Smooth, really smoother by a hell lot and not as harsh as UD100, and the high can goes quite high (24-bit?).
Detail: This little Hippo is detail focus, plus it's 24-bit, no competition in this area, total win.
Soundstage: Way better, wider, smoother especially when there's a sound move from left to right, very well presented.
Overall: Better DAC of course (but with AMP included). Aluminium casing, portable, these features make up for that price, can buy 3x UD100 with some spares.

So, question still stands, is this a good DAC? Yes, for its price, I'll definitely recommend this for budget concious users.
Will burn-in help? Umm, I haven really saw anyone review long-hour burn-in so I guess I'll probably do it just to compare after probably 3~4 days??

Just the DAC by itself. The volume is already much louder than my normal listening volume, I want to get the impression of the DAC itself.
Should I do another comparison through the Hippo CriCri+ AMP? (Fairer comparison?)
If needed then I'll find another free time (that was lunch time when I did the short test).

I tried with CriCri+ as the AMP, and the sound, too loud that it almost make my ear deaf, I need to tune down the volume at CriCri+.
This DAC can drive almost all IEM without a need for AMP, unless your ear require more "ohm". Headphone however, I think should be able to drive those smaller one (16-ohm) also some very sensitive one.

Anyway my setup for this test: UD100 > Hippo CriCri+ (Hippo DAC stock cable) > AT-CK300M.

My impression after AMP-ing with CriCri+:
Not much different, only improved the sound stage by slight, almost non noticeable, all the low, mid and high still present, extended low and high, female vocal being quite ear piercing if the volume is loud.

I'll try to use this to burn-in my XP3 and see if this improve the SQ of this DAC.

Note: My normal listening volume (Foobar) is probably at around -12dB (morning even lower at -24dB), that's lost of 2-bits of data, but I can continue listen for hours without breaking my ear drum. If this DAC can't drive IEM, I wonder if my ear is just too sensitive??

Add: UD100 > Beyerdynamic XP3
Foodbar volume @ -5.98dB
I think this pairing is great, the ear-piercing almost non-existent, mid is well presented in this IEM.
Bass of course hit harder but not deeper.
Mid is slightly on the high side, which might suit XP3 (V shape), bring up the mid even more than Hippo CriCri+. Yeah~~~
High, erm... I think it didn't goes as high as Hippo CriCri+, not sure if the bits has to do with it.
Soundstage, without the CriCri+ AMP, sounded tight, all sound from one place.
Overall, good bass and mid-high, it might be suitable to drive IEM such as Beyerdynamic XP3 at vocal song.

I will burn-in more, see if it does improve:
1) Soundstage, wider is always welcome, not too tight, feels crampy.
2) Detail, not sure if it can really improve on this, gonna find out.
3) Smoother sound across all frequency range.

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Oct 16 2012, 07:39 PM

Oh, I thought not high enough
Anyway, any side effect if not using AMP? Can break the IEM?
I find the volume still acceptable if I lower it at Foobar, not going to use 0dB.

Ah, I haven absorbed that term impedance or VRMS yet so I just trust my ear.
As for the resolution part, I don't think I can help it that I can't tune it close to 0dB even with the Amp, unless the Amp does not have the imbalance issue on very low volume, my listening volume is very low.
My apology if my review is bias, I re-listen in the morning so my volume is low.
Foobar @ -11.99dB, UD100 > AT-CK300M, now the mid-high harsh feels is smoother, extended bass still present, high is now smoother.
Burn-in required? Probably. To heat up all the transistors and *oiling* the electronic path?

Ah, this is very fragile thing ye, I'm making a habit of pull out my IEM very slowly while holding to the jack, same goes to every jack that I used.
I think chchyong uses the normal one, unless you can buy those silver type, which is extremely expensive but just like cable, the SQ is really insignificant unless your source and (ear/head)phone is super high-end.
Are yours naked btw? Or already has a heat-shrink? I think the heat-shrink should be able to enforce it quite a bit, not so easily detached.

A comparison to my Laptop Realtek output for much fairer comparison.
Laptop: Dell Studio 1555
IEM used: Beyerdynamic XP3
Source: Foobar

Realtek @ Laptop:
- Noisy ambient, once plugged in you'll hear some sparkle noise (electrical conduct).
- Muffled sound; sounds like a sponge at the IEM.
- Treble roll-off lower than... (see UD100).
- Bass is of course ok, not deep yet not overwhelm. FLAT!
UD100
- Clean, not a single sparkle when plugged in or when tuned to max volume (@ Foobar/Windows).
- Clean and clear sound, you can really hear some detail that're not present (Realtek @ Laptop).
- Treble is high, really high, crisp, and sparkling sharp at times.
- Bass is present with detail, great bass all the way to the mid.
- Extras: Feels like the whole frequency range is being amp-ed, louder but not breaking, unlike the software tuned EQ.

My friend can't tell the difference (UD100 vs Realtek onboard) from his cheap speaker (sub RM200 Logitech), while he's able to tell the different with my Hippo CriCri+, but the CriCri+ wasn't able to deliver fully on his PC (pink noise), might due to insufficient USB power output? Or probably just his home's electricity is not stable? I have no problem with my desktop and laptop though.
Unable to poison him using UD100.

So umm... for those who're looking something to replace their Realtek onboard, this might be the one, but if you already has a DAC, like me, you'd probably get it due to it's cheap? Or just need another DAC for certain purpose (portable OTG Audio)? Or maybe another DAC to keep another IEM burn-in while using the main one (like me ).

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Oct 25 2012, 08:56 AM

UD100 is powerful enough to push up to 32ohm IMO, any IEM might be over powered, my listening volume is quite low so it might different from you.
Replacement is a definite since the SQ output is really clean compare to onboard of which has lots of electrical interference thus noisy ambient, but with UD100, the ambient is really quiet.
I would suggest using the UD100 with a short USB extension just like how dennisyeoh's picture looks like, easier to detach your 3.5mm plug and the DAC from USB port when not in use.

Erm, I only refer to the USB extension, but the 3.5mm plug that he use is a different story, hehe, unless you're connecting to another AMP then you will need the 3.5mm male-to-male plug but if you're connect your IEM/headphone directly to the UD100 then there's no need for another 3.5mm extension.

Please have a look at my opinion on your question.
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=55367284
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=55376592

If you don't like reading long sentences, here's my summary.
The volume is way loud, but I don't have the Wolfson DAC so I don't know how does it compared, my listening volume is pretty low compared to average.

Comparison against CriCri+ is unfair, totally different level, even with CriCri+ as the AMP.
Can buy 3 units with price of CriCri+ and can still have a cup of Starbuck coffee.

You can, but need to crank the digital volume all the way to the max, as claim by some here that the volume still not enough to power some of the headphone.
If you feels not enough, prepare a bit budget for small Amp, should be enough to push your 32-ohm headphone.

FiiO E11 or maybe Hippo CriCri.
If you can afford more, then FiiO E17 or Hippo CriCri+.
All are small in size, normal handphone size I guess?

This DAC is USB only, don't think Apple will have the USB Audio out so IMO, unfortunately no.

Umm, I guess you need to learn a bit about DAC.

DAC is Digital to Analogue Converter, so you need digital line out in order for the this DAC to work.
So in other words you can't use them on Apple mobile products, their laptop aside.

Amp is just to amplify analogue sound, for this there's a LOD for Apple iPod or iPhone products that enable them to bypass the iPod or iPhone internal amplifier and uses external one instead, some said iPod or iPhone amplifier is not as good as the external one (taste and preference) so LOD exist but Apple iPod or iPhone doesn't have USB Audio out so it's impossible to use DAC for Apple iPod or iPhone.

I hope this clear out your confusion.

Oh, I think I have heard about this but require jailbreak huh... um, means no official support.
Well, if the user is willing to take the risk then this method is workable I guess.
How many Apple devices is workable without any issue at all (crashes or bugs) for long term? if I may ask

Sound harsher? You might notice this could be sounded like more EQ across all bands, more bass and more treble present in all the musics. Burn-in in this case does not help, I had a intensive burn-in on mine more than 100-hour and still the same, but the sparkling treble is slightly recessed and less fatigue in my case.
This is definitely cleaner than any on-board sound card, be it the PC or phone due to less electricity interference.

Different grade I assume, or UD100 could be better in SQ due to its nature.

X-Fi is all-in-one sound card, means it not just having 2.0 output, it has:
7.1 output capability
Digital output
Analogue input (line-in or mic-in)
Software driver features (EQ, EAX, etc.)

X-Fi is more of a all-rounder for desktop and UD-100 is focus only just 1 thing, stereo output, be it to your speaker or your headphone/earphone or through amplifier, etc.

As for your Galaxy S2, you can refer to this thread < click!

Mine have no such issue even when I plugged my IEM into it when it's plugged to the USB port, and just a tick sound when I plugged it (UD100) to an USB port when my IEM is plugged to it.

Does it happen when you play audio or simple just plugged in?
Can you try to re-produce it on other PC? Or other USB port?

If all tested with the same result (static noise) then you can PM TS to make arrangement to replace your unit, probably just faulty chips or bad solders?

p/s: I don't know if it does change the sound signature but I feels the whole frequency bands is being EQ higher, that's the only thing that I feels listening through it, otherwise it's a very good clean DAC.

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Jan 28 2013, 03:06 PM

UD110? No update on front page... >.<"
What's the specifications this time? Improvement on which area?

*Company block facebook > >"

Has anyone received it yet?
Please give an in depth review of UD110, and of course versus the old one.

p/s: Isn't this DAC a major version, why is it called UD110 not UD200?

Another question:
Has anyone tried to fully seal this thing?
Like using the silicone glue or anything equivalent.
I would like to have mine done that for better protection against dust, but the heat from the chip bugs me a bit, wonder if the seal will damage the components in long term.

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Sep 27 2013, 08:16 AM