NuForce uDac3 - design flaw
Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:40 am
A warning for anyone considering getting one of these little DAC/headphone units for computer audio usage.
Firstly the good - the NuForce uDac3 is a tiny box that attaches to the USB port on a laptop or PC and give you great sound through headphones, RCA line-out and SPDIF coax digital. SQ is smooth and warmly detailed - no nasty treble - and it easily drives headphones designed for mobile use, like Grado's.
Mostly this gets used for holiday-travel music listening and late-evening Netflix viewing when I don't want to disturb anyone.
The bad - The previous model uDac2 had a solid USB-B input socket, which has been replaced on the 3 with a micro-USB (USB-C) socket. Either this has been done for convenience or cost-cutting, probably the latter.
After 18 months of fairly intensive use this socket has broken off and is now rattling around inside the casing leaving the device totally useless. Luckily it is still under guarantee and I will probably send it off to have it fixed.
Desperation at not being able to hear all the wonderful sound-effects on 'Star Trek - Discovery' led me to rush out to my local Hifi shop, who happened to have an AudioQuest Dragonfly Red in stock, so I have a new toy to play with and will report on that in the near future.
From what I have now read about the uDac3, this problem is quite common and so my unit will soon join the line of those needing to be fixed. Might take a while.
Okay - have to wait until Monday for the next episode of 'STD' but isn't there a new series of 'The Expanse' out?
