KingRex USB DACs

KingRex UD-01 Smooth, accurate and unbeatable at the price, the UD-01 deserves high quality ancillaries and can be upgraded to a high level.		KingRex UD-01 Special Edition All the goodness of the original UD-01 with a bit more detail and lots more vavoom. Op-amps and Stillpoints can be retrofitted.		KingRex UD-01 SE II NOW AVAILABLE. . . the ultimate version of the UD-01 developed in conjunction with Audiocom and Burson Audio.

Still the best 16-bit DAC we've heard under £200: musical, detailed and easily upgraded. The standard UD-01 is now joined by two Item Audio Special Edition exclusives: click pictures for technical details and recommended bundle deals . . . .

Power Supplies

Switch-Mode Power Supply Newly upgraded 12.3V / 1A LTE Electronics 'wall-wart' switching power supply.		Item Audio Dual Output PSU Linear regulated power supply: 12.8V / 4A, dual 2.1mm DC sockets.		KingRex PSU High quality dedicated linear regulated PSU: 13V / 3A, single 2.1mm DC socket.		KingRex PSU Mark II Very high quality dedicated linear regulated PSU: 13V / 3A, single XLR socket.		KingRex SLAP Battery Ultra-smooth Sealed Lead Acid Power pack: go off-mains for maximum quality.

It's a hi-fi component, so it needs a good power supply. To see exactly what's wrong with the free 'power brick', please see here >. Luckily, all the UD-01 DACs feature a standard 2.1mm DC input that can be powered by a wide range of 12V supplies: a plug-and-play upgrade path. All units ship with a new, upgraded 'wall-wart' switch-mode power supply to get you up and running. However, even the stock UD-01 benefits greatly from an improved (preferably linear regulated) power supply, and it's compulsory to get the best from the upgraded versions. Click the pictures for further details . . . .

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. I have roughly £200 to spend on a DAC. Does the UD-01 SE plus the free power supply sound better than a stock UD-01 with an upgraded PSU for about the same price? Or should I just get a DAC Magic?
A. Good question (until the DAC Magic reference). Obviously, the answer is: get both. The SE upgrade makes the DAC 'swing' and liberates more information from your music files, but the power supply provides better instrumental separation and a purer, darker background along with superior credibility in the lower registers. Either upgrade improves the UD-01 to a level beyond the DAC Magic, although the Cambridge unit does make a pretty noise in 24-bit if you have the 24/96 source files. If you're thinking of upgrading, start with a basic UD-01 and take the best PSU you can afford: if you like it, you've then got the option of moving up to the SE or SE II spec later on.

Q. Why are these power supplies so expensive?
A. With most audio components the power supply is usually the most expensive, and arguably the most important, item in the box. Because the UD-01 runs at an energy-efficient 12V, you get to specify exactly how much you spend on the PSU: just plug and play. Switch-mode power supplies are very cheap to produce, and in all honesty you're unlikely to improve far on the wall-wart that comes free with the unit unless you use a regulated or battery supply. We try to provide the best value for money options available at all price points.

Q. I bought a UD-01 from you/someone else previously; can it be upgraded to SE or SE II spec?
A. Yes. For details, see the UD-01 SE or SE II page.

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